There were two grands prix across the pond last Sunday. In Montreal we all know that Lewis Hamilton not only won but announced a genuine assault on the world title. Further west another somewhat more developed talent was doing much the same.
Craig Mottram of Australia won in Eugene over two miles in a time and manner that suggests that two years on from his surprise bronze medal over 5,000M in the Helsinki World Championships he could be ready to take the title this time round in Osaka.
If Hamilton were to win his world title it would undoubtedly be the sporting story of the year. However, a Mottram win would be one of the most significant in the sport of athletics for perhaps a decade or more.
The only non-African winner of the World Championship was Ireland's Eamonn Coghlan in a different era at the first worlds in 1983.
Indeed the last genuine non-African medallist (former Moroccan Mohammed Mourhit ran for Belgium in later years) apart from Mottram himself was in 1987 when silver went to Domingos Castro of Portugal and Jack Buckner of Britain won the bronze. Similarly in the Olympic 5,000M it has been African dominance since Dieter Baumann won in 1992 and he was later banned for a drug offence.
A Mottram win would therefore be hugely significant and he will be flying the flag for more than just the Australians, for he has an English father and Scottish mother!
Unfortunately the one piece of England that he does not seem to have adopted as far as the NBC commentator was concerned was his nickname of Buster. I can't honestly believe that our broadcasting friends across the water are familiar with the former British tennis player who made more headlines off the court than on it.
But Mottram seems intent on letting his running do all the talking. That's not to say that he's in anyway reticent about his abilities. He is all-Aussie in the way he carries unbridled confidence into his races. He fears no one and respects only marginally more.
On Sunday he announced his coming schedule in the next few weeks as though spitting out a challenge to all comers. British fans can lick their lips in anticipation of his appearance at the Sheffield grand prix in July over 3,000M but before that he will contest the Dream Mile in Oslo on Friday before heading to Ostrava in the Czech Republic for an attempt to become the fastest ever non-African and run 5,000M in under 12 minutes 50 seconds.
If he says he can do it then I'm inclined to believe it. His biggest rival come the final in August could well be the man with the month in his name who dramatically beat Mottram to the Commonwealth gold in Melbourne last year.
Augustine Choge of Kenya broke the hearts of the 90,000 Australians in the MCG last March but apparently not the spirit of Mottram. The former junior triathlon champion turns 27 next week and looks to be at the peak of his powers.
His pace is always a concern to his fans at the end of the race but his 1500M background generally stands him in good stead and famously even the best that Kenya and Ethiopia have to offer are fearful of the tall antipodean.
If anyone is going to break their dominance in the major championship distance events then he is the man. The Americans have long believed that Alan Webb might be the chosen one and in Britain we have high hopes for the improving Mo Farah. But it's Mottram who is the benchmark that they are striving to reach. Beat him and then you might just have a chance with the best from Africa.
