Friday, September 5, 2008

DecaNations Rundown

Team USA's quest to win the DecaNations meet starts tomorrow. It's an early meet, it's over by 4:30pm local time. I love meets like this. Just wake up, roll out of bed and hit the track. You don't have to sit around the hotel all day long, walking around with a whole bunch of nervous tension until 10pm.

We are fielding a very strong team here. Our roster:

100m- Mike Rodgers, Mechelle Lewis
400m- Reggie Witherspoon, Monica Hargrove
800m- Christian Smith, Maggie Vessey
1500m- Will Leer, Sarah Hall
High Hurdles- D.O., Damu Cherry
3000 Steeple- Billy Nelson, Lindsey Anderson
Pole Vault- Jacob Pauli, Stacy Dragila
Long Jump- Trevell Quinley, Hyleas Fountain
Shot Put- Dan Taylor, Kristin Heaston
Discus- Ian Waltz, Stephanie Brown-Trafton, Aretha Thurmond

I go off at 2:55pm, here's how the lanes break down in our race:

Lane 2: D.O.T.K. (USA)
Lane 3: Alexander John (GER)
Lane4: Samuel Coco-Viloin (FRA)
Lane 5: Oleksandr Vahnyakov (UKR)
Lane 6: Iban Maiza (ESP)
Lane 7: Yakov Petrov (RUS)

I thought that Ladji Doucoure (FRA), Thomas Blascek (GER), Serghi Demedyuk (UKR) and Jackson Quinonez (ESP) would be representing their respective countries in the hurdles, but I guess they had something else better to do. This gives their younger guys a chance for some experience and a start. This was my first international competition my rookie season in 2005, so you never know.

The meet record is 13.29, set by Doucoure last year. My goal for this meet is to win the race, score the max points for the team and to break that record. Hopefully that will all happen.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a winning roster to me
for USA. I know you were probably
looking forward to competting against Ladji, and the crew, but you have to give the rookies a chance too. Look what a chance did for you. Who knows, if not for a chance me and your fans wouldn't be traveling around the world with you. You will break Ladji record and score the max points. You claimed it and it's yours. As for the haters, don't worry about them. When they hate you--you best believe that your doing something right. Haters hate positive people, and your positive and humble. If you weren't exteded an invitation to Oprah's Olympic Show just let me know, and Aunt Celest will have a nice long talk with her (smile). It had to be an over-sight.
Take Care,and be safe.

Aunt Celest

David Oliver said...

I was invited to the Oprah Show, but I was in Lausanne and couldn't swing it. Going to Oprah would have been cool, but I think I like making deposits into Bank Of America more than going on TV. LOL

ejheat said...

I know you are going to have a great race and win and break that record and help your team win. I can tell you are a great team player. You are gonna DO it. I will be thinking about you and running with at 2:55.
I am glad you told us about these haters who do not have enough balls to say who they are. It is really sad that these type of people do these things in our society. These pathetic, anonymous losers are cowards and they will get what is coming to them. All of these bad people will have to answer to God someday for the bad things thay have done in life and for treating people poorly. To all the anonymous evil, hater posters, just remember to treat people the way you want to be treated and maybe that will make you think twice before you say bad things about David or any other person in this world.

David, I want to thank you again for all these wonderful, beautiful blogs, pictures, videos, and posts. I will always remember that you took the time to post the comment about being familiar with my neurological dystonia condition. Most people including many doctors have never even heard of it. The fact that you told me how familiar you were with it was so comforting to me. This just shows how much you care. Also, the fact that you said how much my post touched you was just amazing to me. I was not expecting you to do that. That was such a great surprise to me and meant so much to me. It really goes beyond words what you now mean to my life. You have been a Godsend to my life. I truely believe that you are one of the best human beings on this earth and I will do anything to help you and be there for you forever. I got your back my friend. You are a kind, caring, loving, considerate, amazing, and humble young man of God. I know you will continue to DO things the right way in life and continue to touch so many lives of children and adults of all races of people throughout this entire world. You will continue to DO it again and again and again. LOL

Eric Jansen

Jackie's eyes said...

Good luck tomorrow, I hope you accomplish all you set out to do. I find myself looking forward to reading your blog a bit much, and am dissapointed when I dont get the latest dish (24hr max) lol.

PS: Money in da bank, versus lime light? Ery day shawty. :-} Burn it up TK!

Anonymous said...

Good luck ;)

KM Johnson in MPLS

LaLa said...

Hahaha, I think Bank of America appreciates your deposits too. They can say that David Oliver, 2008 Olympic Champion banks at BOA. I here a sponsorship coming on, if you don't already have one!
Kisses!

Candice said...

hey david,how r u?
Oprah? wow!! dats a big thing that she wants2cu onda show. but i understand make that paper baby!! fill me on how the meet goes
Blessings xx

Anonymous said...

Your trippin' Oprah would have broke you off! You saw what she did for OBAMA. Jada Pinket just released a statement saying "you haven't made it until you've been on Oprah." Many more actors have said that before her, but it's true. Well, at least you can say that you were invited. It doesn't matter though cause you'll be seeing her in the NEXT Four years Right? lol

Taraneh Christine said...

Hey Mr Olympian,

Gotta say, life is not as exciting now that the Olympics are over :(

I think you should do some research and find out if other track events that you are running in will be aired and available to watch in North America :)

Hope all is going well!

Taraneh

Anonymous said...

LOL get ya money right D.O.

you're gonna do extremely well and stay focused.

andddddd

whip they asses!!! LOL

&& and Oprah needs to do a one-on-one show with just you. so i can TiVo it. ;)

God Bless.

Claude said...

A few days in Paris with all expenses paid by someone else plus the opportunity to pick up some relatively easy money or being on the Oprah show? No brainer. Paris! Dont think your missing anything. Look at it this way, if Oprah had the opportunity of doing her show or showing up at the Penn Relays, what do think would be her choice? Havent seen her at a track meet yet! I am sure that most would give anything to travel the roads you've traveled during the last month (and I might add, at no expense to David Oliver)! There will be other opportunities just as attractive as the Oparah Show for (like the HU homecoming) you to be a part of. Enjoy the world now!

Claude

Tha-dutchess said...

I were there to support france(yeah!i'm french :D)
I't was a great competition!!
I saw U After the competition,u sign me an autograph and with my friends and took photo with mike rodgers!!
it was great!!
(Sorry my english is bad lol!!!)Take Care Bisous(kiss in french!!lol)