World Records in Beijing

[adam230881]

How many WR's do we think will be broken in Beijing for both mans and womens athletics events? Which ones and by who?

[26mi235]

110h, wPV, are the two most likely, and the long-out of reach w800 is not impossible anymore. The m400h and w400h, as well as m100 are possibilities but all of the short sprint events have a wind issue -- needs good but not too-good wind, especially the 100. The m400 and even m200 are real long-shots, and it will be too hot for anything longer than 1500 and the 1500 is not going in a Champs race.

It seems like there was another thread on this topic a couple of months ago.

[Aiden]

m110H, m100, wPV I agree with. Jelimo may get the 800 record, but not in Beijing. And not this year for that matter. I give her two years. The men's 400 won't be broken this year, and the 200 won't be broken for a very long time yet. Of course the distance races are out of the question for Beijing. No WR threats in the jumps to speak of. Here's a crazy one for grins and giggles: can Allyson go 21.34 at the Games?

[optimistic]

Also possible is wHJ if Blanka pulls it together...not as likely though.

Depending on weather (smog), mens deca and 5000w if Defar and TD match up.

If Jam and USA can pull it together with baton passes, I could see both 4x1 records going down. Women are hurt by 2 4x1 members being in both the 100 and 200, so after 8 possible races; may not get the splits needed.

Don't see either 4x4 record going down...those 3rd and 4th runners just aren't were they need to be.

[guru]

Jelimo may get the 800 record, but not in Beijing. And not this year for that matter. I give her two years.

Jelimo is by no means a gimme in the Oly 800, or for the WR. Ignore Soboleva at your own risk.

[mikli]

m4x100, m110h and wPV. A couple of other possibilities (already pointed out, not m200m or w200m, however), but all that could be broken won't be broken.

[26mi235]

Jelimo may get the 800 record, but not in Beijing. And not this year for that matter. I give her two years.

Jelimo is by no means a gimme in the Oly 800, or for the WR. Ignore Soboleva at your own risk.

The 800 does have possibilities as both run fast and Jelimo might push that 3rd 200 with Soboleva in tow and if Jelimo stalls out (she has not been pressed in the last 150 so who knows what will happen with more seasoning and some rest) a drafting Sobolova, with the adrenaline of 800 Gold assisting, might make it to the line fast enough. It is the existence of two top runners who are not in the sit-and-kick mode that make it more likely that this difficult record can be approached. Will someone make the first 300 fast enough for this to happen? Will the Russians run as a team this way, hoping for a fast enough race to take two places?

[Marlow]

I called 3-fingered Pinkie in Vegas and he slipped me the odds.

wPV - 2:1
110H - 4:1
m100 - 5:1
wSteeple - 5:1
m4x1 - 5:1
Dec - 8:1
wTJ - 10:1
w800 - 20:1
wHJ - 20:1

the other events are not even being considered! :wink: 8-)

[sprintblox]

There will be a WR for DNFs in distance events, thanks to the Beijing air.

Aside from that, the only WR will be in the 110h and maybe the men's 4x1.

[Alan Shank]

Also possible is wHJ if Blanka pulls it together...not as likely though.

Depending on weather (smog), mens deca and 5000w if Defar and TD match up.

If Jam and USA can pull it together with baton passes, I could see both 4x1 records going down. Women are hurt by 2 4x1 members being in both the 100 and 200, so after 8 possible races; may not get the splits needed.

Don't see either 4x4 record going down...those 3rd and 4th runners just aren't were they need to be.

Speaking of World Records, a certain Antonio Pettigrew was a member (great 43.2 second leg) of the WR 4*400 2:54.20. In view of his recent admission, is that record toast? Just asking. Actually, I just noticed that Jerome Young was the leadoff runner on that team. If the record is expunged, the WR would revert to the Stuttgart '93 (Valmon 44.42, Watts 43.59, Reynolds 43.36, Johnson 42.91) 2:54.29.
Cheers,
Alan Shank

[midnightsun]

the w5000 is mathematically impossible:

1) Tirunesh and Meseret together = jog in the park guaranteed
2) it has now been taken to a new territory where it is very hard to beat, let alone Beijing.

[Aiden]

I believe one of these two will go under 14:00 in the next few years, but it won't be at OG. In that, I agree. The Olypmpics are no place to go out at WR pace.

[Jaack]

I'd say three/four definites- Isi (pushed by Jen), Robles (pushed by Oliver and Liu), Savigne (pushed by Devetzi, Lebedeva and Mbango) and the m100 Bolt (pushed by Gay and Powell).

Then I think the Jamaican ladies pushed by the US ladies in the 4x1 (or vice versa)

Other possibilities- Morozov 20k walk, Vlasic, Jelimo (pushed by Soboleva) and Moreno in the hammer pushed by the BLR gal.

I love the fact that the mens 100 and 110 hurdles could be broken by three different athletes.

[Flumpy]

The m400h and w400h, as well as m100 are possibilities.

Am I reading this correctly?

Are you seriously suggesting that the men's and Women's 400m hurdles records could go???

[kuha]

If you expect NO WRs in Beijing, you'll not be disappointed. I could see the men's 100 under real threat, perhaps the 110H and the wPV...but otherwise, NOTHING. The athletes only care about the hardware on offer, not the clock.