Olympic T&F Preview - Mens Sprints

Post #1 » by **TheGlyde** » Mon Aug 4, 2008 9:57 am

My previews/tips:

The 100m

The 100m in Beijing should be a hot field, with around 20 athletes having broken 10 seconds in their career, just making the Olympic final is always an achievement.

Glyde's tips
Gold: Tyson Gay (USA)
Silver: Usain Bolt (JAM)
Bronze: Asafa Powell (JAM)

Flier for a medal
Darvis Patton (USA)

For the medals, look for a race in three, with USA's Tyson Gay pitted against the Jamaican pair of Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. Gay has the championship pedigree, and I'm going to tip him to come through in the crunch. Bolt is still inexperienced at the top level, and Powell has has a bit of a history of seizing up when his legs need him most, if that happens, look for Darvis Patton to be first in line to try and sneak a medal.

Tipped Finalists:
Walter Dix (USA)
Richard Thompson (TRI)
Marc Burns (TRI)
Francis Obikwelu (POR)

Perennial finalists like Aziz Zakari (GHA), Kim Collins (SKN) and Darrel Brown (TRI) will need to find form to make it, and have shown the ability to do that at the right time, along with the experienced Nigerian pair of Uchenna Emedolu and Olusoji Fasuba. I'll tip all to miss the final in favour of Obikwelu, Dix and the Trinidad & Tobago pair of Marc Burns and Richard Thompson.

The 200m

The 200m looks like a race between Bolt and the USA trio, the only 4 men in the field to break 20 seconds this year.

Glyde's tips
Gold: Usain Bolt (JAM)
Silver: Shawn Crawford (USA)
Bronze: Wallace Spearmon (USA)

Flier for a medal
Walter Dix (USA)

This time around I tip Bolt to take the gold, despite the 100m world record I have always viewed him as a pure 200m guy. With the right conditions he is capable of running the 2nd fastest 200m in history. For Silver, I'm going to tip Shawn Crawford, again based on experience, I'll give Spearmon the Bronze ahead of Dix, as, even though Dix won the USA titles, he is running the 100m as well which could take the edge off, and Spearmon has that 19.65 PB up his sleeve.

Tipped Finalists:
Marvin Anderson (JAM)
Christopher Williams (JAM)
Brendan Christian (ANT)
Richard Thompson (TRI)

Jamacia should have 3 men in this final, with the experienced Christopher Williams, and Marvin Anderson has been running well. I'll tip Thompson and Brendan Christian to make the final, but keep an eye on Churandy Martina and Brian Dzingai, they don't have much experience, but have ran some quick times this year.

The 400m

The 400m should be a two horse race, Wariner vs Merritt, and Personally I can't wait, this is my event and will be the race of the games for me.

Glyde's tips
Gold: Jeremy Wariner (USA)
Silver: LaShawn Merritt (USA)
Bronze: Chris Brown (BAH)

Flier for a medal
David Neville (USA)

I'm going for Wariner here. Yes, Merritt got him at the Olympic trials, and yes Wariner is not as bulletproof as he has been in past years, but I believe he's made of the right stuff to get the job done here, but I expect a dogfight. Chris Brown looks the common sense choice for bronze, but the 3rd american David Neville will be in there with a chance to make it a sweep.

Tipped Finalists:
Tyler Christopher (CAN)
Andretti Bain (BAH)
Ricardo Chalmers (JAM)
Joel Milburn (AUS)

Ok, so I went for the homer pick to put Milburn in the final, to be honest I'll be surprised to see him there, but I was also very surprised to watch him steam away from me in the home straight of the State final to run 45.19. He's inexperienced at this level, but he's a great guy and I hope he can sneak in there. Helsinki Bronze Medalist Tyler Christopher I expect to see there, along with Andretti Bain and Ricardo Chalmers.

vi3t · Post #2 » by **vi3t** » Mon Aug 4, 2008 11:00 pm

I'm cheering for Asafa Powell, hoping he doesn't choke this time around

Post #3 » by **TheGlyde** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:40 pm

Wow Bolt looked crazy good in the 2nd round, 9.92 jogging... Asafa looked good too but he still could be suspect under pressure... Gay... eh... not a great start... I dunno if Bolt can be beat now.

