¶2012 OG: m400H–Felix Sanchez (DomR) 47.63

[Marlow]

If Taylor went sub 47.5 why would you be surprised?

Very pleasantly! I just think those days are behind him. Culson's are ahead of him.
But . . . did Culson and KC go too hard for a heat?

[Athleticsimaging]

Aussie Brendan Cole sets a PB of 49.24 in the first heat. Not bad for a morning run at age 30!

Let's hope he can match the momentum of Australian record holder Rohan Robinson who set PBs in the semi and final of 96 games, the latter being the current Australian record of 48.28 for 5th place.

[MightyBurner]

I don't know if the crowd in the final will be anywhere near as loud or as British.

HUH???

Yea this makes no sense whatsoever...

It makes a ton of sense. The people will be older and richer. The older and richer a crowd gets, the less noise they make. There will also probably be a decent number of Jamaicans and Americans. Americans because there are always a ton of them at the Olympics, and Jamaicans because there's always a ton of them anywhere.

[gm]

Brent LaRue, from Arlington Heights, Not Slovenia, runs a great race to PR. Transfer of allegiance paid off.

[tm71]

Just terrible.

Semi-Final 1 is packed, while 3 has no one. Very sad.

Not really because they will go out fast and probably get the two qs. I still think that they should quit using three semi system. Just go from 40 to 16 and have two semis.

[pakillo]

Just terrible.

Semi-Final 1 is packed, while 3 has no one. Very sad.

Not really because they will go out fast and probably get the two qs. I still think that they should quit using three semi system. Just go from 40 to 16 and have two semis.

I hope that will never happen! Unless there is 4 heats (sometimes there is).

[Marlow]

HOLD THE EFFIN PHONE!!
I just watched the video and Clement was ALTERNATING!
That changes EVERYTHING (IMO).

I also saw that AT's usual 'sprint and drift' MO was more by choice and less by attrition.
I'm feeling that last year's Ami debacle in the WC final is not to be repeated.

[toyracer]

Just terrible.

Semi-Final 1 is packed, while 3 has no one. Very sad.

Hopefully that gives the lone Jamaican (in Semi 3) a chance to qualify for the final. Semi-final 1 is going to be interesting to watch.

[Weights&Shoes]

Just terrible.

Semi-Final 1 is packed, while 3 has no one. Very sad.

Not really because they will go out fast and probably get the two qs. I still think that they should quit using three semi system. Just go from 40 to 16 and have two semis.

Always felt this. Much rather a two semi-final system returning, with the top 4 in each advancing.

[Grasshopper]

HOLD THE EFFIN PHONE!!
I just watched the video and Clement was ALTERNATING!
That changes EVERYTHING (IMO).

I also saw that AT's usual 'sprint and drift' MO was more by choice and less by attrition.
I'm feeling that last year's Ami debacle in the WC final is not to be repeated.

I just watched Clement's race and didn't see any alternating, but what I saw was even more surprising (and dangerious - for the others). He held 13-steps the ENTIRE race , which I haven't seen him do in a long time. If he can do that in the final when he's really got the pedal-to-the-medal, then he's certainly a major threat for gold! (and I'm saying that as someone who's not traditionally a Clement fan).

[errolM]

HOLD THE EFFIN PHONE!!
I just watched the video and Clement was ALTERNATING!
That changes EVERYTHING (IMO).

I also saw that AT's usual 'sprint and drift' MO was more by choice and less by attrition.
I'm feeling that last year's Ami debacle in the WC final is not to be repeated.

13s all the way from where I was sitting. Still don't think he's got the technique or discipline to do it properly. Again. Twice...

Semis look like a dogfight, final will be better. Whoever wins will have earned it.

[Weights&Shoes]

Also, the times discussion. Specifically my comment on 47.5 winning? Oh that's out the window with this fast track.

[Flumpy]

I don't know if the crowd in the final will be anywhere near as loud or as British.

HUH???

Yea this makes no sense whatsoever...

It makes a ton of sense. The people will be older and richer. The older and richer a crowd gets, the less noise they make. There will also probably be a decent number of Jamaicans and Americans. Americans because there are always a ton of them at the Olympics, and Jamaicans because there's always a ton of them anywhere.

I don't think you've been to a British sporting event before have you or have any clue about the ticketing system in London.

There will be 70,000 British people cheering for Dai in the final however rich they may or may not be.

[Marlow]

13s all the way from where I was sitting. Still don't think he's got the technique or discipline to do it properly.

Crap! Did my wishful thinking impair my vision? Coulda sworn I saw the last hurdle taken with the 'wrong' leg. Oh well, if he can maintain 13 then that's just as good, cuz he can only do that if he's going fast.

[fromage]

Interestingly, though the crowd support has been amazing the slight majority of non- Brits in the total crowd are drowned out by Brit support; its a simpole fact that a heck of a percentage of the crowd are not British inc the press, the VIPs from all over the world, the foreign ticket holders.

As Flumpy says there is no evidence about the presence of the older richer crowd and even if it was it makes no difference whatsoever to the enthusiastic support you will see for the next 8 days in the Stadium.

