London DL: w100H—Wells beats Pearson

[shivfan]

Did Tiffany Porter injure herself badly?

It looks like she carried something into the race, and may have aggravated it....

She's since said she will be fit for the Olympics, but we'll see....

She probably should've done what Idowu did, and withdrew.

[GDAWG]

Dawn Harper looking to make history:

http://www.foxsportswest.com/07/13/12/H ... eedID=7972

There's no possible way that she'll be ignored if she wins a second straight gold medal correct? She would be in elite company in USA Track and Field if that happens (Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Jackie Joyner Kersee).

And I picked Porter to win the Bronze medal. I may have to change that. I don't know to who though.

[ATK]

And I picked Porter to win the Bronze medal. I may have to change that. I don't know to who though.

I want to pick her for a medal as well, but Pearson, Wells, and Harper look to be the top 3 that stand out to me.

[Flumpy]

But I'm not biased against her because of her nationality, why would you be biased against British athletes because of mine?

Don't be the "British jammin", Flumpy. Don't do it.

I don't even know what that means

[Flumpy]

And I picked Porter to win the Bronze medal. I may have to change that. I don't know to who though.

Me too. Apart from Sally everyone is so close.

[DCSIGMA]

And I picked Porter to win the Bronze medal. I may have to change that. I don't know to who though.

Me too. Apart from Sally everyone is so close.

Don't 4get about Bridget Foster Hylton...

[Speedster]

I will assume people aren't atributting Pearsons loss to the weather. That wouldn't make sense.

Can't speak for other people; what I meant is that a loss in the same location the OGs take place, in weather that's not untypical for that location, would concern me MORE than a loss in another location. That being said, haven't actually seen this race yet.

Sally got beaten, end of story, Wells ran well in both rounds and came through to win just off her PB. It wasn't a massive margin and following Sally's fall prior to the heat, maybe she will be ok with the narrow loss, though I know no one likes losing, especially this close to the Games.

The BBC coverage stated that Porter didn't go over many hurdles in warm up so its likely that the issue was already there before her race. Makes me wonder why she even started in less than ideal conditions or what there was to prove? I hope she makes it back in time, she has three weeks though a back injury for a hurdler is a tough one.

[GDAWG]

And I picked Porter to win the Bronze medal. I may have to change that. I don't know to who though.

I want to pick her for a medal as well, but Pearson, Wells, and Harper look to be the top 3 that stand out to me.

We could see three straight Olympics where the prohibitive favorite failed to medal and the gold medal winner is a least likely winner from the United States. We'll see whether or not Wells can shock the world like Harper did four years ago and like Joanna Hayes did in Athens 8 years ago.

8 years ago, the favorite was Perdita Felicien. She fell and did not finish the race. Neither did the favorite from Beijing, Lolo Jones.

[odelltrclan]

8 years ago, the favorite was Perdita Felicien. She fell and did not finish the race. Neither did the favorite from Beijing, Lolo Jones.

Are you sure about this? Seems to me that Lolo finished the race after stumbling, not falling.

[GDAWG]

8 years ago, the favorite was Perdita Felicien. She fell and did not finish the race. Neither did the favorite from Beijing, Lolo Jones.

Are you sure about this? Seems to me that Lolo finished the race after stumbling, not falling.

That's right, she finished. Still though, much like Felicien was heading into Athens, she was the favorite, but it was one of the other Americans (in this case it was Dawn Harper) to win the gold medal. Pearson can either break the trend and make winning the gold medal look easy, or for the third straight Olympics, an unlikely American (Kellie Wells) comes away with the gold.

There are no locks in Track and Field at the Olympics this year....except David Rudisha.

[ATK]

That's right, she finished. Still though, much like Felicien was heading into Athens, she was the favorite, but it was one of the other Americans (in this case it was Dawn Harper) to win the gold medal. Pearson can either break the trend and make winning the gold medal look easy, or for the third straight Olympics, an unlikely American (Kellie Wells) comes away with the gold.

There are no locks in Track and Field at the Olympics this year....except David Rudisha.

Why do you think Wells is an unlikely American? Would you be surprised if she wins?
She is #3 in the world and has only lost to #1 Pearson, #2 Foster-Hylton and the OG champ/undefeated this year Dawn Harper.

[Blues]

But I'm not biased against her because of her nationality, why would you be biased against British athletes because of mine?

Don't be the "British jammin", Flumpy. Don't do it.

