Athletisme Monaco DL

[trackCanuck]

No way is Shaunae ever repeating that mistake again. Not a chance in you know where.

[Alan Shank]

You STILL on about that? One of her so called "racing flaws" that you keep bringing up, she ended up still winning the race and OLYMPIC GOLD.

Maybe that's not what 26 was referring to; rather, 2017 200 3. 22.15 2017 400 4. 50.49.
Cheers,
Alan Shank

[NotDutra5]

SMU will eat Naser's lunch.

Maybe....but even if she does...will she still win the race?

[The Flying Pigdog]

Maybe that's not what 26 was referring to; rather, 2017 200 3. 22.15 2017 400 4. 50.49.
Cheers,
Alan Shank

He/she has harped on it ad nauseam. He/she is referring to 2016 w400 and 2017 w400. And as I said, in one of them, SMU won gold so who cares how she ended up doing it. What a flaw to win Oly gold!

Since then, dominance. Miller-Uibo certainly looked great running her sub-49 last year, holding off Naser.

[treadwater1]

SMU is operating at a high level, but in my eyes her form is very similar to that of 2018, she doesn’t seem to have gone up a level. A very good run on Friday - 22.09, but remember she ran her stand out performance last year in Monaco - 48.97.

It’s starting to look like Elaine Thompson’s 22.00 was slightly unrepresentative of her current form, but her raw speed this season is undeniable, if she works on her speed endurance up to Doha I think she is the favourite. SMU hasn’t raced DAS at her absolute peak, I don’t think Dinas ever beaten SMU but she would have given her a run for her money on Friday - Dina’s 22.18 in Stockholm was in very cool conditions. It’s still up in the air whether SMU runs the 2 or the 4 but she knows she’s got the beating of Naser in the 4 so may go in that direction

As to times in Doha the 400, I’m uncertain around talk that it will be super quick. Yes the big favourites will put each other under pressure, but the rounds may take something out of their legs. There were no especially quick winning times in 15, 16 or 17. 49.2 perhaps but I can’t see anything beyond that

[Wiederganger]

SMU is on another level this year, esp in the w200. Up til last year, she would have a pedestrian first half and rely on running everyone down over the last half. It served her well most of the time, but sometimes she had too much to make up (WC 2017). This year, she seems to be right up there with all the fast 100 women, even leading them at the top of the curve.

I wouldn't go so far as to say "she's on another level" (do you mean compared to the other women; or in terms of her own form compared to before?). For me, she hasn't shown any form over 200m this season (yet) that others cannot get to/get past by the time we get to Doha. She hasn't broken 22 secs, she isn't the fastest on the rankings and her times are good but not amazing. Her two runs are consistent with what she did in 2018 and 2017, I don't see any big improvement.
However, her in run Monaco was certainly dominant. But one must consider the fact that Thompson peaked for her trials and is now back in a training cycle, so they're at very different stages in their competition form. I feel if Thompson does run the 200m, she will be ready and she will be under 22 secs. On Schippers, coach change/injury in March etc. She is certainly below par compared to past seasons, but she does have time to recover, but we shall see. It's a big ask to make that much up.
One more point though. I am broken record yes, but it is important: Virtually all of SMUs wins in the 200m these last couple of seasons have been from lane 7 (she was lane 6 in Monaco) when she can choose her lane. Her 2017 bronze was from lane 5 and she couldn't quite make up enough ground, losing by half a meter. Her bend appears to have improved greatly in Monaco (she said she had been working on it in an interview) but - if she runs the 200m - she can't choose her lane in Doha. If she gets lane 4/5, she wont be as dominant as if she were in 6/7 (one assumes she wont be in 8/9 as she should win her SF).

It's too bad the 2/4 schedule conflicts, because as good as she is over the 400, I think she could throw down something truly special in the 200. I would even go so far as to say her best chance at gold is in the 200, the 400 is a bit of uncertainty and there is way more chance to mess up that race.

I agree more with this. The double gold is out of the question for me, not when she has fierce competition in the one lap event. Her chances in the 200 will largely depend on who actually runs that event too though. But we do know Naser and Seyni - we have to assume Seyni will run - will do the 400m. SMU should win, and she could run well under 49 seconds, but when one looks at Seyni's race pattern and crazy improvement curve, there's a possibility she could also run well under 49 seconds in Doha. Naser will be ready and has improved 200m speed this season. It's not a stretch to picture SMU entering the home straight a meter ahead of Naser, with Seyno some 5meters behind, and all 3 crossing the line in a photo finish under 49 seconds!

[26mi235]

He/she has harped on it ad nauseam. He/she is referring to 2016 w400 and 2017 w400. And as I said, in one of them, SMU won gold so who cares how she ended up doing it. What a flaw to win Oly gold!

Since then, dominance. Miller-Uibo certainly looked great running her sub-49 last year, holding off Naser.

My comments have been a bit different the last couple years; go see if you want. However, what I am saying is that she had her biggest problems with there were others both challenging her and had taken her a bit out of her race plan (i.e., going out too hard). This year there is the potential for two athletes to be pressing her and if one is going hard (too hard for optimal racing) she may be vulnerable to a second athlete that has run a better race to press her hard at the end, and that my lead to tying up, which happens in the 400 anyway.

Not sure when SMU is supposedly so vastly better than a couple athletes that are running 49-low, one still an unknown. Add to that the unusual nature of this competitive season and there are greater chances for athletes not to get the timing quite right for October, and if at least one of her primary challengers gets it right and she does not manage it quite so well, her advantage can be diminished further.

[Pakilo]

Have we reached the stage where there's no-one with the intelligence to go out on the track about 50-60m somewhere in front of the athletes and wave them down?

Unfortunately and obviously, we have! What a disgrace!

[scorpionking]

Maybe that's not what 26 was referring to; rather, 2017 200 3. 22.15 2017 400 4. 50.49.
Cheers,
Alan Shank

I hear him on that count. However, what many tend to forget Is the schedule played the villain in that debacle more then anything Miller-Uibo did or didn' t do. We cannot underestimate the impact of proper rest/recovery between events during a 200/400 double attempt. It already a very difficult feat to attempt on its own but when you throw in poor scheduling and bad weather well that was a recipe for potential disaster.

Shaunae ran the semi against Felix (which was strange because there were 3 semi's and 9 of 10 times they would have been separated). The next day when everyone else was recovering, she had to warm up to run the first round of the 200. That overlapping of events exacted its toll. When MJ and Perec did it there was a crucial rest day separating the events. If she is to try this again next year that rest day will need to be encorporated otherwise it makes no sense to even try it in my opinion.

On top of all that, the cold and rain met the women's 400 final on the London track the night of that event. This was unfortunate. When lactic conspires with poor conditions a hefty price must be paid. The 400 had nay a rebuttal--No medal. It's a small miracle the 200 survived for bronze. That curve was atrocious!

The elephant in the room--why are the schedule organizers not interested in accommodating that double? Is it not marketing gold for the sport, those events and the fans?

[26mi235]

Good points, with implications for this year when the difficulty of the double (? if what I recall is correct) and if SMU is only doing the 400 she should be as prone to such problems. She does, however, still have some considerable competition.