-Athlete Name: Sydney Leiher -School: Beavercreek High School -Year of Graduation: 2013

When Harvard came calling with a job opportunity, it would seem like a natural choice for Dr. Mark Mendeszoon. It is Harvard, after all. As it turns out, it was an easy choice for the respected podiatrist and area track and field fixture as a team physician and coach. He turned them down. "I said, ‘There's too much going on in Ohio right now.' " Mendeszoon said. (via The News-Herald - Serving Northern Ohio)

LONDON -- There will be less A.G. Kruger competing in the hammer throw at the 2012 Olympics. About 35cc’s less, to be precise. Kruger, the Sheldon native who was a member of the track and football teams at Morningside College in Sioux City, watched a doctor recently drain that amount of fluid from his right knee. (via www.desmoinesregister.com)

-Athlete Name: Sam Wharton -School: Tippecanoe High School -Year of Graduation: 2013

With the Opening Ceremonies of the London Olympics in the books, my eyes will shift to 400-meter sprinter Bryshon Nellum of Team USA. With every Olympics season, the media takes a focus to a few heartwarming stories that seem to drive the Internet and television into oblivion. Regardless of what the media hones in on this summer, I know that I’ll be watching Bryshon Nellum when he runs in the 400-meter dash and in the 400-meter relay for Team USA. (via Bleacher Report)

We tend to focus on the events that are generating the most headlines and creating the most buzz, but the heart of the Olympics has always been in track and field. Dating back to the ancient beginnings of the Olympics, the sprints and the races were key, and they remain the focal point of today's Olympic games.  We'll witness star power, such as Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay, but we'll also get a look at the up-and-coming stars of tomorrow.  If you want to follow the action, read on for viewing dates and times, as well as key events to keep an eye on. (via Bleacher Report)

-Athlete Name: Marissa Rossetti -School: St.Vincent-St.Mary High School -Year of Graduation: 2013

-Athlete Name: Josh Laney -School: Fairless -Year of Graduation: 2013

-Athlete Name: Meghan Vogel -School: West Liberty-Salem High School -Year of Graduation: 2013

The applications are in, the nominations have been read, and after hours of deliberation, we are pleased to announce our 2012 top 25 Brooks Inspiring Coaches finalists! With so many amazing coaches to choose from, it was a tough decision. (via Brooks Running)

BIRMINGHAM, England -- The first two tears came in unison, not from the sides of Jeneba Tarmoh's brown eyes, but straight from the bottom. They rolled down her cheeks, paused on her chin as if considering whether to jump off, and then fell to the floor at her feet. Others followed with some urgency, until Tarmoh began blotting them with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, a losing battle that she waged intermittently. Public tears can be relentless when they've been denied freedom for more than three weeks, like Tarmoh's had. Because tears are the truth. (via SI.com)

While most elites are used to warming up at their leisure and then being called to a holding area for a short period before the start of competition, the Olympic experience entails two separate tracks, four call areas and being held the last hour beneath the stadium. Because distance runners tend to nitpick everything from the pre-race meal to their lucky racing socks, it raises a question: Do Olympians, on the eve of the biggest race of their lives, practice being held for an extended amount of time? (via Runner's World)

-Athlete Name: Cory Glines -School: St. Thomas Aquinas -Year of Graduation: 2013

It is always difficult to predict the State's top teams, so instead of making predictions this early in the season, we are going to give you the top ten teams by division based on athletes best times from 2011.  These rankings only include returning athletes (last year's sophomores, juniors and seniors), and do not take into effect any incoming or new runners. 

How has Team USA performed at the Olympics in the past? This page lays it all out for you. (via usatf.org)

The United States track and field team only earned seven gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games, their lowest number of event victories in athletics since the 1976 Games. The 2012 London Games, however, could be a year for U... (via Bleacher Report)

One false start will still get a sprinter disqualified at the London Games. But track's governing body has at least ruled that athletes can now flinch or twitch in the starting blocks without having that false start called against them. (via CBSSports.com)

It is always difficult to predict the State's top teams, so instead of making predictions this early in the season, we are going to give you the top ten teams by division based on athletes best times from 2011.  These rankings only include returning athletes (last year's sophomores, juniors and seniors), and do not take into effect any incoming or new runners. 

