Sanya Richards in Kingston [split]

[TrackDaddy]

I fully understand where you're coming from TD. She definitely wasn't outright dismissive or disrespectful of her competition.

That being said I was listening to the online radio broadcast of the race and Sanya and Fraser sounded completely different when giving similar answers. Fraser was actually prompted about her health and the person interviewing her on radio specifically asked her about her appendicitis (or whatever it is being reported she had) and Fraser were extremely reluctant to answer it directly...to the point where she didn't even confirm what the interviewer was saying. She said something like "I had some medical issues I dealt with but I'm fine now" and that was it.

Conversely, Sanya was just asked how the race was for her and that's when she offered up the tidbit about being ill and missing 3 weeks of training. As soon as she said it I cringed because I knew she'd get ripped for it, particularly after running very well at Penn and not mentioning any illness in her post race interview in Philly.

I'm with you TD, I'm of the camp that thinks when you lose its better to just say you lost than to start giving reasons why, no matter how valid your reason may or may not be.

Tex

FWIW and to be fair...

Sanya did mention in her blog after Penn and before Jamaica that she had been sick and was only 80-90%. My point is the post race interview at the JA Invite wasnt the first time she said she was ill and missed training.

Notice this excerpt from her blog posted April 28th:

I would have loved to be a part of the 4×1 as well but after missing some training due to my illness I didn’t want to sprint at 80-90%, my team deserves athletes at their best! However I was there and was so pleased to see my teammates get the stick around the track and run well.

http://wcsnblogs.com/track-and-field/sanyarichards

She also spoke of Natasha's courageous leg with one shoe on and the bruise she suffered from the hot track.

I was truly impressed with Natasha and if injury doesnt set her back...

She's gonna be a HUGE factor this season. 8-)

[Medal]

As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think we will ever see the 2006 Sanya again. Ever since she got bechets disease, she has not been as strong or fast. I thought that if she could maintain her 2007 form she could be a world beater with 10.97 (10.93 basic) ,22.3 (easy) , 49.2 times. But I remember her mentioning a change in medications to manage her outbreaks, or "episodes". The disease and the medication to treat it, both diminish her training. This is not an excuse, this is a fact. In 06 ive never seen someone run sub 49.2 so easily. I also think she opened up with a 49 that year, or atleast ran that at the Jam meet.

2006 Sanya was truly unstoppable, there's not a woman sprinter today that could have beat her in 400m, nor would have if she continued to improve. Her and Clyd had 48.2 in their sites for 07 before she got the disease. I think she can still have a competitive career in the 400. But before the disease, I truly believe Sanya was going to go on to do some AMAZING feats. Id be surprised if Sanya broke 49.5 this season. Even Clyde Hart is adjusting, setting their sites for fast times around WC's. But last I checked, Clyde Hart didnt believe in peeking, and prepared his athletes for fast times all year. Just what he did with sanya in 05-07, and Jeremy when he trained under him.

Felix is now officially the one to beat this year in the 400, and the 400 Berlin gold is hers if she goes for it, even doubling.

[EPelle]

Even Clyde Hart is adjusting, setting their sites for fast times around WC's. But last I checked, Clyde Hart didnt believe in peeking, and prepared his athletes for fast times all year. Just what he did with sanya in 05-07, and Jeremy when he trained under him.

I believe Hart needs to get Richards back into a groove where she has better pace judgment in her effort and distribution. She made a costly pace error in judgment in Beijing - one which, coming off the third 100m, led to a "cramp" somewhere on the homestretch.

They have hit gold with speed endurance, tempo endurance and strength endurance, so it is not a problem of being able to last a race at a fast pace; they have worked on a system where they have gradually put her under stress on training runs.

To have hit the Beijing splits ineffectively put her at odds with the entire system of gradual stress and gain. She can run with high oxygen debt, but if she can hold off that debt owed until the middle of the home straight, she can run faster again.

[Brettboy]

It's not just about pace judgement, per se; she has been out faster than she did in Beijing many times & faster than she did in 07 in the nationals, her two costliest races. It's more her ability to run at her best in a final after rounds. So it's adjusting her pace in a rounds situation, taking into account the final isn't a one-off where she is completely fresh.

The other problem now is that unless she get's herself into fantastic form before Berlin and has commanding wins on the circuit, she's probably going to tighten up in the last 100m and anticipate the other women eating into her lead, and she will tighten. She's really got to run her own race.

The other problem could be if Felix runs the 400.

