Clinical Depression: My Fight

I still remember the shock of September 1^st last year and hearing the news that yet another former NHLer was dead because of suicide. Wade Belak had never played for a team that I particularly liked, but his grittiness, willingness to drop the gloves, never say die attitude and infectious smile had made me a fan from the moment I watched him play. The link between mental illness and suicide hadn’t been made for me at this point. I was more caught up in believing what the media was saying about there being a correlation between the type of hockey players that Rick Rypien, Derek Boogard, and Wade Belak were and their decisions to take their lives. Michael Landsberg’s article on TSN.ca changed my perception on not only that, but exactly how I looked at myself.

I read the article the day that it was published, and watched earnestly as Landsberg spoke about his struggles with chronic clinical depression and anxiety, and his relationship with Wade Belak as well as Belak’s struggles with depression. It moved me, but not because of the sympathy I felt for Belak’s family and friends, but because of the empathy I felt for those three players who chose to take their lives, as well as for Landsberg. The feelings that were described both in the article and on air were some that I recognized within myself. I didn’t mention this to anyone and after a few days, even forgot about it, only to find myself consumed with it come late November of 2011.

I was bullied growing up. No, I’m not saying this expecting people to feel sympathy for me. It’s a fact. Bullying is a major problem in today’s society, especially with children and I was a victim. It was so bad that in grade six, my sister and I were pulled out of our elementary school and transferred to a different one because of the things that were happening. For a while it made things better, but then it started again. I blamed myself for it. Between the bullying I was going through in the dressing room at hockey and the treatment I was receiving at not one, but two elementary schools, I felt as if I was the problem. Of course I would never say that out loud, but the things people were saying about me I started to believe. I was never a problem child, but I undoubtedly gave my parents premature grey hairs because of my responses to what was going on at school and at the rink. I made decisions on and off the ice that probably should never have been made, but have also made me who I am today.

In grade 8 I saw a therapist for the first time to deal with some anger issues. This was on the tail of schoolyard fights and increasing aggression in not only hockey games, but practices as well. I was a smart 14 year old though. I said all the things the therapist wanted to hear and weaseled my way out of opening up to what the problems really were. Maybe that was because I didn’t actually know what those problems were. I quit hockey after that year. The torment had become too much for me, to the point where I walked off the bench in the middle of a game.

High school was no better but I had found a new outlet – cross country running. I threw myself into it head first and soon found myself neck deep in training, racing, and becoming the best I could be. The endorphins I experienced when running hard and fast made me feel alive. It was as if I finally felt normal. But the bullying and the constant questioning was still there. I lived and died with questions that ran through my head. Always asking myself why no one liked me, why I was never invited anywhere, why people treated me the way I did. It all came back to the things that were ingrained in my head. I was nobody, worth nothing, and useless. All I had going for me was running it seemed and I was able to lose myself in that.

When I was 16 I experienced my first failure with running and found myself lost and feeling as though I was living underwater. I had failed to advance to OFSAA Track and Field, and for two months afterwards I felt no desire to get out of bed every day. This was the first of many extreme low points I felt over the next 5 years, but no one could tell. I was putting on a mask for those in my life, acting as if I was the happy kid that everyone thought they knew. Inside though I was tormented. I didn’t know why but there were only bad days and worse days for me. I didn’t know what ‘good’ felt like. I became motivated though. I trained like a mad man in the summer of 2007 and entered grade eleven cross-country season in the best shape of my life and ready to take on the world. That feeling didn’t last long however, as an injury sidelined me for most the season and sent me back to a long period of depression that only lifted when I began dating my current girlfriend. She was able to numb the pain for me. I was finally able to be me around her and forget about what other people were saying. Sure, there were still bad days where I didn’t want to get out of bed, but I found them to be fewer and far between.

I went almost a full year living what I thought was a normal life. I began to make and keep friends, and I achieved things through track and field that made me feel worthy. That quickly vanished in October of 2008 when I became sick and had to drop out of a major cross country meet. I tried to ignore the things people were saying about me, but I heard them and again the voices in my head were telling me all of the things that I had tried to push away. Even my girlfriend wasn’t able to keep things at bay for me anymore as I began to find myself not wanting to get out of bed more and more frequently. I would find myself feeling exceptionally alone even if I was in a crowded room of people. I was experiencing clinical depression and I didn’t know it. No one did. In late January of 2009 I hit what was rock bottom for me up to that point. After over a year of dating, my girlfriend broke up with me and I was physically sick. I was unable to move for five days, and failed two exams because of the things that were going through my head. Luckily enough we got back together, and I was briefly lifted out of that mood. Signing my National Letter of Intent with Charleston Southern University also gave me what I thought was a light at the end of the tunnel, and in the fall of 2009 I began my university career as an NCAA Division 1 athlete.