Track and field Television Schedule for the 2012 London Olymplic Games All times listed below are Eastern Daylight Time. Schedule is subject to change. For more information, visit NBCOlympics.com. (via usatf.org)

This Friday night, July 27th, the eyes of the world will turn to London as the 2012 Olympic Games begin. And what makes it even more exciting this year is that the Games haven't even begun, and Team U.S.A. has already scored a giant win for women. (via The Huffington Post)

NEW ORLEANS – Johnson C. Smith’s Akino Ming, Central Missouri’s Shawn Boss, and Findlay’s Derrick Vicars were named Scholar Athletes of the Year in Division II for the 2012 men’s track & field seasons by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The group represents collegiate track & field’s best in both athletics and academics. In addition, 164 student-athletes were tapped as USTFCCCA All-Academic honorees. (via USTFCCCA)

The 2012 XC season will be here before we know it.  Here are the top 10 returning runners from each division based strictly on their best time from the 2011 season.

The 2012 XC season will be here before we know it.  Here are the top 10 returning runners from each division based strictly on their best time from the 2011 season. 

Rather than just field typical questions from a local reporter, Bill Cosby had his own idea about his interview with The Bulletin.Why not, he wondered, ask a world record-holding decathlete to join in the fun?Cosby wanted to connect with Olympic gold medal hopeful Ashton Eaton. The 24-year-old track and field star grew up in Bend, but earlier this week he was in Nuremberg, Germany, training for th (via The Bulletin)

LANCASTER --Rules are rules, and must be followed no matter how silly they appear to be. The National Federation of State High School Associations, which includes the Ohio High School Athletic Association, recently took a big step in changing the perception of unfairness in one particular rule involving track. (via Lancaster Eagle Gazette)

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 17, 2012) — New requirements for passing the baton in the exchange zone, and the penalty for wearing an illegal uniform highlight changes in high school track and field rules for next season. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field Rules Committee approved 16 rules changes at its June 6-8 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

  The 2012 XC season will be here before we know it.  Here are the top 10 returning runners from each grade based strictly on their best time from the 2011 season.   

The 2012 XC season will be here before we know it.  What can we expect this season?  We’ve put together some stats from last year, that give us a glimpse at the individuals and teams to watch for this year, but the statistics are just that, indicators of what happened in the past and what may occur.  Which runners, which teams, will rise to the top?  Will some of our champions repeat? Will there be some new freshman stars?  That’s to be determined.  What we can predict is that if the 2012 season is like many of our past seasons, it will be as exciting as ever! Here are the first of our statistics - The top 10 returning runners from each grade based strictly on their best time from the 2011 season.  

Guor Marial, the South Sudanese marathoner whose man-without-a-country Olympic plight was first brought to light by the Tribune five days ago, will be able to compete in the London Summer Games under the Olympic flag. (via chicagotribune.com)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For an event featured 2,719 years ago in the first pentathlon, the discus throw is long overdue for an analysis more sophisticated than 'chuck it as hard as you can'. (via www.sbs.com.au)

We are faced with challenges almost every day of our lives.  How we react and overcome these challenges is part of what defines us.  Chase Benson, a Junior at Olentangy, was the lead runner on his team in XC last year.   He is not a conference champion yet.  He is not a District, Regional or State champion yet.  But he is an inspiration and, he certainly has overcome the odds!

CANTON — Jack Hazen always thought you had to coach elite athletes to become an Olympic coach. “I’m a coach of good collegiate athletes, but not elite athletes,” Malone University’s longtime cross country and track coach said.  (via http://www.cantonrep.com)

BIRMINGHAM, England — Just a few years ago, sprinter Ryan Bailey was living out of a car with his mom, hanging out with gang members and failing in school. Not exactly the typical path a sprinter takes to the Olympics. The 23-year-old Bailey looks back at those days and shakes his head in wonder, hardly believing he’s become an Olympian. This from a kid who once was stabbed three times on a city bus and once had to endure a severe beating just to escape gang life. This from a kid who slept in the front seat of a car, because they really had no other options, and was briefly booted out of school. “It just seems so unbelievable I’m here,” said Bailey, who will compete in Monaco on Friday before arriving in Birmingham for training camp. “I sit back and think, ‘Wow, I could be like a couple of my friends — in jail or dead. (via www.registerguard.com)

The United States Track and Field relay teams must have a stronger showing in the 2012 Olympic Games than they did in 2008. While the 4x400 meter relay have been able to continue their dominance throughout the last couple decades, others have fallen off in recent Olympic relays.  (via Bleacher Report)

He's the world's best all-around athlete, so get used to seeing his face as the Olympics begin. Decathlete Ashton Eaton, 24, was considered the future of USA Track and Field heading into the Olympic Trials in Eugene... (via http://bleacherreport.com/)

