Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley turns 27 on May 7. What might he want for his birthday — when he competes that day at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, Kenya?
Perhaps a second serving of speed.
On Saturday at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, he came from behind to nip fellow Tokyo Olympian Michael Norman in the 200-meter dash, 19.80 to 19.83 seconds (with a legal wind) to record the best time in the world this young world championships season.
(Also setting the red track on fire on a relatively cool — mid-60s — and cloudy day was Tokyo double champ Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica, whose wind-legal 10.89 in a 100-meter heat was a world leader. For unexplained reasons, she didn’t run the final, won by former USC star Twanisha “TeeTee” Terry in 10.77 — but with an over-the-allowable 3.3 mps aiding wind.)
At Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Kerley will run the 100 — his breakout event last year after being known as a 400-meter specialist.
At newly rebuilt Hilmer Lodge Stadium at Mt. San Antonio College, Kerley lay on his back in the interview tent, critiquing his form and suggesting a mark he’d been expecting at the televised meet — 19.6 seconds.
How fast is 19.6? It would make him the No. 8 performer all-time — only two-hundredths of a second behind Tyson Gay’s American record of 1982.
“I’m still learning how to run the curve,” he said of the half-lap race. Unlike the 400, he said, hands behind head, “the 200 you have to get just right.”
With the World Outdoor Championships set for Eugene, Oregon, in July, Kerley has to make just the right decision — what to run in the qualifying USATF national meet in June. The 100 again? Or some kind of double? Perhaps a 200-400 a la Michael Johnson at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
He said he’d wait until the last minute to decide.
Also playing coy is Allyson Felix, who surprised the Mt. SAC crowd by joining three other Olympians on a 4×400 relay late Saturday afternoon. Although one-lap hurdlers Shamier Little and Dalilah Muhammad ran earlier (non-barrier) races, when Felix handed off to Tokyo 800-meter champ Athing Mu it was almost out of the blue.
(The meet announcer made hay of Felix, unscheduled, running at Mt. SAC for the last time.)
Five-time Olympian Felix, who ran Mt. SAC as a prep, is on a farewell tour, and not banking on making the Oregon world-meet team.
Having made a celebrated break with Nike (which sponsored the so-called Golden Games at Mt. SAC Relays), Felix now runs in the all-black (including track spikes) of Athleta, her new sponsor.
Asked what it’s like to be in charge of her track career, instead of racing as Nike directed, Felix told reporters: “It’s bigger than just a performance area.”
She called her new gig more of a lifestyle.
“(The) greater purpose is serving women,” Felix said. “It’s amazing to be able to build something the way I want to see it.”
Amazing also described other performances at a half-filled stadium: Michael Cherry won the 400 in a world leading 44.28. And Clayton Fritsch took the pole vault in a world outdoor best 19-0 1/4 (but more than a foot short of Mondo Duplantis’ record vault indoors).
Olympic champion Valarie Allman set a meet record in the discus — 227 feet, 10 inches. But it was seven feet short of the American record (234-5 1/4) she threw eight days ago at UC San Diego.
Unlikely to set any more records is Felix, 36.
She was asked if she’d like to be the one asking question in the “mix zone” at next year’s 63rd annual Mt. SAC Relays.
“I want to to be up there (in the stands) watching,” she said.