Over the next two years I experienced ups and downs that showed me what the highest of highs and lowest of lows felt like. The feelings of loneliness, anxiety, doubt, and torment never went away. They were only subdued by my small personal triumphs, and were multiplied by anything negative in my life. As much as it hurt me to do so, I had to make the decision to leave my life as a runner behind and pursue my education back in Canada where I had hoped things would be better for me. And they were for a time. I spent the summer in 2011 happy and carefree; finally able to be a normal 20 year old. The dark days were there, and I noticed them, but once again they seemed few and far between.

That September I read Michael Landsberg’s words on mental health and clinical depression and for a fleeting moment I asked myself if that was me. I brushed it off and forgot about it for the time being, but without fail, all of my old demons came back but this time they were being pushed and prodded by something more.

When I made the decision to leave Charleston Southern, I was not only leaving behind running, but my identity as well. For my whole life I had been an elite athlete – whether it be AAA hockey or national level running. Now I didn’t know who I was. I no longer had something firm to cling to and it seemed like the floor caved in and I was falling deeper and deeper and deeper. I tried to remedy it with alcohol. I drank a lot, but bars and parties were no refuge. I still felt alone. No matter how many people were with me, I was alone. The partying left me only with a body that was bigger than what I was used to. No longer being an athlete I lost the muscular definition that I had taken for granted and again, more fuel was added to the fire burning in my head. Stress, anxiety, loneliness, identity, worthlessness, and my future were all I could think about. I watched the hands on the clock tick by as I asked myself what was wrong with me. For the first time I seriously began to believe I may be mentally ill. There were many nights I spent crying in bed trying to answer the questions I had. My sleep pattern was lost. I would go 3, maybe 4 days without sleep at a time. Finally I worked up the courage to tell my girlfriend that I thought something was wrong, and eventually in late November of 2011 I picked up the phone, and in between sobs I said to my mother “I need help. I think I have depression”.

On February 22, 2012, in Sarnia, Ontario, I was diagnosed with Chronic Clinical Depression and handed a prescription that I am still on to this day. It was then I learned that I had a chemical imbalance in my brain. My serotonin levels were off, and that’s why for the longest time I had the hardest time distinguishing between what was good, and what was bad. For the last 6 years of my life, I had lived not knowing what normal was. Or at least what normal for other people was. In April I started seeing a therapist, and between the medication and the talk therapy, I could feel myself getting better. The bad days were still there, but the bad days weren’t as bad and there weren’t as many of them. One of the most frequent questions I was asked by both doctors and people who cared about me was if I had ever thought of committing suicide. My answer remains the same to this day. No. I have never thought about ending my own life, but I have been down so low – last week on Sunday November 11^th for example – where I finally understood where people like Wade Belak were at when they made the decision to take their own lives.

I will never be cured of this illness. It is going to be with me for the rest of my life, but I am able to control it now because I know that there are resources out there for me. I wouldn’t have known this though if it weren’t for a man I respect greatly. If it weren’t for Landsberg’s article and eventually his documentary and Bell Canada’s “Lets Talk” awareness day about Mental Health, there is a significant chance that I would have taken, or attempted to take my life.

This is because I didn’t know any different than the stigmas that were projected about mental health. In fact, one of the first things I said to my mom about it was that I was afraid people were going to look at me differently because of it. I was afraid I was going to be ‘labeled’ and known as a freak. I thought my place was on the psychiatric ward of a hospital. By reaching out to everyone, and being so candid about his struggles, Michael Landsberg made me aware that I wasn’t so different, that in fact I was part of the 1 in 3 people that suffer from some sort of mental illness. This comforted me, and helped me embrace the fact that I wasn’t different at all. It made me want to take on the disease and help other people who were like me – afraid to acknowledge it or do anything about it.

I wish someone had said to me earlier in life “Hey, is everything okay? Is there anything you want to talk about?” While there certainly were people who said this to me, I wasn’t aware that all they were doing was looking to help me. I, like most teenagers (especially boys) thought that authority figures were there to hurt, not help me. God, do I wish I had known differently.

Like I said earlier – this story of mine is not meant to elicit sympathy from anyone. In fact I wrote it simply because I know what I know now. I know that all someone needs is a helping hand, someone to ask them if they are feeling okay or if they want to talk. All we as a society need to do is be an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, or a friend when a friend is needed. I’m not different from any other 16 year old boy who has questions about life. In fact I was in those shoes and I know what is going through their heads. No, I’m not qualified to be an expert on depression or mental health, but I am qualified to point someone in the direction of getting help. Most of the time, that is all anyone needs.

Please, if you think someone you know or love is suffering from a mental illness, please speak to him or her about it, and offer to help, even if it is only pointing them to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health or Kid’s Help Phone. At the bottom of this page is a link to various resources that can be accessed for those who may be suffering.

Thank you to Michael Landsberg for giving me the knowledge that there was help for me, and the courage to not only speak up about my mental health, but also to write about it in the hopes of helping others.

Honour and Privilege - Michael Landsberg (R) and Me (L)

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=375694

http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/teens/home/splash.aspx

http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/Pages/home.aspx

The Problem with the Lance Armstrong Case

This post is going to be not only very informal, but could come off seeming as if it is a rant - which it partly is. Bear with me please, and understand that this is not me defending Lance Armstrong, but rather me defending due process, the legal system, and morality.

