{"id":553,"date":"2011-08-16T05:29:00","date_gmt":"2011-08-16T12:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=553"},"modified":"2011-08-16T05:29:00","modified_gmt":"2011-08-16T12:29:00","slug":"world-championships-preview-200-meters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=553","title":{"rendered":"World Championships Preview \u2013 200 Meters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ah the deuce. Taking place as it does near the end of the meet, it is somewhat difficult to predict. Sometimes athletes are tired by the time the deuce rolls around, as it\u2019s often the second half of a double. Sometimes injuries come into play. There\u2019s the opportunity to become a double winner for some, and the redemption factor for those that lost earlier in the week. All of those things should come into play in Daegu, as we have two races with some outstanding players that I believe are going to follow the script \u2013 historical scripts that may surprise some. <\/p>\n

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Men\u2019s 200 Meters<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
World Record<\/strong><\/td>\n19.19<\/td>\nUsain Bolt<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Meet Record<\/strong><\/td>\n19.19<\/td>\nUsain Bolt<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2009 Gold<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n19.19<\/td>\nUsain Bolt<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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2011 Best<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/td>\n19.86<\/td>\nUsain Bolt<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n19.96<\/td>\nNickel Askmeade<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n20.02<\/td>\nWalter Dix<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n20.05<\/td>\nRakieem Salaam<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n20.11<\/td>\nSteve Mullings<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n20.16<\/td>\nBruno de Barros<\/td>\nBRA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

First let\u2019s take care of the news in this event. As with the 100, the injury to Tyson Gay takes a major player off the table \u2013 the only man truly capable of competing with Bolt at his best. The Mullings\u2019 news of last week also take a major player off the table, as I felt he was a serious contender for a medal. <\/p>\n

I mention these not because they are new news, but because in the move up from 100 to 200 meters, the list of true contenders drops dramatically. So taking Gay and Mulllings out of the equation leaves us with only a few names to discuss. <\/p>\n

First of these is Usain Bolt, who in spite of his \u201csub par\u201d season is still atop the yearly list in this event \u2013 due in large part to the fact that he is still one of the world\u2019s best turn runners. So while he has been struggling to gain good early position in the 100, he is still emerging first off the turn in the deuce and controlling the race down the stretch \u2013 which is what he has done in his three races\/wins in Oslo, Paris and Stockholm. At 19.86, he is still faster than the PR\u2019s of all but two of the men he should be facing in the final. Making this potentially an \u201ceasier\u201d race for Bolt. <\/p>\n

His primary competition should come from Walter Dix (USA). After Bolt, Dix has the next best PR in the field at 19.69. He\u2019s a tough competitor here as he\u2019s proven with NCAA titles in \u201806, \u201807, & \u201808; U.S. titles in \u201808 & this year; bronze in Beijing; and a sizzling win last year over Tyson Gay (19.72 to 19.76) at Pre. The win at Pre critical to the conversation because it showed that he can run the turn with the likes of Gay and Bolt. Dix heads to Daegu undefeated having won in Doha, Pre, Nationals, Luzerne and London \u2013 and as the only sprinter truly capable of challenging Bolt.<\/p>\n

After Bolt and Dix sit two intriguing men \u2013 Christophe Lemaitre (FRA) and Nickel Ashmeade (JAM). Most are familiar with Lemaitre as the first white sprinter to break the 10.00 barrier, but he\u2019s not doing too bad here  \u2013 and frankly it could become his better event with some work. He set the French Record last year at 20.16. This year he has run 20.21, with a slightly windy (+2.3) 20.08. While he\u2019s spent most of his time in the 100, when he runs here it is clear that with just a little work he should be under 20.00! In four races this year his only loss was to Bolt in Paris. <\/p>\n

Even more intriguing is Jamaican Nickel Ashmeade. One of the young guns emerging out of Jamaica, Ashmeade opened up blazing at 19.95 in Kingston. When next we saw him however, he was struggling to come second behind Mullings at the Jamaican Trials (at 20.32). We haven\u2019t seen the young man since \u2013 making it very difficult to judge him. On the clock he sits at #2 on the season behind Bolt, but with such disparity between runs and nothing more to go on it\u2019s difficult to know just where to place him.  <\/p>\n

Two others bear mention. One is Panamanian Alonzo Edward, who blazed to a PR 19.81 to take silver behind Bolt in Berlin. He was hampered by injury last year but is back in \u201811 and down to 20.28 heading into Daegu, with 3 wins (Ponce, Cork, Reims), a second (Stockholm) and a 3rd (London) to his credit. He\u2019s been here before and clearly can run the event. The other is Darvis (Doc) Patton. Patton was the silver medalist in this event in Paris back in 2003. In subsequent seasons, however, he began to focus more on the 100 making international teams to Beijing and Berlin. This year he has returned to the deuce with 20.25\/19.97w results at Nationals. His European results have only seen him run 20.49 for 4th in Reims and 20.59 for 3rd in Paris. But he has run 9.94 in the 100 this year, leaving me wondering what we will see in Daegu. <\/p>\n

