Dominique Arnold drives for the line in Lausanne - 12.90 American Record (© AFP / Getty Images)
Injury wasn’t exactly what Dominique Arnold had planned as encore to his American record in the 110m Hurdles last summer.
Arnold, who turned 33 on 14 September last year, had flown to the US title in Indianapolis at the end of June 2006 in a sparkling 13.10 seconds. The veteran who was fourth in the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki and had taken bronze in the World Indoors the following winter, was in the form of his life in the summer of 2006.
On the 8 July, Arnold, who at the time had a 110m Hurdles personal best of 13.01, opened up his European campaign with a 13.08 second place finish in the IAAF Golden League meeting in Paris.
Better was to come, as three day’s later Arnold powered to a 12.90 American record at the IAAF World Athletics Tour meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, dipping under the 12.91 World record which had stood to Britain’s Colin Jackson since 1993. It was an historic July evening because while the American’s run was brilliant, ahead of him was China’s Liu Xiang - who had equalled Jackson’s mark when winning the 2004 Olympic title - who won in an outright World record of 12.88.
Yet after one more race, a windy 13.01 (2.2m/s) victory in Réthymno, Greece, on 21 July, Arnold’s summer was at an end, when his lower back was inadvertently injured during an adjustment by a chiropractor.
Then in October there was more frustration, as Arnold’s preparation for the 2007 season was put on hold after a plantar wart developed on his left take-off foot, a condition believed to have been contracted from walking barefoot in the gym.
Arnold had surgery to remove the benign growths three months later in January 2007. A second treatment with mild acid finally eradicated the warts, then on returning to training, Arnold, strained his hamstring because the sensitivity in his foot caused him to over compensate.
“I’ve done some things in my illustrious career. One of them is becoming an expert on lots of parts of my body,” Arnold said, “I’ve been uninformed on a lot of things and put myself in situations because of ignorance.”
History in Switzerland
Arnold had always envisioned being part of a World record race and it happened in Switzerland on 11 July 2006.
It was a ‘race of the generations’ for as well as Xiang improving Jackson’s longstanding mark, Arnold eclipsed the U.S. record of 12.92 held by Roger Kingdom since 1989, and Allen Johnson since 1996.
“One time in my career, I wanted to run under the World record,” Arnold said. “Whether I won or finished second that was fine.”
In all, the first five finishers in Lausanne set or equalled personal bests along with Terrence Trammell in third (13.02), Dayron Robles (13.04) and Aries Merritt (13.12).
“As I look back, it wasn’t a perfect race,” Arnold said. “I made some mistakes at the end. It’s just one of those things where the environment was everything.’’
Career at crossroads in 2004
Arnold’s career has been plagued by setbacks since winning the 1996 NCAA title at Washington State. He missed the following outdoor season because of injury, and failed to finish the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials final. In 2002, after a three race early season campaign in South Africa he was sidelined by hernia surgery, and he didn’t qualify for the finals of the 2003 USA Track & Field Championships hampered by “turf toe”. In 2004, Arnold was ready to retire after finishing eighth in the U.S. Olympic Trials dealing with an Achilles' tendon injury and a divorce.
“I needed peace,” Arnold said. “Track wasn’t first. I love my job but hang-ups got to the point where it was dragging me down. My thought is when things flow correctly in my personal life, it transcends to the track.’’
Back on track
Arnold’s father Keith B. Arnold and Larry Wade, a long-time competitor and acquaintance, helped Arnold find that focus. Wade invited Arnold, who was training and coaching at Penn State at the time, to live and train with him in Texas. Wade told Arnold that he was too talented to quit and promised that he would be running in the 2005 World Championships if he stuck with him.
Arnold took up Wade’s proposition and eventually returned to California to train with Wade and John Smith’s HSI group. Arnold called the coaching combination of Smith’s speed development and Wade’s hurdle expertise as the foundation for his fourth-place finish in the Helsinki World Championships and a bronze medal in the 2006 World Indoor Championships in Moscow.
“Larry really knows the hurdles and really loves the sport and the event,” Arnold said. “Coach Smith is the best when it comes to sprint technique. I’ve learned a lot.’’
Fatherly guidance
When he initially returned to California, Arnold moved in with his father - who he had only met for the first time in 2000 - in Compton. Arnold slept on the sofa until he was able to find his own living accommodations.
The sofa has become known as the “13.01 couch” in the Arnold household. After his American record the previous summer, they bought a mattress which they named as the “12.90 Futon.’’ If things go as planned, they would like to have an addition to the home called the “12.80 Room.’’
Keith Arnold, who fathered Dominique at age 18, had no interaction with his son except a picture of him when he was nine-years-old sent to him an envelope with no return address.
The two met for the first time in 2000 when Dominique traced his father’s whereabouts and called him. Keith Arnold offered spiritual advice to his son, who is now a pastor at the Lord’s Church in Diamond Bar, California, during the tumultuous period in 2005.
“There was a lack of responsibility and focus in my personal life,” Dominique said. “My daddy helped me pray more and have peace.’’
Getting better with age
Arnold, who didn’t compete in track until his senior year of high school, believes his best years are still ahead. He points to four-time World champion Johnson at age 36, and 46-year-old Willie Gault who is competitive against sprinters half his age as a testament to longevity.
“We all have different gifts,” Arnold said. “If I had to do it all again, I would want to do it the same exact way. Some guys are used to success at an early age. Some guys like me have to work hard to get it. I’ve always been a worker and things have never been easy.”
Kirby Lee for the IAAF