¶2012 OG: m110H–Aries Merritt (US) 12.92 (6=, x W)

[dj]

T&FN formchart advancers to final

1. Aries Merritt (USA)
2. Xiang Liu (China)
3. Jason Richardson (USA)
4. Dayron Robles (Cuba
5. Sergey Shubenkov (Russia)
6. Orlando Ortega (Cuba)
7. Jeff Porter (USA)
8. Garfield Darien (France)
9. Andrew Riley (Jamaica)
10. Hansle Parchment (Jamaica)

Also Advancing to Final
Ryan Brathwaite (Barbados)
Lawrence Clarke (Great Britain)
Lehan Fourie (South Africa)

[Marlow]

T&FN formchart
1. Aries Merritt (USA)
2. Xiang Liu (China)
3. Jason Richardson (USA)
4. Dayron Robles (Cuba)

There's a real good reason why any of these guys can win. Richardson is my sentimental favorite.

[slowjo]

By sentimental I think you mean cos he is American!

The sentimental fav has got to be Liu.And I hope he wins!

[Weights&Shoes]

Richardson said in an interview he feels it'll take a WR to win the race. I doubt that, but if so, I can't see him winning. But then again I kind of do because I can't see that final being clean. Someone will crash or knock a hurdle putting them out of the race.

[Jackaloupe]

Here's a curious quote from JR, pasted from the article on the Home Page: "Richardson said he had been training with the renowned coach John Smith on the 'drive and transition' phase crucial for any sprinter or hurdler.
"I'm working with one of pioneers of the drive phase, John Smith," he said.
"You have to realise you have to have a give and take in the sprints. You can stand upright and be at maximum velocity but you will pay for it at the end because you don't have the momentum attached to sustain that level."

It's surprising to see a student of JS hold such basic confusion of the concept of momentum: MV, so the heavier body/object has more momentum, a direct function of speed. So all the athlete can do is attain maximum velocity soonest, by means of superior acceleration. No way they're separate concepts; and forget about any "maximum velocity" right out of the blocks, certainly not by "stand(ing) upright". The idea is to keep driving until you've accelerated to the max, usually some 30-40m down the track--which places special limitations on the Hurdles, what with the first one being a scant 15m away, right in the middle of the "normal" sprint acceleration phase. I'd love to see some empirical data on Acceleration of Hurdlers over the first 2-3 hurdles; lots of implications for subtle shifts of form.
Maybe Aries Merritt has the concept clearer, and will demonstrate in nailing Gold and that inevitable WR--unless London weather has its say. [As GH pointed out, that less dense damp air could be an advantage, depending on Temp.

[Marlow]

By sentimental I think you mean cos he is American!

Nah, Merritt is the top Ami.
Richardson because he backed into the Gold last year.
Plus he's a very likeable, intelligent, articulate guy.

[Pelpa]

Can we say "110m hurdles" & "100m hurdles" and leave it at that or is it absolutely necessary to add the "M" or "W"? Anyway...as is always expected, there will major upsets in this race (110hurdles)...look out for the hungry Aires and under the radar Parchment.

[Marlow]

under the radar Parchment.

Yeah, he's the paper favorite . . .

[dj]

Can we say "110m hurdles" & "100m hurdles" and leave it at that or is it absolutely necessary to add the "M" or "W"? Anyway...as is always expected, there will major upsets in this race (110hurdles)...look out for the hungry Aires and under the radar Parchment.

Certainly we could. But I find it's easier to search for something weeks from now if I have more data points. Come September, if I want to find all the women's events I'm searching for "2012 OG: w." Makes life much simpler.

