byLarry Eder
Tori Bowie, Rome DL, June 5, 2014, photo by PhotoRun.net
So, who is this skinny flash who is blazing down the tracks from Doha to Monaco? Well, it’s Tori Bowie, and her 10.80 for the 100 meters is wicked fast, but, sports fans, Tori Bowie has a ways to go yet, before she gets to her top speed!
So, I am sitting in Monaco, having an espresso. It is two in the morning, I am jet lagged, but, I am still talking about the amazing three hours of track & field I just witnessed at the Meeting Herculis. I am sitting at the bar, and a keen observer of the sport sits down next to me, orders some coffee, and we begin chatting about the meet.
Our conversation focused on Tori Bowie, who had just decimated one of the best fields of the year, with a 10.80 for the 100 meters. A huge personal best for Tori (her previous was 11.05), and this comes in a season where she had wins in Rome (100 meters), Pre (200 meters) adidas GP (100 meters), and now, after an injury in the heats at the US Champs, Tori Bowie goes out and runs 10.80!
Tori Bowie, Sacramento 2014, photo by PhotoRun.net
Racing against Veronica Campbell Brown (second in 10.96), then, Murielle Ahoure in third (10.97), then, Blessing Okagbare (10.97) in fourth, Allyson Felix in fifth, (11.01), and in sixth, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (11.01), and Myriam Soumare in 11.03 in seventh. Tori Bowie got a start that was superb for her, and battled VCB until about sixty meters, and then, Tori Bowie was off!
Tori Bowie ran 10.80 in a race where she ran the fastest 100 meters in the world for 2014. 10.80 is a time to respect and behold. To run that in a race where Olympic, World and area championship medals of the group would go over forty different events is not a bad way to show the world that you are a force with which to respect.
One can not help but be impressed with Tori Bowie, a fine long jumper who has been concentrating on the sprints, with much success. Her coach, Lance Braumann, admits that she will long jump once again, an event that she loves. Knowing Lance Braumann, my guess is that he has already seen a couple of things he can help Tori Bowie improve so that that amazing finishing speed can run even faster times!
I for one, look forward to seeing her top end speed go even faster and farther.
