Dark Horses

Christian returns from break to give a synthesis on how the Olympic field is taking shape. Julien Alfred, Sasha Zhoya, Nickisha Pryce...who are the athletes poised to make a mark at Paris plus spotlighting Keely Hodgkinson and Matthew Hudson-Smith. The Olympics are just days away...

The hurdles deliver fireworks with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Rai Benjamin, and Masai Russell. Tara-Davis Woodhall books her ticket in the long jump. Meanwhile, Kenny Bednarek is "one his case" to Lyles in an unforgettable 200m race as the rest of the Paris Olympic team is set. 

Sha'Carri wins Gold in a new WL while the excitement in the 400m for Women's & Men's builds Kendall Ellis, Quincy Wilson, Michael Norman, and Quincy Hall. Lyles secures his ticket to Paris in the 100m as his triple crown hopes remain alive. On the distance side, Cole Hocker delivers yet another scintillating kick at the Olympic Trials in a meet record victory

This week, Christian gives a breakdown of the Euro Championships: Marcell Jacobs' 100m gold, Karsten Warholm another sub 47 second 400m hurdles, Femke Bol's new world lead, and is Alexander Doom a medal favorite in Paris? Next up is a spotlight on two high schoolers with promising Olympic team potential: Quincy Wilson and Christian Miller. Finally, he touches on some international performances that are clarifying the power rankings as the Paris Olympics are less than 45 days away. 

Christian finishes his power rankings, touching on who is favored to win Olympic medals in the sprints. Then he recaps notable performances from NYC Grand Prix and NCAAs including Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone scaring the American record, Noah Lyles' 200m debut, Nickishia Pryce's Collegiate Record, and McKenzie Long's triple crown in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m.  

This week, Christian comes back from the break to give us his power rankings for the 2024 Olympic Medalists in the middle distances 1500m and 800m followed by the hurdles.  To round it out, he previews this weekend's big track events with the NCAA Championships and the NYC Grand Prix. 

This week, Christian brings us up to speed on an already stunning month of May.  First, the SEC Outdoor Championships set the stage for a wicked fast NCAAs in June with Christopher Morales Williams and Nickisha Pryce coming in hot with new world leads in the 400m, Parker Valby setting the meet record in the 5k and Mckenzie Long emerging as an Olympic dark horse as she sets a meet record in the 200m. Next up, Diamond League excellence with Alison dos Santos' debuting the season impressively with a 46.86 in the 400m hurdles and Kenny Bednarek provoking Noah Lyles with a new personal best and world lead in the 200m. Finally, he gives his predictions for the L.A. Grand Prix asking just how fast will Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone go? 

This week Christian covers the results of the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas with spotlights on the emerging tension between Noah Lyles and Letsile Tebogo, Gabby Thomas' adeptness on and off the track, and Rhasidat Adeleke's impressive 4x4 split.  Stateside at the Oxy Invitational, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone returns to the 100m hurdles, Michael Norman makes his season debut, and a stacked men's 1500m gives us a showdown between Nico Young, Colin Stahlman, and Matthew Centrowitz. Finally, at the Texas High School State Meet, individual athletes India Mayberry and Jelani Watkins stand out along with top-performing schools Humble Atascocita and Duncanville. 

This week Christian walks through the highlights of his experience at the 2024 Penn Relays in Philly - from Quincy Wilson's back-to-back 44 second splits in the 4x4, to the final kick upset between Jamaica College and Christian Brothers. He also covers performances of Yared Nuguse, Ollie Hoare, & Isabella Whittaker.  In global track news, Noah Lyles, Abby Steiner, and Kirani James win their respective races at the Bermuda Grand Prix; and Emmanuel Wanyonyi breaks the road mile world record in Germany. To close the show, Christian shares what he is excited for in the month of May.   

This episode, Christian gives his list of dark horses - athletes with strong potential to pull upsets and outperform expectations going into the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, an overview of the exciting field for the Women's 400, a recap of the Diamond League in China, and a preview of Penn Relays!