UK's Moscow medal hopes • [Eriksson's out, who's in?]

[72]

If a week is a long time in politics , 3 months is a hell of a long time in track. Lets hope Rooney keeps fit and does not over compete.

[shivfan]

Charles van Commenee: Plastic Brits is offensive . . . there’s no such thing
Mihir Bose 27 March 2012
"First of all, that is not a word I would use. I find it offensive,” van Commenee says. “In my eyes, there is no such thing as a ‘plastic Brit’. They don’t exist. “You’re British or you’re not. Sport in general and the Olympics in particular is about bringing people together. That’s how I look at it, so I’m astonished more than anything else.”

London 2012 Olympics: Turks and Caicos sprint sensation Delano Williams becomes latest Team GB recruit
Simon Hart 03 Apr 2012

"Williams’ situation is identical to that of Shara Proctor, the world indoor long jump bronze medallist, who switched allegiance to Britain from Anguilla – another dependent territory that is not permitted to send its own team to the Olympics."

I find the behaviour of the Sun and the Daily Mail in particular very offensive in this regard. I'm disgusted, but not surprised, at these two newspapers....

How can they be labelling Shara Proctor and Delano Williams in particular as plastic Brits? THey come from Anguilla and Turks and Caicos, which are British colonies. As far as I'm concerned, once you are a member of a British colony, you are automatically a British citizen. Apparently, the Sun and the Daily Mail like the idea of having colonies of black people in the Caribbean, but don't like the idea of them calling themselves 'British'.

I'm sure they wouldn't have taken the same approach if Shara Proctor or Delano Williams came out of the Falklands....

[mump boy]

I know she's not a medal contender but i thought it timely to remind a certain prolific poster on this thread that he was adamant the Sophie Hitchon wouldn't throw over 70m !!

Just saying

[dunedine]

Personally, I reckon that Sophie is well capable of reaching 72m, maybe 73m, this season and making the final in London. Have watched throws of hers and she's much faster in the ring and a great deal improved in the release phase.

A new medal hope that seems to emerge is Martyn Rooney in the 400m, not only because he beat Warriner in a sub 45 secs so early but also of the way he won it coming from behind - you don't beat Wariner so easily there - and the way he executed his race throughout. I have never seen him so focussed and timing his effort so superbly. He's now won two out of two races which falls in sharp contrast with previous seasons.

Further, if they can pull their act together, the men's 4x100 could definitely come in with a medal shout, especially now that Chambers is going to be available and Richard Kilty looks set for a big breakthrough.

Simeon Williamson is back solid, Christian Malcolm is in his best early season shape I've seen in many years, Delano Williams could come in handy and there are also HAA, MLF, Marlon Devonish to draw on too.

[John G]

What encouraged me most about Rooney's run was that he looked really smooth. You coaches out there will know the correct jargon but to me he seemed to have lost much of the upper body sideways motion that IIRC was visible with him in the past.

[Speedster]

I thought the same thing, I assumed that an injury free spell had allowed him to get the running in to hold form when he's fatigued in the home straight. Its one of his top 10 times ever and for so early in the season its a great sign for him and the 4x400m relay.

[dunedine]

I had hardly said it earlier than Sophie Hitchon set a new UK record and Olympic A standard of 71.61m at Chula Vista!

[Flumpy]

WAHOO!!!

Can we have the Olympics every year please

[nevetsllim]

Okoye went out to 66.25m yesterday although I think La Jolla is one of those discus-friendly events.

Rutherford 8.20m in San Diego too.

[mump boy]

Did everyone read this ?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi ... coach.html

it does make it harder to beat people when they don't even qualify for champs

[dunedine]

...and Goldie Sayers hit 63.04m in the javelin at Chula Vista, also a current Olympic A.

[Daisy]

it does make it harder to beat people when they don't even qualify for champs

To read that article makes it sound like Hart only recognises the Olympics as a worthwhile title.

[trevorp]

Did everyone read this ?

It does rather reek of sour grapes, and thinking too much about just one rival could be counter-productive.
I can't recall Christine or her coach (Lloyd Cowan) ever disparaging any other athlete. As a spectator, I know which approach I prefer.

[John G]

I don't think Hart is being particularly disparaging - he's just making the honest statement that he and Sanja never saw TBO as a threat or rival.

