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On Monday, January 8, the world's #1 shot putter, Reese Hoffa, and meet
organizers spoke to the New York Track Writers to kick off the countdown
to the 100th Millrose Games.
The 100th Millrose Games, the second stop in USA Track & Field's Visa
Championship Series, will be held Feb. 2 at Madison Square Garden
beginning at 6 p.m. The Visa Championship Series begins January 27 with
the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, continues with the Tyson Invitational
February 9 in Fayetteville, Ark., and concludes with the AT&T USA Indoor
Track & Field Championships February 25-26 in Boston.
Hoffa will return to Madison Square Garden in a quest for his third
consecutive Millrose title in the Visa men's shot put. Last year he was
named the meet's Outstanding Performer for breaking the meet record with
his massive throw of 21.65m/71-0.5. He also had the three longest indoor
throws in the world in 2006 on his way to becoming World Indoor Champion
and being ranked #1 in the world for the year.
Additional Millrose headliners already announced to compete are 4-time
Wanamaker Mile champion Bernard Lagat, world championships medalist
Craig Mottram and world record holder and Olympic champion pole vaulter
Yelena Isinbayeva.
Below are excerpts from Monday's conversation with Hoffa at the Track
Writers Lunch.
Q: Tell us where you are in your career?
A: So far it's been absolutely incredible. When I first had the idea I
could be a shot putter back in high school, I never imagined I'd be
where I am now. All my training has shown me that anything is possible
as long as I continue to do what I do well and just train hard.
Q: How are you doing in training?
A: My training is starting to come around. Last year obviously was a
magic year. I never expected to go through an entire indoor season
without losing. Everything came together. This year is about trying to
recapture what I did last year, or come close. I am in wonderful shape.
Everything seems to be coming to me much easier this year.
Q: How is training without Adam Nelson, your training partner the last
several years who recently moved from Athens, Ga. to Charlottesville,
Va.
A: At first I thought it was great. When he was in Georgia I was kind of
playing second fiddle to him, even in my own mind. When he decided to
leave for business school, I thought this would be great, this would be
my camp in Athens. But ultimately, I miss him. He's a great person and
an incredible training partner. When I go to practice I can tell it's
not the same kind of intensity as when he was there.
Q: How do you overcome that loss of intensity from his absence?
A: For me, I pick a mark and say this is where Adam would be training.
Every single throw has to be beyond that, because that's where Adam is
or Christian [Cantwell] is. So I have my mock Adam in my training
sessions because he's not there anymore.
Q: How far can you throw?
A: I like to think I can touch the world indoor record. The world
outdoor record might be a little tough, but anything's possible. I just
let it rip. Ive seen some training throws that are getting close to a
world indoor record. It will take the right meet and right atmosphere to
get me up to that distance. I've thrown 22 meters and think I can
continue to compete at that level. Outdoors, if I can get anywhere near
23 meters that would be awesome.
Q: You line-drive your throws. Is that on purpose, or just the way you
throw?
A: I think it is the way I throw. I'm not as tall as some of the other
athletes, so I have to rely a lot on speed. Speed for me is the key. I
can't obtain the kind of strength that Christian or Dan [Taylor] or
Adam, who is naturally gifted in the weight room. So I have to rely on
my strengths - I have great feet.
Q: Talk about your early career.
A: For me, during my early career, it was just trying to survive. I was
throwing against very much established shot putters. It's about picking
one person off a year. If I can beat that one person, it showed me that
I belonged and was good enough to beat anybody. Then it became let's see
if I can beat this person for two meets. That's tough.
Q: Talk about some of your theatrics in competition.
A: I've done the Unknown Thrower [where Hoffa competed in a mask and
cape]. It's just a separate person. To me throwing should be about
having fun. We've had some incredible characters, like Brian Oldfield.
At the time I was doing that [the Unknown Thrower], it was kind of
lacking. Not much showmanship. So I did that. Then Adam started taking
his shirt off, and people realize that we're not machines. It makes the
crowd think there is something exciting going on out there. If it means
doing a backflip when I'm introduced, I'll do that.
Q: Can you do a backflip?
A: I can do a back handspring, but I'm working on the backflip right
now. My senior year at the University of Georgia, I wanted to do
something special if I won NCAAs. Georgia is one of the top gymnastics
schools in the country, so I worked with the coach. After one day I
could do a back handspring and a back tuck on a regular mat. I'm not
confident enough to go out there and actually pull it, but who knows ...
if it's the last meet and I'm excited ... if I sprain an ankle, I have
no other meets to go to! (laughs)
Q: How do you like the Millrose format (four throws each, 4-5 throwers,
with all other events stopped, music playing and a
spotlight-atmosphere)?
A: Absolutely incredible. I was there the first time they had it. They
bring in the music during the meet. The next year they had the music,
and I had my personal fan out there cheering me on. I have a lot of fun
with it.
Q: What has Millrose meant to you?
A: Millrose to me is the premiere event. This is where you get your most
points. My sponsor is the New York Athletic Club, which is based here,
so anytime I compete I'm going to get the support of the New York
Athletic Club. I like having the opportunity to perform in front of the
people who supported me before I was world #1. Basically my mother
called them to see if they would support me out of college. Anytime I
can have an opportunity to show the people in New York, and on TV show
the world, what they [NYAC] do, it's great for me.
Q: Does Millrose play to your strengths as a thrower and performer?
A: That is the kind of atmosphere for me. The crowd seems like it's
right on you. You can hear people calling your name. Every year it seems
like there's a fan that I can hear over everybody else, or somebody who
made a sign that I can see. Every time it pumps me up further. When I
broke the meet record two years ago, and having the opportunity to do it
last year, maybe I can do it every year, who knows? Them Millrose Games
is incredible. They try to do it right. When I won the meet on my last
throw [in 2006], they happened to be playing one of my favorite pump-up
songs of all time. It's by a German group - I don't even know what
they're saying.
Q: Who are you looking over your shoulder for, in terms of competitors
who are up and coming?
A: I'd say Dan Taylor, who went to Ohio State University. He showed the
ability to show really far. He does some incredible things in warm-up,
it's a matter of doing them in competition. He's ready. If he can do it,
I don't know, but he's one of the biggest threats. He's got all the
tools.
For a full biography of Reese Hoffa, visit USATF.org.
For tickets or more information on the 100th Millrose Games, visit
www.Millrose-Games.com. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster (call
212-307-7171, visit www.Ticketmaster.com or at Ticketmaster outlets); or
at the Madison Square Garden box office.
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