WAF w400: Richards over Ohu

[gh]

1 5 142 Sanya Richards USA 50.41 . 0.173
2 4 48 Christine Ohuruogu GBR 50.83 . 0.234
3 8 72 Novlene Williams JAM 51.30 . 0.231
4 3 17 Amantle Montsho BOT 51.54 . 0.387
5 6 73 Shericka Williams JAM 51.55 . 0.231
6 1 152 Mary Wineberg USA 51.65 . 0.263
7 7 105 Tatyana Firova RUS 51.85 . 0.192
8 2 68 Shereefa Lloyd JAM 51.86 . 0.206

This could make the World Rankings at least a little bit interesting

[Jon]

Re: WAF w400: Richards over Ohu

This could make the World Rankings at least a little bit interesting

A little, but it's still obvious who should be number one. Ohuruogu hasn't dominated a la Jelimo, but she has still done enough to be ranked No.1. She is 1-1 in head to heads against Sanya, but her victory was much 'bigger'. Her lowest placing in a race has been second (while Sanya's lowest has been third) and she has the WL time. Unless Sanya goes on to do the few remaining Asian GPs and sets a WR, I don't see a convincing case for her to be ranked No.1. This has been her worst season since 2004.

[Flumpy]

Re: WAF w400: Richards over Ohu

This could make the World Rankings at least a little bit interesting

Yeah this result mean that Sanya definitely clinches 2nd over Shericka :P

[jney]

Sanya takes home a cool $60,000 this weekend. For 73 seconds of work!

[jjimbojames]

Re: WAF w400: Richards over Ohu

This could make the World Rankings at least a little bit interesting

Yeah this result mean that Sanya definitely clinches 2nd over Shericka :P

As ever, you take the words right out of my mouth, Flump!!

Was a bit disappointed with Shericka actually - her last few 200s suggested she might go a fair bit quicker than that

[croflash]

What's really missing this year is a fast time from Sanya. Her SB is 49.74 which is a negative surprise given her age and consistency in the last years. And it's not like the w400 are loaded right now

[nevetsllim]

Re: WAF w400: Richards over Ohu

This could make the World Rankings at least a little bit interesting

A little, but it's still obvious who should be number one. Ohuruogu hasn't dominated a la Jelimo, but she has still done enough to be ranked No.1. She is 1-1 in head to heads against Sanya, but her victory was much 'bigger'. Her lowest placing in a race has been second (while Sanya's lowest has been third) and she has the WL time. Unless Sanya goes on to do the few remaining Asian GPs and sets a WR, I don't see a convincing case for her to be ranked No.1. This has been her worst season since 2004.

It sounds as though this was Richards' last race but I think I remember Ohu saying she's gonna run in Shanghai.

[gh]

What's really missing this year is a fast time from Sanya. Her SB is 49.74 which is a negative surprise given her age and consistency in the last years. And it's not like the w400 are loaded right now

You can probably at least partially chalk that up to opportunity, since w400 wasn't a GL event this year.

The following GL/Super GP meets didn't have a women's 400:

Berlin, Oslo, Rome, Paris, Monaco, Brussels. That's a lot of big paydays one might have pointed for in a normal year.

[Walt Murphy]

What's really missing this year is a fast time from Sanya. Her SB is 49.74 which is a negative surprise given her age and consistency in the last years. And it's not like the w400 are loaded right now

You can probably at least partially chalk that up to opportunity, since w400 wasn't a GL event this year.

The following GL/Super GP meets didn't have a women's 400:

Berlin, Oslo, Rome, Paris, Monaco, Brussels. That's a lot of big paydays one might have pointed for in a normal year.

Might have something to do with it, but here are her performances at the U.S. Nationals since 2005
2005 49.28
2006 49.27
2007 seemed ready for a fast time after running 50.02 in her semi, but faded to 4th in the final, running 50.68
2008 49.89

This is how I previewed the event for NBC.
Sanya Richards rates as the favorite, but is she vulnerable? Her best this season is “only” 49.86, relatively slow for her this late in the season. (Eurosport's Tim Hutchings had the same view)
pre-August bests for Richards
2005--49.28
2006--49.05
2007--49.52
2008--49.86

[jjimbojames]

Good shout, Walt. I think her 200m times also back up your point - she's nowhere near as fast this year as her 2006 times, when - off the top of my head - she ran 22.1x and 48.70 at the WAF

It's sad to see, as following that meet, she seemed to be poised to really improve her times to at least Perec levels. Illness certainly seems to have held back her charge - perhaps another winter of managing it will see her back to her best in '09, given her age and hunger to do well

[CookyMonzta]

Re: WAF w400: Richards over Ohu

This could make the World Rankings at least a little bit interesting

Sorry, GH; I'm going to have to agree with Jon. They hardly met this year, and Big O. beat her in the Olympics.

I have a rule of thumb here, which says the Olympics are worth 4 times the weight of a 1st-tier Grand Prix meet. The fact that Ohuruogu beat Sanya in Beijing, and Sanya wound up 3rd, pretty much sealed the deal for Big O.

That is, assuming they don't run against each other again. If they do, Sanya will have to run under 48.50. Before the WAF race, I predicted it would take a 48.25 or better for Sanya to rank #1. She was far slower than that. For the next head-to-head matchup (if there is one), it'll take an AR for her to squeak by Big O. for #1, assuming she blows Ohuruogu away.

As it stands right now, Big O. is #1. QED. I'm thinking that Sanya needed more races under her belt, before the OTs. When she ran 49.89 in Eugene, I thought there was a small chance she'd be in trouble if she didn't get under 49.50 right away. She didn't.

[CookyMonzta]

What's really missing this year is a fast time from Sanya. Her SB is 49.74 which is a negative surprise given her age and consistency in the last years. And it's not like the w400 are loaded right now

You can probably at least partially chalk that up to opportunity, since w400 wasn't a GL event this year.

The following GL/Super GP meets didn't have a women's 400:

Berlin, Oslo, Rome, Paris, Monaco, Brussels. That's a lot of big paydays one might have pointed for in a normal year.

Might have something to do with it, but here are her performances at the U.S. Nationals since 2005
2005 49.28
2006 49.27
2007 seemed ready for a fast time after running 50.02 in her semi, but faded to 4th in the final, running 50.68
2008 49.89

This is how I previewed the event for NBC.
Sanya Richards rates as the favorite, but is she vulnerable? Her best this season is “only” 49.86, relatively slow for her this late in the season. (Eurosport's Tim Hutchings had the same view)
pre-August bests for Richards
2005--49.28
2006--49.05
2007--49.52
2008--49.86

Sanya ran 49.70 after the Olympics. Or was it 49.74?

[tandfman]

It was 49.74 (in Zurich).

[Jaack]

I was just going to make this point. I don't understand how someone with her talent could only manage a seasons best of 49'7.

As for opportunity? She had a seasons best that was only .1 slower as a teenager in the last Olympic cycle with far less elite races.

First time in 3 years that she will end the season without the leading mark. She is 1 full second slower than 2006, she was a half second slower than that last year. If the trend continues, she'll be a 50. gal next year and out the back door. It makes NO sense for a 20 year old to run 48.7 and then by 23 be a full second slower.

[Speedster]

Most sprinters of the modern era seem to be able to be at their best for 4 years, hopefully from one Olympic cycle to the next before the wheels fall off - very few are able to make it past that point, I guess Merlene is one and Frankie Fredericks, but no Olympic Gold for either of them. Not sure on how many others.

It would be sad to think that 04-08 had been Sanya's years.