Kirani James: 18 years old and World Champion

Do you want me to link you to the video that prompted those remarks?

They aren't that hard to find... Look em up.

19 second 200m speed isn't required to run a 43

go fetch

then find me his follicle count in '06 & now, "bro"

no

but michael johnson who knows more about 400 running than is worth knowing, said

"use that superior 200 speed to get out to a big lead & let your strength hold on"

why don't you go to '08 400 for demonstration of such a lesson...

Well Kirani isn't 19 as yet. In London he will be 19. Let's see if the crappy weather affects his performance on that stage. He seems to be just as much a phenom as Bolt. I expect him to run min 43 by this time next year.

Kirani has a PB of 20.20 for the 200M, and he will only get better in time all things being equal. I see this youngster becoming to the 400M what Bolt is to the 100/200

Hats off to Kirani for winning. He earned it.

Lashawn has a ways to go. This was race number 4 in his comeback. And his prelim world lead probably took a bit out of his legs for the later rounds. Convicted doper yes but he does not need drugs. He is a super talent and has been for a number of years. At one point he was the world junior record holder for indoor.

Sprint Geezer, man do you really think that Rudisha could have won that? Taking a second off your PR in the 400 is pretty big. Besides, I thought you thought that he couldn't go sub-11 for a 100 out of blocks; it's hard to see him winning a world title in a sprint event with that sort of speed!

He will be 19 tommorow.

Seriously, think of other athletes who may have been able to win this race, but who weren't competing: Bolt and Gay come to mind immediately, Wariner can't be discounted, and even Rudisha (although everyone will disagree) could have won this race if he cared to--think of how little energy he would expend in the rounds.

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Serioiusly Geezer. There is a big difference between 45.5 and 44.6. Rudisha is the greatest ever 800 m runner and I thin k he'll run 1;39 something. I think he can work down to 44 high.

Wariner is hurt, so he couldn't win it. So is Gay, though I think this is the sort of race he'd win (pre Olympic year ). Bolt can't get over the line in the 100 m so he would shit his pants if he had to run 3 rounds of 400 m at this stage of his career.

I said a month ago that Kirani wouldn't beat himself. He ran exactly the race he and his coach have built for him at this stage of his career. He ran a PB in the World Championship. Good on him.

Next year he has to find another second. He'll find some of that in the first 150 and some more in the third 100. He's a smart kid with ice water in his veins.

LM found the comeback a little early and too much to win Gold.

Merritt jogged a 44.3 in his opening heat.

The final was a definite disappointment for him

typical letsrun loser wrote:

He's not really 18, let's see a birth certificate.

Don't start with that crap. There were idiots in Upstate NY calling for that s**t when Lopez Lamong was in high school. The guy was as 18 as any 18 year old and some parents who's kids couldn't compete with him were making idiots of themselves.

you are a moron!

Wariner is done. He might as well hang up his spikes.

and here i was thinking that the birther only stayed in politics. some people seriously have too much time on their hands.

ventolin^3 wrote:

ehh?

you watched a 400 before yesterday ??

this was won in a pathetic 44.6

michael johnson, the 400 goat was apalled at the race

his comments paraphrased :

"lashawn failed to execute"

"at his best he is a 19.9 guy, meaning much better speed than anyone there & shouda had good lead at 200 & 300m"

"he didn't have the lead expected at 300m"

( look above - he was 300 low altitude wr holder )

"lashawn will be in 43 shape next year

( i assume meaning mid/high-43, albeit '08 was 43.75 with a criminal ~ 0.4s rt )

"kid gotta muscle up fast & find some 200 speed"

~ 44.60 won't cut it in olympic years

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If you din't think the right guy won the WC over 400, then look again.

This kid runs the perfect race. MJ never ran the perfect race. He never even ran his own best race.

This kid runs the perfect 400 m race and he'll be the world record holder before Merritt or Warner. I wouldn't be surprised if he ran sub 44 this year.

LM had the sit and he dealth with him like a schoolboy.

Ventolin: We know you are an MD, but hard-core scientists on LR are not impressed with medical jargon.