Blog - Track and Field Hunter

Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Track; Published: 19 November 2024

The Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist: Always Thinking, Always Planning

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What a year it has been for extraordinary discus specialist Valarie Allman. At the beginning of 2024 Allman and her Coach Zebulon “Zeb” Sion took a daunting approach toward the upcoming season: win every event. “There really wasn’t a goal,” explains Allman. “We kind of took it as just one meet at a time - and they kept stacking up. And when it came to the Diamond League final I thought, ‘Geez, we’re almost there.’” The result was an undefeated season. “It really was such a meaningful and beautiful season. There were 67 meets. And I know my competitors are really strong. It was kind of crazy. I was nervous all the way through those meets.” And it set the tone for Allman’s incredible season.

Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Track; Published: 23 October 2024

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Every season there is a flood of ambitious young athletes who take up track and field and harbor the hopes of becoming an accomplished runner, jumper or thrower. A significant number of those young, dedicated, ambitious athletes improve their skills and develop a love for the oldest of all sports. But only a very small percentage successfully rise to the pinnacle of their event. Katie Moon – Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Championship gold medalist in the pole vault - is one of those special athletes.

Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Track; Published: 01 October 2024

Editor Note: This article is a tribute to the late Shawn Barber. On October 1st 2024 in Akron Ohio, Barber was inducted posthumously into the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame.

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Shawn Barber, who died January 17th, 2024 in his Kingwood, Texas home of “medical complications” at the way-too-young age of 29, will be remembered as a quiet, but driven, athlete who was revered by all who knew him. A world-class pole vaulter, Barber performed at his best when competing at the global championship competitions when everything was on the line.

Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Track; Published: 26 September 2024

Looking Back On A Middle Distance Star

Back in the winter of 2013, Erik Sowinski, then a post-collegiate middle-distance athlete, was working at Running Wild – an Iowa athletic store – with the hopes of gaining a lane that would allow him to compete in the 600-meter dash in the upcoming Millrose Games. An 11th hour phone call gave Sowinski that open lane, and the mid-westerner was off to the Big Apple. “I remember I like worked out really hard on Wednesday afternoon and I finished the workout and went to my phone and had a voicemail from Ray Flynn, the Millrose Meet Director,” revealed Sowinski. “I had intended on racing that weekend. The next couple of days, we just kind of adjusted a few things. I'd never been to New York City, but it was fun. A couple of the guys I was working with at the store were able at the last minute to make the trip with me. So I think having some familiar faces there made it a lot more comfortable.”

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“Erik Sowinski just steps away from victory at New York’s Dr. Sanders Invitational”

Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Event Coverage; Published: 17 July 2023

Final Day World Leaders For Katie Moon, Gabby Thomas, and Rai Benjamin

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The fans at Hawyward Field, photo by How Lao Photography

July 9,2023

Eugene, Oregon

Day Four of the 2023 USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships featured an all-final card. And the competing athletes did not miss the opportunity to perform at their highest level.

Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Track; Published: 21 June 2023

Lady Longhorns: Deep And Talented

Texas leads, NCAA Champs, photo by How Lao photography

Austin, Texas

June 8th, 2023

The battle for the team title is one facet of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships that makes this 4-day competition so exciting and enjoyable. Instead of focusing on strictly individual performance, the collegiate athletes of the various universities work as one with their teammates: performing at their best, encouraging and cheering on their teammates, and even stepping up to undertake additional events in the quest to capture the coveted team trophy.

Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Track; Published: 19 June 2023

Stanford’s Robinson and Hicks Author 1-2 10k Sweep!

Hicks and RB NCAA 11 How Lao d1 10000 750x375 Charles Hicks and Ky Robinson go 1,2 at NCAA 10,000m, June 7, 2023, photo by How Lao Photography

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Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Cross Country; Published: 03 December 2022

NC State's Kaitlyn Tuohy Captures NCAA Div I XC Crown (Kirby Lee / Image Of Sport)
Wolfpack Leader: Talented, Resilient, And Poised

November 19, 2022
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma

Everyone knows that Katelyn Tuohy is talented. The New Yorker was a 3-time Nike Cross National Champion and basically rewrote the USA prep record book.

But Tuohy is not one-dimensional. Now in her sophomore year at NC State, this emerging collegiate star is more than simply a phenomenal athlete. She is a leader who has helped galvanize an entire squad of accomplished athletes who, in their own right, have helped Tuohy label the Wolfpack women as a distance running powerhouse.

Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Cross Country; Published: 29 November 2022

NC State Teammates Celebrate Successful Defense Of Their Team Victory

(Kirby Lee / Image Of Sport)

Wolfpack Successfully Defends; Tuohy Individual Titleist

November 19, 2022
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma

As the cross-country season was winding down, NC State Cross Country Coach Laurie Henes and her athletes were quietly building confidence and managing stress. They arrived at Stillwater with the unannounced goal of successfully defending their team title while creating an opportunity for their star athlete Katelyn Tuohy to win the individual crown.

Details: Written by Dave Hunter; Category: Event Coverage; Published: 04 September 2022

World Championship Flashback!

Amusan’s w100H double: 12.12 and 12:06w ; Mondo: 6.21 WR;

USA men 4×4: 2:56.17; USA women 4×4: 3:17.79 and More!

July 24th, 2022

On the final day of these 2022 World Athletics Championships, an array of great performances took place on the track and on the field. It was a closing day of redemption for some, unexpected record-breaking for others, and the fulfillment of lifetime dreams for several.

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Tobi Amusan destroys 100m hurdle WR, World Athletics Championships
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 15-26 2022, photo by Kevin Morris

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Demo Reel Video

Please take a moment to view Dave's 3-minute demo-reel for samples of his announcing and interviewing work.

TAFWA Award

At the 2019 annual meeting of the Track and Field Writers of America, Dave was presented with the James Dunaway Memorial Award “for track & field journalism excellence.”

2022 USAFT Announcing

Check out Dave in action at the 2022 USATF Women’s 6km Championship.

Dave Hunter

Dave Hunter is a track & field journalist, announcer, and broadcaster. Dave reports on the premier track & field gatherings around the globe, frequently serves as an arena or stadium announcer for championship events, and has undertaken foreign and domestic broadcast assignments in the sport.