[Pelpa]

Got yah..."Indexing Pelpa, its elementary"

[EPelle]

Olympic Record: 12,91 (+0,3), Liu Xiang, CHN, Athens 2004

2008 Results: G-Dayron Robles, CUB, 12.93 (+0,1); S-David Payne, USA, 13,17; B-David Oliver, USA, 13,18
================================================================================

[Jackaloupe]

Richardson because he backed into the Gold last year.
Plus he's a very likeable, intelligent, articulate guy.Marlow

Yeah, he was very articulate as he carefully--and wrongly--made a fine distinction between Speed and what he called Momentum (See above). He's obviously smart enough to both understand the concept(s) and apply them to the Hurdles. Wish he'd picked up on my point of Hurdlers needing to clear hurdles well before the "normal" max. Velocity point, i.e. to what point does acceleration actually continue (at the World Class level).

BTW, Note the recent tendency of World Class Hurdlers tweaking their first hurdle approach: taking 7 steps instead of the 8 that many Sprinter types (that aren't lanky) have used, presumably a combo of wanting the quick steps during acceleration and favoring a given lead leg vis-a-vis which leg is forward in the blocks. Obviously, a switch entails changing the blocks, NOT lead leg.

[110hedgeNYC]

110 hurdles will be one of, if not the best, races of the games.

this is a really deep event right now.

[Marlow]

Wish he'd picked up on my point of Hurdlers needing to clear hurdles well before the "normal" max.

Was he asleep in your class AGAIN?!

[ATK]

This race really isnt as deep as I would have expected with Liu, Merrit and Richardson the real top 3. Robles really is a complete question mark, (his SB and last race was may?) but he brings that excitement of possibly winning or not even finishing.

Any updates on what he has been up to?

[Jackaloupe]

Was he asleep in your class AGAIN?! OK, maybe I asked for it with all the technical pedantry, but I obviously meant that, if JR was going to get into such nuances as Max. Speed and where, instead of going off on some (mistaken) tangent, he might've addressed whether Hurdlers can continue to accelerate beyond the first hurdles, or is that's it. Aren't you curious, or is it more important to put yer fellow TafNuts in their place? And is that place bowing, if not cowering to veteral Posters?

[Marlow]

Aren't you curious, or is it more important to put yer fellow TafNuts in their place? And is that place bowing, if not cowering to veteral Posters?

Oh dear, I sincerely apologize. My humor (sic) can indeed come off as dismissive, but that was not my intent at all. I am indeed curious.

[Vielleicht]

Words from his coach are Liu Xiang got a "slight" foot discomfort but should be okay by the race.

[croflash]

This race really isnt as deep as I would have expected with Liu, Merrit and Richardson the real top 3. Robles really is a complete question mark, (his SB and last race was may?) but he brings that excitement of possibly winning or not even finishing.

Any updates on what he has been up to?

Not as deep? This is one of the best fields ever, if not the best. What did you expect?

[ATK]

This race really isnt as deep as I would have expected with Liu, Merrit and Richardson the real top 3. Robles really is a complete question mark, (his SB and last race was may?) but he brings that excitement of possibly winning or not even finishing.

Any updates on what he has been up to?

Not as deep? This is one of the best fields ever, if not the best. What did you expect?

After the top 3 there is a huge drop off. Look at the 100mH, mens and womens 100, 400, mens long, mens 5k, womens 15. And tons more. When you only have 3 guys who are at the top, that's not deep, when you have a bunch who all have a good chance to win it, that's deep.

[croflash]

This race really isnt as deep as I would have expected with Liu, Merrit and Richardson the real top 3. Robles really is a complete question mark, (his SB and last race was may?) but he brings that excitement of possibly winning or not even finishing.

Any updates on what he has been up to?

Not as deep? This is one of the best fields ever, if not the best. What did you expect?

After the top 3 there is a huge drop off. Look at the 100mH, mens and womens 100, 400, mens long, mens 5k, womens 15. And tons more. When you only have 3 guys who are at the top, that's not deep, when you have a bunch who all have a good chance to win it, that's deep.