This morning Nick Symmonds was a guest on CNBC in London (see interview below). The talk about sponsorship was a main topic of interest and it spurred some f... London 2012 Summer Olympics Games, XXX (via http://www.flotrack.org)

BEAVERCREEK — She’s the local Olympian few people here know. As she sat in Panera Bread at The Greene and told her remarkable Olympic tale – one that’s almost Rocky-like except for a fist-flattened nose — no one had a clue she was an elite, London-bound athlete. (via http://www.daytondailynews.com/)

Every four years, track and field has its chance to shine on the ultimate stage in sports, the Olympic Games. With so many compelling athletes and narratives emerging every Olympiad, it is no wonder that lasting memories are made in every Games... (via http://bleacherreport.com/)

Michael Phelps is responsible. He is the final nail. He is killing a sport. No, not swimming. He’s killing track and field.  In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, schedules were switched, with swimming put on during the China mornings so Phelps could be on prime time TV in the US. But track and field? Tape delay. Now, Phelps is back for the London Olympics and NBC is clearly hyping up his rivalry with Ryan Lochte. Track and field athletes know what that means for them. (via http://msn.foxsports.com)

BUCYRUS -- Every year when Paul Kurtz returns home to Bucyrus to visit his parents, he always buys his allowance of bratwursts for the year to take back to Rochester, N.Y. Not this time. Kurtz, 46, won't be heading back to New York with his favorite hometown food, because his family is relocating to Lakeland, Fla., for his new job. (via http://www.bucyrustelegraphforum.com)

OXFORD, Ohio - With cross country season less than two months away, Miami University head women's cross country coach Kelly Phillips announced the RedHawks 2012 schedule Thursday, which features at least six meets, each in different states. (via http://www.muredhawks.com/)

Sarah Haveman, the new women’s cross country coach at the University of Dayton, plans to have dialogue with her runners about their mileage, injury prevention and proper diet, but she’s also just as likely to ask, “Have you seen any good movies lately?” The Purdue graduate, who is taking over a program with strong tradition, wants to make sure her athletes have interests outside their sport because she believes that’s the way to maximize their performance. (via )

Brice Allen has been named associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for the Ohio State men's track and field and cross country programs, head coach Ed Beathea announced Friday. Allen will coach the cross country team as well the distance runners for track and field. (via OhioStateBuckeyes.com)

A quick recap of how the six Ohio athletes fared at the IAAF World Junior Championship.  Represting Ohio are: Josh Thompson (Pitt/Steubenville), Kaila Barber (Notre Dame/Midpark), Madeline Morrow (Hoover), Taylor Burke (Florida/Medina), Matias Tayala (Kent State/McDonald) and Quincy Downing (LSU/Glenville).

A quick look at the results and coverage from the USATF Junior Olympics and AUU qualifiers.

Track and field competition lies at the heart of the Olympics ' origins. Competitors from across the globe have spent their entire lives preparing for the action that awaits at the 2012 Summer Games in London... (via http://bleacherreport.com)

U.S. Track and Field sports psychologist Dr. Steve Portenga is releasing the world’s most advanced sport and performance psychology mobile app for the iPhone this month, with his Olympic athletes among the first to use it. Also the CEO and Founder of iPerformance Psychology, Dr. Portenga has developed the iPerformance Sport & Performance Psychology Mental Skills Trainer app behind eight years of direct professional experience and proven industry data on how to maximize sports performance beyond physical skills. (via http://www.prweb.com)

The official slogan for the Olympic track trials was Best.Time.Ever. But a better slogan would be Best.Stories.Ever. While Olympics fans focused most of their attention on Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte this past week, the most intriguing athletes were in Eugene. (via http://espn.go.com)

EUGENE, Ore. – Jeneba Tarmoh has withdrawn herself from consideration for one of three Olympic Team positions in the women’s 100 meters. (via http://usatf.org/)

The runoff to settle a third-place tie in the women's 100 meters at the U.S. track trials may not make it to the starting line on Monday (via http://espn.go.com/)

It's official, Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh will have a runoff tomorrow night at 5:00 pm PT to determine the final spot on the women's 100m Olympic team. Watch live on NBC.

Molly Beckwith has had time to absorb what happened on Monday night, even if the memory remains fresh and painful. It’s not often in life that elation turns into devastation in a fraction of a second. For the Worthington runner, two-tenths of a second proved the difference between heading to the Olympics and facing yet another disappointment in an athletic career she has spent overcoming them. (via )