With questions surrounding Ashmeade and Patton, I see this race playing out similar to Seoul in \u201888. A two tiered race with Bolt & Dix burning the turn for position heading into the homestretch. The key question being Bolt\u2019s level of conditioning in this \u201csub par\u201d season? Some five meters behind the fight for gold, will be a four man battle for the bronze medal between Lemaitre, Ashmeade, Patton and Edward. In both tiers, pay close attention to the first 30 meters off the turn \u2013 that\u2019s where the medals will be decided. The Seoul 200 held some surprises, Korea may provide another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Gold<\/td>\nWalter Dix<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n19.65<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Silver<\/td>\nUsain Bolt<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n19.70<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bronze<\/td>\nChristophe Lemaitre<\/td>\nFRA<\/td>\n19.95<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Just Missed<\/td>\nDarvis Patton<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n20.00<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Women\u2019s 200 Meters<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
World Record<\/strong><\/td>\n21.34<\/td>\nFlorence Griffith Joyner<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Meet Record<\/strong><\/td>\n21.74<\/td>\nSilke Gladish Moeller<\/td>\nGDR<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2009 Gold<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n22.02<\/td>\nAllyson Felix<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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2011 Best<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/td>\n22.15<\/td>\nShalonda Solomon<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n22.20<\/td>\nCarmelita Jeter<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n22.24<\/td>\nKimberlyn Duncan<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n22.26<\/td>\nVeronica Campbell Brown<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n22.28 <\/td>\nJeneba Tarmoh<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n22.32<\/td>\nAllyson Felix<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

This race will provide yet another thrilling battle among the women. Because coming on the heels of both the 100 & 400 we should have three \u201chungry\u201d women taking to the track.<\/p>\n

The \u201cstory\u201d at the start of this meet is Allyson Felix, who is attempting a 200\/400 double. The deuce is her favorite event, and with good reason as she has won three World Championships in a row, and is gunning for an unprecedented fourth! Standing in her way will first be her attempt at winning gold in the 400. An attempt that could leave her a bit tired by the time she gets to the deuce \u2013 we will see. Heading into Daegu Felix has had mixed results in this event as she has juggled racing over both long sprints. She\u2019s won in Daegu, Manchester and New York, come 4th in Rome and 2nd in Monaco. Easily the strongest of the world\u2019s sprinters, the key for Felix is being close coming off the turn \u2013 because she\u2019s not beaten coming down the home stretch. When she is close coming off the turn, she pulls away down the straight. When she\u2019s not close it\u2019s usually a tough race. <\/p>\n

Her \u201carch enemy\u201d in this event is Veronica Campbell Brown. Just as Felix has dominated the World Championships, \u201cVCB\u201d is a two time defending Olympic Champion having won in both Athens and Beijing. Twice she has beaten Felix in the Games. Twice Felix has beaten her at Worlds. So this race will constitute the \u201crubber match\u201d in their ongoing battle in Majors. VCB is also lightly raced in this event this year with only four races \u2013 wins in Kansas, Jamaica Nationals and Budapest, and a 2nd in Kingston. Just as they have each dominated a different Major, their race patterns are also Yin & Yang \u2013 VCB is a beast on the turn. When she wins the turn, she wins the race. Trouble on the turn means trouble down the stretch. <\/p>\n

This year there looks to be a new element \u2013 Carmelita Jeter, the second fastest woman in history. I\u2019m not sure if she took the race seriously when she entered at Nationals or if it was just something to do, but the results then, and since have been quite exciting. She PR\u2019d twice, in the semis and in the finals, taking second to WL Shalonda Solomon with her 22.23. Then a win in France, a 3rd in Birmingham, and another win in Monaco in 22.20 and she heads to Daegu as a legitimate threat. Especially given that she is starting to look quite strong in the stretch \u2013 strong enough that she held off Felix for the win in Monaco! Suddenly this is legitimately a three woman race. <\/p>\n

Not that there aren\u2019t a couple other women capable of breaking up the party. Shalonda Solomon is the world leader at 22.15, and the veteran looked very good in doing so at the National Championships. Unfortunately she hasn\u2019t looked as sharp since, finishing 3rd in both Monaco and London \u2013 losing to both Jeter & Felix in Monaco. Third American Jeneba Tarmoh is young, talented, and 5th on the yearly list, but has only one international race \u2013 6th in Monaco \u2013 and may not be ready for this level yet. One other that deserves mention is Jamaican Kerron Stewart. Her times have been less than stellar (22.63 SB) and in four races she\u2019s had mixed results \u2013 2nd in Rome and Jamaican nationals, 1st in Padova and 5th in Monaco. BUT she has run 10.87 in the 100 this year, has  a PR 21.99 in the event, won the bronze medal  in Beijing, and must be taken seriously when she takes the track in Daegu because she is a competitor. <\/p>\n

So what\u2019s the medal breakdown? Ro Sham Bo.  I\u2019ve played the race out several times and each time come up with a different winner and order of finish. Never before have I seen a 200 where the turn will be SO important \u2013 because I\u2019m not seeing a lot of change once they straighten out in the stretch. Jeter has the potential to win big on the turn \u2013 and has shown improved strength to hold off the rush of the others. VCB usually wins the turn \u2013 the amount has usually determined the winner in her battles with Felix. Felix never \u201cwins\u201d the turn, but when she\u2019s right there it\u2019s a wrap. All three top contenders will be coming back on the second half of a double \u2013 Felix 2\/4, VCB & Jeter 1\/2. All three have mad top end speed in the 100 \u2013 so a good turn is a possibility for all. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve rerun every Major I can remember in my head inserting these women as replacements for the actual finalists. The one that sticks most in my mind is 1987, so I\u2019m going with Rome like results \u2013 and another upset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Gold<\/td>\nCarmelita Jeter<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n21.80<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Silver<\/td>\nVeronica Campbell Brown<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n21.95<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bronze<\/td>\nAllyson Felix<\/td>\nUSA<\/td>\n21.99<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Just Missed<\/td>\nKerron Stewart<\/td>\nJAM<\/td>\n22.05<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Ah the deuce. Taking place as it does near the end of the meet, it is somewhat difficult to predict. Sometimes athletes are tired by the time the deuce rolls around, as it\u2019s often the second half of a double. Sometimes injuries come into play. There\u2019s the opportunity to become a double winner for some, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa3DCY-8V","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=553"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/553\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}