[EPelle]

Out faster in which context? I believe she hit 35,8 at the 300m off 23,6 in Beijing. She hit 23,3/35,9 in Indy in 2007. She put in an 11,8 third 100m in Beijing after churning out a 23,6, and that is what I believe killed her off, figuratively.

No, it is not about pace judgment, per sé. I believe (and stated) that it is about pace judgment with her effort and distribution; she can't pace herself through a 23,6, clip 11,8 and then expect to not hit the wall down the homestraight. A better distribution of her speed and strength throughout the race makes for a better finish for her.

One fact still remains about Richards: She has yet to run fast in the past three or so seasons in august (invitational and/or championships). Is it a training glitch?

[Jon]

This 51.12 is her slowest ever season outdoor opener since becoming a senior. The last time she opened with a slower time was in 2004 (an easy 53.57). It's also the first time she has lost her opening outdoor race. Her previous outdoor openers were:

2002: 1st, 51.68, Coral Gables FL, Apr 13
2003: 1st, 51.73, Austin TX, May 3
2004: 1st, 53.57, Honolulu HI, Mar 20
2005: 1st, 51.03, Waco TX, Apr 23
2006: 1st, 50.44, Waco TX, Apr 22
2007: 1st, 50.74, Eugene OR, Jun 10
2008: 1st, 50.47, Waco TX, Apr 19
2009: 2nd, 51.12, Kingston, May 2

(Source: Tilastopaja)

[Brettboy]

One fact still remains about Richards: She has yet to run fast in the past three or so seasons in august (invitational and/or championships). Is it a training glitch?

Fast in terms of overall time compared to her PB or SB? I think you' need to break it down more.

She ran 49.74 in Zurich last year, which was her SB and it was August. It wasnt as fast as other seasons, but she was down all year.

In 07 and 06 she ran her SB in September. In 06 it didnt matter when she ran fast as there was no champs. In 07 she had a different focus once she missed the US team in the 400m.

In 05 she ran 48.92 in August.

What I would say to qualify your statement a bit more is that in 05 and 08, though she ran her fastest times in August, it was after the major champs and it was very late August. So she is either slightly off in peaking, which is currently the last two weeks in August to the start of september, or it's just that she just doesnt perform at her best in Major championships. She may also run her best after a champs because she's running hungry. Who knows, but she has run fast in August though.

[EPelle]

Part of Hart's 400m philosophy can be simplified as such:

1. Get out hard first 100m
2. Reach 200m at a pace within one second of best 200m time
3. Position on the third 100m
4. Focus on keeping good technique.

(Clyde Hart 2007 USATF handout)

Hart believes that the right 200m pace is vital to success at 400m running. Technically, Richards achieved points 1 and 2 above in Beijing; she hit 200m in 23,6, or 1,5 seconds slower than her 22,17 best. Even with her season's best of 22,49, she could still afford to have hit that half-way split at 23,6.

However, she lost focus on positioning herself from 200m to 300m when she attempted to break the field at that point. She was not able to focus on keeping good technique down the stretch, because she was in terrible oxygen debt and had a cramping leg.

Moreover, she has not attempted to run like this in the month of august since her Zürich run three years before this race, where she ran 48,92. As they top up rather than peak, perhaps the month of august needs to fall into another training/racing scheme with the hope of holding a sustainable top-up through september as well (when she typically does run well - of which her four fastest 2007 races in 16 days were in september, all within 0,09s of each other).

[sprintblox]

Just can't understand the apparent anti-Sonya vibe from so-called Jamaican fans. The young lady has a right do what she wants.

And fans have a right to think or say what they want.

I'd prefer her running for the US than running for Jamaica with a heavy heart wishing had kept a US citizenship like so many other so called Jamaican fans have to their names. They need to just hp off her and let her be.

If her US citizenship was delayed for just a few weeks, she would have missed the US junior trials and would have been on the Jamaican team for the World Juniors. Given the timelines (Games in July, selection process in June, US citizenship didn't happen until May) she may have actually submitted the initial paperwork to make herself eligible for selection to the Jamaican team. But then her US citizenship got approved so she instantly dumps Jamaica and throws on the US colors. That sort of thing rubs many Jamaican fans the wrong way. It is also why I have some evil glee whenever I see her get beat by a Jamaican athlete who carries the Jamaican colors.

Besides, we all kno that she would gett he cold shoulder if she had signed on to be a Jamaican runner living and based overseas who was not locally baptised.

