Friends And Family Preview Of Sunday Day 3 Of The Olympic Games Track And Field
By LetsRun.com
August 4, 2012
Days 1 and 2 of our Friends and Family Guide was received so well with tons of you emailing it to friends and family that we're back with a Day 3 Friends and Family Preview of Sunday's Action in London.
The Olympics are the one opportunity the track and field world has every four years to expand its fan base.
With that objective in mind, we're going to present to you a "LRC Friends and Family Guide" to the action. It will be a quick overview of what to expect that day in track and field. Hopefully, you can share the link or print it out and hand it to your friends and family that are either casual track and field fans or not track and field fans at all.
If they know the storylines behind what they are watching, they will enjoy it a whole lot more and you won't have to drive yourself nuts by starting at square one with them.
Saturday features the women's marathon, the men's 100 final, and the men's steeplechase final.
Day 3 Sunday:
Highlight: Women's Marathon: The Kenyans Vs. All
We're a little bit late getting this up today so it's going to be short. The marathon is already underway in London and we have no idea when it will be on TV in the US.
So a quick overview. On paper this is Kenya vs Ethiopia with Russia's Liliya Shobukhova in the mix. As we said in our lengthy preview, "The 2012 Olympic women's marathon field is the greatest women's marathon field assembled in history as the race still features seven of the 17 women in history who have gone sub-2:20."
The top 6.
|
Rank |
Time |
Name |
Country |
DOB |
Place |
Race |
Date of Race |
|
|
1 |
2:18:20 |
NR |
Liliya Shobukhova |
RUS |
13-Nov-77 |
1 |
Chicago |
9 Oct - 2011 |
|
2 |
2:18:37 |
NR |
Mary Keitany |
KEN |
18-Jan-82 |
1 |
London |
22-Apr - 2012 |
|
3 |
2:18:58 |
NR |
Tiki Gelana |
ETH |
22-Oct-87 |
1 |
Rotterdam |
15-Apr - 2012 |
|
4 |
2:19:31 |
|
Aselefech Mergia |
ETH |
23-Jan-85 |
1 |
Dubai |
27-Jan - 2012 |
|
5 |
2:19:50 |
|
Edna Kiplagat |
KEN |
15-Sep-79 |
2 |
London |
22-Apr - 2012 |
|
6 |
2:19:52 |
|
Mare Dibaba |
ETH |
20-Oct-89 |
3 |
Dubai |
27-Jan - 2012 |
Liliya Shobukhova of Russia is the World Marathon Majors champion (winner of the series of the Chicago, London, NY, Boston and Berlin Marathons) and has the fastest time coming in, but Mary Keitany is the favorite in our minds. The world record holder at the half marathon, Mary Keitany has won the London Marathon the last two years. And sorry, New York or Boston, London is the best marathon in the world. In New York last year, Keitany blew up and did not win, but that was because she went out on world record pace despite the tough New York course. It's her race to lose, but in any marathon, especially this stacked one, the favorite has a very tough time winning. Anything can happen over 26 miles.
Training partners Shalane Flanagan (Bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics at 10,000m) and Kara Goucher (Bronze medal at the 2007 World Championship 10,000m) have an outside shot at a medal.
Men's 100m Final: Can Usain Bolt Be Beaten?
This is the one the world will be watching. Can Usain Bolt, the incredible world record holder, who mystified the world in Beijing, winning the Olympic 100m in a world record while celebrating 20 meters from the finish, really be beaten? Bolt false started last year at the World Championships and that let his training partner Yohan Blake win the World title. Since then Blake beat Bolt at both the 100 and 200 at the Jamaican Trials.
Bolt clearly can be beaten, but can it happen on the world's biggest stage? Bolt is a big meet performer. Slow starts have been killing him this year, but can he regain his form?
If Blake or Bolt doesn't win, this field is stacked. Former World record holder Asafa Powell completes the Jamaican team and a Jamaican sweep isn't impossible, but Powell is known for choking in big races.
American Tyson Gay leads the US team. He is the second-fastest man ever at 9.69 and coming back from injury. Drug cheat Justin Gatlin, who won the 2004 Olympics is back from his drug suspension, and Ryan Bailey completes the US team. He ran a super-fast 9.88 in round 1 on Saturday, so he could be a darkhorse.
Men's Steeplechase: Do The Kenyans Sweep Or Can America Get Another Distance Medal?
In the men's steeplechase, the US has it's first medal prospect in a long-time Evan Jager. The American youngster, who in 2009 made the World Championships team at 5,000m at an unheard of in the US 19
years of age, took up the steeplechase (think just short of 2 miles with hurdles and a water jump) this year, because he wasn't sure he could make the US Olympic team at 5,000m. Jager's success has been amazing and in his last race out he broke the American record. The steeplechase is a Kenyan-dominated event, as they've won every Olympic steeple since 1968 except when they didn't show up in 1976 and 1980, but only three Kenyans can run the event, so sweeping the medals is hard. The last two Olympic champions Brimin
Kipruto and Ezekiel Kemboi are the favorites. The colorful Kemboi, who is known
for his finish line dances, was recently arrested in Kenya for stabbing a woman with a knife. Kemboi claims it was to thwart a robbery attempt and the Prime Minister's wife has written a letter supporting him. The woman claims it was in retaliation for not accepting his sexual advances. The trial is after the Olympics.
The prelims went according to form. Kipruto and Kemboi are the definite favorites. After that, the third Kenyan Abel Kiprop Mutai has the best PR, but Jager has a real shot at a medal. Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad of France got a silver in Beijing and is a real contender here as well if the front two Kenyans will be broken up. Mekhissi-Benabbad is a hot-headed guy who has gotten in fist fights at the end of races.
