Track and Field on ESPN

ESPN Will Show All 6 Golden League Meets, 2 Channels

2008 IAAF Golden League Track Meets on ESPN Classic and ESPN2

ESPN, in agreement with IMG, will televise all six 2008 ÅF Golden League track & field meets, beginning with two hours of coverage of the ISTAF Berlin from Germany Sunday, June 1, at 9:30 a.m. on ESPN Classic (ESPN2 at 2 p.m.)  Dwight Stones, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist and former three-time world record-holder in the men’s high jump, and longtime track and field analyst Larry Rawson will call the action.

Among the athletes scheduled to compete are Kenyan middle distance runner and world champion Janeth Jepkosgei, 2006 European Championship gold medal winner in the 100m hurdle Susanna Kallur of Sweden, two-time Olympic gold medal winner and four-time World Champion specializing in the 400m U.S.A.’s Jeremy Wariner, and 2007 World Championship gold-medal winner Panamanian long jumper Irving Saladino.

The AF Golden League offers a $1 million jackpot — international athletics’ biggest annual payday — in 10 event disciplines: men’s 100m, 400m, 1,500m, 400m hurdles, long jump and javelin throw and women’s 200m, 800m, 100m hurdles and high jump.  Athletes must win their respective event disciplines at all six meets in the series to earn at least a share of the $1 million payday.  Schedule:

Berlin, Germany
June 1, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. ESPN Classic
June 1, 2-4 p.m. ESPN2
 
Oslo, Norway
June 6, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ESPN Classic
June 15, 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. ESPN2
 
Rome, Italy
July 11, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ESPN Classic
July 13, 12 a.m. – 2 a.m. ESPN2
 
Paris, France
July 18, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ESPN Classic
July 18, 4-6 p.m. ESPN2
 
Zürich, Switzerland
Aug 29, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m., ESPN Classic
Aug 29, 7-9 p.m. ESPN2
 
Brussels, Belgium
Sept 5, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. ESPN Classic
Sept 7, 3:30 -5:30 p.m. ESPN2

Photos

My most recent photos are featured on the home page.  To view other albums click here

Training for Reebok Grand Prix Meet

It’s been great to get back in the weight-room and training after all those days on the road to Japan and Hawaii.  I had a great week of lifting last week.  My Olympic lifts, bench and squats are finally starting to get close to what they were 2 years ago.  The weight-room staff at Auburn University is 1st class.  One of the assistant strength coaches, Jeff, is getting married this weekend.  Congrats Jeff!!!!

 After these 2 good weeks of hard training.  I am excited to be competing again this weekend in the Reebok Grand Prix in New York.  We are  going to have a great field of women’s discus throwers.  One of our American discus throwers, Stephanie has a current World Leading Mark at 66.17meters.  This is going to be my first visit to the Big Apple, I’ll try to take lots of pictures.

For more meet info visit, http://www.reebokgrandprix.com/

TV Times

ESPN2, May 31, 8:00-10:00 p.m.
CBS, June 1, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Upcoming Meet on TV

 

Five more superstars added to line-up

NEW YORK, NY (May 21, 2008) - Five of the top female athletes in the sport have been added to the field for the fourth-annual Reebok Grand Prix on May 31, organizers announced today.

Sprinter Allyson Felix, a triple 2007 World Champion; Sanya Richards, ranked #1 in the world at 400 meters; Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain, the reigning 1500-meter World Champion; Jenn Stuczynski, American Record-holder and #2 all-time in the pole vault; and Lisa Barber, 2006 World Indoor Champion at 60 meters, will all be in the lineup. They join the previously announced Tyson Gay, Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Lauryn Williams in what is shaping up to be an extraordinary night of sprint action.

For more meet info visit http://www.reebokgrandprix.com/

TV Times

ESPN2, May 31, 8:00-10:00 p.m.
CBS, June 1, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Will Conwell Throwing in Maui 2008

Theo Reading

Travel Excitement

I know travelling to different to places can seem glamorous but I have to tell you about my return trip from Maui.  I left the hotel at 12pm local time for my 2pm flight from Maui to Honolulu.  It was a short 30min flight.  My next flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles wasn’t leaving until 10:30pm  so I had eight hours to kill.  Will Conwell, US discus thrower, my training partner in Seattle, WA reminded me we had some Huskies on the island.  Lauren a former runner for the huskies lives there but she was coaching at the high school state meet.  But another husky came to my rescue, Blake a former decathlete for the huskies was there on vacation.

We found a place to have lunch and they took me to a beautiful beach.  It was relaxing watching all of the kids playing and there was guy who was rowing around standing on a surf board.  It was pretty cool to watch, it looked like a really hard workout.  We took a short driving tour and then it was time to head back to the airport.

My flight was a little late leaving and by the time we landed in LA I had 10min. to get to my connecting flight to Memphis.  My mad dash began and I made the flight.  I got to Memphis and was thankful to have only 1 flight left, 50 min. and I would be off to Atlanta.  We boarded the flight as usual but the plane was having issues and we stayed parked at the gate for about an hour.  Then they had all of us get off the plane so they could fix it.  We waited about another hour still no word.  Finally the gate agent started booking people on later flights.  I was able to get on a later flight on a different airline. 

After a short 50min flight from Memphis to Atlanta my trip was almost done.  I just had an hour drive left to Auburn, AL.  I couldn’t get there fast enough, I was missing my baby and just wanted to see him.  He waited up for me and gave me the biggest hug.  That hug made me forget about the 30 hours it took to get from Maui to Auburn.

Maui Competitions 2&3

The weather and wind were in our favor today.  All the same women were back for the 2nd meet, and again it was a competitive field.  I was excited about how I was feeling in the ring and how my technique is coming together.  It took a few rounds to groove things in but then we were rolling.  After the meet finished we had the option to throw again and start a new meet immediately following.  I don’t think any of us improved in the latter meet but we had to try. 

Six competitive throws is what were used to, twelve competitive throws is tough.  I threw 63.05meters in the 2nd meet and 61.38meters in the 3rd meet.  I am pretty tired after the 3 meets and ready to get back to training.

Click here for full results, http://www.mauidiscuschallenge.org/page/page/5846709.htm

My next meet is going to be in New York on May 31st, here is the meet website, http://www.reebokgrandprix.com/

Aretha Throwing in Maui 2008 Comp 1

Maui Competition 1

Today was the 1st of 2 competitions in Maui, Hawaii . The weather was beautiful, sunny and a strong wind. Unfortunately it was a strong wind from the wrong direction, a left tailwind, which is tough on the 1K discus. We had a strong group of competitors all of the top US women, and top international throwers. It was a close competition. I finished 3rd with 58.38meters. Check here for full results, http://www.mauidiscuschallenge.org/page/page/5846709.htm

We will compete again on friday and let you know the results.

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