DeeDee beats Sanya!!

[Jon]

DeeDee Trotter - 50.32, Monique Henderson - 50.62, Sanya Richards - 50.68

!!!!

[ycn]

Re: DeeDee beats Sanya!!

First race Richards has lost on American soil since 2002. I think Trotter's time is the fifth fastest in the world this year, with all of the top times coming in the last few days.

(Clarification, that would be the first 400 loss on American soil since 2002.)

[Mel]

Re: DeeDee beats Sanya!!

Interesting, I was thinking earlier today she must be in amazing form or why run so fast in the qualifying? I don't understand coaches letting their athletes go 50.8 in a heat when a much more pragmatic pace would have sufficed.

[Jon]

Re: DeeDee beats Sanya!!

>Interesting, I was thinking earlier today she must be in amazing form or why
>run so fast in the qualifying? I don't understand coaches letting their
>athletes go 50.8 in a heat when a much more pragmatic pace would have sufficed.


That's just Sanya. A few weeks ago at NCAA regionals, she ran 50.49 in the heats and then couldn't better it in the final. She ran 50.6 in the final (much like she did today).

However, even if she'd ran 51.4 to make the final, I still think DeeDee would have got the upper hand today - 50.3 with a 0.3 winning margin is great going! Kudos to her!

[cedricl]

Re: DeeDee beats Sanya!!

Sanya Richards didn't run any 400s during the season other than relays. Her coach allowed her to run 100/200 to work on her speed and be ready for her real goal, the Olympic trials.

[Caribbean Guy]

Re: DeeDee beats Sanya!!

Could be a bit of arrogance and overconfidence as well. This will bring Sanya back down to earth. Great run also by Monique who has shown on more than one occasion that she can handle Sanya. Shades of world junior champs '02.