Not true. She was competing for her school when she was in Jamaica, and other athletes who started running in JA in their pre-teens or early teens and then moved to the US but maintained the Jamaican colors have been fully embraced by the Jamaican fans, for example James Beckford and Davian Clarke.

[TrackDaddy]

This 51.12 is her slowest ever season outdoor opener since becoming a senior. The last time she opened with a slower time was in 2004 (an easy 53.57). It's also the first time she has lost her opening outdoor race. Her previous outdoor openers were:

2002: 1st, 51.68, Coral Gables FL, Apr 13
2003: 1st, 51.73, Austin TX, May 3
2004: 1st, 53.57, Honolulu HI, Mar 20
2005: 1st, 51.03, Waco TX, Apr 23
2006: 1st, 50.44, Waco TX, Apr 22
2007: 1st, 50.74, Eugene OR, Jun 10
2008: 1st, 50.47, Waco TX, Apr 19
2009: 2nd, 51.12, Kingston, May 2

(Source: Tilastopaja)

All things considered, I'm not sure this season opener is much different than those others.

On her blog dated 4/28 and PRIOR TO LOSING in Jamaica she said that she'd been ill, was only 80-90%, and had missed (3 weeks) training.

I know people are saying she only said that AFTER she lost, but the truth is that she made it clear before.

[TrackDaddy]

Just can't understand the apparent anti-Sonya vibe from so-called Jamaican fans. The young lady has a right do what she wants.

And fans have a right to think or say what they want.

I'd prefer her running for the US than running for Jamaica with a heavy heart wishing had kept a US citizenship like so many other so called Jamaican fans have to their names. They need to just hp off her and let her be.

If her US citizenship was delayed for just a few weeks, she would have missed the US junior trials and would have been on the Jamaican team for the World Juniors. Given the timelines (Games in July, selection process in June, US citizenship didn't happen until May) she may have actually submitted the initial paperwork to make herself eligible for selection to the Jamaican team. But then her US citizenship got approved so she instantly dumps Jamaica and throws on the US colors. That sort of thing rubs many Jamaican fans the wrong way. It is also why I have some evil glee whenever I see her get beat by a Jamaican athlete who carries the Jamaican colors.
[quote:1vq54a55]Besides, we all kno that she would gett he cold shoulder if she had signed on to be a Jamaican runner living and based overseas who was not locally baptised.

Not true. She was competing for her school when she was in Jamaica, and other athletes who started running in JA in their pre-teens or early teens and then moved to the US but maintained the Jamaican colors have been fully embraced by the Jamaican fans, for example James Beckford and Davian Clarke.[/quote:1vq54a55]

How do -not all Jamaicans but the grudge holding, bitter ones- feel about Sandra Patrick Farmer?

She came to the US as a child about the same age as Sanya, but she actually ran FOR Jamaica in the 84 games I believe before SWITCHING to run for the US.

Even though JA obviously wanted her to remain on the team she gained US citizenship and switched to the US team. Maybe its because she felt like a hypocrite MAKING HER LIVING IN THE US but running for a country she only visited on vacation.

Who knows?

Although I do understand that it seems customary and acceptable for millions of regular non-athlete Jamaicans who reside in (but in reality hate :roll: ) the US... its a no no if you run track.

Anyway I was wondering...

Do you hate her too? :?

So, its okay to MOVE to the US, seek CITIZENSHIP (by pledging allegiance to the flag (the red white and blue one), LIVE, TRAIN and raise your family here..

But you have to pretend you still love Jamaica more by wearing its colors once a year in a track meet?

Got it. :?

*Sigh*

Oh wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of death?

[TrackDaddy]

This 51.12 is her slowest ever season outdoor opener since becoming a senior. The last time she opened with a slower time was in 2004 (an easy 53.57). It's also the first time she has lost her opening outdoor race. Her previous outdoor openers were:

2002: 1st, 51.68, Coral Gables FL, Apr 13
2003: 1st, 51.73, Austin TX, May 3
2004: 1st, 53.57, Honolulu HI, Mar 20
2005: 1st, 51.03, Waco TX, Apr 23
2006: 1st, 50.44, Waco TX, Apr 22
2007: 1st, 50.74, Eugene OR, Jun 10
2008: 1st, 50.47, Waco TX, Apr 19
2009: 2nd, 51.12, Kingston, May 2

(Source: Tilastopaja)

All things considered, I'm not sure this season opener is much different than those others.

On her blog dated 4/28 and PRIOR TO LOSING in Jamaica she said that she'd been ill, was only 80-90%, and had missed (3 weeks) training.

