Men's Hammer

With the retirement of hammer great Lance Deal, the U.S. hammer ranks have been left somewhat slim. Last year's Olympic Trials runner-up Kevin McMahon is the only contestant who has the World Champs qualifying standard of 254-9. Should he win, which he should, he'll be the lone American contestant in Edmonton unless someone else steps up big. But should someone else other than McMahon win, things get a little tricky.

But let's not dwell on the negatives. The absence of deal provides a good opportunity for other athletes to shine. Besides McMahon, James Parker, recent Utah State grad, has improved tremendously this year to 240-7, and could improve even more. Jay Harvard (232-4) and John McEwen (230-4) have also been on the rise. With Deal gone, the local hammer fans will have little to cheer about, but Eugene is the one place where one is always guaranteed packed hammer bleachers.
/Dan Lilot/