It's official: Krivoshapka, a threat to Sanya Richards

[T&F_LA]

...There's one more big Russian meet before Berlin, so we'll see how Krivoshapka et al perform then.

When is that?

[ChuiTai]

...There's one more big Russian meet before Berlin, so we'll see how Krivoshapka et al perform then.

I have to wonder. What would be the significance of running in another meet two weeks or so from the WC after having run such a spectacular set of rounds this past weekend? Might there be more tweeking to be had? Is there some smoothing out or comfort gathering that needs establishing?

If successful, as some have forecast, her lead-up and/or taper will be one to look at and study. On the other hand...

[T&F_LA]

Krivoshapka won the European Indoors so she has the experience of running and getting through rounds.

About rounds, that's where I see she has an issue with. In the three champs she had won this year (Russian indoors, European indoors and Russian outdoors) she didn't manage to run more relaxed in them. To the contrary, both her PB's indoors and outdoors were run in rounds.

On the other hand, she has shown the same problem SR has before: Going out too quickly. In Turin she ran the first lap extremely fast (23.1 !!!!)but dramatically died the last 100m, and the only reason she won is the rest of the field was outclassed, which of course won't be the case in Berlin.

So, inexpierence might definitely play against her. Hopefully, it won't take her too long to make the adjustments necessary (unlike SR) and she'll manage stress properly in Berlin, which at the end of the day is the main reason of going out too quickly and running bad rounds.

[Alexm]

The Russian's have run well over 400m and as expected for the last few years, I dont agree they've disappointed at the majors at all. IMO the main Russian 'problem' has been pacing: they all seem to go off far too quickly over the first 200m and die in the straight - Pospelova in 05, Zaitseva spectacularly in 06, Antyukh in the Osaka final and Gushcina in Beijing. If they can just pace better they'd be an even bigger threat.

On Krivoshapka, her 49.29 is very different to Pospelova's 49.80, it's another level completely. Olga Zaitseva ran somewhere inbetween with her 49.49. If Krivovshapka can pace herself better than these too, she has to be considered a medal threat. Kapachinskaya's first sub 50 is also ominous. As for people writing off Litvinova, let's not forget she ran a 49.18 split in Beijing, the fastest of the Russian team, and she set PB's at the nationals again - she's on an upward curve.

I'm most interested in seeing whether Russia can ever get back to having real elite women over 200m. Even without Privalova they had Malchugina, Voronova and Trandenkova in the 22.2-22.4 range, but they seem unable to get a woman under 22.6 now. Their 100 women seem to be short, fast over 60m types, while the 200m women have thus far been 400m girls dropping down in distance. Chermonskaya and Fedorova, young and 200m specialists, haven't lived up to expectations yet.

There's one more big Russian meet before Berlin, so we'll see how Krivoshapka et al perform then.

[TrackDaddy]

I don't think we should take the banter or even the manner in which its manifested too seriously.

At least I don't.

Mr. TrackDaddy, perhaps when my post count is able to reach your level, I too can command a post on the track. Until then, I'll remain humbly mystified as to how one can not take things too seriously --- which at least you don't --- while at the same time saying, Of course if she hadnt said it people like T&F LA would've attacked her for that too. :roll: *Sigh*

That roll and the accompanying sigh gives another impression other than not caring or taking things seriously. Enough of my evaluation, as I must learn my place on this bulletin board.

Why didn't you post the statement I made immediately following the eye roll and the sigh?

Let me help:

If that joker aint hatin' its because he's asleep. :lol:

I care if Sanya wins or loses...trust me.

When she wins...its like I won. And when she doesnt...it hurts me because I care about her.

But I'm not seriously upset with anyone on these boards who has a different sentiment than me about the results.

I just like to banter.

[3]

I don't think we should take the banter or even the manner in which its manifested too seriously.

At least I don't.

