Gatlin wins 2012 Pre in 9.90 (+1.3), even with CRAP RT of .223!

Since Gatlin spotted Ashmeade basically .10, I fully expect everyone to come out saying that this could have been a 9.80 from Gatlin.

I've always been wary of that kind of reasoning. Things like 9.80 require all the pieces to come together at the same time, which is the key difficulty to the 100m, which is why there have been so few sub-9.80 runs in history. Who knows, if he'd had a better RT, maybe he would have been too jacked-up and not had enough energy to finish as fast as he did.

Regardless, this is a good result. A reasonable amount he could be expected to take off that RT would be 0.70, for a .053, which would have then been a 9.83

Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

His goal should be just to make it through trials, then he can start trying for the 9.80

Right now, this is good enough. But his fitness level is absolutely astounding. What if he HAD popped a 9.80 (+1.3)?? That would be medal territory, period. It's almost too good to be true...maybe it's a good thing for him that he DIDN'T run 9.80

No one cares about Nickel Ashmeade. What a non-factor.

Saw the race as it happened. He got left in the blocks by everyone including Dix but was right back in the mix by 15m and pulled clear by 35m. His midrace acceleration was phenomenal and he has decent top speed if not in the same league as Bolt.

Good run.

Hey VenTARD, how come the times weren't blazing? I though that this was a "fast meet"? What about all that wonderful oxygen, from all those wonderful trees?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

It looks like enough attention was focused on the Eugene 2011 100m that they had to clean up their act. Maybe.

If so, then great.

If not, then...whatever. Gatlin absolutely demolished Patton, Dix, and Rodgers, and Kimmons.

Kimmons had a good showing, but Dix appears to actually have lost some 100m fitness, or he just had a one-off crappy race, or he is saving himself for the 200.

I never used to care about Ashmeade, he seemed like a "nothing" runner...but this result, combined with last week's 9.97, cannot be ignored, especially when he demolished Carter in the process.

He's not one of the big guns, but he could very well factor into the relay, which is looking VERY scary right now--certainly a lot scarier than the US relay, as judged by these results.

He didn't have any acceleration out of the blocks, no power in the drive phase and got injured just as he was moving towards top speed and pulled up with a few strides to go.

Him scratching from prior meets seems less like ducking and more like trying to preserve himself for the Olympics

Who are you talking about, dre--Dix?

If so, that really sucks.

Yup.. dix. Pulled up injured.. Right thigh I think or upper groin.

It's that midrace acceleration that he showed in winning the indoors, and the thing I like best about the top runners, the way they separate in the middle. They all do it--Bolt, Blake, Powell, Gay, and now Gatlin.

Any guesses as to what he would do to increase his top speed?

Wow.

Can't believe the men's 100m was not scheduled to be televised.

By far the most popular event in track and field.

Great way to pull viewers into the sport.

Well, that sucks. He should do absolutely nothing he doesn't have to between now and trials--I think that if he just showed up healthy, he would make the team, unless Rodgers was able to deliver.

Given his running style with low heel recovery and so much use of his hips and groin to drive his legs forward, trying to increase turnover would probably end rather badly injury-wise.

Maybe having a bit more strength and slight lengthening of his stride might help but other than that.... I'm as lost as the next guy.

I totally agree with what you said, which is why I think he will be stalled-out at around 9.85

I don't see anywhere for him to go, because his strength and stride length are I think maxxed-out. His current style doesn't provide obvious room for speed improvement, so I think you'd have to look toward start & drive phase for improvement, as his transition is looking like it can be great as well.

hmmm...obviously he is gunning for a medal finish in London, but I'm skeptical that mid-9.8 will be enough, unless others become injured or flake out, like Powell.

Given how soon trials are, I'm actually a bit worried for Dix's prospects of even making the team.

Gay and Gatlin should be shoe-ins with Gatlin the likely winner but that 3rd place could go anywhere.

For me, the most important things highlighted by this race are, in ascending order:

1) the arrival of Ashmeade

2) the SERIOUS arrival of Bledman

3) the US dominance of Gatlin

4) the invincibility of a healthy Bolt.

Bolt, seriously. Only Blake has a shot at being close.

Consider that if Bolt had run his Rome race here, he would have clocked 9.69

M-F.

Sprintgeezer wrote:

For me, the most important things highlighted by this race are, in ascending order:

1) the arrival of Ashmeade

2) the SERIOUS arrival of Bledman

3) the US dominance of Gatlin

4) the invincibility of a healthy Bolt.

Bolt, seriously. Only Blake has a shot at being close.

Consider that if Bolt had run his Rome race here, he would have clocked 9.69

M-F.

Bingo on the bolded bit.

Ashmead just backed up his performance in Orlando which means that Bledman's run was legit as well which if true.. WOW!

Gatlin is the be all, end all of US track and field unless Gay comes out of the traps like a bat out of hell.

Speaking of Gay, rumor is that he didn't run Clermont, but that 9.8's were put up by others.

Still waiting for actual verification and details.

Bledman ran 9.85. Padgett in second. High wind.

Yeah, I heard it was windy.

Do you have a link to official results?