I don't even know what that means

I think you do Flumpy. From now on, I think maybe we should refer to you as either Flammmin, after his now infamous original persona, or Flotorious, after one of his more recent personas.. "greatbritain50" doesn't have as unique a ring to it, and the nic would emulate one of his "slightly more sedated" personas, so that's been eliminated from consideration... j/k

[Flumpy]

I genuinely have no idea what you're going on about

[Blues]

I genuinely have no idea what you're going on about

I was joking. But jammmin/notorious/etc. has become infamous in track and field discussion groups over the years for his blatantly anti-USA and pro-Jamaican propaganda, and for seemingly jumping at the chance to criticize US athletes regardless of whether the facts backed up his criticisms or not.. It was just that your comments and personal wishes regarding US athlete Kellie Wells reminded me of some of his posts.

[ExCoastRanger]

I will assume people aren't atributting Pearsons loss to the weather. That wouldn't make sense.

I could see where the combination of crappy conditions and a pre-race crash could rattle the athlete a bit, or make her a little tentative and throw off her timing.

[ATK]

I will assume people aren't atributting Pearsons loss to the weather. That wouldn't make sense.

I could see where the combination of crappy conditions and a pre-race crash could rattle the athlete a bit, or make her a little tentative and throw off her timing.

Saying the weather had anything to do with it makes no sense because everyone runs in the same conditions. Her pre race crash is a different story.

[ExCoastRanger]

Crappy conditions and a crash are a lousy combination. In the big picture, to go through it and come out pretty good is probably good experience to have.

[GDAWG]

That's right, she finished. Still though, much like Felicien was heading into Athens, she was the favorite, but it was one of the other Americans (in this case it was Dawn Harper) to win the gold medal. Pearson can either break the trend and make winning the gold medal look easy, or for the third straight Olympics, an unlikely American (Kellie Wells) comes away with the gold.

There are no locks in Track and Field at the Olympics this year....except David Rudisha.

Why do you think Wells is an unlikely American? Would you be surprised if she wins?
She is #3 in the world and has only lost to #1 Pearson, #2 Foster-Hylton and the OG champ/undefeated this year Dawn Harper.

She would be an unlikely American to win gold in the eyes of the media who cover this sport. I believe in their predictions, this site had Pearson, Harper and Foster-Hilton as the medalists. I would not be surprised if she wins, but I think a lot of people who cover the sport would be.

[leoesharkey]

There are no locks in T & F at the Olympics

[Speedster]

Update from the Pearson camp:
http://www.news.com.au/sport/london-oly ... 6426628382

[26mi235]

To me, Pearson is the best hurdler out there, which combines with her very good speed (Lolo might be as fast or even faster but is not the technician Sally is and who is?). Her technique makes her the most reliable in poor weather. However, 'more reliable' is still a bit iffy in poor weather when you are hurdling fast because the constraints are so tight.

Both women ran great times both in the Heats and the Final in those conditions. Normally, a time like 12.59 in those conditions would blow away the field, but Kelly Wells was only 0.03 slower in that Final (and 0.01 came from the start/RT, which was superb for both in both the Heat and the Final at 0.12x and 0.13x).

It is going to be tough on a number of very good hurdlers because they appear to face a very in-form Wells in addition to the almost unbeatable Pearson as well as the very deep field.

[mump boy]

I genuinely have no idea what you're going on about

I was joking. But jammmin/notorious/etc. has become infamous in track and field discussion groups over the years for his blatantly anti-USA and pro-Jamaican propaganda, and for seemingly jumping at the chance to criticize US athletes regardless of whether the facts backed up his criticisms or not.. It was just that your comments and personal wishes regarding US athlete Kellie Wells reminded me of some of his posts.

But his comments had nothing to do with her being American !!

[MightyBurner]

Anyone else thinking that this is looking really good for Dawn?

[maroon]

Anyone else thinking that this is looking really good for Dawn?

looking good for anybody in the final. and the u.s. athlete to watch out for is lolo jones. she is going to be very confident if she is in the finals.

[MightyBurner]

What has Lolo Jones done outdoors since 2008 to say that she's going to factor?

[maroon]

What has Lolo Jones done outdoors since 2008 to say that she's going to factor?

she made the team, barely. same thing harper did in 2008.

[beebee]

What has Lolo Jones done outdoors since 2008 to say that she's going to factor?

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING...IT IS A WET DREAM TO SUGGEST THAT SHE WILL SOMEHOW VAULT OVER MANY LADIES CONSISTENTLY BETTER THAN SHE.
Americans Wells and Harper are clearly far better than Lolo..

