Jeremy Wariner is the Alan Webb of Sprinting

Zero evidence that dumping Hart hurt Wariner.

JW is not the "Alan Webb" of sprinting. Compare the hardware haul between Webb and Wariner. Wariner had about a 5 year period when he was one of the world's best. Webb had arguably 1.5 years of good racing and choking at big meets.

JW perhaps is on the decline, but he accomplished far more than Webb ever did on the world circuit.

During a five year streak of running the world's fastest time and winning every single world or Olympic championship from 2004-7, during which time he always showed up biggest for the biggest meets and finals, he switched coaches, ran sub 44 only once and lost by a second to Merritt in the Olympic finals. But you think there's no evidence that switching from Hart made any difference???

During those great years, Wariner really stood apart for his last 100m, where he would eat up the field and he has the right build for the 800m. His training was essentially overdistance/endurance-based under Hart. And he was far worse on the world level at the 200m than the 400m, so it was clear that he was not a top short sprinter. With the right training, I see no reason that he could not have been an all-time great at 800m as well. In the 1970s and 1980s there were quite a few 400/800 guys who proved the concept, some much stronger/more muscular than Wariner. (Everett, El Caballo, probably all three 800m US Olympic qualifiers in 1984).

Harald Schmid from Germany is another guy. He would always end up short in the 400H against Edwin Moses, but smoked Moses on the flat 400 an in relays, he was a sub 45 400 runner (44.92) and a 1:44 800 man. Before the Moses lovers jump in, keep in mind how many times Moses was a chump in relays for the US - he would either lose ground or get beaten in the homestretch almost every time he ran the 1600 relay for the US. The man was perfect for the 400H, but not especially good at anything else.

If a powerful guy like Schmid could run a great 800, a fast guy like Everett run a great 800, there is no... reason to think Wariner could do the same. Considering Wariner's rather slow pacing in workouts, his 20.17 (double-check) 200 is awfully quick. No other 800 guys are going to come close, not even El Caballo or Everett. MAYBE Wariner could have run a great 800, but he's too old now to find out. If he had gone to a school with a racially brainwashed coach who dumped in the 800 right away, then we would either have seen him disappear or maybe emerge as a great two lapper. It's all conjecture.

He is much more successful than Alan Webb was, at least in metal count. Wariner is the third-fastest all time at 400m, and has 8 golds at W.C. and Olympics combined.

Webb is 8 fastest all time, and has never won a major international championship.

There's no comparison. Wariner deserves to keep running until he's ready to stop. Webb's also fat.

sjt wrote:

He is much more successful than Alan Webb was, at least in metal count. Wariner is the third-fastest all time at 400m, and has 8 golds at W.C. and Olympics combined.

Webb is 8 fastest all time, and has never won a major international championship.

There's no comparison. Wariner deserves to keep running until he's ready to stop. Webb's also fat.

Maybe that's Wariner's problem. His "metal" count is too high.

jjjjjjjjj wrote:

During a five year streak of running the world's fastest time and winning every single world or Olympic championship from 2004-7, during which time he always showed up biggest for the biggest meets and finals, he switched coaches, ran sub 44 only once and lost by a second to Merritt in the Olympic finals. But you think there's no evidence that switching from Hart made any difference???

His performance certainly has been poor since the coaching switch. Why don't we blame the coach he's had all but one of those years, Clyde Hart? This is the 6TH SEASON he's been back with Hart after being with Ford for one season. And yet people here still want to peg his decline on the one season he wasn't coached by Hart

I pin the 2008 problems on the switch. He's been injured for five years now. But Hart took a 46.x hs runner here and made him great. I don't know whether to pin the injury period on Hart or Wariner or nature. But Wariner was healthy and at his physical peak in 2007-8.

He's a weakling. Most women are stronger than him. His body-weight leg circuit is less work that those squat challenges that women post all over facebook.

https://screen.yahoo.com/jeremy-wariners-gym-workout-071000979.html

jjjjjjjjj wrote:

I pin the 2008 problems on the switch. He's been injured for five years now. But Hart took a 46.x hs runner here and made him great. I don't know whether to pin the injury period on Hart or Wariner or nature. But Wariner was healthy and at his physical peak in 2007-8.

