Usain Bolt reacts to disqualification
The morning session had the heats of the 110m hurdles and the big 3 of Liu, Oliver and Robles came through without any drama. The hurdles is such a technical event, just one mistake and boom your chances are finished, whether it’s a slow start or messing up the stride pattern. The sport needs good depth in the events as this creates natural rivalries and not needing the press or pundits to create something that isn’t there. With these three hurdlers it evolves naturally which is the best way for it grow.
Lets hope that they make the final and it’s a brilliant race with Dayron Robles coming through to take the gold and do it for “Nerrrd Power”. He said before the championships he wanted to run the perfect technical race, the final would be a perfect place to do this. When Robles gets its right he glides over the hurdles with no wasted motion.
Dayron Robles
Elsewhere in the morning session we had the heats of the 400m with the Olympic champion and the “penis enlargement” man LaShawn Merrit ran the fastest time of the year, after coming back from a drug ban to get a bigger package downstairs to impress the ladies. He hasn’t had many races this season which might count against him in the final if he makes it, but he is the class runner.
Oscar “the Blade Runner” Pistorius made the semi finals as well, he wants to run at the London Olympics since he is so far ahead of his competitors in the Paralympic field. Part of myself thinks yes, it’s good that he wants to challenge himself against the able body athletes, but another side thinks otherwise and where it will end. At the moment it’s fine as he won’t be contending for medals, though can see the people against the move being more vocal should this change.
Kirani James is a massive talent in the Usain Bolt mould but in the 400m. He is from Grenada where my mothers family is from so there will be some bias in my thought that even now he can win the gold medal this year. He is only 18 turning 19 on September 1, current World Junior Champion. He has run 44.61 this season and he doesn’t lack the self confidence either, it’ll shake up the event if he does so.
Kirani James
David Rudisha was comfortable in his 800m semi final running from the front controlling the pace and increasing the tempo when needed. Kaki who ran a poor semi final but scraped through to the final. The only way Rudisha will get beaten is if he runs a poor race tactically. Kaki has to run the Johnny Gray type of race go out hard from the front, but he doesn’t have the flair of Gray or the nous to pace yourself during the rounds. For example running 1.44 in the 1st round isn’t needed when 1.47 is good enough to get it done, have to conserve energy it’s not exactly quantum physics.
David Rudisha
Definite red card for the international broadcasters who handled the mens 10 000m, the coverage was pitiful. Of course with 25 laps they aren’t going to be seen in full nor should they be, but only showed around 5 laps which is ordinary to the extreme. Bekele hasn’t raced all year, trying to get information from Jos Hermans the don and Bekele’s agent was difficult. Once he stepped on the track and didn’t even come close to finishing the race. Jeilan the World Junior champ was so impressive in running 53 sec for the last lap giving Mo Farah 6 metres start passing him in the home straight.
As interesting as todays action was the biggest news of the championships was Usain Bolt being disqualified for false starting in the 100m final. Bolt was looking in fine form before the final and wanted to produce a big run. He is always vulnerable with his starts, even then this was a rookie mistake the rules are clear one false start and you’re out of there. To Bolt’s credit he handled his dismissal from the track quite well considering the circumstances unlike Jon Drummond who was crying like a baby who didn’t get any milk.
It will be interesting to see what the IAAF will do now, whether they will continue with the rule as it stands or amend it. It’s a tough one for the IAAF, they stick to their guns then they’re inflexible, if the rule changes then they’ll be accused of bending over to cater to Bolt who is the biggest star in athletics. The forthright and articulate Ato Boldon has been very critical of the rule as it stands, he warned that this situation with Bolt was going to happen at a major championship and was proven right. It’s not a rule that is universally loved.
Yohan Blake took the gold medal so it stayed in Jamaican hands and within the Glen Mills training camp which Bolt is a part of. The mental state of the finalists changed big time after Bolt being disqualified, then the massive opportunity was there. Kim Collins the 35 year old veteran from St Kitts and Nevis got off to a great start, but Blake stepped it up mid race and his class was apparent. The time of 9.92 into -1.4m/s was a quality time and won it easily from Dix 10.08 and Collins 10.09.
Blake winning the 100m
Blake is the future of the 100m, he has been for some time. Sure his mentor and training partner Bolt wasn’t there, but it’s still a world title which can’t be denied. Blake barring injuries or being lazy will eventually pass Bolt, that’s just evolution. No matter when it’s said and done Yohan Blake is 2011 world champion.
Yohan Blake 100m champion
Bolt will be looking forward to the 200m which is his main and favourite event as long as he stays in the blocks. Murderation on the rest of the field is likely and he will be fresher than usual, when he ran the previous two world record times. Lets hope Jamaica can get the changes right in the relay even without Asafa Powell they will get the job done, only question is the order and how far they win by.
True champions manage to fight back from negative experiences and Usain Bolt will be back bigger, stronger and better
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3 comments:
Love today's blog. So true and devastating. Lol the runners in that final must have been mad at the process of the disqualification. Especially Ato Bolden.
Good blog, Nils. I found myself agreeing with pretty much everything. I laughed when you called Merrit "penis enlargement man" (even if it was justified).
What did you think of Zersenay in the 10,000km? From what the commentator said, he seemed to lead the race for a long time and he tried to keep the pace high. Do you think that's because he doesn't possess the same acceleration near the end that the likes of Farrah and Jeilan do? Or was it just a poor strategy and he was out of energy to accelerate near the end?
I like how you say that "Usain Bolt will be back bigger, stronger and better." When he took his shirt off after the false start, he looked huge. It's a shame he got disqualified for one false start. If you ask me, it's a bad rule.
Tadese doesn't have the kick at the end to outlast these guys so he has to take it out from a long way out.
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