Actually a great performance considering how few 400s she has run this year. Sydney have over 4 weeks to train and improve, she's focused on low 48 or high 47 come World Outdoor Championship. She has never focused solely on the flat 400m for a championship, look for great things 🥇.
She ain't improving that much in 4 weeks without a lot of help.
I agree. I always got faster as I raced more, some a bit slower but the end product was always much better when I peaked. If you don't race much you lose that feeling of the sweet spot when you were applying just the right amount of speed at the right time. Actually, I think I underachieved because I knew the feeling of running out of gas and still 10m where the odds are 50-50 whether I crash to the ground. It's even worse in the hurdles if they are high enough whether to move up to another 14 strides or even 15 just to finish.
In my day (way back when), a lack of competing meant injury or avoiding injury or you were juiced and whatever you were taking hadn't yet cleared your system. Right now, these last minute complaints of a flu bug that's going around in swimming, and track and field smacks of performance enhancers as many coaches have blood work done to make sure their athlete is now clean.
If she too ran fast and broke the AR, everyone here would say she is doping. Best bet to avoid LR hate is run for the win but not run too quickly, ideally also tie up and look tired at the end of the race so not accused of doping.
I’m sure Syd’s primary concern is avoiding the unsavory opinions of Letsrun posters. That’s just science.
lol see, in letting haters eyes, she can’t win in any situation. just one question for OP, Mondo sticks only one event he dominates and never wants do any other event to challenge himself. do you think he could be regarded as one of great overall field athletes?
Even if she does fade I can't see Sydney not winning bronze at least
She will definitely go sub 49, who else is capable of that besides Paulino and Naser?
Currently Nickisha Pryce (48.57 and 48.89 in 2024) and Natalia Bukowiecka (48.9x 3 times in 2024, previously known as Kaczmarek). Some time ago also Miller-Uibo (48.36 in 2021).
Pryce’s SB is 49.63 set in July while Sydney already runs 49.43 at the same time. Bukowiecka’s SB is 49.72 also set in July. I don’t think this year they are threat to Sydney at all unless she suffered some big setback towards September.
Yes and no. You can sort of tell she’s still rounding into shape. Assuming the 400m remains the plan at worlds, that AR is toast anyway. It’s a matter of when not if.
How much do folks seriously think Sydney will improve come Tokyo, in terms of time? We are less than 6 weeks away.
She would have done a peak for the US Champs; you have to because it's so competitive. She wont hold this peak for 6 weeks, and going by past years, she will not compete again before Tokyo, but go into a training cycle. But maybe she does 1 race. We shall see.
Firstly, there is NO WAY she is going improve by 1 second and run a 47 as some suggest. She has struggled to pace herself correctly to get the AR, there is no chance of a jump to 47x. And that 'struggle' with pacing is a key factor here. She simply hasn't raced enough on the flat to be able to run the event to her potential. She has had 4 races this year; she had just the two (very good) races last year. That is just SIX races in the 400m flat in 24 months.
We know by her hurdles time; her speed over the shorter distances & her relay splits she could run 48.5 ish. It's certainly possible she could do that in Tokyo. Personally, I think she will be nearer 48.7. I feel she will not nail her pacing when it comes to the crunch against Paulino & Naser.
Note, in the same 24 month period Paulino has raced 21 times over 400m; Naser 20 times. They are far more experienced at the distance. Not only that, but they both know how to run 48.1 as well; they've already done it.
There is no doubt Sydney has the ability to run a low 48, but that doesn't mean jack when she doesn't run the event enough.