London 2012 Track & Field Predictions

Athletes from over 200 countries have descend on London, England for 10 days of fierce and intense battles in the Athletics segment of the Olympics which is schedule from Friday, August 3^rd  through  Sunday, August 12^th.  Athletes such as Usain Bolt (Jamaica), LaShawn Merritt (USA), and Christine Ohuruogu (Britain), among others, are determined to defend the titles that they won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Since 2008, we have seen the emergence of numerous stars including Yohan Blake (Jamaica), Kirani James (Grenada), Sally Pearson (Australia), and the invincible David Rudisha (Kenya). The London Olympics will offer these athletes and countless others the opportunity of a lifetime to etch their name in the annuls of athletic history and to be forever called “Olympic Champion”.  TrackLedger.com has been following these athletes all season long and could not resist the desire to make the following predictions. 100m Men: This will be a hotly contested event that will feature the Jamaican trio of Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake matching strides with the American duo of  Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin. Trinidad’s Keston Bledman and Richard Thompson along with Derrick Atkins (Bahamas), Kim Collins (St Kitts & Nevis) and newcomer Kemar Hyman (Cayman Island) should all be factors in the finals.  The winner will likely come from the Racers Track Club training partners of Bolt and Blake. Bolt is the reigning 100m Olympic champion, having won the event in 9.69 seconds in 2008 in Beijing. Bolt has a season best of 9.76 seconds which is the 2^nd fastest time in the world this year behind Blake’s 9.75 seconds. However, in their only head-to-head battle at the Jamaican Trials in late June, Blake had an impressive win over a seemingly sluggish Bolt. A relaxed Bolt has been saying the right things to the media and has emphasized that he is indeed ready to defend his 100m title. Bolt may indeed be ready, but we are not totally convinced. Bolt recently admitted that his desire or obsession to improve on his start may be a contributing factor to his sub-par performance at the Jamaican Trials. Also his injury may have resulted in loss of valuable training time in preparing for London. Blake, on the other hand, is undefeated in the 100m this season and is in the best shape of his life. This season, Blake has lowered his personal best from 9.82 to 9.75 seconds and seems to have the potential to go even faster. There is so much upside to Blake who this season seems more motivated, hungry and most importantly, healthier than Bolt. However, based on the “what have you done for me lately” concept, Blake is the logical choice.   With no pressure on him, Asafa should run a loose and relax race and should take the 3^rd place ahead of Gay and Gatlin. Picks: (1) Yohan Blake (2) Usain Bolt (3) Asafa Powell        Upset Alert: Tyson Gay 100m Women: The 2012 season began with American Carmelita Jeter dominating the competition that climax with a season best 10.81 seconds performance at the Jamaican Invitational on May 5^th.  As the season progressed, there was the emergence of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.70) Allyson Felix (10.92), Okagbare Blessing (10.96), Tianna Madison (10.96) and Veronica Campbell-Brown (VCB – 10.82); they are all legitimate contenders to capture the title as the world’s fastest woman. Defending champion Fraser-Pryce, who has the fastest time in the world this year, is in good form lately and should definitely be the one to beat. Fraser-Pryce, who has a bullet start, has improved over the past four years by adding the 200m to her repertoire. Not only does she have a quick start but she now has the strength to hold onto the lead. Kelly-Ann Baptiste (Trinidad) and Kerron Stewart are sure to be in the finals, as both have gone sub-11 this season. Felix, who has focused on the 100m and 200m this season, has dramatically improved on the first phase of her race and she, along with VCB and Jeter, should provide the true test to Fraser-Pryce. Madison and Blessing who have also posted great times this season could also factor in the final outcome. Picks:  (1) Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (2) Allyson Felix (3) Veronica Campbell-Brown 200m Men: The men’s 200m is a toss-up between the Jamaican duo of Usain Bolt, the 100m and 200m world record-holder and trainer partner Yohan Blake. Both men have the two fastest times in the world this year. Blake has the fastest time of 19.80 seconds in this event and has beaten Bolt at the Jamaica Trials in later June. The 200m is Bolt’s favorite event and he has lost only once in this event over the past 4 years. Bolt should be favored to win this event even if he is not 100%. But it is hard press to ignore the presence of Blake, who ran an impressive 19.26 seconds last year. This season, Blake is also undefeated in the 200m coming into the Olympics. Other participants who could be in the finals and could have an impact are Wallace Spearmon Jr. (USA), Christophe Lemaitre (France), Martina Churandy (Netherland Antilles), Rondel Sorrillo (Trinidad), Michael Mathieu (Bahamas) and newcomer Warren Weir (Jamaica). Lemaitre has given up the 100m so as to focus on the 200m and should be ready to compete in the finals. Sorrillo, Mathieu and Weir are not quite ready to challenge Bolt and Blake; that leaves Spearmon, who will be ready and eager for his podium visit after his disqualification for stepping out of his lane in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Picks: (1) Yohan Blake (2) Usain Bolt (3) Wallace Spearmon    200m Women: