London GP men's 400

[Jacksf]

Wariner had the slowest reaction time of all the runners.
Was he slower than usual over the 1st part of the race?

Wissman is looking pretty darn good for a new comer.
Steffenson is finally performing well, although still short of his sub-45 every race prediction.
Benjamin already doing better since leaving Colin Jackson, and I think
Steele suffered a bit from running at the UK trials last weekend.
DW might be well past his peak for this season.

[eldrick]

jw ran like you expect jw to

lashawn, for a guy with <20 ability ( probably nearer 19.90 ) does still fade a little too much in home-stretch - perhaps indicates he's going out too quick

today he was 1 - 2m up on jw into stretch, but got caught

he needs to sort out his race-pace - he's probably going out too quick - maybe he needs to take his initial 300m slower & have more in reserve for the last 100m

[steveu]

Yeah, it was typical (pretty much) JW, but maybe there's been a few questions about him since he hasn't ruled the roost like in some years past - fewer races, the 200s, the thing that happened in that last race (sorry, forgot what it was) ... so it seemed like a "yeah, I'm still on top" type of thing.

[79.]

JW will run one second faster in Osaka...

[Turk]

JW will run one second faster in Osaka...

Not happening. Ever.

[Mike67]

JW will run one second faster in Osaka...

Not happening. Ever.

Don't be so sure!

[Kishan Gill]

wariner will hit the ceiling at 43.4.

[Johnny Walker Red]

JW will run one second faster in Osaka...

Not happening. Ever.

Wariner will probably get the WR in the next couple of seasons. Merrit is the one who will never go faster than 43.7 unless he makes some extreme changes. Wariner has so many doubters, then each year...

[BYU grad]

Is Merritt fading a bit in the stretch (compared to Wariner) because he is starting too fast or because he isn't training as hard...or both?

I have the feeling that if Merritt trained as hard a Wariner that he'd be running 43.4 to 43.8...because he has more speed, and more natural talent.

[Mennisco]

Blackwood scrapes under 46 seconds. Couldn't have happened to a nicer fella. :P

[eldrick]

Is Merritt fading a bit in the stretch (compared to Wariner) because he is starting too fast or because he isn't training as hard...or both?

I have the feeling that if Merritt trained as hard a Wariner that he'd be running 43.4 to 43.8...because he has more speed, and more natural talent.

i think his best racing distance is 300m

i do believe, if you put all the great 400 runners in past 20y in a 300 race, that lashawn woud be 2nd only to mj & ahead of butch, danny, jw, roberto, etc

if his 400 was as good as his 200/300, he'd be running mid-43

somehow, he's got to work out the ideal pace to "husband" his resources to "last" the 400 with a strong finish to line ( today, in last 20m, he appeared to be completely treading water )

[Jacksf]

jw ran like you expect jw to

lashawn, for a guy with <20 ability ( probably nearer 19.90 ) does still fade a little too much in home-stretch - perhaps indicates he's going out too quick

today he was 1 - 2m up on jw into stretch, but got caught

he needs to sort out his race-pace - he's probably going out too quick - maybe he needs to take his initial 300m slower & have more in reserve for the last 100m

Not sure sub-20 ability has anything to do with being able to hold pace in the stretch in a 400m race....??!
JW was down coming into the stretch at the Olympic Games too. He is just a strong 400m runner.
You cannot predict 400m times based on 200m speed.
If you could, then then all the best 200m runners would be all the best 400m runners, and obviously they are not.

[Cyril]

Wariner answered all the questions today. He is fine and looks like he will be poitioned for a perfectly timed peak. His real season started today.

[Jacksf]

I have the feeling that if Merritt trained as hard a Wariner that he'd be running 43.4 to 43.8...because he has more speed, and more natural talent.

Wariner has more natural talent in the 400m than Merritt.
You are confusing your races. Merritt has more 200m speed and talent than Wariner.

[George P.]

jw ran like you expect jw to

lashawn, for a guy with <20 ability ( probably nearer 19.90 ) does still fade a little too much in home-stretch - perhaps indicates he's going out too quick

today he was 1 - 2m up on jw into stretch, but got caught

It's an old story at this point -- that's what happens to Wariner's competitors, whoever they are: he runs them down in the stretch.

He's approaching the event in a new way, and he may be redefining it. The other guys (who may have more raw "talent") must learn to adjust. If they don't, they'll continue be "looking at JW's tailpipes" at the finish, 0.2 to 0.5 back.