I know people are saying she only said that AFTER she lost, but the truth is that she made it clear before.

Here's the blog link.

http://wcsnblogs.com/track-and-field/sanyarichards

[Paul Henry]

Just can't understand the apparent anti-Sonya vibe from so-called Jamaican fans. The young lady has a right do what she wants.

And fans have a right to think or say what they want.

I'd prefer her running for the US than running for Jamaica with a heavy heart wishing had kept a US citizenship like so many other so called Jamaican fans have to their names. They need to just hp off her and let her be.

If her US citizenship was delayed for just a few weeks, she would have missed the US junior trials and would have been on the Jamaican team for the World Juniors. Given the timelines (Games in July, selection process in June, US citizenship didn't happen until May) she may have actually submitted the initial paperwork to make herself eligible for selection to the Jamaican team. But then her US citizenship got approved so she instantly dumps Jamaica and throws on the US colors. That sort of thing rubs many Jamaican fans the wrong way. It is also why I have some evil glee whenever I see her get beat by a Jamaican athlete who carries the Jamaican colors.
[quote:1m7alfw5]Besides, we all kno that she would gett he cold shoulder if she had signed on to be a Jamaican runner living and based overseas who was not locally baptised.

Not true. She was competing for her school when she was in Jamaica, and other athletes who started running in JA in their pre-teens or early teens and then moved to the US but maintained the Jamaican colors have been fully embraced by the Jamaican fans, for example James Beckford and Davian Clarke.

How do -not all Jamaicans but the grudge holding, bitter ones- feel about Sandra Patrick Farmer?

She came to the US as a child about the same age as Sanya, but she actually ran FOR Jamaica in the 84 games I believe before SWITCHING to run for the US.

Even though JA obviously wanted her to remain on the team she gained US citizenship and switched to the US team. Maybe its because she felt like a hypocrite MAKING HER LIVING IN THE US but running for a country she only visited on vacation.

Who knows?

Although I do understand that it seems customary and acceptable for millions of regular non-athlete Jamaicans who reside in (but in reality hate :roll: ) the US... its a no no if you run track.

Anyway I was wondering...

Do you hate her too? :?

So, its okay to MOVE to the US, seek CITIZENSHIP (by pledging allegiance to the flag (the red white and blue one), LIVE, TRAIN and raise your family here..

But you have to pretend you still love Jamaica more by wearing its colors once a year in a track meet?

Got it. :?

*Sigh*

Oh wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of death?[/quote:1m7alfw5]

You so need to have a reader and reasoning modulator!!!!!!!
Why are u trying to disagree with something and then agree with it? In your rush to attack you haven't checked to realize that you are making the point as me!!

[Paul Henry]

Sprint blocks you issued info that doen't change the complexion of my arguments.

My sentiments are that she does not deserve to be booed or "held grudgingly" by ja. Fans who based on their skewed ethics hate on her, many of whom would want that same opportunity be a US Citizen. The only differnece with her and many of them is that she actually contribute positively to the country.

Now for some adjustments to your statements:

My issue is that if she had been an overseas Jamaican who only came to compete at the trials not only would she suffer from fan support, but the politics behind issuance or resources in JA (see our female long jumper, James Beckford, the 400 guy who defected to Baharain). would affect her (hence the cold shoulder addage). Even Juliet cuthbert was some what affected by this.

You used James as an example who is in effect a bad one, James is always at wars with the JAAA and the Fans not so into him. This is largely intiated
by him feeling ill-feelings to the rewards made available to being overseas based. Davaian no matter his base will always be loved by the fans and sundry given his school boy exploits this was not the case with Sanya.

If she were the kind to insatantly dump JA status for US then it made no sense that she ran for Jamaica.. In eesence having seen all the happenings go down its clear where heart lay, therefore in hindsight, if the papers had not gone throughshe would be JA psrinter with a US heart, I rather her not compete if that were the case.Hence she would be running with a heavy heart

[sprintblox]

How do -not all Jamaicans but the grudge holding, bitter ones- feel about Sandra Patrick Farmer?

She came to the US as a child about the same age as Sanya, but she actually ran FOR Jamaica in the 84 games I believe before SWITCHING to run for the US.

I don't think anybody holds it against her for switching to the US. The problem is when she tried to get on the Jamaican team (I believe in 1988) only after failing to make the US team that year. Jamaica didn't want to be her sloppy seconds backup plan so they refused her.