Actually Wariner's HS PR was mid 45's.

Wariner had a great 2008 -- sub 44 three times, a 44.1x OG semi while shutting down, a low 43 OG anchor leg. The pressure got to him and he had a rough last 100 meters in the OG final. He lost to a likely juiced Merritt.

His decline in performance began on 2009 upon his return to Hart.

The narrative that his leaving Hart led to his downfall had no facts to support it.

propecia did him dirty

Klondike55 wrote:

jjjjjjjjj wrote:

I pin the 2008 problems on the switch. He's been injured for five years now. But Hart took a 46.x hs runner here and made him great. I don't know whether to pin the injury period on Hart or Wariner or nature. But Wariner was healthy and at his physical peak in 2007-8.

Actually Wariner's HS PR was mid 45's.

Wariner had a great 2008 -- sub 44 three times, a 44.1x OG semi while shutting down, a low 43 OG anchor leg. The pressure got to him and he had a rough last 100 meters in the OG final. He lost to a likely juiced Merritt.

His decline in performance began on 2009 upon his return to Hart.

The narrative that his leaving Hart led to his downfall had no facts to support it.

I'm calling bullshxx on this. He ran 43.45 in 2007 and was basically unbeatable from 2004-2007. He ran a lousy race in the trials final and the Olympic final. Had he run as well in 2008 as 2007, Merritt would have never beat him.

This, again, is bad for running morale.

Why do people countlessly make attempts to take potshots at Alan Webb?

Folks, let's be honest here. Letsrun.com and people who read it act like life takes place in a vacuum and a bubble.

The fact is that it does not. We worship people like Prefontaine because he passed away early and tragically. But then we put down, in numerous sneaky ways, people like Webb because real life came in and injuries, etc and they did not live up to a legacy that others created?

Alan Webb needs to be able to be Alan Webb without people regarding the "could have beens" of Mr. Webb. I am glad he has a happy wife and new child and I am generally pleased that he has chosen to be the "good guy" in the midst of a firestorm that empty people have created.

Most of us would never have been near Webb's times in our prime or his. The difference is...he has risen above it. Can you?

Thanks,

M

He seemed fairly happy with his performance on Saturday.

bladerunner wrote:

Very sad to see him run like this. He claims he's healthy so maybe it's time to quit. 46.9 is beyond bad.

Sad indeed, but he's no Webb. Imagine if Merritt had not been taking his "male enhancement" drugs at Beijing. Wariner would have been a 2X gold medalist at 400m.

timefliesby..theyallsingalong wrote:

and Warnier started dropping off 3+ years ago, right? why the hell would a 27 yo start to lose it? even if you had a somewhat 'normal' career, 27 should be your prime/post-prime where you are still competitive.

everyone is different though, maybe JW was meant to burn bright then fade away quickly.

Wife and Kids. They take a lot of energy.

Wariner was great. He is still a big name but obviously he is past his prime. He has been on the pro circuit for 10 years. Count in high school and college and he has spent half his life training and competing. Its called the twilight of your competitive career.

We should look at Webb and Wariner as a couple of guys who revived the sport. They brought a lot of excitement.

Holy crap look at that white guy that is owning everyone at NCAAs and the Olympics?

Webb brought back distance running in America.

Wariner brought back the quarter and sprinting to everyone. Look at the top lists in sprint events. Its littered with people from everywhere. Santos, Borlees, Solomon, Maslák, Henriques.

JW has had a couple of bad races, but based on what he did last year, he is still a legit world class athlete. With out a doubt, he is in the twlight of his career, but if he can stay healthy, he will be in the mid-45s this summer. JW biggest problem is he has lost speed, which is not going to come back, he needs to give up on going out in 21 and become a 22/23 400m runner.

trackcoach wrote:

JW biggest problem is he has lost speed, which is not going to come back, he needs to give up on going out in 21 and become a 22/23 400m runner.

This is also my problem.

afew cycles of IGF-1 LR3 and maybe can get back some of

that speed of old.

still not going to get the old wariner back though

that finish is gone .by natural metods anyway .

totally agree that all those toxins, fat ,etc in fast food

he says ate at least once a week definitely add up.

probably enjoys the whole track meet atmosphere too,

addictive and mighten want to stop until running

into higher 40's.