| L_Master United States. July 20 2012 07:54. Posts 3507 | Profile Blog # | |
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| L_Master United States. July 20 2012 07:55. Posts 3507 | Profile Blog # |
My initial thoughts here:
Men's Side
Marathon is going to be absolutely epic!
2:03:42 man Wilson Kipsang, Double WC Gold Medalist Peter Kirui, and Moses Mosop who ran 2:03:03 (wind-aided) in Boston. Then you have the Ethiopian contigent, all who have recently run in the low 2:04's. Really that's crazy when you think about it as just two or three years ago 2:04 was an eye-popping time...now it's run relatively frequently.
Will also be interesting to see if the late Sammy Wanjiru's unbelievable Beijing run has redefined the way people attack the Olympic Marathon.
Men's 10K is gonna be sweet too, especially if Bekele rounds back into good form. Bekele v Farah? Hell yes! Then you have the ever improving Galen Rupp who could be a longshot to medal as he ran 26:48 last season and it's just a question of can he get a little bit stronger and be able to really kick with everyone at the bell.
5K could be awesome as well. Farah v Lagat (Presumably anyway, I can't imagine him not making it past the trials), Rupp could be there, maybe Lopez Lomong who did this just a few weeks ago. Going to be really interesting to see who the Kenyan squad ends up being this year
1500m could be one hell of a race too. Silas Kiplagat just ran 3:29 on Friday and it's EARLY in the season. Equally stunning in that same race was reigning WC and Olympic gold medalist Asbel Kiprop who finished just tenths of a second behind Kiprop despite getting tangled up and nearly falling right as he was coming into the back straight.
800m is pretty well setup for Rudisha to do his usual thing BUT there is Mohammed Aman who actually managed to beat Rudisha last season. We'll probably get a better idea of this matchup before the olympics though as they are scheduled to race each other soon
400m just got more interesting as Merritt just popped off a cool 44.19, meaning he could potentially be sub 44 shape come London. Obviously Kirani James is a huge threat despite looking off and being unable to win indoor WC's. Then there is Wariner...and who knows what to expect from him.
200m - Blake (19.26) v Bolt (19.19)...I don't even think I need to say more except that this is going to be awesome
100m - Same matchup. Bolt has run much faster than Blake in this event, but Blake hasn't been in peak 100m form since his stellar 200m breakthrough. He also has a slightly higher absolutely top end speed than Bolt. Thrown in the added pressure of Bolt messing up and false starting to get DQed from the 100m WC final last year in Daegu and things get VERY interesting.
Women's Side
Marathon - Sure looks set up for Mary Keitany to wreck face. She just ran 2:18:37 in London with THE fastest final 10k split in women's marathon history. She ran the last 10k in an unbelievable 31:36! If she can close the olympics anything like she did London earlier this year it's a done deal.
5k/10k - One word: Vivian Cheruiyot. I don't think anyone can stop her the way she is running right now. Last week despite a slow pace and dropping down in distance to 3K Cheruiyot still managed to outkick Ethiopan Meseret Defar. For her tp take down competition like Defar (Cheruiyot, Defar, and Tirunesh Dibaba are the dominant three) in here weaker event off a slow pace shows she is in absolutely dominant form at the minute.
1500m - Should be interesting as you have reigning WC gold medalist Jenny Simpson (who I regular see running on the trails here in Colorado!), Morgan Uceny (arguably the 1500m favorite last year in Daegu but got tangled up, tripped, and was out). There are a host of others out there with credentials right around 4:00 incuding Shannon Rowbury, Ekaterina Gorbunova, Maryam Jamal, and Kalkidan Gezahegne.
800m - Pamela Jelimo certainly looks to be the overwhelming favorite as she is healthy again and just ran a blistering 1:56.94. If she isn't peaking too soon I'm not sure I see anyone challenging that. Ethiopian teenager Fantu Magiso made a courageous move with 200m to go and blasted into the lead, but couldn't quite hold it but still establishes here name as a potential threat. Given Jelimo's time it really only leaves Caster Semenya and Mariya Savinova with realistic chances of thinking about Gold. |
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| Titusmaster6 United States. July 20 2012 08:23. Posts 3354 | Profile Blog # |
Really looking forward to the short track. I think the USA will be much more competitive this year against Jamaica (they got crushed in Beijing).
Also op, I watched the USA men's trial and I believe Jeremy Wariner did not qualify? |
| | Shorts down shorts up, BOOM, just like that. |
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| IRL_Sinister Ireland. July 20 2012 10:05. Posts 598 | Profile Blog # |
| As always, the 100M men's, 200M men's and 4x100M relay from either side will be the highlight of the games for me. |
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| AirbladeOrange United States. July 20 2012 11:39. Posts 2074 | Profile Blog # |
Thanks for the thread! I'm really pumped at the America's chances for some medals. It's looked better than I ever remember for U.S. distance.
And I heard Bolt is not performing too well right now so it will be interesting to see how he does come the games. |
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| galtdunn United States. July 20 2012 11:39. Posts 799 | Profile # |
| Can't wait for the 5K and 10K! |
| | Currently editing items in the DotA 2 wiki. PM for questions/suggestions. | |
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| L_Master United States. July 20 2012 12:36. Posts 3507 | Profile Blog # |
On July 20 2012 11:39 galtdunn wrote:
Can't wait for the 5K and 10K!
