Bolt - 2016 Olympics

Bolt to perhaps try out new events in 2016

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/aug/23/usain-bolt-long-jump-rio-2016

Usain Bolt could opt for long jump at Rio 2016 Olympics




The world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, has claimed he wants to try out the long jump before the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil. Bolt, the 100m, 200m and 4x100m sprint relay winner at the London 2012 Olympics, was keen to end speculation that he may retire before Rio. However, he claimed he might be competing in different events in four years' time. "It's just about making different goals, there's a lot of things I can do in the sport," Bolt said on Sky News. "My coach wants me to do 400m, I want to try long jump. "I could always try to aim for the records again, so there's different things, but after the season we'll decide what we want to do and work on that next season."

If Bolt were to switch to long jump, he would be following the example of American sprinter Carl Lewis, winner of back-to-back Olympic 100m titles
in 1984 and 1988, who was also a four-times gold medal winner in the long jump from 1984 to 1996. Bolt's long jump idea comes only a week after he claimed he and fellow Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake could play in Australia's Big Bash Twenty20 cricket league with Shane Warne.
Butwhatever he is competing in, Bolt was keen to end speculation that he may retire before the Rio Games as he wants to add to his six Olympic
golds. "Yes, definitely I will be there [in Rio], as long as I'm fit and I'm ready," he said. "It'll be a little bit harder but I'm looking forward to it."

I'd prefer to see Bolt lower his 100m and 200m records a bit before moving onto other events.

He can realistically take the 100m record to low 9.5's - may be even into the 9.4's. At London, ran 9.63 when clearly not at his best and with a cautious start.

In the 200m, there is room there for improvement. Bolt set the world record running into a headwind. At London, in the 200m, came off the bend superfast and well ahead, but just didn't have the fitness to maintain the pace [ as he himself stated after the race ] and in the end did just enough to hold Blake off.

He wants to cement his greatness. But he needs to lower those records and make them untouchable. He knows this. And I suspect in the coming years he will be chasing times a little more, before a possible swtich. He has a chance to revisit those records at Moscow's World Athletics Championships next year - if he can stay fit and healthy.

Got to say though, Bolt saying he wants to try the Long Jump is like a poke in the eye to Carl Lewis.

Bolt has said he's lost respect for Lewis after Lewis insinuated that he was perhaps juiced up. Which is rich considering his own documented transgressions

If Bolt were to try the Long jump, and beat Lewis' PB [ may be even a WR ], I'm sure that'd seriously agrieve Lewis. And for that alone, I'd like to see Bolt try it out Although I don't think he'd have the greatest technique

Do you think bolt is 'juiced up'?

english_osprey wrote:Do you think bolt is 'juiced up'?

We can never say never. Anyone could be discovered to have been cheating - we just don't know. But Bolt's performances, as remarkable as they are, make sense when placed in context; [ as posted previously ], he holds the world junior 200m record at 19.93 - which he set when 17. He also ran 20.13 as a 16 year old.

As a 17 year old, in 2004, well before he had could hone his technique and really harness the potential his physicality offered, he breaks the 20 sec barrier [ running that 19.93 ]. He breaks 20secs again the following year [ 2005 ] running 19.99 [ and also a 20.03 that same year ]. His present achievements make sense in that context - that he's developed and gotten stronger, better and faster, and that his present times and performances are a natural progression.

I think he has the potential to go faster and set times that will remain difficult to beat for some time. If he's genuine about switching events for 2016 - that possibly makes next year his last year for concentrating on the two sprint events, in the way he has done till now; Moscow World Champioinships will be last chance to post some super-fast times [ and beat Blake again, just to put it beyond a doubt ]. After that, if the whole swithcing events thing is to be genuine, he will need a number of seasons to get good at whatever else he wants to do, so that he can genuinely compete at the highest level in Rio.