Whether their assessment of TBO is correct is another thing altogether. Actually, I think it suggests they went into Beijing over confident. Personally, I think they should have been at least a little wary of TBO: just the previous year she had won a World Champs and run a decent time after a less than perfect preparation. They should have seen her as an improving athlete with the proven ability to set pb's at major champs. Had I been them I would have been expecting her to drop a low 49 and be a very real threat to Sanja in 08. Maybe part of the reason Sanja tightened up so badly in the home straight was because she hadn't prepared herself for the possibility that TBO would have been with her at the business end of the race.

They underestimated her then and it sounds like they are underestimating her again. Don't get me wrong - TBO is no way near the class of SRR and will never get remotely close to SRR's pb and 9 times out of 10 SRR will beat her. But maybe that 1 in 10 occasion is due again soon!

[norunner]

Okoye went out to 66.25m yesterday although I think La Jolla is one of those discus-friendly events.

It is. If Okoye starts throwing 66-67 meters in a stadium he may have a chance, cause that's what Harting and the other top athletes do in their sleep.

[72]

Okoye is a heck of a lot younger than most of his competitors, but he has the opportunity to be consistent this year and we await his throws here.

How many American discus throwers are there currently in the 66/68 metre range outside the Chula Vista paradise. ?

[mump boy]

Lawrence is 20 years old he doesn't need to be throwing what Harting is throwing no matter what the circumstances. I'm just glad that he is throwing consistently and the fact that we are even talking about a UK discus thrower in the same sentence as the World Champ

[norunner]

Lawrence is 20 years old he doesn't need to be throwing what Harting is throwing no matter what the circumstances. I'm just glad that he is throwing consistently and the fact that we are even talking about a UK discus thrower in the same sentence as the World Champ

Well, the topic is medal contenders, and if Okoye is to be considered as one you have to compare him to Harting, Malachowski, Kanter etc..

[nevetsllim]

Okoye went out to 66.25m yesterday although I think La Jolla is one of those discus-friendly events.

It is. If Okoye starts throwing 66-67 meters in a stadium he may have a chance, cause that's what Harting and the other top athletes do in their sleep.

What about the Mt. SAC Relays? He threw his season's best of 66.67m there and isn't that more of a legitimate event?

[dunedine]

Actually, Okoye looks to establish himself steadily as an outside medal contender and is also building the consistency he was missing last season into his performances. So far he has thrown 62.48, 62.27, 66.67 and 66.25 in his four outings and all one has got to do is check out his last year card, marked by stark contrast. I'm very confident he could hit 68-69m when the season picks up and if he can pull that in London he will have as good a shout as anyone for a medal.

Incidentally, I saw that Sophie Hitchon reached 71.61 in both her last couple of attempts in the results. I don't know whether that's some mistake but if it is so that'd be very impressive.

[norunner]

Actually, Okoye looks to establish himself steadily as an outside medal contender and is also building the consistency he was missing last season into his performances. So far he has thrown 62.48, 62.27, 66.67 and 66.25 in his four outings and all one has got to do is check out his last year card, marked by stark contrast. I'm very confident he could hit 68-69m when the season picks up and if he can pull that in London he will have as good a shout as anyone for a medal.

Last year, Okoye didn't throw in the US early in the season, so there really is no comparison. I think you underestimate the favourable conditions in La Jolla, Chula Vista, Salinas etc..
Look at the best results of Eric Cadee for example: 8 out of his 10 best results he achieved in either Chula Vista or La Jolla, and Cadee never even threw over 62 meters at major championships.

[dunedine]

Actually, Okoye looks to establish himself steadily as an outside medal contender and is also building the consistency he was missing last season into his performances. So far he has thrown 62.48, 62.27, 66.67 and 66.25 in his four outings and all one has got to do is check out his last year card, marked by stark contrast. I'm very confident he could hit 68-69m when the season picks up and if he can pull that in London he will have as good a shout as anyone for a medal.

Last year, Okoye didn't throw in the US early in the season, so there really is no comparison. I think you underestimate the favourable conditions in La Jolla, Chula Vista, Salinas etc..
Look at the best results of Eric Cadee for example: 8 out of his 10 best results he achieved in either Chula Vista or La Jolla, and Cadee never even threw over 62 meters at major championships.

I don't underestimate anything and, further, Okoye's best mark of 66.67m was set at the MtSAC and none of the venues you mentioned above.

[bushop]

London 2012 - Jegede: I'm buzzing for a medal
Fri, 27 Apr 15:29:00 2012
"Jegede believes the atmosphere would have helped him finish on the podium, although he insists reaching it at London 2012 will more than make up for this disappointment."