And Wells is way sexier

Yeah I know that this fact pisses off you people conditioned to believe that European beauty concepts are the standard barer of what constitutes beauty. I don't buy into that anti-diversity b.s.

[Alan Shank]

And Wells is way sexier

Yeah I know that this fact pisses off you people conditioned to believe that European beauty concepts are the standard barer

Please tell me you did that on purpose! >:-)

And, to Marlow, with two marks for Ostapchuk better than Adams', I do not predict, but I WOULD bet on Adams.

I can see Rudisha possibly losing to Aman; the scenario is: he decides to go for a fast time, is just not at his best that day, runs of out gas and gets nipped by Aman, as he did at the end of last season. Unlikely, but...
Cheers,
Alan Shank
Woodland, CA, USA

[Blues]

I genuinely have no idea what you're going on about.

I was joking. But jammmin/notorious/etc. has become infamous in track and field discussion groups over the years for his blatantly anti-USA and pro-Jamaican propaganda, and for seemingly jumping at the chance to criticize US athletes regardless of whether the facts backed up his criticisms or not.. It was just that your comments and personal wishes regarding US athlete Kellie Wells reminded me of some of his posts.

But his comments had nothing to do with her being American !!

Maybe, maybe not... But Flump's public wishes for misfortune for a successful American athlete, based solely on association with no evidence of any wrongdoing by her, and when she has no history of PED violations, didn't seem to exhibit much fairness or tolerance. And since it was coming from a non-American, it was reminiscent of a jammmin/notorious post.

If Flumpy honestly would have made the same remarks about a British athlete under similar circumstances, then I guess he's not qualified to be the British jammmin. . But his post still seems pretty unfair to Kellie Wells, regardless of who she's coached by, or who one of her Star Athletics teammates might be.

[bekayne]

What has Lolo Jones done outdoors since 2008 to say that she's going to factor?

she made the team, barely. same thing harper did in 2008.

Back in 2008, Harper was one of 7 women within .13 of the world leader going into the Olympics.

[ATK]

What has Lolo Jones done outdoors since 2008 to say that she's going to factor?

The fact that she made the US team is enough to say she will factor.

[110hedgeNYC]

Pearson still the heavy favorite. Wells and Harper will be strong contenders.

Jones will be fortunate to make the final. Her technique is awful. It doesn't appear that she understands what she's doing, or supposed to be doing, technically.

[26mi235]

Pearson still the heavy favorite. Wells and Harper will be strong contenders.

Jones will be fortunate to make the final. Her technique is awful. It doesn't appear that she understands what she's doing, or supposed to be doing, technically.

And it was an absolute fluke that she had a big lead until she hit a hurdle at the end of the 2008 Final...

She runs pretty well for someone with sketchy technique and if she handles the hurdles well can cover ground as fast as Sally. She probably has a better chance of winning than all but three even if some of the others have a better chance of making the Final than she does.

[110hedgeNYC]

yes, Lolo Jones' technique is awful, relative to world class peers. It's erratic, she catches her trail leg far too often. She bashed the 9th hurdle in Bejing because her technique is erratic. She crashes out of a lot of races. This is not because she's not a fighter, or because she doesn't have tremendous raw athleticism and speed - she does - it's because she does not seem capable of mastering more efficient and consistent technique. This may just be her weakness. Wells and Harper are both far more efficient over the hurdle. Pearson is orders of magnitude better technically than Jones - she's also in part because of this, vastly more consistent.

Yes, even great technicians will occasionally crash out of a race. It's the nature of the high hurdles. Jones, however, does it all too often.

It's also obvious watching her that she's dangerously close to hitching a hurdle all the time, her stride pattern and spacing between hurdles is variable (because her hurdle technique is variable), she's not compact, she's not aligned coming off, she's not forward enough over the hurdle, and on and on.

So, given that's she's been doing this at a professional level for a long time, and she's even have the RedBull teams come in and analyze her technique, she still doesn't seem to be able to correct these flaws. It's aggravating to watch her; she could be better. Then again, hurdling is a set of skills. The capacity to learn, internalize and execute technique is not a simple matter of just learning it. The best athletes also have the mental capacity to learn/absorb/execute superior technique (e.g., Robles, Chiang, Merritt, Jack Pierce, Sally Pearson, Tyson Gay, Larry Bird, Tiger Woods, etc.)

[AS]

Wells back to the pack with 12.79 3rd placing in Lucerne??