As we all know by now, Lance Armstrong has been stripped off all 7 of his Tour de France titles stretching from 1999-2005, as well as having his name removed from numerous record books, the face of Nike, and as the head of the Livestrong foundation.

I am not here to state whether or not I believe he cheated - as far as I am concerned that is not for me or the public to decide. That is for a blood, urine, or hair analysis test to decide. Unfortunately, there are people in many organizations throughout the world that have decided that hearsay and court statements are enough to indict and convict Armstrong of using Performance Enhancing Drugs.

I see one small problem with where these statements are coming from. Cyclists such as Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, and Alberto Contador are the ones coming out in the press and admonishing Lance Armstrong for using drugs. It is on their words, amongst others, that the International Cycling Union, the Tour de France, the American Anti-Doping Agency, the World Anti-Doping Agency, and the kangaroo court that is public opinion have decided to label Lance "guilty as charged".

My problem with this is that it seems that the words of proven cheaters, known corrupted organizations *cough Nike cough*, and public hate (need I refer people to the HUNDREDS of hate articles the French media wrote about Lance during his amazing run of 7 straight TDF's?) are all it takes in today's society to determine that someone is a cheater. How is it possible that we, as a society, are completely fine with accepting the words of those who have cheated, and been caught, and then apologized as legitimate? I find it impossible to ignore the fact that Lance Armstrong has been tested thousands of times, has made himself available for more drug testing, and has let his drug testing record be public when considering his case. If athletes such as Contador have failed drug tests, would it not make sense that Lance, who has unquestionably been tested more than Contador has, fail a test as well? Drug tests don't lie, but people do. And I don't think it is out of the question that people who have been caught cheating and lying to cover up their cheating are capable of lying again.

My point isn't that Lance is clean or dirty. My point is that there is a due process to be followed, and the due process suggests that Lance Armstrong never took performance enhancing drugs. The drug tests are more valid to me than the statement of a convicted drug cheat.

Look at it this way. This would be like trying someone for capital murder with a jury that is comprised completely of men sitting on death row. The court of public opinion is taking science out of the equation and allowing testimony and hearsay to be all that is needed to convict him.

This is a major problem that could spell the end for athletes everywhere. Who is going to be targeted next? Allowing hearsay and testimony to win sets the stage for anyone to say whatever they want about whomever they want, and apparently we have to take that as true.

Give Lance a drug test. In fact go back and retest his old samples. The truth doesn't lie in a statement from George Hincapie. It lies in the results of those drug tests.

Lets Just Play Hockey

I haven’t written a blog post about the lockout yet, simply because I’ve kind of been naïve enough to think that if I don’t talk about it, it will end. Plus there’s that whole “@#$& you Bettman” attitude I’ve got going too.

But with the NHL cancelling the first 82 games of the season today (October 11 through October 24), I had a little bit of an epiphany. Obviously it is a little bit out there with over 100 players having signed over in the various European leagues, and each team having assigned a majority of their younger stars to their AHL affiliates; but in this post I will outline my plan to have an NHL type season without the NHL owners needing to get involved (like I said, “@#$& you Bettman”).

Remember this is just a pipe dream, but if the NHLPA really is as united as they are then this could work (in some alternate universe).

As we have seen with groups of players getting together to practice and train in the off season, it isn’t hard to imagine groups of teams getting together for a prolonged period of time while the season is on lock out. In reality it probably wouldn’t take more than 3 months for this entire plan to unfold and would benefit each team, their fan bases, and some charities greatly.

My proposal would take place in cities across Canada (sorry USA, a lot of your franchises are the reason we’re in this position to begin with), and would see each team play one exhibition, charity game against each team from across the NHL. These would be organized in charity style, like we are seeing with the mini tour that is taking place in Quebec right now. It would be a glorified round robin tournament that saw the top 16 teams after the 30 games square off in a March Madness type bracket where the team with the best record in the round robin plays the team with the 16^th best record after the round robin. Obviously it doesn’t take rocket science to figure out where I’m going with this.

Round 1 would see a 30 game round robin.

Round 2 would see 1 vs 16, 2 vs 15, 3, vs 14, 4 vs 13, 5 vs 12, 6 vs 11, 7 vs 10, and 8 vs 9 in a one game elimination method until we reached only two teams left standing.

This would be Round 3 where the remaining two teams would play a best of 3 series to win what I want to call the NHLPA Cup.

Games would be three 20 minute run time periods with a flood after 2 periods of action and all proceeds (money not needed to rent ice time and hire referees) from ticket sales would go to a chosen charity of the winning team.

Obviously the logistics are hard to figure out, but its not as if this would fail miserably. Think about just how many Canadians would be willing to go out, and pay 15 to 20 dollars a piece in order to see NHL quality hockey, knowing that it benefits charity? And as I pointed out earlier, its not impossible to think that the players would be willing get together to keep team chemistry together, and actually play hockey games without having to move overseas.

