Bolt was quoted on July 27 as having said that:
"I don't think it will be the end of the world if I lose."
Up until this moment, if I had been forced to choose between Bolt and Blake, I would have picked Bolt.
But no longer.
Bolt has already lost.
All hail the 2012 Olympic 100m champion, Yohan Blake.
In the 200m, unlike the 100m, Bolt will have enough time to decide that he wants to win, so he might actually win that race.
I think it's really hard to bet against Bolt. The fact is, he can run times that no one else on the planet is capable of. If he runs 9.58, he wins. If he even runs 9.65 or quicker, he wins. If he runs 9.65-9.70, he likely wins but not quite a 100% guarantee. He runs 9.70-9.75, he's the favorite but there's a realistic chance he loses to Blake/Gay/Powell. He runs over 9.75, I think he has more than a 50% chance of losing.
The only thing I think that has Bolt nervous is his injury situation. That's what could potentially hold him back. If he steps up to the line healthy, though, he will win. I think he'll run something in the 9.6 range and beat Blake by .10 and Gay by .15.
All he needs to do is improve his start from his 9.76 and 9.79 runs this year and that's a 9.65-9.67 quality run. I think Blake's limit this year is somewhere around 9.70-9.72 and Gay will get stuck around 9.79.
I agree with essentially everything you just said, except the implication that injury will be the only thing preventing Bolt from winning.
Blake is in his head. Bolt is the hunted, Blake the hunter.
It makes all the difference in the world in the 100m.
The long-range weather forecast for London is shaping up terribly for the mens' 100m.
So far it is predicted to be 68-70 for the high, with around 50% chance of precip.
Although it's probably too far out to count on at this point, it is not encouraging as far as fast times are concerned.
Sprintgeezer wrote:
Bolt was quoted on July 27 as having said that:
"I don't think it will be the end of the world if I lose."
Up until this moment, if I had been forced to choose between Bolt and Blake, I would have picked Bolt.
But no longer.
Bolt has already lost.
All hail the 2012 Olympic 100m champion, Yohan Blake.
In the 200m, unlike the 100m, Bolt will have enough time to decide that he wants to win, so he might actually win that race.
If Bolt wins, will you stop being an a$$hole on this message board?
When Bolt loses, will you stop being an a$$hole on this message board?
No, he will stop being an a hole when solinsky finishes races.
Sprintgeezer wrote:
Bolt was quoted on July 27 as having said that:
"I don't think it will be the end of the world if I lose."
Up until this moment, if I had been forced to choose between Bolt and Blake, I would have picked Bolt.
But no longer.
Bolt has already lost.
All hail the 2012 Olympic 100m champion, Yohan Blake.
In the 200m, unlike the 100m, Bolt will have enough time to decide that he wants to win, so he might actually win that race.
Geezer, I say you're wrong. Bolt may not break his record but he will win. Lets revisit this thread after the race.
I share the dame thought as yours. If I am not mistaken, during the Daegu 100m final, Ato Boldon said that Bolt trains with Blake hence the reason for his false start. That was .not even the kind of false start we are all accustomed to. Bolt just bolted before the gun.
According to Ato, blake had been beating bolt during training and being a good starter himself, he was causing bolt (who is not a great starter) all sorts of problems.
During the race, ato said that rather than bolt concentrate on his own race, he was concentrating on Blake and it is no suprise therefore that when Blake flinched, bolt shot off the blocks and then, removed his vest!
It has crept in Bolt's head. Ther is also Asafa, a very good starter. Then, Gay, a very good closer and of course Gatlin.
Bolt has to contend with,all that. If he starts poorly, can he close on Blake and Gay?
Personally, i think he'll lose and the Gold will either go with Blake or Gay.
Personally I hope Gay wins.
None of us know how Bolt is looking in practice. To me that is a sign for the worst that he is not 100 %. Im not a sprinter but can you be 100 % healthy after having back and hamstring issues only a month ago? idk and i dont think so, his back problems will always hamper him. I would not be shocked if both Gatlin and Gay medal along with Blake. IMO this is Blake's 1st real championship race and I dont expect him to get a great start out the blocks which may hurt his chances in the finals
Blake didn't really get a great start in the trials either and still ran a 9.75. I don't agree with the people that say Blake is a great starter. He just isn't. Bolt/Blake/Gay are all really bad starters compared to their top-end speed. Blake's best starts are average, Bolt's are all below-average except his 9.58 start which was the best 100m race start to finish of all time, and Gay's starts have been horrible all year.
I don't think Bolt's hamstring and back situation is as bad as some imply. I think he probably just had some tightness, enough tightness to be scared of it at the trials. I've never heard that he officially had a strain or anything like that. He was a relatively high injury risk (especially in the 200m) then but he should be good to go now.. or at least he claims he is.
SprintG--he has "already lost" so I bet on Bolt for the win and accept your 20/1 odds.
Sprintgeezer is right. I predict finishing order of Blake, Bolt and then .01 separating Gay and Gatlin.
Hey,
I honestly call bullshit that you don't believe this. If you do respond to this post and I will email you (or you email me) and we will set up a bet.
I'll give you even odds Blake against Bolt. Should be an easy bet for you right? Put your money where your fat mouth is big guy.
You are correct. Blake is not a great starter.
Old Geezer,
I am convinced that you must be a Registered Republican because; only you people can get a full statement out of a partial sentence or paragraph.
Usain Bolt is basically saying that if he loses, the loss as great as it might be, will just be that, a loss. Usain Bolt is telling us that he is human and not to expect a different more serious, boring, or dull Usain Bolt if he doesn't win. To make it easier for you to understand (because intelligent people like yourself find simple things difficult to grasps) he is reassuring us that
he wont be the next - ASAFA POWELL, RANDY MOSS, DAN MARINO TERRELL OWENS, PATRICK EWING, CHARLES BARTLEY or LEBRON JAMES(prior to 2012)----
Athletes built to win but failed to produce when it matters.... nor does he plan on joining the ranks of the 1
and done guys.... Farve, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner and yes Tyson Gay.
- If BOLT loses we all lose (expect for the actual winner)
Blake will win. Bolt has been injured and everyone thinks he's the favorite, but Blake is 2 - 0 against him in the past 2 races.
I'm more interested to see who the first CLEAN finisher will be. Gay? Collins? Lemaitre?
And you know who is clean?
Who? White guys and Americans? Give me a break.
Koneko wrote:
I'm more interested to see who the first CLEAN finisher will be. Gay? Collins? Lemaitre?
Tyson Gay! Is as clean as the crack between my ass cheeks....