Super Early predictions for Athens

[DentyCracker]

Ok so this is very previous but I thought it would be fun to put down early picks for athens. Will probably make hilarious reading this time next year.

Here are my (biased) picks

Men
100m Asafa Powell
110mH Allen Johnson
200m Usain Bolt
400m Tyree Washington
400mH Felix Sanchez
800m Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
1500m Hicham El Guerrouj
3000m St Saif Shaheen
5000m Kenenisa Bekele
10000m Haile Gebrselassie
Marathon Khalid Khannouchi
LJ Savante Stringfellow
TJ Christian Olsson
HJ Jacques Freitag
PV Okkert Brits
DT Robert Fazekas
SP Carl Myerscough
JT Jan Zelezny
HT Koji Murofushi
4x100m USA
4x400 Jamaica

Women
100m Marion Jones
100mH Brigitte Foster
200m Kelli White
400m Lorraine Fenton
400mH Lashinda Demus
800m Maria Mutola
1500m Sureyya Ayhan
5000m Tirunesh Dibaba
10000m Berhane Adere
Marathon Paula Radcliffe
LJ Elva Gouldbourne
TJ Yamile Aldama
HJ Hestrie Cloete
PV Yelena Isinbayeva
DT Ekateríni Vóggoli
SP Carl Myerscough
JT Steffi Nerius
HT Yipsi Moreno
4x100m Jamaica
4x400 USA

[ndamix]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

Unfortuantely the British federation won't allow Myercough to compete on the Olympic team due to the drug suspension he served a couple of years ago. The Brits won't let him compete in Athens, but let him compete in Paris even though he paid the penalty and was reinstated.

How dumb is that?

[bubba]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

And they definitely won't let him compete as both a man and a woman.

[DentyCracker]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

Damn, I cut and pasted once I had done the mens list. Forgot about the BOA stance
here is my revised list

Men
100m Asafa Powell
110mH Allen Johnson
200m Usain Bolt
400m Tyree Washington
400mH Felix Sanchez
800m Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
1500m Hicham El Guerrouj
3000m St Saif Shaheen
5000m Kenenisa Bekele
10000m Haile Gebrselassie
Marathon Khalid Khannouchi
LJ Savante Stringfellow
TJ Christian Olsson
HJ Jacques Freitag
PV Okkert Brits
DT Robert Fazekas
SP John Godina
JT Jan Zelezny
HT Koji Murofushi
4x100m USA
4x400 Jamaica

Women
100m Marion Jones
100mH Brigitte Foster
200m Kelli White
400m Lorraine Fenton
400mH Lashinda Demus
800m Maria Mutola
1500m Sureyya Ayhan
5000m Tirunesh Dibaba
10000m Berhane Adere
Marathon Paula Radcliffe
LJ Elva Gouldbourne
TJ Yamile Aldama
HJ Hestrie Cloete
PV Yelena Isinbayeva
DT Ekateríni Vóggoli
SP Nadezhda Ostapchuk
JT Steffi Nerius
HT Yipsi Moreno
4x100m Jamaica
4x400 USA

[Oletimer]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

My prediction is that Athens will not be ready for the Olympics.

[tandfman]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

And my prediction is that more than half of that list will turn out to be wrong.

[JRM]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

I doubt Usain Bolt will win the 200m. He may medal, but my vote for gold -- barring injury -- is Gatlin.

[tafnut]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

I predict a whole lot of Greek athletes will appear out of 'nowhere' to medal and then disappear again.

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

<I predict a whole lot of Greek athletes will appear out of 'nowhere' to medal and then disappear again. >

Home field advantage has a big effect, if the host country's program is up to a reasonable level. I agree that there will be quite a few medallists from Greece, and hope most (all) of them will not disappear again.

The initial list looks interesting and I think more than 50% will prove incorrect - no criticism implied in making these early predictions. And there will be more "surprises" in the field than the track events.

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

I predict a lot of medals for US sprinters and African distance runners. Does it ever change.

[DentyCracker]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

I would be shocked if this list turns out to be even 1/3 correct. It will be fun to see what actually pans out. By a month before the games we can revisit this for a laugh

[DentyCracker]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

Decathlon Dimitry Markov
Heptathlon Carolina Kluft

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

<Decathlon Dimitry Markov
Heptathlon Carolina Kluft>

Hadn't noticed that the multi event picks were missing. The Kluft prediction looks relatively safe. The Markov one is interesting. I was amazed at what this young guy achieved in Paris, with extremely "poor" performances in the PV and JT. If he can become decent in these events, especially the JT, and continue as before, he should be untouchable in Athens.

[Natasha]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

I agree for Isinbayeva and am glad you saw that too.

[tafnut]

Re: Super Early predictions for Athens

I said
<I predict a whole lot of Greek athletes will appear out of 'nowhere' to medal and then disappear again. >

someone answered:
<Home field advantage has a big effect, if the host country's program is up to a reasonable level.

I say:
Home field advantage has nothing to do with it. How big a national hero will you be in Greece if you win a medal in the Athens Olympics? How much revenue can you generate from that fame? What are you willing to do to achieve that fame? It has been noted already on this board that Greek athletes disappear from the training field when the random drug testers show up. I accuse no one, because I have absolutely no proof, but I think WADA would be wise to investigate the way they test Greeks in the next year.