The games would take place in the best kinds of rinks – beaten down old barns that will hold a maximum of 2000 people, and the players would be playing for love of the game; the type of thing that we as fans want to see.

Like I said, it is a pipe dream, but I’d rather watch this than sit through a lockout. Wouldn’t you?

2012 Olympic's Track and Field: Canadian Recap

Sunday Saw London 2012 Draw to a Close

This past Sunday, August the 12^th, marked the close of the XXX Olympiad, more commonly known as London 2012. As is tradition, the final event contested at the Olympics was the Men’s Marathon paying tribute to Pheidippides’ quest from the ancient Greek city of Marathon to Athens. This event featured 3 Canadians who finished with remarkable placing’s. In today’s post, Weekend Warriors recaps the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Track and Field team and how we fared in London 2012.

100m Dash

In the women’s 100m dash Kerri-Ann Mitchell ran for Canada and posted a time of 11.49 seconds to finish 6^th place in the first race of the quarter final rounds. Mitchell’s time was not good enough to advance her to the semi finals. The men’s 100m heats saw Canadian Justyn Warner post a personal best clocking of 10.09 seconds, good enough for 3^rd place in his heat and a spot in the semi finals where he would line up alongside eventual Silver medalist Yohan Blake. Warner equaled his personal best in the semi final, but finished 5^th in his heat and did not advance to the finals.

200m Dash

In the women’s 200, Crystal Emmanuel ran for Canada and finished her quarterfinal heat with a time of 23.10, good enough to grab her the last time qualifying spot and advance her to the semi finals. Her 23.10 was a season best time.  Unfortunately Emmanuel was not able to advance to the finals and posted a time of 23.28 seconds which earned her 7^th place in her semi final. In the men’s 200m, Canada was represented by a trio of sprinters in Aaron Brown, Jarred Connaughton, and Tremaine Harris. Brown and Connaughton advanced through the heats to the semi finals running 20.55 and 20.72 respectively. Harris ran 20.70 for 5^th in his heat but did not advance. Both Connaughton and Brown were stymied in their semi final races. Connaughton ran 20.64 for 7^th in his semi final, and Brown ran a personal best of 20.42 for 4^th in his heat, only .05 seconds shy of a time qualifying spot.

400m Dash

Jenna Martin ran for Canada in the 400m dash and advanced from the heats to the semi finals with a time of 51.98 seconds, good enough for 3^rd in her heat and an automatic qualifying spot. Martin came short of qualifying for the final by running 52.83 seconds and finishing 7^th in her semi final race. In the men’s 400m dash Daundre Barnaby ran in the first heat and crossed the finish line in 46.04 seconds, a time not swift enough to qualify for the semi finals.

800m Run

Canada had two representatives on the women’s side in the 800m run.  Jessica Smith ran first in the 3^rd heat and finished 2^nd with a time of 2:07.75 and automatically qualified for the semi finals where she would run 2:01.90 for 7^th in her race, which was not enough to advance her to the finals. Melissa Bishop also represented Canada and finished in 6^th place in her heat with a time of 2:09.33, not enough to make it to the semi finals. Geoff Harris ran for Canada on the men’s side and claimed 2^nd place in his heat with a personal best time of 1:45.97 to advance to the semi finals. In the semis, Harris would run 1:46.14 and come just short of advancing to the finals.

1500m Run

Canada’s Hillary Stellingwerf and Nicole Sifuentes would both advance to the semi finals of their event with times of 4:05.79 and 4:07.65 respectively. Neither advanced to the final of the event, but both bettered their times from the heats with clockings of 4:05.57 for Stellingwerf and 4:06.33 for Sifuentes. Nathan Brannen ran for the men’s team and advanced from the heats to the semi final by finishing 5^th in his heat with a time of 3:39.95. A favourite to make the final, Brannen suffered heartbreak when his Achilles was stepped on in the semi and he went down, leaving him well back of the pack. Even though he fell, Brannen was still able to run 3:39.26 seconds for 12^th in his semi. Brannen was looking to chase a podium spot in what may have been his last Olympics.

Brannen's Calf/Achilles

5000m Run

Canada’s lone representative on either side in the 5000m made history. Cam Levins, days after an 11^th place finish in the 10 000, ran a personal best of 13:18.29 seconds, good enough to qualify him for the final. Levins became the first Canadian in 100 years to make the final in the 5000m. Unfortunately a cold that Levins acquired after the heats compromised his lungs and over the final two laps of the final he faded to 14^th place in 13:51.87.

10 000m Run

As was previously mentioned, Cam Levins finished 11^th place in the 10 000 while wearing the red and white (and black) of Canada. His time of 27:40.68 was only 10 seconds back of Great Britain’s Mo Farah. Canada was also represented by 21 year old Mohammed Ahmed who finished 18^th in 28:13.91. The Canadian women did not have a representative in the 10 000.