Then your definition of depth is flawed. It's about quality AND quantity, not the the latter regardless of the standard. It's silly to say there is better depth in the men's long jump when nobody has been able to assert himself. Depth is not defined by 30 guys jumping the same average distance. The level in the m100H as as high as in any event, it just happens that there are a couple of athletes who could break the world record or come close to it. Then, on top of that, you add several really good athletes who have run fast times this year. And I wouldn't be so fast to count out Robles.

[ATK]

Then your definition of depth is flawed. It's about quality AND quantity, not the the latter regardless of the standard. It's silly to say there is better depth in the men's long jump when nobody has been able to assert himself. Depth is not defined by 30 guys jumping the same average distance. The level in the m100H as as high as in any event, it just happens that there are a couple of athletes who could break the world record or come close to it. Then, on top of that, you add several really good athletes who have run fast times this year. And I wouldn't be so fast to count out Robles.

I half dressage with you.
I would argue that 90% of the time and Olympic final is quality. But quality does not have to be close to the WR or anything like that.

Before 2011, no woman in the 100m hurdles was close to the world record, but it would be hard to find a field that wasn't deep. No woman in the 400m will come anywhere near the WR, but that field is deep. Same in the men's 400m.

There are 3 hurdlers who are expected to win/medal. If one of them didn't, that would be a surprise to most. That does not look like depth to me.
(I don't count Robles for now since his chances of winning are about as equal with his chances of a DNF. If healthy though yes he is the 4th)

[ATK]

See the womens 400m for an example of a deep race without fast times.

[GDAWG]

Right now, this event is America's best shot at a gold medal in the Men's part of Track and Field...until the decathlon.

[Weights&Shoes]

ROUND 1 START-LIST:

110 Metres Hurdles - M Heats
Qual. rule: first 3 of each heat (Q) plus the 6 fastest times (q) qualified.

Heat 1:

2 1979 Konstadínos Douvalídis [GREECE]
3 1421 Paulo Villar [COLOMBIA]
4 1748 Garfield Darien [FRANCE]
5 1884 David Ilariani [GEORGIA]
6 1894 Matthias Bühler [GERMANY]
7 1358 Dongpeng Shi [PR OF CHINA]
8 1136 Adrien Deghelt [BELGIUM]
9 2829 Sergey Shubenkov [RUSSIA]

Heat 2:

1 1326 Ronald Forbes [CAYMAN ISLANDS]
2 3246 Jason Richardson [UNITED STATES]
3 1162 Maksim Lynsha [BELARUS]
4 2744 Enrique Llanos [PUERTO RICO]
5 2707 João Carlos Almeida [PORTUGAL]
6 1804 Lawrence Clarke [GREAT BRITAIN & N.I.]
7 3042 Wayne Davis [TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO]
8 2081 Rohollah Asgari [ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN]
9 2185 Andrew Riley [JAMAICA]

Heat 3:

1 1110 Shamar Sands [BAHAMAS]
2 1750 Ladji Doucouré [FRANCE]
3 2445 Kame Ali [MADAGASCAR]
4 1477 Orlando Ortega [CUBA]
5 1829 Andrew Pozzi [GREAT BRITAIN & N.I.]
6 2827 Konstantin Shabanov [RUSSIA]
7 3050 Mikel Thomas [TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO]
8 2182 Hansle Parchment [JAMAICA]
9 1890 Erik Balnuweit [GERMANY]

Heat 4:

1 1128 Greggmar Swift [BARBADOS]
2 3245 Jeff Porter [UNITED STATES]
3 2421 Ahmad Hazer [LEBANON]
4 2781 Lehann Fourie [SOUTH AFRICA]
5 2381 Fawaz Al-Shammari [KUWAIT]
6 1906 Alexander John [GERMANY]
7 1740 Dimitri Bascou [FRANCE]
8 2742 Héctor Cotto [PUERTO RICO]
9 1478 Dayron Robles [CUBA]

Heat 5:

