Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

[tafnut]

New Year's Day is the perfect time to predict the Gold Medalists. Here they are:

Olympic Men

100 - Gatlin
200 - Gatlin
400 - Young
800 – Borzakovskiy
1500 – El G
St – Shaeen
5K – Bekele
10K – Bekele
110H – AJ
400H – Sanchez
HJ - Freitag
PV – Markov
LJ - Phillips
TJ - Olsson
SP – Cantwell !
DT - Alekna
HT – Tikhon
JT – Zelezny – mini-comeback
Dec - Pappas

Olympic Women

100 - MJ
200 - MJ
400 - Guevara
800 – Mutola
1500 – Ayhan
[St – Samatova]
5K – Adere
10K – Adere
100H – Foster
400H – Pechonkina
HJ - Cloete
PV – Isinbayeva
LJ - Kotova
TJ - Lebedeva
SP - Korzhanenko
DT - Pospisilova
HT – Moreno
JT - Manjani
Hep - Kluft

[Pego]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

I'll definitely bet against Borzakovskiy and Pechonkina. They like to choke. I'd also go with Gail over Foster and Feofanova over Isinbaeva. But what do I know? At the prediction contests I am always WAY down.

[Rob]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

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[IFK_Vaxjo]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

>I can't see Gatlin achieving the sprint double - he lacks experience in major
>championships. Bearing in mind the psychological edge that one needs to come
>out and start all over again in the 200 (assuming he actually wins the 100
>beforehand), it is hardly encouraging.

I'm with you on that one. If he's going to win anythig it will be the duce. But then he have to beat a Kenteris on home soil, I've seen easier tasks.

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

I disagree, I think Gatlin will do just fine. And if he completes that double at the US Champs, then he will surely have the confidence to do it at the Olympics. The youngster has heart and is determined. I think his biggest task is winning the 100m. He has a better chance at 200m. He is better at the 200m. Look how he pulled that 20.04 out of no where, with no 200m training. He can probably go sub 19.8 this season and may go sub 20 on several occassions.

[twinpeeks]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

Gatlin could not get through the rounds in 2003 at the U.S. Outdoor, but of course he will win double gold....

yeah right

[stevehj197]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

My experise will be held confidential until it counts, lest others learn too much from me.

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

>I'll definitely bet against Borzakovskiy and Pechonkina. They like to choke.
>I'd also go with Gail over Foster and Feofanova over Isinbaeva. But what do I
>know? At the prediction contests I am always WAY down.>

I'd bet against Borzo and Pechonkina myself but I'd bet the house that they don't like choking.

[Conway]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

Gatlin is more than capable of successfully completing a sprint double .. He did it twice outdoors and twice indoors in college winning each time .. He’s also had the experience of running rounds and winning a World Indoor title … having said that, I don’t think he (or anyone else) will win a sprint double at either the Trials or the Olympics … Simply too much competition …

First off to make the team in both events will take a very strong week … Consider the potential competition in the 100:

Mo Greene (if healthy)
Tim Montgomery (if mind is right)
Bernard Williams
John Capel
Jon Drummond
Mickey Grimes
Darvis Patton
Coby Miller

Beating all of them (or at the least all but two of them) will be a daunting task within itself … Then we head to Athens and add (among others):

Deji Aliu
Uchenna Emedulo
Ato Boldon
Kim Collins
Asafa Powell
Obadele Thompson

Winning the 100 will NOT be a walk in the park this time around … There is NO dominant sprinter out there as I write this … Right now there are a bunch of guys between 9.95 and 10.00 .. One or two bad steps in any round can get you eliminated … And we haven’t discussed the DEUCE yet !!!

Waiting at the Trials will be:

Bernard Williams
John Capel
Darvis Patton
JJ Johnson
Shawn Crawford
Ramon Clay
Coby Miller

And a final which could be as close (or closer) than the 100 final … Then at the games we add:

Kenteris
Shingo Suetsugo
Frank Fredericks
Stephane Buckland
Francis Obikwelu
Usain Bolt
And a slew of 20.10/20.20 guys who on a good run could PR significantly

Not saying an Athens sprint double is impossible … Anything is possible given that EVERYTHING works out right … But I think it is highly improbable given how competitive the sprints are world wide … Gone are the days when if you won at the Trials you were guaranteed medals at the Games … We have a number of guys who are accomplished at both sprints … But beating the competition at the Trials and then turning around and doing it again at the Games is a very daunting task …

[Rob]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

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[gh]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

If you had seen him run 19.86 as a 20-year-old, then stomp the field to win gold in the 60 at the World Indoor last March I think you might sing a slightly different tune. This guy is the real deal. As with all sprinters, of course, the key is staying healthy.

[Rob]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

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Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

How about Gatlin making the team first? Post Birmingham Indoor Champs he was suppose to do this and do that. He did not make the team to Paris and those who hype his Brussels 200m win are fooling themselves as he was rested whereas most of his threats were mentally and physically tired post Paris. Gatlin is like any other US top sprinter, just a contender.

[Rob]

Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

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Re: Athens Winners Announced1 (04PP5&6)

I agree, except:
MEN
100/200 I'm a great fan of Gatlin, but only at his very best he can defeat Brown (100) and Kederis / Bolt (200)
400 Washington
10000 Don't count out Sihine (winner today in Newcastle) & Gebre: it 'l be much closer than WC
I think Bekele will run only 5000
PV Gibilisco
SP Godina
HT Murofushi
DEC Sebrle
WOMEN
5000 Dibaba (winner today in Newcastle)
100H Felicien
PV Feofanova
LJ Barber
DT Voggoli or Kelisidou