4x100m Relay

Canada’s only relay representative of the London Olympics experienced the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. The relay quartet of Gavin Smellie, Seyi Smith, Jarred Connaughton and Justyn Warner finished 2^nd in their semi final and posted the 3^rd fastest qualifying time of 38.05 seconds to qualify for the final. In the final of the event, all of Canada cheered when Justyn Warner ran from 5^th place to 3^rd place in the final 100m of the relay, earning Canada what seemed to be a bronze medal. However after video review, it was determined that Connaughton ran on the line and thus Canada was disqualified and the Bronze medal was awarded to Trinidad and Tobago. However, as you can see in the photo below, Trinidad’s anchor leg, Richard Thompson, also stepped on the line, which should have resulted in a disqualification.

Richard Thompson (TRI) Also Steps on the Lane Line

100m Hurdles

Both Phyllicia George and Jessica Zelinka advanced to the finals of the 100m hurdles where they finished 6^th and 7^th respectively. George equaled her personal best with a run of 12.65 seconds in the final. Canada was also represented by Nikita Holder who advanced to the semi finals but bowed out after a clocking of 12.93 seconds earned her 6^th place in her semi final. Canada did not have a male entrant in the 110m hurdles.

400m Hurdles

Sarah Wells ran for Canada in the 400m hurdles and after a clocking 56.47 seconds in the heats, she advanced to the semi finals. Wells was unable to advance to the finals and finished 8^th in her semi final with a time of 56.71 seconds.

3000m Steeplechase

Canadian Alex Genest ran in the 3^rd heat of the 3000 steeplechase and posted a time of 8:22.62 seconds, good enough for a season’s best and 7^th place in his heat, but not enough to advance him to the final.

Heptathlon/Decathlon

Canada had very strong performances in both the Heptathlon and Decathlon where we had 2 representatives on the women’s side and 1 on the men’s side. Canada’s Jessica Zelinka finished 7^th in the Heptathlon with a total of 6480 points. First time Olympian Brianne Thiesen posted an 11^th place finish for Canada with 6383 points. It should be noted that Thiesen’s fiancé, Ashton Eaton, won gold in the Decathlon for the United States and is the current Decathlon World Record holder. Hello amazing gene pool. In the Decathlon Canada was treated to one of the most surprising and heart warming performances of the Games. 22 year old Damian Warner of London, Ontario came out of relative obscurity to place 5^th in the Decathlon with 8442 points, just 81 points off of the medal stand. Warner will be a definite medal contender in Rio in 2016.

High Jump

Canada’s new Golden (well Bronze) Boy, Derek Drouin surprised most of the country by an amazing 3^rd place finish in the High Jump, and Canada’s only medal of the Athletics competition. Drouin finished in a 3 way tie for Bronze after successfully clearing 2.29m and exiting the competition at 2.33m. Michael Mason also jumped for Canada and cleared 2.29m as well, but finished in 8^th place due to misses at the previous heights.

Derek Drouin and His High Jump Bronze

Javelin Throw

In the women’s Javelin, Canadian Elizabeth Gleadle advanced to the final of the competition where she finished in 12^th place with a throw of 58.78m. On the men’s side, Canada’s entry Curtis Moss finished 13^th in his qualification flight with a toss of 78.22m, well short of qualifying for the final.

Discus Throw

Canada did not have an entrant in either women’s or men’s discus.

Shot Put

Julie Labonte of Canada heaved the shot 17.47m in the qualification flight of the Women’s Shot Put, but would not advance to the final due to her 10^th place finish in the preliminaries. On the men’s side, medal favourite Dylan Armstrong easily qualified for the final where he unfortunately fell short of reaching the podium and finished 5^th with a throw of 20.93m. Justin Rodhe also competed for Canada, but did not advance past the qualifying rounds after failing to post a legal throw.

Hammer Throw

Sultana Frizell and Heather Steacy represented Canada in the women’s Hammer Throw but neither advanced past the qualification rounds, posting throws of 67.45m and 63.40m for 14^th and 17^th places, respectively. On the men’s side, James Steacy competed for Canada but did not register a legal throw in qualification.

20km Race Walk
Canadian Rachel Seaman finished 52nd in the 20km women's event with a time of 1:37:36. Canada's entrant in the men's event, Inaki Gomez set a Canadian Record in the men's 20km race with a time of 1:20:58.

Marathon

Canada only had 3 entrants in the Marathon and all were on the men’s side. The Canadian trio ran a conservative, team race and were bunched up at the finish line, led by Dylan Wykes’ 20^th place finish in 2:15:26 seconds. Eric Gillis crossed the line next in 22^nd place with a time of 2:16:00 and was followed by Reid Coolsaet in 27^th place with a time of 2:16:29.

This is the final installment of Weekend Warrior’s look at the 2012 London Olympics’ Athletics Programme. With the hockey season nearing and CBA talks heating up, as well as the PGA Tour’s Fed Ex Cup Playoffs and the Ryder Cup looming just around the corner, we will be returning to golf and hockey posts within the next week. 

Olympics Track and Field Part 2: Long Distance, Relays and Field Events

Athletics Begins Tomorrow in London

Today, Weekend Warriors previews the long distance and relay track events, as well as the field events that Canada has athletes competing in. While I would love to devote the same coverage to all field events and the race walking events as I do to the track events, I cannot profess to know nearly as much about the field and walking events as I do about the track. I apologize for the long blog post, but I hope it provides some insight into the Athletics programme that starts tomorrow. And so we start with the 5000m.

