Stockholm w400m

[Mennisco]

So the world's two best won't be running the 400 in Osaka. Bummer.

I'm assuming they'll both be on the 4x400.

That could be interesting, the USA may not even have a single w400 finalist at the WCs but could very well come near WR time in the relay.

Without two in shape to make the final they will not get close to the WR - you have to average under 49, not under 50.

I can see Richards, Felix, Hastings, and Wineberg doing that. Averaging ~ 49 and hitting 3;16 - 3:17. Good conditions, F and R run sub 49 each. Really gonna depend on Hastings, Wineberg is coming back to her trials form, and should be good for a 49.5 split.

[Turk]

I think what we have here are two girls (Richards and Felix) who have good basic speed (100), Sanya has concentrated on the 400 and Felix on the 200 up to this point (the fact that they run these in the globals and run these event more often than any other tells me that they have concentrated on these events duh). But now both are running fast in events that they never really specialized in, but I think that just comes from the fact that they had good basic speed to begin with, and the capacity to build adequate speed endurance for stellar times in the 400. I agree that it is easier to run faster as you move up in the sprints, as long as you have good basic speed to begin with and the ability to build speed endurance for the 400. The fact that Richards concentrated on the 400 should not make us think that she did not have good 100 ability to begin with, and this run by her today confirms that. Felix's 400 progression also shows that when you take a fast person and build up thier speed endurance over time, as long as they have the capacity to build that specific speed endurance. they will get faster at longer events.

With Bolt, him running 10.03 is not surprising because he has had that basic speed all along, he just never really ran the 100. I bet with 400 work he can throw down a great 400 time as well. Spearmon to me is an anomaly, as his 200 time would suggest that he would either have good basic speed at least in the 10 flat area or have sub 45 second 400 speed, but it seems neither is the case. But I think for him it is a case of not racing or training properly. I wonder what Tyson Gay can run in the 400 if he trained for it?

Now trying to take a 400 guy to the 800 is very different. Just because its an extra lap doesn't mean that any fast quarter miler can run a fast 800, even with years of training. As I said before, there must be an inate ability to build up specific race endurance, and jumping from the 400 to the 800 is probably the hardest jump in track (trust me I know!) All of the above post might come off as complete rubbish to most people so please feel free to say so. (like you need my permission)

[gh]

50.5+49.5+48.5+48.5=3:17.0....... that's asking about PR-level race from each of the four (whomever they are). You really see that happening?

[tm71]

it is obvious that alison felix is NOT a 1/2 runner more of a 2/4 runner, i would like to see her run more 400s than 100s. sanya's 100 pr proves she can run 22 low in the 200, but i dont think she can beat alison.
now for the 400 team, i can say AWFUL. At this point Weinberg is the best of the 3, she has run consistently between 50.2 and 51.2 all year, so if she is really peaking she should make the final given that the 400 is mediocre this year (save richards and felix). hastings has run slower and slower since the usatf final, now well over 51 which would barely get in her in the semifinals (i assume there will be 3 semifinal heats so she should make the top 24, but not the final). trotter is going from worse to worse to worse, from low 51 to high 51 now to well over 52. with this regression she might not even make the semis. it was suggested that someone might drop out for sanya, the way it is going it should be trotter.

[IFK_Vaxjo]

So the world's two best won't be running the 400 in Osaka. Bummer.

I wouldn't bet on that!!

After the race yeasterday Dee dee was sitting with us to watch some of the meet (mostly her race) on the hotel. And her hamstring looked heavily bandaged. Don't know if that explains it all, but sure as h*** explains why she opened like my grandma first 200m!
Could be a wihhdrawal! I wouldn't go if I couldn't do sub 52!

[Powell]

50.5+49.5+48.5+48.5=3:17.0....... that's asking about PR-level race from each of the four (whomever they are). You really see that happening?

I don't. 3:18-3:19 is what I would expect.

[Flumpy]

While Sanya and Allyson are great 1/2/400 runners, they have some way to go in US or world history:

US
FloJo: 10.49/21.34/48.08R
MJones: 10.65/21.62/49.59
Gwen Torrence: 10.82/21.72/49.64
VB Hooks: 10.99/21.81/48.83

Rest:
Koch*: 10.83/21.71/47.6
Perec: 10.96/21.99/48.25
Privalova: 10.77/21.87/49.89 (not to mention 400H Gold)

*I think we all know why.

That asterix could easily go next to at least 3 others on those lists.

[Andrea_T]

This race underlined what we all knew: that Felix has great 400m ability, that they are the best combination sprinters at present and this great rivalry should see them dominate the 200/400 for the next few years.