Chpwags · Post #4 » by **Chpwags** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:45 pm

I couldn't believe how soon Bolt shut it down and yet still managed a 9.92. It didn't look like he ran hard for more than 50 meters. That was the most impressive shut down run I have ever seen I can't see how he can be beat. The only way any of those runners have a chance is if he completely chokes, they are going to outrun him solely based on their own merits. I have a feeling he will run in the 9.60's in the finals.

vi3t · Post #5 » by **vi3t** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 6:29 am

Bolt was ridiculous damn, Gay on the other hand, looks stiffy

hype_2004 · Post #6 » by **hype_2004** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:21 pm

Tyson Gay failed to qualify, hot damn! well he did suffer a mild hamstring injury and looked very rusty and stiff on his runs. Its just too bad because Olympic medals never carry an asterisk when a top competitor is not 100 % to challenge such is life, feel bad for the guy, tough tough break leading to the biggest and most significant part of his prime athletic life.

vi3t · Post #7 » by **vi3t** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:46 pm

yea tuff break for Gay and he's not in the 200m so no chance to redeem himself in the sprints, he still got the 4x100m relay tho but my money's on the jamaicans

Post #8 » by **TheGlyde** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 1:29 pm

Utterly shocked... Bolt first, daylight 2nd, Powell 3rd.

vi3t · Post #9 » by **vi3t** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:07 pm

Bolt in not human man, 9.69 slowing down at the end is just ridiculous, I'm expecting him to break Michael Johnson's 200m record

Post #10 » by **TheGlyde** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:07 am

I really hope he doesn't get that record, yes, the 100m was crazy just crazy I was shocked, still am... but if he drops 0.4+ off his 200m PB I'm just going to be crushed... MJ is my hero...

Post #11 » by **TheGlyde** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:58 am

Milburn 44.80 PB in his 400m heat, my homer pick for the final... he could get in there if he can match the time in the semis

Cohiba13 · Post #12 » by **Cohiba13** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:21 pm

Bolt looked like he jogged to his 20.6 in his heat. What a freak.

Ong_dynasty · Post #13 » by **Ong_dynasty** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:19 pm

I know nobody wants to talk about it and I really hope that there is nothing in it..
But when Bolt crossed the line in the 100M it looked eerily similar to when ben johnson did...
As I said, i hope my suspicions are unfounded..but did anybody else think that?!?!

jmbflame21 · Post #14 » by **jmbflame21** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:47 pm

imagaine what usain bolt would run in the 40 yard dash :evil:

Post #15 » by **TheGlyde** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:23 pm

Ong_dynasty wrote:I know nobody wants to talk about it and I really hope that there is nothing in it..
But when Bolt crossed the line in the 100M it looked eerily similar to when ben johnson did...
As I said, i hope my suspicions are unfounded..but did anybody else think that?!?!

I don't suspect him just yet, I mean he had run 9.72 before and my belief is even if he pushed hard to the line he wouldn't have taken more than 0.1 off that.

If however, he lowers his 200m PB by half a second and takes the WR there... I may begin to be a bit suss...

Its really unfortunate that pathetic cheats of years gone by have trained us to always have this fear in the back of our mind when we see an out-of-this-world performance

Ong_dynasty · Post #16 » by **Ong_dynasty** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:45 am

TheGlyde wrote:
Ong_dynasty wrote:I know nobody wants to talk about it and I really hope that there is nothing in it..
But when Bolt crossed the line in the 100M it looked eerily similar to when ben johnson did...
As I said, i hope my suspicions are unfounded..but did anybody else think that?!?!

I don't suspect him just yet, I mean he had run 9.72 before and my belief is even if he pushed hard to the line he wouldn't have taken more than 0.1 off that.

If however, he lowers his 200m PB by half a second and takes the WR there... I may begin to be a bit suss...

Its really unfortunate that pathetic cheats of years gone by have trained us to always have this fear in the back of our mind when we see an out-of-this-world performance

Do you mean .1 or .01? .1 is quite big while .01 is quit to small..
I think his time would have been 9.66 ish!

I agree that its sad we think of steroids..

Post #17 » by **TheGlyde** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:48 am

I meant 0.1

I think if he pushed hard all the way he could have run low 9.6s

To run 9.62 he would have have to 'beat himself' by about 70cm... I think pushing hard with arm drive to the line and a nice dip with his big frame he could have gotten that.

Ong_dynasty · Post #18 » by **Ong_dynasty** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:39 am

The way Bolt Jogged 200m...was just incredible... I actually think this guy maybe able to break the 18's...
It must be so disheartening running with him.!

Post #19 » by **TheGlyde** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:58 am

I got the split by pausing the video at about an even 10flat for the first 100m on the bend in the semi, he started cruising about 120m in...

So, unless he runs an 8second last 100m...

Can't wait for the race... just want to get it over with and see what he can do.

Ong_dynasty · Post #20 » by **Ong_dynasty** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:55 pm

When I mean 18's I mean 18.9's..
Maybe that was too ambitious..
But after the 19.3...I think low 19.2's is possible...