Men’s 5000m Run

The men’s 5000 has been dominated on the world stage by Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele since he took over from countryman Haile Gebresselaisse at the 2004 Olympics in Athens earning Silver in the 5000 and Gold in the 10 000. However, the world record holder at 5000m has been on a slow decline since winning double gold in Beijing 2008 and is not contesting the 5000m this year, opting to compete in only the 10 000. This means it is someone else’s turn to rise to the top of the distance totem pole, and the favourite of this Olympic Games is hometown hero Mohammad Farah. Farah won gold at last year’s World Championships and while ranked 8^th in the world this year at the distance is favoured going in due to his racing savvy. Others expected to contest closely for a medal in this event are the United States’ Bernard Lagat (personal best of 12:53.60 and former world 5000m champion), as well as 17 year old Ethiopian wunderkind Hagos Gebrihwet, who holds this year’s second fastest time.. Expect this race to be extremely tactical with a blistering last lap. Canadian Content: Cameron Levins, NCAA Champion at 5000 and 10 000 will represent Canada in this event, but is not expected to be a factor.

Predictions – 1) Edwin Soi – KEN 2) Mo Farah – GBR 3) Bernard Lagat – USA

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele

Men’s 10 000m Run

In what may be his Olympic swan song, Kenenisa Bekele enters this event ranked 3^rd in the world this year, and is in search of one thing and one thing only; another Olympic Gold medal. Bekele could be in tough however, coming off of injuries and inconsistent training for the first time in his career. Kenyans Wilson Kiprop and Moses Masai are currently 1 and 2 in the world, but Kenenisa and his younger brother Tariku Bekele both have times within a second and a half of the world lead and will be factors. Again, British poster boy Mohammad Farah will be a factor as he is coming off a silver medal in this event at last year’s world Championships. This could be the most exciting event of the Games, if you’re a distance fan that is. Canadian Content: Canada will be represented by NCAA 10 000m Champion Cameron Levins and 21 year old Mohammad Ahmed of St. Catharines. Ahmed boasts a 4^th place finish at the World Junior Championships over this distance in 2010. Both of these athletes will be long shots to break into the top 10 however.

Predictions – 1) Kenenisa Bekele – ETH 2) Mo Farah – GBR 3) Tariku Bekele – ETH

Men’s 3000m Steeplechase

To the casual track fans, this is the event in which you get to watch people take oftentimes painful tumbles into a pit of water, where you run the risk of having 1/8^th inch steel spikes, which can do quite a bit of damage (I speak from experience), slice up your back. This event almost entirely eliminates the sit and kick mentality as it champions rhythm running due to the barriers that the athletes must navigate, and is often won by smooth runners. It comes as no surprise that this event has never been won by anyone other than a Kenyan. Two of the all time greats in this event will compete in these games: Brimin Kipruto and Ezekiel Kemboi will race in the Kenyan colours and are expected to contest for a medal. American Evan Jager is a surprise on the scene boasting this year’s 4^th fastest time, but it is yet to see how he will do in navigating the rounds. Canadian Content: Alex Genest will contest the steeplechase for Canada but is not expected to advance out of the heats.

Predictions: 1) Brimin Kipruto – KEN 2) Mahiedine MEKHISSI-BENABBAD – FRA 3) Ezekiel Kemboi - KEN

Men’s 110m Hurdles

A showdown between current world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba, and former world record holder Liu Xiang of China is imminent, but may not be the match up that produces an Olympic Gold. Robles has experienced injuries all year long, and after false starting in Beijing and being a virtual non factor on the world stage in the last few years, Xiang is coming into these games with a large question mark hovering over him. Americans Aries Merrit, Jason Richardson, and Jeff Porter boast 3 of the top 4 times this year and could potentially sweep the podium if they can make it through the rounds safely. Canadian Content: No Canadians will compete in this event.

Predictions: 1) Jason Richardson – USA 2) Aries Merrit – USA 3) Dayron Robles - CUB

Men’s 400m Hurdles

An event that used to be as automatic for America as the steeplechase was for Kenya is no longer a lock. The world lead is held by Puerto Rican Javier Culson, and Britain is championing another medal threat in David Greene who is ranked 2^nd in the world this year. Expect American veterans Angelo Taylor and Kerron Clement to show up and contend for a medal. Canadian Content: Canada does not have an entry in this event.

Predictions: 1) David Greene – GBR 2) Angelo Taylor – USA 3) Javier Culson – PUR

Jamaica Intends to Continue Their Relay Dominance

Men’s 4x100m Relay

Jamaica vs USA showdown, but Jamaica has the opportunity to put together the first relay ever that consists of all sub 9.80 second runners and is expected to push the 37 second barrier and be the first team ever to dip into the 36s in the 4x1. The United States needs to somehow avoid what seems to have become routinely bad handoffs and they may come close to pushing the Jamaican team. However Jamaica is unbeatable. That’s not a bold statement. It’s fact. My prediction of Jamaica for first is not a prediction. It’s going to happen. Canadian Content: In 2008 at Beijing the Canadian relay team finished 6^th. They will be expected to make the finals this time around, but not compete for a medal.