[Marlow]

Kool beanz (cept #3)

Semi 1
Kerron Clement
David Greene

Semi 2
Javier Culson
Angelo Taylor

Semi 3
Michael Tinsley
Amaechi Morton

[Grasshopper]

Just for fun, for those of you expecting multiple low-47 times in the final, I'd like to point out that big-PR's are not the norm for the Olympics, especially for those running sub-48. In the past 20 years only 4 sub-48 athletes have run a PR larger than .20 in the Olympic final (Young in '92, Davis and Nylander in '96, Al-Somaily in '00, and Taylor in '08), and 2 of those were newbies in the event. Only 4 of the London competitors have current PR's within .20 of 47.5 (Taylor '08, Clement '05, VanZyl '11, and Sanchez '03), and only 1 of those has run sub-47.70 since the past Olympics (Van Zyl). Here's a recap of the last 5 Olympic finals pointing out those who PR'ed (over their pre-Games PR):

1992 - Barcelona:
1. Kevin Young (USA) - 46.78 WR (PR of .94)
2. Winthrop Graham (JAM) - 47.66 (PR of .12)
3. Kriss Akabusi (GBR) - 47.82 (PR of .04)
4. Stéphane Diagana (FRA) - 48.13 (PR of .42)
5. Niklas Wallenlind (SWE) - 48.63 (PR of .17)
6. Oleg Tverdokhleb (EUN) - 48.63 (PR of 1.17 [over '91 PR, pre-Games '92 results unkown])
7. Stéphane Caristan (FRA) - 48.86 (PR of .41 [over '91 PR, pre-Games '92 results unkown])
8. David Patrick (USA) - 49.26

1996 - Atlanta:
1. Derrick Adkins (USA) - 47.54
2. Samuel Matete (ZAM) - 47.78
3. Calvin Davis (USA) - 47.96 (PR of .36)
4. Sven Nylander (SWE) - 47.98 (PR of .24)
5. Rohan Robinson (AUS) - 48.30 (PR of .59)
6. Fabrizio Mori (ITA) - 48.41
7. Everson Teixeira (BRA) - 48.57 (PR of 1.08 [over '91 PR, pre-Games '92 results unkown])
8. Eronilde de Araujo (BRA) - 48.78

2000 - Sydney:
1. Angelo Taylor (USA) - 47.50 (PR of .12)
2. Hadi Soua'an Al-Somaily (KSA) - 47.53 (PR of .80)
3. Llewellyn Herbert (RSA) - 47.81 (PR of .02)
4. James Carter (USA) - 48.04 (PR of .42)
5. Eronilde Nunes de Araújo (BRA) - 48.34
6. Pawel Januszewski (POL) - 48.44
7. Fabrizio Mori (ITA) - 48.78
8. Gennadiy Gorbenko (UKR) - 49.01 (PR of .65)

2004 - Athens:
1. Felix Sánchez (DOM) - 47.63
2. Danny McFarlane (JAM) - 48.11 (PR of .19)
3. Naman Keïta (FRA) - 48.26
4. James Carter (USA) - 48.58
5. Bayano Kamani (PAN) - 48.74
6. Marek Plawgo (POL) - 49.00
7. Alwyn Myburgh (RSA) - 49.07
8. Bennie Brazell (USA) - 49.51

2008 - Beijing:
1. Angelo Taylor (USA) - 47.25 (PR of .25)
2. Kerron Clement (USA) - 47.98
3. Bershawn Jackson (USA) - 48.06
4. Danny McFarlane (JAM) - 48.30
5. L.J. van Zyl (RSA) - 48.42
6. Marek Plawgo (POL) - 48.52
7. Markino Buckley (JAM) - 48.60
8. Periklís Iakovákis (GRE) - 49.96

[mump boy]

Just for fun, for those of you expecting multiple low-47 times in the final,

Is anyone expecting this ??

[ATK]

Just for fun, for those of you expecting multiple low-47 times in the final,

Is anyone expecting this ??

Yea I would say multiple sub 48's probably 3 looks like the trend which is likely here.

[gibson]

Tinsley won't make the final.

have you seen the heats??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx9fXlq3fcg
i think that Tinsley has fantastic technique
then again look at the bio.
http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographie ... index.html
which is not encouraging in that his 400 open time this year might not be fast enough to win gold in the 400h.
i gotta go with what i see....

gibson picks...
culson gold
green silver
tinsley or clement or taylor for third.
ok i pick tinsley for bronze.

comment - i'm seeing guys line up with what has to be 10% body fat. WTF?
or the gigantic biceps. not good.

bet on the skinny dudes.

[j-a-m]

Greene probably celebrated too much when he heard about Merritt's injury...

[croflash]

Wow... Sanchez. First time he has run under 48 since 2004!

[j-a-m]

KC's timing was completely off approaching one of the last hurdles.

[j-a-m]

Wow... Sanchez. First time he has run under 48 since 2004!

Sanchez looked outstanding.

[Grasshopper]

Greene probably celebrated too much when he heard about Merritt's injury...

[j-a-m]

Also Gordon surprisingly good in 2nd.

[ATK]

Not only did he hit a hurdle on the curve, but he slowed 30 meters out from teh finish. Wow!

WL and his fastest since 2004!

[ATK]

Also Gordon surprisingly good in 2nd.

Huge national record for him, slowing down a bit as well.

[Grasshopper]

Sanchez has been my sentimental favorite all along. The only guy still around that I can say I ran against head-to-head. Hope for old men .

[bruce3404]

Greene probably celebrated too much when he heard about Merritt's injury...

[J2thaD]

Great run by Sanchez

[j-a-m]

Culson sub 48, Taylor in 2nd not far behind.

[ATK]

Looks like more then likely we will see a couple around the 47.5 area. Taylor, Culson and Sanchez and Gordon all looking very comfortable and relaxed running sub 48.

[j-a-m]

Cisneros just slower than Greene, so for now KC and Greene still with a chance.

[Weights&Shoes]

Just WOW at Dai and Jack Greene/Green.