Richard's 100m obviously took a little out of her and had she not run that event she would have won the 400m. But I think it also shows that the 200m is going to be close, there's no reason why Richards cannot win if she realy believes she can.

As for the 4x4, I'd even be tempted to put Richards on the 2nd leg (blast the first 200) and Felix on anchor, but Richards does deserve the glory leg. If the Russians carry their form to Osaka, then running order will be crucial as to who wins.

[richxx87]

50.5+49.5+48.5+48.5=3:17.0....... that's asking about PR-level race from each of the four (whomever they are). You really see that happening?

I don't. 3:18-3:19 is what I would expect.

Somewhere between 3:17 and 3:18 may turn out to be what they run, BUT consider these little factoids:

The record of 3:15.17 is held the Soviet gals with Olga Nazarova and Bryzgina (both ran 47.x legs) from the '88 games, but the American Record and #2 all time (3:15.51) was run in the same race with the team of D. Hill, D. Dixon, Brisco and Flo-Jo.
Their PBs and (relay leg in that OG final) were:
Brisco ---- 48.83 (48.44)
D. Dixon ---- 49.84 (49.17)
D. Hill ------- 49.87 (49.82 on opening leg from blocks)
Flo-jo --------???? (48.08 )

Compare those PBs with these:
Sanya ------ 48.70
Dee Dee -- 49.64
A. Felix ----- 49.70
Hastings -- 49.84

And who's to say they won't be running around or better than their PBs? This isn't going to be an April warm-up race at the Krispy Kreme Podunk Relays. This is, in fact, the World Championships, one of the biggest races in their lives, something they will have been peaking for over the past two years and apparently being run on a greased lightning track with the whole world watching them live trying to make history. So why wouldn't they be running PB type times?

[Powell]

This is, in fact, the World Championships, one of the biggest races in their lives, something they will have been peaking for over the past two years and apparently being run on a greased lightning track with the whole world watching them live trying to make history. So why wouldn't they be running PB type times?

Well, they haven't really done it in any major championship in the last 12 years, so I don't see a reason why this year should be totally different.

[Mennisco]

50.5+49.5+48.5+48.5=3:17.0....... that's asking about PR-level race from each of the four (whomever they are). You really see that happening?

I don't. 3:18-3:19 is what I would expect.

Somewhere between 3:17 and 3:18 may turn out to be what they run, BUT consider these little factoids:

The record of 3:15.17 is held the Soviet gals with Olga Nazarova and Bryzgina (both ran 47.x legs) from the '88 games, but the American Record and #2 all time (3:15.51) was run in the same race with the team of D. Hill, D. Dixon, Brisco and Flo-Jo.
Their PBs and (relay leg in that OG final) were:
Brisco ---- 48.83 (48.44)
D. Dixon ---- 49.84 (49.17)
D. Hill ------- 49.87 (49.82 on opening leg from blocks)
Flo-jo --------???? (48.08 )

Compare those PBs with these:
Sanya ------ 48.70
Dee Dee -- 49.64
A. Felix ----- 49.70
Hastings -- 49.84

How about the WC record?:

3:16.71

Gwen Torrence ----------49.64 [49.0 from blocks]
Maicel Malone ------------49.4 [PR 50.05 from '94]
Natasha Kaiser-Brown--49.48 [50.17]
Jearl Miles-Clark-----------49.40 [48.78]

[Mennisco]

While Sanya and Allyson are great 1/2/400 runners, they have some way to go in US or world history:

US
FloJo: 10.49/21.34/48.08R
MJones: 10.65/21.62/49.59
Gwen Torrence: 10.82/21.72/49.64
VB Hooks: 10.99/21.81/48.83

Rest:
Koch*: 10.83/21.71/47.6
Perec: 10.96/21.99/48.25
Privalova: 10.77/21.87/49.89 (not to mention 400H Gold)

*I think we all know why.

That asterix could easily go next to at least 3 others on those lists.

It was a typo, I suspect.

[Kishan Gill]

I think jeremyp should tarnish Flo-jo with the same brush as koch in the interest of fairness.

[Speedster]

Great runs from both and makes for an interesting 200m. Is Felix confirmed for the 100m yet? If she does then the 3/4 rounds of the 100m that will have an effect. What distance can Sanya put on her in the first 100m, forcing Felix to catch her? This 100m PB is promising. I don't think Sanya or anyone else is going to run down Felix if she gets in front.

Wonder what VC will make of all this? Three mentally strong ladies, who really believes that they can win?

[Mennisco]

Anyone want to predict a possible spoiler?