Predictions: 1) Jamaica 2) USA 3) France

Men’s 4x400m Relay

This event, like the 4x1 for the Jamaicans, is a virtual lock for the Americans. Each year it seems as if a different team appears to push them, but on the final leg, someone has broken away for the United States and led them to gold once again. How dominant is America in this event? They haven’t lost an Olympic 4x400 dating back to 1976 (excluding the boycotted 1980 Games in the USSR). Cuba and the Bahamas will be the Americans closest competitors in this event. Canadian Content: Canada is not fielding a 4x400m relay team.

Men’s Marathon

The Oldest Olympic event, and the longest at 26.2 miles and 42.2 kilometers, traditionally concludes the Olympic Games, and it is no different this year. Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya is the favourite going into the event, but anything can happen over such a long distance. Again, expect this event to be dominated by east Africans. Canadian Content: Dylan Wykes, Eric Gillis, and Reid Coolsaet will represent Canada in this event, but will not be factors.

Men’s Decathlon

After American, Ashton Eaton, set the current Decathlon World Record at the American Olympic Trials this past June, he cemented himself as the favourite in the Decathlon. Eaton is almost 500 points clear of the next Athlete and will probably only push his World Record further now that he’s competing internationally. This event truly does determine the world’s best athlete as these men compete in the 100, 110 Hurdles, 400, 1500, High Jump, Long Jump, Pole Vault, Shot Put, Discus Throw and Javelin Throw. These athletes are the definition of the Olympic slogan of Faster, Higher, Stronger. Canadian Content: Canadian Damian Warner will compete in this event, but likely not medal.

Predictions: 1) Ashton Eaton – USA 2) Trey Hardee – USA 3) Pascal Behrenbruch – GER

Canada's Derek Drouin Leaping 2.33m

Men’s High Jump

Russian Ivan Ukhov enters the event with a season best of 2.39m and a personal best of 2.40m and will be the man that most will be looking to defeat in the high jump. However, there are 22 men who have bested 2.30m this year, and in an event where weather determines jumping conditions so much, all of these athletes are in contention. Including Canadian medal hopeful Derek Drouin of Sarnia, Ontario. Drouin enters the event with one of the most impressive resumes of all contestants. Drouin is a 3 time NCAA Champion in the discipline, including 2 outdoor and 1 indoor champion. Not bad for an athlete who is entering his Senior year at Indiana University. Drouin will be a top 8 threat, but will have to leapfrog Americans Erik Kynard and Jesse Williams in order to claim a spot on the podium. Canadian Content: Both Drouin and Mike Mason will look to claim spots inside the top 8 while wearing the Red and White of Canada.

Predictions: 1) Ivan Ukhov – RUS 2) Jesse Williams – USA 3) Derek Drouin - CAN

Men’s Shot Put

Arguably Canada’s best chance at a medal in Track and Field. Dylan Armstrong throws for Canada coming off of a silver at last year’s World Championships, and will go head to head with the three Americans: Christian Cantwell, Reese Hoffa, and Ryan Whiting. The United States will look to sweep the podium, and Armstrong will likely need to have a toss of upwards of 22m in order to get there, but it is not out of reach for him.  Canadian Content: Justin Rodhe will compete for Canada alongside medal threat Dylan Armstrong.

Predictions: 1) Reese Hoffa – USA 2) Christian Cantwell  - USA 3) Dylan Armstrong – CAN

Men’s Hammer Throw

Canadian James Steacy competes in the event that is traditionally dominated by Eastern European countries. Don’t believe me? The top 5 entries in this event are from Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary and Russian. Considering I can’t even lift this event’s implement, nor pronounce these men’s names, I won’t attempt to have the audacity to make predictions for this event.

Men’s Javelin Throw

Canadian Curtis Moss will don the Red and White for Canada in this event, which is again dominated by Eastern European athletes. The Javelin has been dominated in the past by Finland native Tero Pitkamaki, and Norwegian Andreas Thorkildsen, and these two men will be expected to be at the top of the podium again. Look for them to bring the heat in the finals and throw much further than their current seasons bests of 84.90m and 84.72m respectively.

2012 Olympic Games - Track and Field Sprint/Mid Distance Preview

Athletics Starts in 2 Days

With the London 2012 Olympic Games already underway, the countdown to the Athletics (Track and Field to us North Americans) is on, and in two days the events that are the reason for the Olympic slogan of Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) will be underway. For most casual viewers, this portion of the Olympics is the most exciting with events like the 100 meter dash drawing gasps from all corners of the world as 8 men race to earn the title of World’s Fastest Man. For others, events like the 3000 meter steeplechase, or the Games’ closing event, the men’s marathon, pique their interest the most. Stepping away from hockey for a moment, Weekend Warriors previews the track and field programme of the XXX Olympiad. Today’s entry covers the sprint and middle distance events.