Lastly, regarding being juiced up, there are other athletes about whom I have greater doubts - but that's for another day

I wluld actually bank on bolt to be an 8.50+ jumper if he focused on it. And a sub 44 second 400m runner if he focused on that. Imagine bolt holding the 100,200,400 and long jump world records all at once!!

lfc91 wrote:I wluld actually bank on bolt to be an 8.50+ jumper if he focused on it. And a sub 44 second 400m runner if he focused on that. Imagine bolt holding the 100,200,400 and long jump world records all at once!!

Bolt wants to cement his legendary status - what you describe, Ifc91, would certainly do it

The idea that Bolt's legacy was anything other than cemented many years ago is ridiculous, to be honest.

I think we can safely write off the 400m talk now. The idea that he'd just stroll to a world record in that was silly to begin with, but is nothing short of lunacy now. He isn't the greatest in the speed endurance department, and clearly isn't that fussed about the 400 in any case.

THe long jump, who knows? It's certainly a more realistic target. But as others have said, if he wants to be a serious force at it by 2016 in Rio, he needs to get going pretty soon. I think one more year concentrating on the sprints, hopefully with a proper winter training program behind him, will see him lower at least one of his world records (I think, as long as he does it in the next twelve months before he slips past his sprinting peak, he's capable of c. 9.54 in the 100 and something like 19.14 in the 200). After that, by all means I'd be interested to see how he gets on in the long jump.

I have a feeling Bolt won't do much in the way of long jumping. I think his legs look a little on the spindly side and not sure if his body and mind is robust enough to take the toll as it's a physically tough event.

I have a feeling he may just fade a little before Rio and perhaps get frustrated. The alarm bells sounded when he said he couldn't pull away in the 200m straight the way he wanted to because he wasn't "fit enough". However it's pretty impressive to still win the gold despite that. I think he might scrape a relay gold in Rio though but others will overtake him but not necessarily take his records.

"Do you think bolt is 'juiced up'?"

If he is juicing he would be the most stupid man in the world.

First he doesnt need juice to beat the rest of the field.

Secondly if he is juicing and is caught - he would lose is legacy and also all that $20 mil sponsership money he would have to pay back.

I am sure that somewhere in is many sponsership deals there is a clause about doping.

Think of lance amstrong? Lost is legacy. That should be a lesson for would be dopers.

If anyone speak to jamaican athletes and adminstrators over the year, they always welcome tough testing procedures.

Anyone notice the relative decline of USA, russia and former soviet states since more stringent testing and the relative rise of the english caribbean (18 medals in athletics in London 2012 for a population of less than 5 million)?

Over the years jamaican (female athletes)felt that they were robbed by dopers.

Case in point sydeny 200. 100m women. Tanya lawarence came 3rd. Jones first and the Greek athlete thanou 2nd? jones got DSQ. Thanou promoted to 1st. You coulnt make it up. thanou a convicted doper.

Ottey losing out in the 80s to the likes of Flo jo et al.

We welcome robust testing bring it on.

Super D Boon wrote:I have a feeling Bolt won't do much in the way of long jumping. I think his legs look a little on the spindly side and not sure if his body and mind is robust enough to take the toll as it's a physically tough event.

I have a feeling he may just fade a little before Rio and perhaps get frustrated. The alarm bells sounded when he said he couldn't pull away in the 200m straight the way he wanted to because he wasn't "fit enough". However it's pretty impressive to still win the gold despite that. I think he might scrape a relay gold in Rio though but others will overtake him but not necessarily take his records.

Not sure what his lack fitness stemmed from. Thought he had a minor niggle or injury. And so wasn't able to train and prep properly. But it could also be that he wasn't as prepared as he should've been, taking things way too easily until he got beaten Blake at the Jamiacan Trials.

In that London 200m, like he did in the 100m, Bolt showed again that he had the speed - Bolt had a phenomenal bend. We're talking one of the fastest bends anyone's ever had. But this time we could see he just didn't have the speed endurance. He couldn't pull away. It says something though when he holds off possibly the second fastest man in history while not being at his best.

Next year, 2013, Bolt will be going for those records. At the moment, Bolt's marks aren't completely untouchable. Blake has shown he can get close [ Blake is getting faster and faster - i.e. 9.69 into a slight headwind and 19.26 over the 200m previous year ]. Bolt will want to improve them before he moves on.

