OT 100 vs. OG [split]

[gh]

In the latest issue of Track & Field News, they talk about how the US Olympic trials are actually more competitive than the Olympic Games in the 100m. I can't buy that at all. If we look at the world ranked 100m men from 2007, we find only Gay and Spearmon in the top 10. A 100m without...

Asafa Powell
Derrick Atkins
Jaysuma Saidy
Churandy Martina
Marlon Devonish
Francis Obikwelu

....nay!!!!!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.

You should read more carefully: the theme was how U.S. sprinters face a better depth of top-to-bottom quality in the OT than do those in the OG. And they have a 4-round setup that nobody else faces. The overall task is indeed tougher. But of course the OG final is likely to be of higher caliber these days.

[Texas]

Re: Ramblin'

In the latest issue of Track & Field News, they talk about how the US Olympic trials are actually more competitive than the Olympic Games in the 100m. I can't buy that at all. If we look at the world ranked 100m men from 2007, we find only Gay and Spearmon in the top 10. A 100m without...

Asafa Powell
Derrick Atkins
Jaysuma Saidy
Churandy Martina
Marlon Devonish
Francis Obikwelu

....nay!!!!!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.

You should read more carefully: the theme was how U.S. sprinters face a better depth of top-to-bottom quality in the OT than do those in the OG. And they have a 4-round setup that nobody else faces. The overall task is indeed tougher. But of course the OG final is likely to be of higher caliber these days.

You actually see the quarters/semi at the trials more competitive than at the Olympic games?

[tandfman]

Re: Ramblin'

You actually see the quarters/semi at the trials more competitive than at the Olympic games?

Take a look at the quarters and semis of last year's World Championships:

http://osaka2007.iaaf.org/results/gende ... esult.html
http://osaka2007.iaaf.org/results/gende ... esult.html

Then look at the same for last year's USA National Championshps (where there were only three rounds, so the quarter-finals are actually the first round):

http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAOut ... lts/P1.asp
http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAOut ... lts/S1.asp

Intersting comparison, I think.

[Texas]

Re: Ramblin'

You actually see the quarters/semi at the trials more competitive than at the Olympic games?

Take a look at the quarters and semis of last year's World Championships:

http://osaka2007.iaaf.org/results/gende ... esult.html
http://osaka2007.iaaf.org/results/gende ... esult.html

Then look at the same for last year's USA National Championshps (where there were only three rounds, so the quarter-finals are actually the first round):

http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAOut ... lts/P1.asp
http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAOut ... lts/S1.asp

Intersting comparison, I think.

How many world ranked sprinters did Gay face at the US trials? How many at the World's?

[tandfman]

If you look at T&FN's 2006 year-end rankings, which were the most current at the time of the 2007 USA and World Championships, you'll find that in the quarter-finals and semis, Gay ran against only one other world ranked athlete in each. He ran against Leonard Scott in the USA Championships and Olusoji Fasuba in the World Championships. Scott was ranked #3 in the world, and Fasuba #8.

[Powell]

Re: Ramblin'

I don't like the idea of Bolt as a doubler. He's not going to medal in the 100m. So why waste time and energy? He has a great shot at winning the 200m silver. Why chance anything by running the 100m?

9.76 ain't good enough to win a medal now?
And if you think he's got a shot at 200 silver at best, who's the guy sure to beat him?