Let’s remember that Botswana’s population is only 2.5 million!!!
It’s embarrassing
How did they get so good?
I think it is great that Botswana is doing well. As for the title, maybe? I was in Eugene when the US women's 4x100 won the relay over the Jamaicans when there a similar situation.
Let’s remember that Botswana’s population is only 2.5 million!!!
It’s embarrassing
How did they get so good?
Keep in mind all our sprinters come from about 5/6% of our 350 mill.
You have a good point. Didn’t think of it that way. Canada, the 4X100m Olympic Champions, only have a black population of 1.5 million. Impressive nonetheless
People keep mentioning the US population and forget that 2/3 of the US is overweight, unhealthy, etc.
if 2/3 are overweight in the USA population what 330 Million? That means 110 Million are in Shape, which means USA has more People in Shape Than Most Countries have People.
Yeah but most of the 110 million are hobby joggers and cross fitters who can't run.
Add in the people who are just suited to longer distances or can sprint but DIE at 300 meters and there aren't too many of us.
I think you're mostly wrong. Botswana is the favorite, but not by that much.
Botswanas guys ran well. They made the final, but besides the stud, that's because they ran solid every round.
The US had guys run 43.9, 44.2, and 44.4 and 44.5 in the heats. Botswana had guys 43.5, 44.2, and 44.5 in the 400.
The US guys just didn't handle the rounds well, but all that's out the window because they have a few days to rest.
So realistically, the only advantage Botswana has is there stud gives them a few tenths advantage. The USA will replace one of the 44.5ish guys with Rae. So now they have someone who is on top of his game and split 43.1 before. If Botswana goes with their 45.0, they are now underdogs. But if they go with Tebogo, that cancels out Rae and they have a slight advantage. But...Tebogo hasn't looked as good as he did last year in the 200, and it's still a bit of a wildcard throwing a 100/200 guy at the end of a double in the 4x400. I wouldn't count on him for a 43.0 again. And then you're back to it being pretty dang even.
it'll be a great race.
US team looking real good yeah - let's see how/if they even come back after their "run-off" tomorrow morning at 10.40am.
Botswana cruising in 2.57, Kebinatshipi didn't even run the heat.
I think you're mostly wrong. Botswana is the favorite, but not by that much.
Botswanas guys ran well. They made the final, but besides the stud, that's because they ran solid every round.
The US had guys run 43.9, 44.2, and 44.4 and 44.5 in the heats. Botswana had guys 43.5, 44.2, and 44.5 in the 400.
The US guys just didn't handle the rounds well, but all that's out the window because they have a few days to rest.
So realistically, the only advantage Botswana has is there stud gives them a few tenths advantage. The USA will replace one of the 44.5ish guys with Rae. So now they have someone who is on top of his game and split 43.1 before. If Botswana goes with their 45.0, they are now underdogs. But if they go with Tebogo, that cancels out Rae and they have a slight advantage. But...Tebogo hasn't looked as good as he did last year in the 200, and it's still a bit of a wildcard throwing a 100/200 guy at the end of a double in the 4x400. I wouldn't count on him for a 43.0 again. And then you're back to it being pretty dang even.
it'll be a great race.
US team looking real good yeah - let's see how/if they even come back after their "run-off" tomorrow morning at 10.40am.
Botswana cruising in 2.57, Kebinatshipi didn't even run the heat.
Of course this run off is complete BS, but I will be happy to have the opportunity to see Botswana destroy the US
I don't know what to think about this "run-off" but I wanted to look in detail why this is happening.
I'm not sure if this warrants reinstatement or sorts, but it's the officials who totally messed up the second change there. The current rule is very simple (if not slightly illogical in reality, touch on that in a second), whatever your order is at the 200m point in legs 2 and 3, determines how you are lined up from the inside lane out at the exchange. At the 200m point of leg 2, South Africa led on the inside with the Zambians and the Dutch basically a dead heat for 2nd but Zambia holding the inside advantage (they were basically on the outside line of lane 1, the Dutch in the middle of lane 2). Most importantly the US team was clearly, and I mean clearly, in 4th place behind them all. So the officials need to explain then how the US team was then lined up 3rd at the exchange, ahead of Zambia. In the end that is what causes the mess because the Zambia guy who is ahead of Chris Bailey at the finish of the leg has to cross in front of the US team to hand his guy the baton - something he should never have had to do.