Here is a man after my own heart haha! |
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| DannyJ United States. July 20 2012 12:42. Posts 3742 | Profile # |
| I think Bolt might actually have to try this time. |
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| Sigh Canada. July 20 2012 13:40. Posts 2262 | Profile Blog # |
| Can't wait for the 100m, 200m. shiet. wonder if usain bolt will destroy the competition again. |
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| Wordsmith United Kingdom. July 20 2012 13:47. Posts 76 | Profile # |
| sorry Last edit: 2012-07-20 13:47:53 |
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| L_Master United States. July 20 2012 15:20. Posts 3507 | Profile Blog # |
On July 20 2012 12:42 DannyJ wrote:
I think Bolt might actually have to try this time.
Could be the understatement of the century. I wouldn't go so far as to call him the underdog, but he definitely has his work cut out for him especially since due to his hamstring issue in the last month.
On July 20 2012 13:40 Sigh wrote:
Can't wait for the 100m, 200m. shiet. wonder if usain bolt will destroy the competition again.
Only if he is playing up everything: sandbagging (relatively speaking) races and fabricating a hamstring issue this close to the games. If his performances this year are legit attempts then not only is he not dominating...he is going to need to run DAMN well just to win.
If he is playing all this up...the man is a genius with incredible restraint. That would be only hell of a T&F story if bolt came out of nowhere to again throw up sub 9.6 and low 19s. |
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| Aerisky United States. July 20 2012 17:42. Posts 9251 | Profile Blog # |
I mean, every guy has to run damn well just to win 100/200m ;P It's ridiculously hard to win that event since you always have at least a few guys who are peaking athletically by the time of the event by managing their training/mentality etc.
But yeah I know what you mean. ^^ Bolt is not a lock at all, will be interesting to see how it turns out. |
| | "It has always been in my observation of human nature, that a man who has any good reason to believe in himself never flourishes himself before the faces of other people in order that they may believe in him." |
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| Aristodemus England. July 20 2012 20:09. Posts 1692 | Profile # |
| Home hopes are Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Phillips Idowu. Maybe Dai Greene could nick a gold too but I doubt it. One thing we are all hoping for though is Chambers going out in round 1! |
| | once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more |
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| L_Master United States. July 21 2012 02:38. Posts 3507 | Profile Blog # |
On July 20 2012 20:09 Aristodemus wrote:
Home hopes are Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Phillips Idowu. Maybe Dai Greene could nick a gold too but I doubt it. One thing we are all hoping for though is Chambers going out in round 1!
Because he is a drug cheat?
If not, why?
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| Aristodemus England. July 21 2012 03:01. Posts 1692 | Profile # |
On July 21 2012 02:38 L_Master wrote:
Show nested quote +On July 20 2012 20:09 Aristodemus wrote:
Home hopes are Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Phillips Idowu. Maybe Dai Greene could nick a gold too but I doubt it. One thing we are all hoping for though is Chambers going out in round 1!
Because he is a drug cheat? If not, why?
Yes exactly. We banned him for life but he had it overturned in court. Drug cheats have no place in sports. |
| | once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more |
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| L_Master United States. July 21 2012 03:15. Posts 3507 | Profile Blog # |
On July 21 2012 03:01 Aristodemus wrote:
Show nested quote +On July 21 2012 02:38 L_Master wrote:
On July 20 2012 20:09 Aristodemus wrote:
Home hopes are Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Phillips Idowu. Maybe Dai Greene could nick a gold too but I doubt it. One thing we are all hoping for though is Chambers going out in round 1!
Because he is a drug cheat? If not, why?
Yes exactly. We banned him for life but he had it overturned in court. Drug cheats have no place in sports.
Amen. I feel the same way about Gatlin; and it sucks cause he looks like he is in good form too. All I can say is that if he medals.... |
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| Mortality United States. July 21 2012 03:49. Posts 4790 | Profile Blog # |
| Jamaica's sprint team is the absolute most ridiculous thing I have ever seen right now. They could put a quadriplegic on their 4x100 and they would still set a world record. |
| | Even though this Proleague bullshit has been completely bogus, I really, really, really do not see how Khan can lose this. I swear I will kill myself if they do. - nesix before KHAN lost to eNature |
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| L_Master United States. July 22 2012 00:46. Posts 3507 | Profile Blog # |
Asbel Kiprop runs 3:28.88 in the 1500m. If you didn't already think he was the favorite for the gold I think that's clearly established now, especially if you watched the race. Dude looked like he was jogging as he cruised through the first 1100m on about 56 high lap pace, and then casually threw down a 53.43 last lap, with last 200m in 26. Looked incredibly relaxed through all of it, almost like he was holding something back.
That time catapults him to 5th fastest man ever over the distance, and finally gives him that really fast time to go with his racing credentials. |
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| Bunn Estonia. July 22 2012 04:49. Posts 558 | Profile Blog # |
| Anyone know who are the favourites in men's 110m hurdles? I'm not really up-to-date with the scene. Are Dayron Robles and Liu Xiang still the favourites? Besides them I've seen some Russian run pretty fast recently. Last edit: 2012-07-22 04:50:17 |
| | "There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level." - Bruce Lee |
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| L_Master United States. July 22 2012 08:09. Posts 3507 | Profile Blog # |
On July 22 2012 04:49 Bunn wrote:
Anyone know who are the favourites in men's 110m hurdles? I'm not really up-to-date with the scene. Are Dayron Robles and Liu Xiang still the favourites? Besides them I've seen some Russian run pretty fast recently.
Those two (though I am not as sure about Robles) and Ares Merritt. |
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