4x100

[Guest]

If you had to pick a men's and women's 4x100 team to represent your country who would you pick. Must all be from the same country and can be active or retired.

[Guest]

Re: 4x100

I'm from UK, so my pick would be:

Women:
1st leg: Andrea Lynch
2nd leg: Kathy Cook
3rd leg: Paula Thomas
Anchor: Sonia Lannaman

Andrea was a decent starter, has the 2nd fastest 60m by a Brit all-time, and had a best of 11.16. Kathy Cook holds the British record in both 100 and 200, but her 200 record is arguably better, and so should have the longer 2nd leg of the relay. Paula Thomas was a 11.15/22.69 sprinter. Her decent 200m time shows she'd be a decent bend runner. Sonia Lannaman has several windy and/or handtimed sub-11 100's to her credit and ran the anchor for the NR, so she's my pick for the anchor on this dream-team.

I reckon this team would be capable of a time around 42.20 at best. The NR team of Lynch, Cook, Hunt-Oakes, Lannaman ran 42.43, so the only difference between both teams is Paula Thomas running instead of Heather Hunt (11.15 to 11.20). So, if the "dream team" practiced on changes and had a GDR team in the lane outside them and a US team breathing down their neck, I reckon 42.20 is possible.


As for British men, these are my picks:

1st leg: Jason Gardener
2nd leg: Dwain Chambers
3rd leg: Linford Christie
Anchor: Mark Lewis-Francis

Jason is a sub-10 man at best, holds the British 60m record and is a reliably fast starter. Dwain is another sub-10 man and is (equally) the fastest UK man, and so should have the longer 2nd leg. Christie is a 9.87 man and also has a 20.09 200m to his credit, so would be a valuable bend runner. Mark Lewis Francis is definitely on anchor - he doesn't know any other leg, plus his pick-up is amazing.

I reckon this team could do 37.40 at their absolute best. The current NR is 37.73, and that was run with Devonish and Campbell in the team - my dream team has MLF and Christie, and the difference in PBs between Devonish & Campbell and MLF & Christie is 0.33. They could arguably go faster, because at the time the NR was run, Chambers was not at his peak (he knocked off 0.10 since then), so they could potentially go faster... scary thought!!

Awaits barrage of criticism from American track fans...

[Guest]

Re: 4x100

You won't get any disrespect from me jon. That UK team is very formidable. I have alot of respect for Linford Christie. He was a deserving olympic champion. Linford had that intimidating aura about him. I'm from the U.S. so I will pick my women's team first. Leadoff would be Kelli White,2nd would be FloJo, 3rd would be Gwen Torrece, anchor Marion Jones. My men's team would be Mo Greene(good start and better curve runner than many think) on leadoff. 2nd Would be Tommie Smith(longest leg of race, he had a unbelievable last 30,add that to a running start and he smokes the backstretch)3rd Michael Johnson(greatest curve runner ever,also helps having a running start,not a great starter out of blocks.) anchor Carl Lewis(Greatest anchor ever,incredible acceleration) That is my team!

[Jon]

Re: 4x100

What?! No Evelyn Ashford on your team?! Did you not see the relay in the 1988 OG? That girl can CHASE!

[Guest]

Re: 4x100

Yes, but her split time was nothing special, it was more to do with Gohr's under-par performance.

Flo Jo should be on the bend IMHO

I'd put Alice Brown on first, Torrence on second, Flo Jo on third and Jones on fourth.

Imagine that US team facing a GDR team of Moller, Drechsler, Koch and Gohr - superb race!

[Guest]

Re: 4x100

jon, believe me I had a hard time picking between Ashford and Kelli White, but KELLI has run some smoking times and she is still young enough to improve on these times. Brit Guy I see why you would want FloJo on the curve, but anybody who ran 10.49 and 10.61 deserves to be on that 2nd leg which is usually the longest leg.Torrence was a fantastic 200 runner thats why she was 3rd on my team. Putting a 10.49 sprinter on the 2nd leg ought to give you a good lead and have other teams panicking and rushing there handoffs.

[Guest]

Re: 4x100

Hey Jon, I can't see Linford agreeing to run any leg other than the anchor. Derek Redmond once said, "Linford's the most balanced runner I've ever seen. He has chips on both shoulders"!

[Jon]

Re: 4x100

>Hey Jon, I can't see Linford agreeing to run any
>leg other than the anchor. Derek Redmond once
>said, "Linford's the most balanced runner I've
>ever seen. He has chips on both shoulders"!

Lol! Great quote!

I put Linford on the 3rd leg cos this is my dream team - i.e. I'd have to be dreaming for it to happen like that!! Of course, it's just an ideal, but there was no room for MLF anywhere else, really. His bend running is bad (which counts out legs 1 and 3) and his baton passing isn't good enough (yet) for the 2nd leg.