On this basis, a clear officials error that impacted a teams performance? I dunno, I feel like I side with the US team on this one. The Kenyans got in because of what happened on the 3rd change where the Zambian again crossed over the exact same way but at least this time they were lined up correctly. Still, not sure why the Zambians get penalized for improving their position in a race - what is the guy supposed to do here? He has passed the Kenyan guy which is the point of the race, does he then have to give it all back because his guy is lined up outside at the exchange?
I think this has to be a rules revisit. This "whatever the order is at 200m" is absolutely stupid. I swear in the past the athletes were lined up in a preliminary order based on the 200m split but then depending on what was happening in the straight they could either realign themselves logically or an official would direct them to do so. This is also how I remember every 4x400m I ever ran.
Not sure why or how a "run-off" between these team makes sense anyway. Zambia were DQ'd - but they didn't qualify for the final anyway. So if they aren't giving up their spot to a team they impeded (even though I think neither instance was their fault), why do the US and Kenya go head to head against each other? Either both get in or neither get in. Bizarre and completely non-sensical situation here.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Among the 2.5 M they got 1 guy into the 200 final, 3 into the 400 final and 1 into the 800 final, while the USA got 2 in the 200 plus 1 in the 400, and out of that Botswana got 1 gold and 2 bronze while the USA got the 1 gold and 1 silver.
Among the 2.5 M they got 1 guy into the 200 final, 3 into the 400 final and 1 into the 800 final, while the USA got 2 in the 200 plus 1 in the 400, and out of that Botswana got 1 gold and 2 bronze while the USA got the 1 gold and 1 silver.
Among the 2.5 M they got 1 guy into the 200 final, 3 into the 400 final and 1 into the 800 final, while the USA got 2 in the 200 plus 1 in the 400, and out of that Botswana got 1 gold and 2 bronze while the USA got the 1 gold and 1 silver.
What possibly is your point here?
5 guys into those finals is even more impressive to me than just the 3 in the 400. More guys into the 3 finals than the USA, so USA can't say it was just the one event.
I think you're mostly wrong. Botswana is the favorite, but not by that much.
Botswanas guys ran well. They made the final, but besides the stud, that's because they ran solid every round.
The US had guys run 43.9, 44.2, and 44.4 and 44.5 in the heats. Botswana had guys 43.5, 44.2, and 44.5 in the 400.
The US guys just didn't handle the rounds well, but all that's out the window because they have a few days to rest.
So realistically, the only advantage Botswana has is there stud gives them a few tenths advantage. The USA will replace one of the 44.5ish guys with Rae. So now they have someone who is on top of his game and split 43.1 before. If Botswana goes with their 45.0, they are now underdogs. But if they go with Tebogo, that cancels out Rae and they have a slight advantage. But...Tebogo hasn't looked as good as he did last year in the 200, and it's still a bit of a wildcard throwing a 100/200 guy at the end of a double in the 4x400. I wouldn't count on him for a 43.0 again. And then you're back to it being pretty dang even.
it'll be a great race.
US team looking real good yeah - let's see how/if they even come back after their "run-off" tomorrow morning at 10.40am.
Botswana cruising in 2.57, Kebinatshipi didn't even run the heat.
I don't think I'm mostly wrong.
And the US just ran 2:58 with zero guys who will be on the A team.
I'm not saying the US will win. But USAs prelim woes are because they ran 0 of the finals team. That tells us nothing about how they look because it'll be 4 entire new guys. Botswana smartly ran 3 of the 4. But you have to wonder how Tebogo will handle 100/200/prelims of 4x4 and final.