2009 USATF: m400 - LaShawn Merritt 44.50

[EPelle]

That would be he logical inference, as skipping 200m at USATF should not do much in terms of reducing his 44,53 PB by 0,03 seconds at any other time this season.

[guruof track]

under 44.5 at the US Champs?????

Are you asking me if he will be under 44.50 by a good margin at US nationals?

I'm asking if you think he will run under 44.5 at US Champs period. I'm a HUGE fan, but that would surprise me. However I think he will make the team.

[knite]

[quote=guruof track]

under 44.5 at the US Champs?????

Are you asking me if he will be under 44.50 by a good margin at US nationals?

I'm asking if you think he will run under 44.5 at US Champs period. I'm a HUGE fan, but that would surprise me. However I think he will make the team.[/quote:kz7eb11o]

No, I was speaking in terms of what I think he is capable of. At the champs I think he will be around 44.5-6

[502CD]

At nationals only, that may be true, but only one person is going to "challenge" Merritt this yr anyways, well maybe 2.

There's LM and JW and then there's the field.

[guruof track]

Ok we seem to be on the same page, I'm thinking 44.6ish myself. But he seems to bee healthy, and the more he runs the stornger he gets (historically)

[knite]

Ok we seem to be on the same page, I'm thinking 44.6ish myself. But he seems to bee healthy, and the more he runs the stornger he gets (historically)

I agree, which is why I can see him doing really well toward the latter part of this yr in this event!

[Speedfirst]

His place and time will come down down to how well he holds his form the last 30 meters or so in particular. If he can manage to hold his form, I could see him around his PB or faster, trying to win it from LaShawn.

[Gleason]

That would be he logical inference, as skipping 200m at USATF should not do much in terms of reducing his 44,53 PB by 0,03 seconds at any other time this season.

"X-Man" ran 10.09 for 100 into a 0.5 m/sec wind at the 2006 NCAA then ran 44.53 for 400 32 minutes later, so I assume that he can run 21c for a 200 heat then run a strong 400 1 1/2 hours later. He has run one relay 400 since February 2009, so I assume that his coaches expect that his running three 200s in April and May will prepare him for a 400 PR in June.
Larry has a history of running 44.6 in June 2007 & 2008. He ran a 20.32 PR in May so I expect him to be ready.
Williamson is a great relay runner, but I can't find his breaking 45 after his 44.90 on August 7, 2007.
Merritt and Wariner are the only U.S. quarter milers to break 45 after May 16, 2009. Most quarter milers are closer to 46 than to 45 in the last two months.
I assume that Clement will be ready for a strong 400 final after two prelims.
IF conditions are as good as 2008 OT conditions were my predictions are:
1. Merritt 44.0
2. "X-Man" 44.3
3. Larry 44.6
4. Clement 44.9
5. Smith 45.2
6. Torrance 45.5
7. Nixon 45.6
8. Williamson 45.7
Witherspoon has run 45.98 & Neville has run 46.2c in 2009, so I don't see their making the final. Neville's speed was OK in the Pre 300, but I doubt that he'll have the necessary endurance to make the final.

[paulthefan]

If Clement cant get into the low 44s Ill be very surprised.

[nbonaddio]

[quote=knite]

under 44.5 at the US Champs?????

Are you asking me if he will be under 44.50 by a good margin at US nationals?

I'm asking if you think he will run under 44.5 at US Champs period. I'm a HUGE fan, but that would surprise me. However I think he will make the team.

No, I was speaking in terms of what I think he is capable of. At the champs I think he will be around 44.5-6[/quote:3t37u132]

I don't know. I am selling this. To me it really looks like Merritt and the rest, almost like all those DIII relays I've seen with one extremely solid anchor and three guys pulled off of the football team. I think we've all seen what X is capable of - no one is debating that - but what he's likely to do is certainly up for debate and the 300m run at Pre didn't exactly convince me that anyone is going to be in Merritt's world.

I mean, I guess someone's going to have to finish second but I don't think anyone is going to give Merritt a race. Not even my boy Andrew.

[nbonaddio]

If Clement cant get into the low 44s Ill be very surprised.

Unless he's entered in the 390m dash, I think you're going to be surprised.

[EPelle]

"X-Man" ran 10.09 for 100 into a 0.5 m/sec wind at the 2006 NCAA then ran 44.53 for 400 32 minutes later, so I assume that he can run 21c for a 200 heat then run a strong 400 1 1/2 hours later.

Absolutely, which supports my assertion based on a previous statement of, "I know folks are tired of hearing this, but if Carter chooses only the 400m's, I can see him under 44.50 by a decent margin."

Carter, if he doesn't run 200m at USATF, should be able to run faster than his PB at 400m in a strongly-run final, as there are only 0,03s of time separating what he was able to accomplish in a multiple-race day and what is expected of him on a fresh one with no other races.

[2 cents]

Carter is simply not the same athlete he was in 2006. He has no chance of running a 44.53.

[Gleason]

Carter is simply not the same athlete he was in 2006. He has no chance of running a 44.53.

We'll know on saturday.

[Speedster]

Carter is simply not the same athlete he was in 2006. He has no chance of running a 44.53.

I completely agree. Those years are getting further and further away and still we wait for something to happen.