Mr. TrackDaddy, perhaps when my post count is able to reach your level, I too can command a post on the track. Until then, I'll remain humbly mystified as to how one can not take things too seriously --- which at least you don't --- while at the same time saying, Of course if she hadnt said it people like T&F LA would've attacked her for that too. :roll: *Sigh*

That roll and the accompanying sigh gives another impression other than not caring or taking things seriously. Enough of my evaluation, as I must learn my place on this bulletin board.

[TrackDaddy]

There exists a possibility you have misunderstood me, Mr. TrackDaddy. The point in question was about waiting to engage in further dialogue if its result will simply generate more dead space and rolled eyes, not of the possibilities or probability factor that Ms. Richards may or may not win.

Because the dead space and rolled eyes don't bother me?

Not to mention many of us come here to banter.

To a great extent about generally meaningless articles in the overall grand scheme of life.

I don't think we should take the banter or even the manner in which its manifested too seriously.

At least I don't.

Kind of like caring.

Or not.

[3]

If you genuinely want to know why I would care, then consider that it may be for the same reason why you care that I would care.

There's no purported claim made to having a remote interest in caring, rather I had a difficult time logically understanding why you would assign any feelings to a conversation of a certain predictive nature. If you've read and become acquainted with the same statements --- particularly if they were dissenting, why would you *care* if they were predictably re-hashed at the first available opportunity?

And if we were all going to wait for Berlin before we talked about the possibilities or potential results of the events, then what would be the point of posting in this forum at all prior to then?

There exists a possibility you have misunderstood me, Mr. TrackDaddy. The point in question was about waiting to engage in further dialogue if its result will simply generate more dead space and rolled eyes, not of the possibilities or probability factor that Ms. Richards may or may not win.

[TrackDaddy]

Of course if she hadnt said it people like T&F LA would've attacked her for that too.

Mr. TrackDaddy, why would you care?

If you genuinely want to know why I would care, then consider that it may be for the same reason why you care that I would care.

That is, because people care about stuff.

Or not.

But that would be the only reason.

If it is the reason at all.

And if we were all going to wait for Berlin before we talked about the possibilities or potential results of the events, then what would be the point of posting in this forum at all prior to then?

I care to the extent that I have time to care.

And I post responses accordingly.

Or not.

Depending on my level of interest and the time available to do so.

Besides...Sanya Richards is my favorite athlete.

Win or lose...she's got TrackDaddy's heart. 8-)

[3]

Of course if she hadnt said it people like T&F LA would've attacked her for that too.

Mr. TrackDaddy, why would you care? What discomfort would it have caused you if they had? In viewing this rather peculiar correspondence between those who believe in Ms. Richards and those who don't, it has become evident that both sides are trying equally as hard as the other to prove that Ms. Richards will perform in Berlin exactly as they anticipate --- for better of for worse.

This teeter-totter swings up and down depending on the weight of the statements swung back and forth. But the reality of this is that no one has moved an inch despite how hard each pushes.

It may be more prudent to simply wait for Ms. Richards to run the 400m final in Berlin and then weigh in again on what enabled her success or paved the way for failed expectations of bulletin board chatters. Otherwise this debate simply continues to gain and lose vertical lift, but it's not progressing forward to anything of magnitude.

[TrackDaddy]

Sanya is the best 400m runner in the world...bar none.

It is my belief that she will win in Berlin and do it comfortably.

Yeah, she is ONE of the best in the world, as for her being the absolute best......thats still up in air until she wins some gold world and olympic medals.

She should break that this year tho....hopefully!!!

Oh as for the bar none comment.....I think Big O is the best in the world..she got the world and olympic golds to prove it.

In a recent interview Sanya acknowledged this and even said that the Big O was the favorite for Berlin.

But she got attacked for it as people said she wasn't being honest.