The year after, 2014, there is no Olympics or World's. No opportunity to peak in the way a global event enables. Realistically, if he's going to switch, 2014 is when he'll have to start prepping and training to make it worthwhile in Rio - otherwise, it'll look like a circus act. To be honest, though, I'd rather see him continue to compete in the sprints. But it is a long way away. And between Rio and now there are two Worlds Athletics Championships - Moscow and Beijing - which is already a hell of a lot, without even counting Rio. We'll see key decisions being made in 2014 [ or before - following Moscow perhaps ].

If Bolt's going to switch, not sure about the long jump. Wouldn't look pretty

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/19414271


Usain Bolt targets 19-second barrier in 200m

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"Sprint legend Usain Bolt says he wants to break the 19-second barrier in the 200m, which he insists is his "favourite event", next season."

"Bolt, who holds the world record of 19.19 seconds and is a two-time Olympic champion at the distance, says his only aim at London 2012 was to "defend his titles" and not to break his own records.

"The Jamaican adds he could "definitely" have broken the 200m mark but says he "felt his back" as he came round the bend and did not want to risk an injury.

Bolt also jokes about asking Sir Alex Ferguson for a trial at Manchester United.

The more I think about it, in the London 200m, Bolt came off the bend flying and was on course to set a new WR but just didn't have the fitness.

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

And yet, even while being short of fitness, Bolt runs 19.32 - equalling Michael Johnson's previous WR.

If everything goes well for Bolt, we will see two new world records for the 100m and 200m at Moscow next year.

As for British sprinting, it'll be interesting to see how Gemili develops [ what a season - and now lcearly gunning for entry into global 100m finals ], and also Dasalou [ credit to him - he's had a very respectable season ]; and very keen on seeing how Simeon Williamson builds on this season. He seems to be making his return and could figure in UK sprinting in quite a big way again. Chambers has possibly had his last season representing UK in one of the two big global events [ though would happily be proven wro, though. Well done to him

"As for British sprinting, it'll be interesting to see how Gemili develops "

I will be Watching his development closely not just over the next season but over the next 3-4 years to see if he made the transition into being a top class seniors.

Over recent years Britain has produced great juniors/youth (sprinters)who fail to maketransition. The two that readily come to mind are MLF/HAA.

It would be intresting to see how the talented Jodie Williams developed.



It would be intresting to compare: Gemili, (Odean Skeen, who came 3rd at the Juniors) and Jazeel Murphy (the next bolt) in the next 3 years.

djkbrown2001 wrote:"As for British sprinting, it'll be interesting to see how Gemili develops "

I will be Watching his development closely not just over the next season but over the next 3-4 years to see if he made the transition into being a top class seniors.

Over recent years Britain has produced great juniors/youth (sprinters)who fail to maketransition. The two that readily come to mind are MLF/HAA.

It would be intresting to see how the talented Jodie Williams developed.

It would be intresting to compare: Gemili, (Odean Skeen, who came 3rd at the Juniors) and Jazeel Murphy (the next bolt) in the next 3 years.

Naturally, it'll be easier to judge three or four years into an athletics career. But Gemili has already shown determination and strength of character. Over the 100m, he's run this year;

10.05
10.06
10.08
10.11
10.11
10.15
10.18
10.20
10.22

Impressive. That consistency will give Gemili lots of confidence; that none of it was a fluke [ damn - he got so close to the Olympic final - needs to work on his starts though! ]. Next year, we'll see if he's been able to get stronger and faster. You got to have ability to run 9.90 to make a global final. For a medal, looking like sub 9.8 perhaps, these days. Tough times!!!

Regarding Jodie Williams; she's a phenomenal talent. Seriously quick. PB of 11.18 set as a 17 year old [ in 2011 - and in 2008, as 14 year old, ran 11.56 running into a -1.2m per sec headwind! Puts the seniors to shame! ]. Unfortunate regarding her injuries. Hope she recovers well and that she picks-up where she left off.