Terrence Trammell - US Trials (© Getty Images)
While Olympic champion Liu Xiang has dominated his event’s headlines since equaling the world record in the 110m Hurdles in Athens last year, there’s another high hurdler who despite his consistent big meet efforts, often seems overlooked: two-time Olympic silver medallist Terrence Trammell.
“I know that I am,” said Trammell, currently IAAF World Ranked number three, in agreement with his “overlooked” status. “When you win, everyone knows about you. When you’re always in the mix, people remember you.”
Multiple silvers
When he nabbed the silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games, Trammell, at just 21, was little known in international circles. His runner-up performance was rightly considered a surprise. After racing sparingly prior to the 2003 World Championships, he was on few radar screens before the Paris competition, and again came away with silver. Last year in Athens, despite his victory at the U.S. Olympic Trials, the focus at Olympic Stadium was on compatriot Allen Johnson and the young Chinese prodigy. Again, Trammell fought his way to the podium.
After struggling with injuries the past few seasons - last year, he had tendonitis in his right knee in his build-up to Athens - Trammell said, “It takes a lot to get that together. That’s why I think character and heart play a major part when you’re trying to put it together in major championships.”
Consistently at the top
Despite taking a back seat under the limelight to some of his competitors, Trammell has been among the world's top hurdlers since his freshman year at the University of South Carolina in 1998. He was runner up at that year's NCAA championships, ending the year with ah 13.32 best.
The following year he moved to the top of the podium at the NCAAs, added an indoor Hurdles title to his resume, and ended the season with an out door 110m Hurdles best of 13.28, along with a 10.08 in the flat 100m. He defended both his NCAA titles in 2000, won the U.S. Indoor Championship at 60 metres, and earned his first Olympic team uniform with a third place finish at the Olympic Trials.
When he made his international splash in Sydney, he clocked a PB 13.16. He followed up with a win at the 2001 World Indoor Championships, but his momentum stalled in the semi-finals of the World Championships in Edmonton later that year, when he failed to advance by 1/100 of a second. Labouring through an injury-shortened outdoor season in 2003, Trammell “surprised” again with 13.20 runner-up finish.
Fit and healthy again – coaching changes
Now, Trammell said, he’s finally healthy, and can focus primarily on the consistency his demanding technical event requires.
In late 2003, he returned to his Atlanta roots and resumed training with his high school coach Napoleon Cobb. “It allowed me to go back to the hurdle form I was accustomed too. And this year,” now training under the tutelage of Paul Doyle, Trammell said, “it’s coming around.”
The consistency he’s seeking is the same one he believes propelled Xiang to his gold medal in Athens last year.
“He’s really consistent and he seems to run his own race. That consistency allows you to be as close to perfect as you can be.”
Good start to 2005
Turning in performances similar to this time last year, Trammell finished second in his three races this spring, most recently in Doha last weekend, clocking 13.18.
“It was pretty good, considering I made a lot of mistakes,” he said. “So I felt pretty good that I was able to get under 13.20.” Those mistakes, he said, “were just minor things that have a major effect in a race. I’m still kind of feeling my way through.”
His next outing is at this weekend’s Adidas Track Classic in Carson, California, where he’ll compete in both the High Hurdles and the flat 100 metres. An appearance at the Prefontaine Classic - IAAF GP - will follow prior to the U.S. Championships.
sub 13 in Finland?
He’s looking forward to Helsinki where he’s expecting a fast race.
“There’s a lot of people waiting to see how fast it can be,” he said. “Which I think is good. It’s good recognition for the Hurdles. Hopefully everyone will be healthy and put on a great race.”
Besides another podium appearance, Trammell believes that an attack on the 13-second barrier could come this year as well. His current best, a 13.07 performance from last year’s Olympic Trials, and a flat 100 PB of 10.04, points to that possibility.
“I think it’s looking really good,” he said. It’s just a matter of the right time and the right conditions. Things are starting to come together. It’s just a matter of time.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