This will be a very interesting race that should feature the American duo of Carmelita Jeter and Allyson Felix going up against the Jamaican duo of VCB and Fraser-Pryce. Sanya Richards-Ross (USA), Aleksandra Fedoriva (Russia), Semoy Hackett (Trinidad), and Anthonique Strachan (Bahamas) are all set to make the finals. VCB, the defending champion, has worked on her start over the past two years and should be in good shape to defend her title in London. But a focused and determined Allyson Felix who ran a blistering 21.69 seconds at the USA Trials seems to have worked on her start and her first 100m (10.92) and should be on the podium. Fraser-Pryce who established a personal best 22.10 seconds this season seems to have the speed and now the stamina to repel the competition if she has a good start. However, you cannot underestimate the heart of a champion and VCB despite not having her best season, always shows up when it matters. Fedoriva and Richards-Ross could also factor in the final outcome. Picks: (1) Allyson Felix (2) Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (3) Veronica Campbell-Brown     Upset Alert: Richard-Ross 400m Men: The outcome of the men’s 400m seems is predicated on the health of American LaShawn Merritt’s hamstring. LaShawn was having a great undefeated season, setting the world leading time of 44.12 and destroying the competition until suffering a hamstring injury in Monaco few weeks ago. LaShawn injury has opened up the 400m with the likes of Kirani James (Grenada), Luguelin Santos (DominicaRepublic), Tony McQuay (USA), and Byshon Nellum (USA) all ready to step into the spotlight. The reigning world 400m champion James has had an average season in which he raced sparingly with a season best of 44.72 seconds. James is a championship performer and will certainly be on the podium in London. Eighteen-year-old Santos is having a superb season in which he has run several sub-45 and is fresh from capturing the IAAF World Junior 400m title a few weeks ago in Barcelona. At the Adidas GP in NY in June, a confident Santos told TrackLedger.com that he is working on breaking the world record (43.18). McQuay and Nellum will be ready. But the Borlee twins (Kevin and Jonathan) from Belgium cannot be overlooked nor the other young core of runners from the Caribbean including Demetrius Pinder (Bahamas) and Dane Hyatt (Jamaica). The veteran Chris “Fireman” Brown (Bahamas) at age 33, should also be ready for his individual attempt at glory and should make the finals. Under the premise that LaShawn is not at 100%, here are our picks. Picks: (1) Kirani James (2) LaShawn Merritt (3) Luguelin Santos                400m Women: The main contenders for the 400m include Sanya Richards-Ross (USA), Amantle Montsho (Botswana), the Jamaican duo of Novlene Williams-Mills and Rosemarie Whyte, and the Russian trio of Antonina Krivoshapka (49.16) and Yulia Gushchina (49.28) and Tatyana Firova (49.72).  Williams-Mills, who had a great start to the 2012 season beating both Richards-Ross and Montsho, has since cooled-off.  Richards-Ross is in great form and has a season best of 49.28 seconds while Montsho should show up ready to compete. Defending Olympic champion Christine  Ohuruogu (Great Britain) should feel right at home and should enter this event feeling very confident after beating Montsho in the 400m at the London Diamond League two weeks ago. Dee Dee Trotter and Francena McCorory should also make the finals.   Great attention and respect must also be given to the Russian trio. Picks:  (1) Sanya Richards-Ross (2) Antonina Krivoshapka (3) Amantle Montsho 400m Hurdles Women: The women’s 400m is another event that will be very competitive and will feature a number of women who could stand atop the podium. The reigning Olympic champion Melanie Walker will be ready to defend her title and has the propensity to rise to the occasion.Walkerhas a season best of 54.44 seconds had an impressive victory at the Jamaica Trial and should be very hard to beat.Walker’s compatriot Kaliese Spencer (54.39 – SB) is also fully capable of claiming the glory. Spencer who was clearly the best 400m women’s hurdler in the world before her injury last year before the 2011 Daegu world championship has put together a very good 2012 season. But American Lashinda Demus is a fierce competitor and she too always shows up for the big races. Demus, along with Walker and Spencer should battle for the title. However, one cannot underestimate the Russian duo of Natalya Antyukh and Irina Davydova; they both posted lifetime best of 53.81 seconds and 53.40 seconds respectively during the season. American T’Erea Brown (54.81- SB) and the Czech Republic duo of Zuzana Hejnova (54.12 – SB) and Denisa Rosolova (54.24- SB) should also make the finals and could have an impact. Picks:  (1) Melanie Walker (2) Lashinda Demus (3) Kaliese Spencer 400m Hurdles Men: The men’s 400m hurdles in 2012 have been dominated by Puerto Rico’s Javier Culson. Culson is in the midst of a great season; he established the world-leading time of 47.78 seconds and has defeated his main competitors in the process. Culson is in fine form and is the clear favorite to capture this event. His main challenge should come from Great Britain‘s Dai Greene (47.84) and the American duo of Angelo Taylor and Michael Tinsley.  American team captain Taylor at age 33 will be looking to medal in perhaps his last Olympic 400m hurdles event.   Trinidad’s Jehue Gordon and Jamaica’s Leford Green are the best prospect from the Caribbean   to make the finals while the enigmatic American Kerron Clement has the potential to be on the podium.       Picks:  (1) Javier Culson (2) David Greene (3) Angelo Taylor