by Jon Hendershott

Olympic 110 hurdles bronze medalist David Oliver sped a season-leading 12.99 in Shanghai on May 23, beating former WR holder Xiang Liu among others. Then the 28-year-old Oliver traveled to Sacramento for the May 29 California Invitational Relays.

In the Golden State's capital, Oliver had to buck a stiff -3.6mps headwind, but still won in 13.52 from Dexter Faulk (13.89). Afterwards, the resident of Kissimmee, Florida, talked about the race and his season so far:

T&FN: Did you fly around the world for this meet? You were in Daegu and then Shanghai.

Oliver: No, I flew directly to Sacramento right after Shanghai and the meet organizers were very good about putting me up this week. I did some media things early in the week and worked with a local high school's hurdler. I wasn't going to go home to Florida and then come out here.

T&FN: Almost whatever you did was a long trip.

Oliver: Yes, but after being injured last season and missing a lot of meets, I wanted to take advantage this year of every chance I get to step on the track. I don't care where the meet is held.

T&FN: So did it bother you to have a big headwind today?

Oliver: Nope. Of course, the time is going to be slower but at the end of the day, you've got to be able to go out and perform. Whether it's a minus 3 [mps wind], or a plus 3.

A race with a plus 3 is almost harder to run for a big guy like me [6-2/205], but because with an aiding wind pushing you, there isn't very much space for three steps between the hurdles.

But you have to be ready to come out and give the fans a good performance. Who knows, if the wind had been down near zero, we might have run down in the teens. But that doesn't matter; it's all about winning.

T&FN: Was that also the point in Shanghai? Beat Liu, beat [Dongpeng] Shi and do it at their home?

Oliver: Beat everybody. Whether it's the top eight guys in the world in a race, or the bottom eight, winning in the most important thing. When you win races, times come, respect comes; everything comes with that. So you have to start with winning.

I mean, I've lost fast races before. I ran 12.98 in Zürich and lost. So whether it's 12.98 or 13.98, when you win Diamond League and Grand Prix races, that's what's important. It doesn't matter what the time is.

T&FN: Was it important to you to beat Liu in his hometown, even though he's coming back? Or do you even center on one guy?

Oliver: I don't really worry about any one guy. Just these 10 barriers right here. When you start worrying about who is next to you or over in another lane, then you lose focus. You do that for just a split second and you'll end up underneath a hurdle watching the rest of the race on your back.

We've seen it plenty of times: people lose focus in a hurdles race

and start clipping barriers. Go from gold medals to no medals; or from making a team to falling at the last hurdle and not getting anything.

You've got to focus 10 times, because you've got 10 chances to mess something up. So I just try to focus on each hurdle and I don't really care who is in the race.

And I don't care what the conditions are. The conditions are the same in everybody's lane. I just go out and try to win the race.

T&FN: What's your approach this year with no pressure to be in the top three at nationals or a Trials to make a big team? Just the chance to go out and race a lot or what?

Oliver: To me, there's no such thing as an off year. I'm a professional track athlete, a 110 hurdler. There are races to be run, money to be made and that makes it a profession.

So when you come to meets, you're making your living and that's what I try to do, whether it's an Olympic year, a World Championships year, or an "off year."

For me, I approach every year the same: go out there and try to be the best, the fastest and finish No. 1. Sometimes you win races and sometimes you lose, but the No. 1 goal is to always go out and win the races.

T&FN: Do you have any extra motivation for this year because, in fact, you were hurt last year and missed the nationals and the chance to make the Worlds team and only were able to come back post-Berlin?

Oliver: Most definitely. I had to find motivations for myself. I didn't make the team last year, and in '07 I made the team but hurt my hamstring in Osaka. I was kicked out of races in Europe; had invitations taken back. I made up my mind that that was never going to happen again.

That was my motivation for '08 and forward. Now, I can basically run in any meet I want. Being hurt last year, it was tough seeing meets won in times that are in your wheelhouse. I ran 13.09 in May of last year, which ended up being the fastest time by an American last year.

I really wanted to use that time as a springboard to get to the next level. I used that as motivation to get back.

You know, this sport has a short memory--they don't remember you very long. If I had come back and just run 13.40, 50 or 60, people still would have forgot about me. So I wanted to open people's eyes again and that's what I tried to do indoors and so far outdoors. Just keep it going.

T&FN: As important as an Olympic bronze medal is, you really can't rest on that laurel, can you? You have to go out and earn a lane in your next meet.

Oliver: Olympic medals get you into meets for a few years, but the sport really isn't about that. Whether you've got a medal or no medal, it's about competing every week and earning the respect of your competitors and keeping everybody aware that I'm out there running fast. I can run 12 in May, or July or September. It's just about opening up people's eyes.

T&FN: What does your schedule look like now?

Oliver: I'll go home and train, get ready for the national championships in Des Moines at the end of June and try to get my national title back. [Oliver won the '08 Trials/nationals.]

Then I'll go to the Prefontaine Diamond League meet [July 3]. I'm really looking forward to doing well in that meet. I'm just glad to be back after the [calf] injury last year. I'm looking forward to this whole season; having a good, complete year. Just stay healthy is the No. 1 goal.

T&FN: You have good memories of Eugene, right?

Oliver: Yes, I won the Trials in '08; ran 12.89 and 12.95, although windy. I can't wait to get back up there. But most important to me is the USA nationals and having a good performance there.

I'd like to run in the Continental Cup; they go on the performance list as of July 31. So unless two others from this continent are running 12.98 or better, hopefully I'll be running that meet. I plan to be running faster than 12.99 anyway, by the time the team is picked for the Cup.

T&FN: How about 12.90 [=AR] or 12.89 [AR]?

Oliver: [laughs] How about [WR] 12.85?! That'll work. You've got to aim for the stars. Usain Bolt showed us there's no limit to what you can do as a track athlete. I take that approach and try to run very fast every single time.

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