Men’s 100m Dash

Since bursting on the scene during the 2008 Beijing Olympics with world records in the 100, 200 and running the penultimate leg on the world record Jamaican 4x100m relay, Usain Bolt has quickly become the face of track and field, especially with his captivating personality, and lightning-bolt quick times that include current 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, and 200m world record of 19.19 seconds. However, Bolt hasn’t quite been the same since a false start in the 2011 World Championships and a string of injuries. Enter in Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake. The heir apparent to Usain Bolt, and this season’s fastest man over 100m and last season’s fastest man over 200m in what is the second fastest 200 of all time at 19.26 seconds. In this event expect a duel between these two teammates, as well as 2004 Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin of the United States to challenge for a medal alongside former world record holder Asafa Powell and current American record holder, Tyson Gay. Canadian Content: Justyn Warner represents Canada in this event, entering the meet with a personal best of 10.15 seconds. Expect Warner to make a push to get into the quarter finals and potentially the semi finals.

Predictions: 1) Usain Bolt - JAM 2) Yohan Blake - JAM 3) Justin Gatlin - USA

Men’s 200m Dash

With much the same cast of characters as the 100m, this event will likely be yet another Bolt/Blake showdown with a different twist on it. Christophe Lemaitre of France enters the event with a personal best of 19.80 seconds and holds the distinction of being the only Caucasian to ever break 10 seconds in the 100 and 20 seconds in the 200. He will certainly be a medal threat, as well as American Wallace Spearmon. Canadian Content: Tremaine Harris, Jarred Connaughton and Aaron Brown represent Canada in this discipline with Harris coming in ranked 9^th and Connaughton ranked 11^th in the world this year in the event.

Predictions: 1) Usain Bolt - JAM 2) Yohan Blake - JAM 3) Christophe Lemaitre - FRA

Lightning Bolt

Men’s 400m Dash

An event that used to be so predictable on the world stage has now become one of the most wide open events due to the fall of American dominance, and an uprising of young international talent that has come on the scene. Lashawn Merrit of the United States is the defending Olympic Champion in this event, but is competing in just his first full season back on the international circuit after sitting out a doping ban. No man has broke 44 seconds yet this year, and a cluster of men with personal bests and seasons bests all sub 44.5 means that this is any man’s race. And that man doesn’t necessarily have to have legs. South African double amputee Oscar Pistorious will contend this event after protesting the IAAF ruling that his blade runners gave him an unfair advantage. He will not be a threat to medal however. Canadian Content: Daundre Barnaby will represent Canada in this event, entering with a time of 45.67 seconds.

Predicitions: 1) Kirani James –GRENADA 2) Lashawn Merrit – USA 3) Tony McQuay – USA

Men’s 800m Run

The men’s 800m dash is David Rudisha’s to lose. Rudisha of Kenya holds the current world record of 1:41.01, and the next fastest man is Abubaker Kaki of Sudan at 1:42.23. Kaki has struggled through an inconsistent year of results in the high 1:44s as well as a few DNFs. Duane Solomon of the United States boasts the 3^rd fastest time of the year at 1:43.44, but set this time in a single file, time trial like race. In a series of rounds that favour tactical racing, a lot of men who aren’t in the top 10 this year come into play. Enter Yuriy Borzakovskiy who has been a fixture in the 800 on the world stage for 12 years now. Borza, who is the 2004 Olympic champion won bronze at last years world championships and cannot be counted out. Like the 400, this race is wide open and aside from Rudisha, the medals will go to those who can best navigate the rounds. Canadian Content: Geoff Harris will represent Canada in this event, and enters with a personal best of 1:46.12

Predictions: 1) David Rudisha – KEN 2) Abubaker Kaki – SUD 3) Nigel Amos – BOT

Men’s 1500m Run

Three men have all ran sub 3:30 in the 1500 this year. All three of these men are Kenyan. Surprise, surprise. In all seriousness, the favourite in this event has to be Aspbel Kiprop of Kenya. Kiprop may be the best 1500m runner of all time to never win an Olympic Gold*. This event, like the 800 will depend on who properly navigates the rounds and who can conserve the most energy leading up to the final. Matt Centrowitz of the United States snagged bronze in last year’s world championships and will be another medal threat in this year’s Games. Nick Willis of New Zealand was awarded the silver medal at the 2008 Olympics* and will be among a handful of guys expected to have a shot at a medal. But with 12 men in the final, there are 12 medal prospects which place a lot of emphasis on getting through the heats and semi finals. Canadian Content: Nathan Brannen will represent Canada in this event and will be a threat to make the finals.

Predictions: 1) Aspbel Kiprop – KEN 2) Matthew Centrowitz – USA 3) Silas Kiplagat – KEN

*Kiprop was awarded Gold after originally winning Silver when 1st place finisher, Rashid Ramzi tested positive for EPO at Beijing 2008. This Doping violation also moved Nick Willis up to Silver from Bronze.