1 2127 Emanuele Abate [ITALY]
2 1363 Wenjun Xie [PR OF CHINA]
3 1125 Ryan Brathwaite [BARBADOS]
4 2038 Ronald Bennett [HONDURAS]
5 2805 Aleksey Dremin [RUSSIA]
6 2044 Dániel Kiss [HUNGARY]
7 3236 Aries Merritt [UNITED STATES]
8 2028 Jeffrey Julmis [HAITI]
9 2183 Richard Phillips [JAMAICA]

Heat 6:

1 2909 Moussa Dembele [SENEGAL]
2 1126 Shane Brathwaite [BARBADOS]
3 2040 Balázs Baji [HUNGARY]
4 1356 Xiang Liu [PR OF CHINA]
5 2664 Artur Noga [POLAND]
6 1633 Jackson Quiñónez [SPAIN]
7 1840 Andrew Turner [GREAT BRITAIN & N.I.]
8 2548 Gregory Sedoc [NETHERLANDS]
9 2572 Selim Nurudeen [NIGERIA]

[Grasshopper]

Right now, this event is America's best shot at a gold medal in the Men's part of Track and Field...until the decathlon.

Uh, how about men's TJ. Christian Taylor is current world champion and has the world lead, followed closely by Will Claye, also of the USA. Unless I'm out-of-the-loop on something, with Idowu injured they've got to be considered heavy co-favorites.

[GDAWG]

Right now, this event is America's best shot at a gold medal in the Men's part of Track and Field...until the decathlon.

Uh, how about men's TJ. Christian Taylor is current world champion and has the world lead, followed closely by Will Claye, also of the USA. Unless I'm out-of-the-loop on something, with Idowu injured they've got to be considered heavy co-favorites.

Isn't this before the TJ? Or is decathlon after the TJ?

[Grasshopper]

Right now, this event is America's best shot at a gold medal in the Men's part of Track and Field...until the decathlon.

Uh, how about men's TJ. Christian Taylor is current world champion and has the world lead, followed closely by Will Claye, also of the USA. Unless I'm out-of-the-loop on something, with Idowu injured they've got to be considered heavy co-favorites.

Isn't this before the TJ? Or is decathlon after the TJ?

Oh, you might be right (Dec before TJ). I'm not sure off the top of my head. My bad, I didn't understand that you were referring to chronologically.

[GDAWG]

Right now, this event is America's best shot at a gold medal in the Men's part of Track and Field...until the decathlon.

Uh, how about men's TJ. Christian Taylor is current world champion and has the world lead, followed closely by Will Claye, also of the USA. Unless I'm out-of-the-loop on something, with Idowu injured they've got to be considered heavy co-favorites.

Isn't this before the TJ? Or is decathlon after the TJ?

Oh, you might be right (Dec before TJ). I'm not sure off the top of my head. My bad, I didn't understand that you were referring to chronologically.

According to IAAF site, Dec starts Wednesday and ends on Thursday and Triple Jump finals on Thursday.

[110hedgeNYC]

whoever said this isn't a deep field is egregiously wrong.

this is a very deep field.

There are 4-5 guys capable of going sub 13, then another 7-8 capable of sub 13.20.

Beyond Merritt, Liu, Richardson, Robles, look for possible great performances from:

the other Cuban
Darian of France
Shubenkov, Russia - dangerous
Noga, Poland
Braithwaite, Barbados
3 Brits will be inspired.
2 Jamaicans

Weather forecast looks reasonably good for Wednesday, so look for 13.15 or faster in order to make the final.

And, sub 12.95 to even get on podium.

[shivfan]

Actually, it's a bit chilly this morning, probably the chilliest morning of the Games so far....

That said, the weather report looks encouraging for the rest of the week.

[j-a-m]

Shubenkov 13.26

[Weights&Shoes]

Yup, chilly. People wearing sweaters and cardigans in the crowd. Don't think it's that chilly though.

[Weights&Shoes]

Good lord, Jason Richardson flyiiiiiing. 13.33

[j-a-m]

Good lord, Jason Richardson flyiiiiiing. 13.33

Richardson looked way more relaxed than the first heat winner, Shubenkov.