byLarry EderDavid Oliver has been world class for a decade. Early in his career, while battling in his event, he sold shoes at FootLocker. Oliver has a low key, almost devil may care attitude, but that is not David Oliver.
David Oliver is the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and 2013 World Champion. In between those races, he has had highs and lows. Oliver knows that comes with the territory.
David Oliver, photo by PhotoRun.net
When you are a world class athlete in athletics, and you choose the 110m hurdles, you are always on the brink.
The 110 meter hurdles requires controlled speed, focus and agility. The athletes who run the 110m hurdles or the 100m hurdles for that matter, consider themselves the finest athletes in our sport.
There is no hiding in an event like the high hurdles. It is popular, but not like the 100 meters or the 1,500 meters. So, hurdlers race alot, to make a living as well as getting their timing down.
David Oliver, photo by PhotoRun.net
The astute track fan loves the high hurdles, as the top athletes battle, week after week, year after year. David Oliver is one of those athletes.
In Doha, David Oliver, 2013 World Champ, will battle Omar McLeod, the 2016 World Indoor Champ and current World leader, Hansel Parchment, the 2015 World Champ silver medalist and 2012 Olympic Games bronze medalist, Dimitri Bascou, 2016 World Indoor bronze medalist, and Aries Merrit, 2012 Olympic Champion, 2012 World Indoor Champion, World record holder, 2015 World Outdoor bronze medalist and recent recipient of a kidney transplant from his sister.
If you think that is a full field, you have not counted such fine athletes as Orlando Ortega, former Cuban, now Spanish citizen, Spencer Adams, World Indoor finalists and Antonio Alkana, a fine hurdler from South Africa.
David Oliver has seen them come and go. Hence, his comment yesterday: ” I just focus on those ten hurdles, I do not worry who is around me. I try and run my race.” After over a decade at the top of the world, David Oliver knows how fickle the world can be. In 2010, he was king of the world, in 2012, he was just off a bit, and in 2013, he won the World Championships.
This is 2016, and David Oliver knows that his days as an elite hurdler will come to an end, sooner than later. But this year, the veteran of the 110 meter hurdle wars will give the races he chooses in 2016 the focus of his decade of world class experience. David Oliver knows what it feels like to win an Olympic medal. David Oliver knows what it feels like to win a World Championships medal, and the top one at that. David Oliver knows what it feels like to come just short of the promised land as well.
The 110 meter hurdles give you ten times to screw up. In a race where you have the best at their craft, one screw up and the party is over, you are fighting for fourth or fifth.
Oliver is a tall, muscular man who competes in an event that demands exactness and precision. David has probably forgotten more about the 110m hurdles than most of his contempories will ever know.
In a few hours, we will see how he begins the Diamond League season. His three races this season, a 13.41 in Austin, a 13.30 in Nassau and his 13.31 in Des Moines show a man rounding into shape, at one of the toughest events in our sport.
The Gladiator of the hurdles is in Doha.
