What's New

****If you are willing to make a donation to help offset the costs of maintaining this website, please click on the following link to make a donation through paypal: Donations If you'd prefer to donate through the mail, click the "Contact Me" link to the left to email me for my address. Thank you.****
_____________________________________________________________________

****Well David Oliver went and dropped another bomb with his new American record 12.89 at the Diamond League meet in Paris on 7/16/10. His time makes him the 3rd-fastest 110m hurdler ever, behind Dayron Robles' 12.87 and Liu Xiang's 12.88. Oliver is arguably having the best season ever by a 110 hurdler, having run 12.92, 12.90, and now 12.89, all with legal winds. Congrats too to Ryan Wilson and Ronnie Ash, who have consistently been running fast races behind Oliver's record-breaking performances. Here is Universal Sports footage of the race. Check Oliver's blog for his own reflections on the race.****

Thank You AJ (added 7/16/10)
Last week Allen Johnson announced his retirement from track and field. Arguably the best 110m high hurdler of all time, and definitely one of the greatest technicians of all time, Johnson will be greatly missed, as I’m sure that all fans of the hurdles have been inspired by him to one degree or another. . . . [more]

Thoughts on the Women's 100m Hurdles (added 7/15/10)
I have occasionally received comments from women that I don’t put up many articles that focus on the women’s 100m hurdle race. True, I must admit I’m much more interested in the men’s 110’s, but in this article I willl take some time to take a close look at the women’s race. . . . [more]

****On 7/4/10 I found a very good article on Lashinda Demus, who won the 400m hurdles at the Prefontaine classic yesterday in a very impressive 53.03. Click here to read. Click here for footage of her race.****

Rodney Milburn: The Quiet Champion, Chapter Three (added 7/4/10)
In his first year at Southern University, Rodney became friends with the best high hurdler in the world. Willie Davenport, 1968 Olympic champion, had graduated from Southern shortly after his Olympic victory. When Rodney arrived, Willie still trained there and coached as a volunteer. From the beginning, Rodney and Willie developed a close relationship. The 26-year-old Willie mentored Rodney as the young freshman adapted to college life and the higher hurdles. . . . [more]

****It's getting hard to keep up with David Oliver these days. After running 12.93 at the USA Championships, he tied the American record of 12.90 at the Nike Prefontaine Classic. On 7/4/10 I updated the "Top Ten Lists" page to reflect this change. Oliver's time also makes him third all-time in the history of the event, behind Dayron Robles and Liu Xiang. Here is footage of Oliver's record-tying race.****

****On 6/28/10 I updated the "Top Ten Lists" page to include David Oliver's 12.93 at the USA Championships this past weekend. D.O's time makes him the seventh-fastest ever in the event, and the fourth-fastest American ever, tied wtih Renaldo Nehemiah in both. Check out Oliver's blog for details on the race, and a link to race footage.****

Congrats to all national champions. Here's the Universal Sports link to the men's the men's 400m hurdles, won by Bershawn Jackson in 47.32, with Johnny Dutch (I love you man!) finishing 2nd in 47.63.
Here's the Universal Sports link to the women's 400m hurdles, won by T'ierra Brown in 54.84.
Here's the Universal Sports link to the women's 100m hurdles, won by Lolo Jones in 12.67.

Chapter Three of Rodney Milburn: The Quiet Champion is on the way; I just need to work out some kinks with the photographs. --Steve McGill, 6/7/10.

****On 5/26/10, I added some photos to Chapter Two of Rodney Milburn: The Quiet Champion. So if you've read it already and want to put faces to some of the names, click here to check it out again.****

Rodney Milburn: The Quiet Champion, Chapter Two (added 5/20/10)
The hurdles were made of wood. They were built by kids in the industrial arts class. The track was a grass field. Coach Claude Paxton regularly mowed it and lined it himself. If you knew what was good for you, you had better not get caught walking on Coach Paxton’s field. . . . [more]

Rodney Milburn: The Quiet Champion, Introduction (added 5/20/10)
Back in 2004 I decided I wanted to write a book on Rodney Milburn, the 1972 Olympic champion in the 110 meter high hurdles. Milburn passed away at the age of 47, in 1997, in a tragic accident at his workplace. When I heard news of his death, I expected (naively, perhaps) to hear an outpouring of emotions, followed by a book and a movie, but the years kept passing by and I barely heard a whisper. That’s when the thought occurred to me, why don’t I write something. . . . [more]