Bell, Keul, USA Track Is Back
Harold Wilson
The sometimes-forgotten sport of track and field focused on getting back on track with America's other major sports as its premier event, the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, fired off Thursday in Indianapolis.
With track's popularity peak usually reserved for Olympic years, the outdoor championships present the chance for Americans to get just that - a peak at the top hopefuls for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
While track slipped back into the background after the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, keeping track remains a popular hobby when it comes to Barry Bonds' chase of the MLB's all-time home run record, Sammy Sosa's race to 600, and the number of titles the San Antonio Spurs continue to amass.
Over the next three days, a pair of East Texans take their turns at national championships - Kilgore native Kenta Bell in the men's triple jump, and John Tyler product Adam Keul in the men's pole vault.
Another John Tyler alum, Kevin Dilworth, qualified provisionally for the event but failed to make the final cut.
Dilworth, who won the national outdoor title in the long jump back in 1999, jumped back to the forefront recently after wins at the University of Texas at Arlington Bobby Lane Invitational in March, at the TCU Invitational in April when he jumped 25 feet, 6 3/4 inches, and at the Abilene Christian University Twilight Open in May.
Bell, currently ranked 29th in the world, also owns a national outdoor title in the triple jump.
Keul, a 1998 JT graduate in his prime, eyes a climb atop his field like Bell and Dilworth.
After wrapping up his college career at Northwestern State (La.) in 2000, Bell began a quick rise toward stardom - winning gold at the 2001 World University Games, taking sixth at the 2003 World Outdoor Championships, coming in third at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials, then finishing as runner-up at last year's USA Outdoor Championships.
At the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, Bell placed ninth in the triple jump. He brings the top qualifying mark (56-6) into his event, scheduled for the final round at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
While Bell rates as a favorite and probably expects to compete for first, Keul would likely be cool with just medaling.
At the 2004 Olympic Trials, Keul missed on all three attempts at the opening height of 5.4 meters (17 feet, seven inches). The former Stephen F. Austin vaulter did not compete at last year's event, but enters the 2007 nationals - set to start at 5:45 p.m. on Friday - ranked No. 35 in the world and sixth among Americans.
The national championships - set to be televised nationally by NBC and ESPN2 - merit attention with up-and-coming, scandal-free stars like Xavier Carter, Allyson Felix, Tyson Gay, Sanya Richards, Wallace Spearmon and Jeremy Wariner.
Although it never really left, consider track back for the time being and through next summer.
And after seeing America accept baseball despite its steroid controversies and basketball through its brawls, I bet track prefers not to take a backseat anymore.
With track's popularity peak usually reserved for Olympic years, the outdoor championships present the chance for Americans to get just that - a peak at the top hopefuls for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
While track slipped back into the background after the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, keeping track remains a popular hobby when it comes to Barry Bonds' chase of the MLB's all-time home run record, Sammy Sosa's race to 600, and the number of titles the San Antonio Spurs continue to amass.
Over the next three days, a pair of East Texans take their turns at national championships - Kilgore native Kenta Bell in the men's triple jump, and John Tyler product Adam Keul in the men's pole vault.
Another John Tyler alum, Kevin Dilworth, qualified provisionally for the event but failed to make the final cut.
Dilworth, who won the national outdoor title in the long jump back in 1999, jumped back to the forefront recently after wins at the University of Texas at Arlington Bobby Lane Invitational in March, at the TCU Invitational in April when he jumped 25 feet, 6 3/4 inches, and at the Abilene Christian University Twilight Open in May.
Bell, currently ranked 29th in the world, also owns a national outdoor title in the triple jump.
Keul, a 1998 JT graduate in his prime, eyes a climb atop his field like Bell and Dilworth.
After wrapping up his college career at Northwestern State (La.) in 2000, Bell began a quick rise toward stardom - winning gold at the 2001 World University Games, taking sixth at the 2003 World Outdoor Championships, coming in third at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials, then finishing as runner-up at last year's USA Outdoor Championships.
At the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, Bell placed ninth in the triple jump. He brings the top qualifying mark (56-6) into his event, scheduled for the final round at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
While Bell rates as a favorite and probably expects to compete for first, Keul would likely be cool with just medaling.
At the 2004 Olympic Trials, Keul missed on all three attempts at the opening height of 5.4 meters (17 feet, seven inches). The former Stephen F. Austin vaulter did not compete at last year's event, but enters the 2007 nationals - set to start at 5:45 p.m. on Friday - ranked No. 35 in the world and sixth among Americans.
The national championships - set to be televised nationally by NBC and ESPN2 - merit attention with up-and-coming, scandal-free stars like Xavier Carter, Allyson Felix, Tyson Gay, Sanya Richards, Wallace Spearmon and Jeremy Wariner.
Although it never really left, consider track back for the time being and through next summer.
And after seeing America accept baseball despite its steroid controversies and basketball through its brawls, I bet track prefers not to take a backseat anymore.
Harold Wilson covers sports. He can be reached at 903.596.6293. e-mail: sports@tylerpaper.com
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