Of course if she hadnt said it people like T&F LA would've attacked her for that too. :roll:

*Sigh*

If that joker aint hatin' its because he's asleep. :lol:

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

[T&F_LA]

She came 4th in the 400m in 2005. She was 3rd at 300m but nobody was expecting Ana Guevara to close as strongly as she did and she overtook her. However, Pospelova's time (50.11) wasn't bad considering the rain, even though she died in the home stretch.

[t_monk]

I recall when Svetlana Pospelova was running low 22 and high 49 in '05 and was considered a threat to both Darling and Richards in Helsinki. And not just for that season as well.

I would think that Krivoshapka hopes for something more long term and as most have stated, a much more global representation.

Didn't Pospelova come 4th in the 200 in 2005? I don't recall her running the 200 that year though.

[ChuiTai]

I recall when Svetlana Pospelova was running low 22 and high 49 in '05 and was considered a threat to both Darling and Richards in Helsinki. And not just for that season as well.

I would think that Krivoshapka hopes for something more long term and as most have stated, a much more global representation.

[t_monk]

At least 1 of Montsho, Grenot or Thiam will be there I'm sure.

I wouldn't count out Hargrove either.

At the moment I have more confidence in Nicola than TBO (Although I should no by now NEVER to discount her).

I don't see 3 Russians making it.

I agree - I think people are really under-estimating Grenot and even when Thiam isn't able to find much form, she's normally able to make the final.

I'm sure Kapachinskaya and Krivoshapka will make the final but Litvinova looks like semi-final fodder.

Litvinova now has the 6th fastest athlete in the world over the distance.

9.23 Sanya Richards USA 26/02/1985 1r1 Oslo (Bislett) 03/07/2009
49.29 Antonina Krivoshapka RUS 21/07/1987 1sf1 Cheboksary 23/07/2009
49.34 Sanya Richards 1 Paris Saint-Denis 17/07/2009
49.46 Sanya Richards 1 Roma 10/07/2009
49.57 Sanya Richards 1 Berlin 14/06/2009
pb[49.71 Antonina Krivoshapka 1 Cheboksary 24/07/2009[/b]
49.86 Sanya Richards 1 Eugene, OR 07/06/2009
49.97 Anastasiya Kapachinskaya RUS 21/11/1979 2 Cheboksary 24/07/2009
49.98 Shericka Williams JAM 17/09/1985 2r1 Oslo (Bislett) 03/07/2009
50.05 Sanya Richards 1 Eugene, OR 27/06/2009
50.05 Novlene Williams-Mills JAM 26/04/1982 1 Athína (Olympic Stadium) 13/07/2009
50.21 Novlene Williams-Mills 1 Kingston (NS), JAM 28/06/2009
50.24 Antonina Krivoshapka 1 Moskva 01/07/2009
50.27 Lyudmila Litvinova RUS 08/06/1985 3 Cheboksary 24/07/2009
50.30 Libania Grenot ITA 12/07/1983 1 Pescara 02/07/2009
50.31 Shericka Williams 2 Roma 10/07/2009
50.33 Tatyana Veshkurova RUS 23/09/1981 1h4 Cheboksary 23/07/2009
50.39 Joanna Atkins USA 31/01/1989 1 Fayetteville, AR 13/06/2009
50.39 Shericka Williams 2 Kingston (NS), JAM 28/06/2009
50.39 Monica Hargrove USA 30/12/1982 2 Athína (Olympic Stadium) 13/07/2009
50.39 Novlene Williams-Mills 2 Paris Saint-Denis 17/07/2009
50.49 Anastasiya Kapachinskaya 1sf3 Cheboksary 23/07/2009
50.50 Allyson Felix USA 18/11/1985 1 New York City, NY 30/05/2009
50.51 Antonina Krivoshapka 1r1 Zhukovskiy 05/07/2009
50.56 Jessica Beard USA 08/01/1989 2 Fayetteville, AR 13/06/2009

As it now stands the only persons I would say make it above the three Russians possibly is Sanya, the Williams and the TBO. The pickings outside those are very slim IMO.