Women's 400m Final: Can Sanya Richards-Ross Get Gold For The USA?
Sanya Richards-Ross, the former University of Texas runner, married to NFL star Aaron Ross, was once the top 400m runner in the world. Then she had injury problems and an mysterious illness. She is back this year and is our favorite for gold. However, she faces 2011 World Champion Amantle Montsho of Botswana. A top African sprinter is unusual. Christine Ohuruogu of Britain is the defending Olympic champ and will have the hometown crowd going nuts, but she'll need a huge improvement this year to win.
Antonina Krivoshapka of Russia has the fastest time in the world this year in 49.16. The Russian women are known for running fast in Russia and not internationally, but Kirvoshapka did get a bronze at the World Championships in 2009.
Men's 1,500 Semis: Lets Get Some Americans Into The Final
The 1,500m semis are Sunday and we'll reprint most of what we printed before round 1 as not much has changed. Kenyan Asbel Kiprop is the 2008 Olympic champ, last year's World Champion, and has run the fastest time in the world this year and is the favorite, although he will be challenged by fellow Kenyan Silas Kiplagat, who won silver last year at Worlds and beat Kiprop at the Kenyan championships last year and this year. Kiprop says that's a good thing, as whenever he wins the super-competitive Kenyan championships, he doesn't end up doing well later in the year.
All three Americans made the semifinals. American Matthew Centrowitz, an NCAA 1,500m champion at Oregon last year, was the surprise bronze medallist in this event last year at the World Championships last year, and is a savvy racer, and is the US's best hope. His collegiate teammate, Andrew Wheating, has the fastest PR of the Americans, but is battling an injury and likely won't make the final. Former University of Texas Longhorn Leo Manzano is a great story. He came to the country illegally as a child from Mexico and is now living the American dream. (Editor's note: A reader wrote us about the previous sentence, noting that Leo's dad came here illegally, but got legal residency in 1986 and then brought his family here. So maybe we should have said, Leo's father came to the country illegally from Mexico. This article says Leo did not get residency until 1996.) A very consistent performer at the US Championships, Manzano won his first US Championship at the Olympic Trials, and has a great kick but can be inconsistent. If he runs a good tactical race he can be a factor. In round 1, he wasted a lot of energy.
Kiwi Nick Willis is another to watch. The surprise Olympic Silver medallist from 2008, the former Michigan Wolverine is running better than ever in 2012. After round 1, he dared the Kenyans stars to try to run sub-3:30 without a rabbit (pacemaker). Most of the top races in Europe have rabbits, so running a championship race with no rabbits is very different. We'll talk about tactics for the final later, but first the runners have to make the final and that is what Sunday's semis are for.
Men's 400 Semis: Merritt's Already Gone, Do Any Other Favorites Go Home Early?
The big news in the first round of the men's 400 was 2008 Olympic champion and 2012 world leader LaShawn Merritt going out after DNFing due to injury. He was definitely a favorite to bring home a medal for the US. so with him gone it opens things up in this event. There are a few things to watch for in these semifinal heats. First, do any of the favorites go home early?
The first of 3 heats is definitely the weakest as the top seed Demetrius Pinder is only ranked 8th in the World. Heat 2 should be very interesting as it has the 2nd and 4th fastest runners in the world this year in Jonathan Borlée, and the US's NCAA champion Tony McQuay. It also has 2011 World Champion Kirani James, who is ranked 6th in the World this year. With Merritt out, McQuay is the best shot at a US medal, but he'll have to run quick here as only top 2 in each heat advance automatically to the final (then it's next 2 fastest times). Heat 2 adds more intrigue as it has amputee and Olympic human interest story Oscar Pistorius. Oscar P will have to have the race of his life here, though, if he wants any prayer at making the final. His seasonal best is the second worst in this heat and his PR isn't even under 45 seconds. Heat 3 is probably the second hardest heat as it has Luguelin Santos, who is 3rd in the World this year and Kevin Borlée (brother to Johnathan) who is ranked 5th. Representing the US in this heat is Bryshon Nellum. He's a great person to cheer for, as during his senior year of high school he was a gunshot victim and not sure if he'd ever walk again. Today he is an Olympian with a shot at making the final. He's ranked 9th in the World this year, so he'll need a big race to make it past this round.
Women's Triple Jump And Men's Hammer Throw Finals:
These field events also have finals. They don't have any Americans expected to medal so we don't think they'll get much coverage. You can appreciate their beauty. The triple jump is a hop, step and a jump. The hammer throw is pure power, spinning, and throwing a long chain attached to a ball.
Qualification Rounds For Men's HJ And Women's 400m Hurdles:
This is just the first round of these events, so we're basically just looking to see if any favorites go out. US's best shot at medals are 2011 World Champion Jesse Williams in the high jump and Lashinda Demus in the 400 hurdles.
*Happy watching
Sunday 6:00 AM ET: LRC Women's Marathon Preview: Mary Keitany Takes On The Greatest Women's Marathon Field Ever Assembled Even with the recent withdrawal of world record holder Paula Radcliffe, the race still features seven of the 17 women in history who have gone sub-2:20, including the great Mary Keitany. Can anyone challenge her for the win? What about Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher?
Sunday 4:25 PM ET: LRC Men's Steeple Preview: Will Kenya's Record Streak Continue & Can Evan Jager Medal? Kenya's won every Olympic steeple they've run but they've never had a double Olympic champ. Seemingly one of those streaks has to come to an end. Will Ezekiel Kemboi be celebrating like only he and Bolt can? Plus can Evan Jager medal?
Final Is 4:15 PM ET Tuesday: LRC Men's 1,500 Preview: Asbel Kiprop Tries To Join Seb Coe As A Repeat Champ And do the Americans have a chance?
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