London Olympics - Men's 100m

How do people seeing the London Olympics Men's 100m playing out?!

There's never been so many athletes running so fast. How might that translate into a race situation?! [ Of course, much of this poresume that a certain set of individuals will successfully make it through to the finals ].

Some links to past key races and events;


See below Jamaica 100m Trials [ 2012 ] [ Still believe something not quite right about Bolt's apparent defeat to Blake to be frank! Late Correction ].

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EmFVDxd8rA

See below - Berlin 100m Final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nbjhpcZ9_g

See below - Beijing 100m Final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYHuylQcF8o

[ Feel like we needed to clean thread on this - as this dicussion was being mixed in with other threads and discussions ].

"Still believe something about Bolt's apparent defeat to Blake to be frank"

how do you mean?

english_osprey wrote:"Still believe something about Bolt's apparent defeat to Blake to be frank"

how do you mean?

Apologies - mean't to say that 'still believe something not quite right about Bolt's defeat to Blake...'

I'm not too excited about the sprints as you can never be sure who is cheating. Don't believe Bolt or Gay are but the rest of them could be. Ironic that he was DQ'd in the World's when it is quite likely other(s) got through thanks to drugs.

teassoc wrote:I'm not too excited about the sprints as you can never be sure who is cheating. Don't believe Bolt or Gay are but the rest of them could be. Ironic that he was DQ'd in the World's when it is quite likely other(s) got through thanks to drugs.

Fair point teassoc. Have to admit I'm sceptical regarding a few of the present crop of prominent sprinters. Gatlin for a start [ his past transgressions say a lot, even if he's not doing any now ]. There are a number of others of course, but won't name names...

But remain highly interested in the sprints as a result of Bolt and Gay [ huge fan of Gay - and Bolt actually ] - DC and especially now with Gemili. Might place a bet on Gemili to make the 100m final

teassoc

"Don't believe Bolt or Gay are but the rest of them could be"
If you are being ironic then please forgive me but how does that make any logical sense? Are you seriously suggesting the rest of the track world are cheating and are still miles behind bolts clean pb? Where do you think they would be if they were clean then?

"Might place a bet on Gemili to make the 100m final"
Yeah...Here's a better idea. Send me half the money you were going to bet and you keep the other half. That way you only lose half your money.

english_osprey wrote:
"Might place a bet on Gemili to make the 100m final"
Yeah...Here's a better idea. Send me half the money you were going to bet and you keep the other half. That way you only lose half your money.

Leave me your address - and there'll be 50p winging it's way out to you

english_osprey wrote:teassoc

"Don't believe Bolt or Gay are but the rest of them could be"
If you are being ironic then please forgive me but how does that make any logical sense? Are you seriously suggesting the rest of the track world are cheating and are still miles behind bolts clean pb? Where do you think they would be if they were clean then?

Didn't mean all of them.

There are 6 athletes easily capable of running sub9.9.in the final.

5 of them capable of running sub9.8.

3 of them possibly capable of going sub9.7?!

( Presuming of course all the top sprinters make the final. )

It will likely take sub10s to ensure of a place in the final. If any Brit wants to be in that final, they're going to do something spectacular. Worth noting, DC made the Berlin World's final, and should've made the Daegu final too. The world's usually being as eagerly and fiercely contested as the Olympics. So its possible. But this year, the 100m is stacked. Just making the final will be a huge feat in itself. Still not writing Dwain off, but looking tough on present form. Very tough. But there is now Gemili. Genuine talent, leaving genuine cause for hope

Optimistic regarding gemilli making the final SJ! Would probly require a pb to even have a chance. Weather permitting we could be looking at the first mens 100m(i think) where sub 10 has been necessary just to make the final!

lfc91 wrote:Optimistic regarding gemilli making the final SJ! Would probly require a pb to even have a chance. Weather permitting we could be looking at the first mens 100m(i think) where sub 10 has been necessary just to make the final!

I note your qualifying phrase "weather permitting" ... this being London , not sure I'd be putting money on a super fast final even with all those speedy chaps...should be a cracking race though.

lfc91 wrote:Optimistic regarding gemilli making the final SJ! Would probly require a pb to even have a chance. Weather permitting we could be looking at the first mens 100m(i think) where sub 10 has been necessary just to make the final!

I think we can agree on that. However he'd be in with a chance if better conditions, favorable wind, faster track and perhaps most important a home games allow him a small improvement. Could be the best European on show.

"Optimistic regarding gemilli making the final"

Assuming that Team GB has its own slightly downhill lane, then I'm optimistic too

EO i meant that as in SJ was being optimistic regarding gemilli making the final, sorry for the confusion!

The 100m is stacked. It's going to be very hard to get into that final. There are possibly only 2 places available [ given we think there are probably 5 or 6 who we might all agree are too fast not to make the final ].

Regarding Gemili, I think it's not unrealistic that he might run a PB out there in London. If he does push for a PB [ and there's a BBC Article posted already, where he talks about going faster but understands how hard it's going to be ] - the question is, at what point in the event / rounds should he make that kind of effort?! At what point should he really push himself?!

The answer is obvious, to me anyway, and is the Semi's. The first two rounds are well within his capabilities.

It's a question of how he handles himself throughout in terms of his pschological state and approach; he has the natural ability to make the Semi's...if he can make the Semi's [ again, feel this is well within his grasp ], then it is a possibility. That's not the same as saying he should make the final. But to suggest that he has the natural talent / ability to do it. And that if he did it, it wouldn't be a fluke. But we all know it's going to be hard. Very hard. He will need to keep it simple. Take it round by round.

Regardless of what happens, it's great to be able to speculate about possibilties heading into the Olympics. Otherwise, what would we have to talk about?! Injuries to athletes?! Why Black athletes are faster than white?! How come Ben Johnson got caught?!

Well SJ i think he proved with that pb in the world juniors final that he can perform on the big stage, question is can he perform on the biggest stage of them all! Agreed that if he makes the semis that would be the time to push for a pb. Either way would be nice to have 2 guys in the semis at a major champs, rather than DC flying the flag alone.

lfc91 wrote:Well SJ i think he proved with that pb in the world juniors final that he can perform on the big stage, question is can he perform on the biggest stage of them all! Agreed that if he makes the semis that would be the time to push for a pb. Either way would be nice to have 2 guys in the semis at a major champs, rather than DC flying the flag alone.

In complete agreemeent Ifc91

I think I mentioned this earlier but he couldn't beat DC in the trials despite having a much faster PB.
I think the pressure got to him there and will do again in London. Unsurprising considering his age.
Hope I'm wrong though

I dont think he will make the final, however, I do see him making the semis, and if he does so I think we should all be very proud of what he has achieved. It must be difficult for him having to peak for the worlds and then a few weeks later for the olympics. I think that running against faster men consistently is one thing that will make him run faster. The being 'dragged along' option should see him do well

hey strawberry

Fair play to you. Gemilli would have made made the final if half the finalists hadn't been ped'd to the eyeballs!

EO

Did you watch the semi's?!

He was mighty close. 3rd in his semi. In fact, he missed out by being too cautious with his start Cost him a place in the final and possibly a sub10 clocking. You could see his disappointment when he was interviewed minutes later - he knew he got close.

If he can work on his start, then he'll be in with a very real chance of making Olympic and World finals on a regular basis - and perhaps eventually become British and European 100m Record holder in the coming years.

Good luck to the fella

And to you EO