[dunedine]

Flurry of Olympic qualifiers for London by the Brits at Stanford:

As
Men
1500m Andy Baddeley 3:35.19 (WL)
5000m Chris Thompson 13:15.21, Tom Farrell 13:15.31 (PB)
Women
5000m Barbara Parker 15:14.26 (PB), Steph Twell 15:15.24
10000m Julia Bleasdale 31:29.57 (debut)

Bs
Men
1500m David Bishop 3:37.51 (PB), Chris O'Hare 3:37.95 (PB)
Women
10000m Charlotte Purdue 32:03.55 (PB)

Also, U23 Chris Clarke, the 400m man, tied the Olympic B in the 200m (20.65) at the Steve Scott Invitational.

[mump boy]

Flurry of Olympic qualifiers for London by the Brits at Stanford:

As
Men
1500m Andy Baddeley 3:35.19 (WL)
5000m Chris Thompson 13:15.21, Tom Farrell 13:15.31 (PB)
Women
5000m Barbara Parker 15:14.26 (PB), Steph Twell 15:15.24
10000m Julia Bleasdale 31:29.57 (debut)

Bs
Men
1500m David Bishop 3:37.51 (PB), Chris O'Hare 3:37.95 (PB)
Women
10000m Charlotte Purdue 32:03.55 (PB)

Also, U23 Chris Clarke, the 400m man, tied the Olympic B in the 200m (20.65) at the Steve Scott Invitational.

Who's Tom Farrell ?? and that's one hell of a debut from Julie Bleasdale. There is going to be some real comptetish to get on the 10k team with Jo Pavey, Charlotte Purdue, Gemma Steele, Freya Murry

[mump boy]

i just looked Tom Farrell up, he's only 21 this is very impressive

[John G]

i just looked Tom Farrell up, he's only 21 this is very impressive

Farrell was only 21 in March! UK U23 record and #10 on our all-time list.

Bleasdale is #5 on the all-time 10k list for us! Where has that come from? She was a good club runner for years but did she ever show this kind of promise? I see Nick Bideau is coaching her. Hope he can do the same for Andy Vernon (sub-28 this weekend).

[nevetsllim]

Bleasdale ran 34:20.77 for 10,000m in 2005 so it wasn't her debut. Even so, it's a superb breakthrough! I vaguely remember her having some decent performances on the roads in 2005 before disappearing for a few years.

I thought Purdue would run a bit faster seeing as she ran 32:10 for 10km a few weeks ago. I think she can get the A standard though.

[dunedine]

Actually, Julia Bleasdale ran a solo 15:25.62 over the 5K the previous weekend so I was confident she would get the A but not by such a margin, particularly impressed by her aggressive race as she even attempted to take it on around the 8th km.

Add to the above marks Andy Vernon's 27:53.65 over 10K, an Olympic B while Rob Mullett just missed out on the B in the 'chase with a breakthrough 8:32.80.

[72]

Unfortunately Farrell is at Oklahoma College, and any athlete who is part of the American College TF system will be beaten up by the needs of the College and will be made to compete not for his good, for sure.
Last year the very promising Farrell did 13.26 for 5K by May and was f****d by the end of the season and his best for 1500 metres was also very early in the track year by our standards ; by the time the College/ NCAA season is over in June, Farrell will return to the UK and find at 21 he may not be at his best at the British Trials.

[dunedine]

Actually, Tom Farrell is reportedly setting his sights mainly on making the British team in London and thereby has run only two races outdoors so far, while he didn't race as much as he used to in previous seasons indoors either.

[72]

We will see what his College have to say about it. Assuming they take part in the various competitions over the next 6 weeks so it will be most unusual that the Track Coach there makes a special allowance and forgoes potential good points from a 13.15 guy..

[IanS_Liv]

According to the commentators on FloTrack, Tom Farrell is 'redshirting', which I think means passing the collegiate season, this year specifically in order to make the British team. Interestingly they quoted/paraphrased him as saying that he couldn't pass up the chance of a home Olympics, but if the Games had been anywhere else he wouldn't have redshirted.

[lonewolf]

Unfortunately Farrell is at Oklahoma College, and any athlete who is part of the American College TF system will be beaten up by the needs of the College and will be made to compete not for his good, for sure.
Last year the very promising Farrell did 13.26 for 5K by May and was f****d by the end of the season and his best for 1500 metres was also very early in the track year by our standards ; by the time the College/ NCAA season is over in June, Farrell will return to the UK and find at 21 he may not be at his best at the British Trials.

What is this "Oklahoma College"? We have a number of colleges and universities in the state. I have lived her 55 of my 80 years and am not familiar with this one.

[72]

should read Oklahoma State University. Thats where he has been since 2010/2011.