by Larry Eder
This is Coffee with Larry for Saturday,
December 16, 2023.
Our topics:
1. The Bowerman Awards for 2023 were awarded to Jaydon Hibbert, a brilliant triple jumper, and Julian Alfred, an exciting sprinter and relay specialist.
2. The Bowerman Awards are very satisfying and well-received in the collegiate sport of track and field.
3. The AOY awards of World Athletics were changed, with no announcement or explanation in Monaco last weekend.
4. For men, Noah Lyles won Track, Mondo Duplantis won Field, and Kelvin Kiptum won out of stadia.
5. For women, Faith Kipyegon won Track, Yulimar Rojas won field, and Tigist Assefa won out of stadia.
6. It is not that 3 awards from WA are bad, it is how it was done and how it has put a bad taste in the mouths of many track fans, and obviously Noah Lyles.
7. Why was this done when WA had witnessed such a wonderful year in our sport?
8. USTFCCCA executed the Bowerman well, but World Athletics did not execute the AOY well.
9. It reminded me of the 2000 Olympic Trials, when, in the 200m final, both Maurice Greene and Michael Johnson pulled out as John Capel went on to win one of the most unsatisfying performances I have ever witnessed. https://trackandfieldnews.com/…/uploads/2019/10/2000.pdf
10. Track and field has so many opps to grab the world’s attention. Awards need to be hardly fought for. The Bowerman was. The WA AOY was not announced, so no one knew what they were competing for.
11. Dubai Marathon date is January 7, 2024.
12. RAK Half Marathon date is February 24, 2024.
13. New Balance Indoor GP is February 4, 2024.
14. US Olympic Marathon Trials is on February 3, 2024.
15. Early in the morning in Abu Dhabi, UAE,
#CoffeeWithLarry will return on Monday, December 17, 2023.
