I’m going to start the new year right. One, I’ll be posting more. Not as much as I used to because I’m coaching. But a lot more than I have since my illnesses/surgeries. That said, I’m going to start with my predictions for 2019 – the first being that it’s going to be a fun year for track and field. We’ve got a whole lot of new talent all over the track (& field) and many will be competing in their first World Championships.
My second prediction is that Doha will be a blast! The performances are going to be crazy good; and the competition is going to be off the hook. It’s going to be crazy good like Mexico City ’68, Seoul’88, and Atlanta’96. Similarly, the lead up to Worlds is going to also produce exciting marks. The fun is going to return to track and field. Let’s hope leadership markets it properly. So in no particular order, here are ten predictions for this exciting season.
- We’re going to see the first 400H race with two men under 47 sec. After waiting a quarter century to see 47 seconds broken for only the second time, we’re going to get to see one of the greatest races ever at any distance when Samba v Benjamin gets on the track.
- Noah Lyles is going to run under 19.50. Becoming one of the four fastest 200 meter sprinters ever.
- Sydney McLaughlin is going to go under 52 sec and break the WR in the 400H.
- The US men are going to win the 4×1 in Doha, breaking a decade long drought on top of the podium.
- Juan Miguel Echevarria is going to have a legal 29 foot jump.
- We’re going to see sub 48.50 in the women’s 400. Miller Uibo and Nasser are going to kick it up a notch in Doha.
- Christian Taylor jumps jumps jumps 60 feet.
- A new sprint queen is going to emerge. US, Jamaica, Africa, Europe. Lots of women out there and no one yet The One. She emerges this year.
- A new 110H king also emerges this year. Shubenkov was the man last year. But a new, sub 13 talent is going to emerge to dominate this event in 2019.
- The men’s pole vault will be won over 20 feet in Doha.
Happy New Year!
Tags: Benjamin, Echevarria, Lyles, McLaughlin, Miller Uibo, Nasser, Samba, Taylor