Men's 4x400m

[iain]

These heats are killers! GBR avoid USA and BAH

Trinidad&Tobago
Great Britain
Belgium
South Africa
Cuba
Kenya
Germany
Poland

Dominican Rep.
United States
Australia
Venezuela
Japan
Russia
Bahamas
Jamaica

[3a]

Jamaica could seriously win this if bolt and blake ran. Ashmeade too......America have no big names and all other teams have at least one weak leg. It's going to be carnage

[MysteryBrick]

I'd say GB are right up there with having 4 runners who should all run 45.0 or less (Levine hitting 45.3 on opening leg) but lack one supreme athlete to make the difference.

Blake and Bolt will sadly not run, due to the IOC being ****ing morons and putting the 4x100m last 'so the public can remember the games ending with Bolt', without realising that if the 4x400 is last he could do that almost as a bit of a joke and potentially drop the most disgusting split imaginable.

Australia could be a threat, they have 4 solid runners, but if anyone's gonna beat the US I reckon it'll be the Bahamas. Although with Chris Brown in the team they'll probably come 4th...

[3a]

Chris Brown in the team they'll probably come 4th...

Poor Chris.

Remember he got the baton in 2nd on the anchor in Sydney, where did he end up? 4th!

4th in Helsinki
4th in Osaka
4th in Beijing
5th in Berlin
4th in London

I'm sure he was probably 4th in couple of indoor/CWGs/Relays too!
Cruelty

[Flumpy]

I hate the new schedule so much that really hope Usain drops the baton and Justin Gatin sweeps to victory so the lasting impression everyone has of the Olympic athletics is that drug cheating twat's smug face beaming with joy.

Maybe then the IAAF will stop with these cynical and nonsensical changes.

[jjimbojames]

Good news - Jack Green has no injuries from the fall in the hurdles and is good to go (assuming the selectors make the right call and put him in...!)

[iain]

Any twitters got early knowledge of what the team for the heats might be? I'm guessing they might just full strength (or bring in Greene for the final )

[SteveK26]

It wouldn't surprise me if we saw Levine Buck Williams Green (J) in qualifying . Then bring in Rooney for the final. I doubt I'll get my wish of seeing Dai in the final (if we make it).

[Tuckin]

I don't think we can afford to rest Rooney today - qualification is too tough. We need to come out all guns blazing and get under 3 mins. I fancy T&T and Belgium to get through, and if we don't beat them then any one of Cuba, Germany, Poland or South Africa could be a challenge for third.

Any idea why T&T's SB is faster than their NR? Was their Port of Spain run in June not eligible for a NR?

[jjimbojames]

It wouldn't surprise me if we saw Levine Buck Williams Green (J) in qualifying . Then bring in Rooney for the final. I doubt I'll get my wish of seeing Dai in the final (if we make it).

I think you may be right with this line up

I think you (and Dai) would get your wish come true if

1 - Dai actually ran an open 400m, rather than dropping out because he's too tired from the day before (London GP)
2- Dai actually ran in the heats of a relay when he was down to, rather than dropping out because he's too tired from the race before (Daegu)
3 - Dai didn't just say he was too tired to run harder in the Olympic final

I think the only reason he gets in the provisional squad is out of respect for his individual titles and/or Malcolm, but he could EARN his spot by doing what Jack Green has done and run open 400s when asked to (BUCS UKA race, London GP national race), beating all-comers. That may sound harsh, but I just don't get why Dai would assume he should be in the relay squad based on a 48.2 showing in the hurdles - and he'll be even more tired now

Not every hurdler is an Elias(i.e. massive differential). Akabusi and PSD have the open flat times to justify their place, as did Gunnell, and she competed in a far less competitive era

[athlete101]

It wouldn't surprise me if we saw Levine Buck Williams Green (J) in qualifying . Then bring in Rooney for the final. I doubt I'll get my wish of seeing Dai in the final (if we make it).

I think you may be right with this line up

I think you (and Dai) would get your wish come true if

1 - Dai actually ran an open 400m, rather than dropping out because he's too tired from the day before (London GP)
2- Dai actually ran in the heats of a relay when he was down to, rather than dropping out because he's too tired from the race before (Daegu)
3 - Dai didn't just say he was too tired to run harder in the Olympic final

I think the only reason he gets in the provisional squad is out of respect for his individual titles and/or Malcolm, but he could EARN his spot by doing what Jack Green has done and run open 400s when asked to (BUCS UKA race, London GP national race), beating all-comers. That may sound harsh, but I just don't get why Dai would assume he should be in the relay squad based on a 48.2 showing in the hurdles - and he'll be even more tired now

Not every hurdler is an Elias(i.e. massive differential). Akabusi and PSD have the open flat times to justify their place, as did Gunnell, and she competed in a far less competitive era

Agreed

Too many people are thinking with their heart rather than their brains. Its clear to me that Dai Greene isn't going to run this 44.x that everyone talks about. Lets look at the facts....

1. Dai has no raw speed....if you want proof watch the final of his 400m hurdles final. There is a reason why he is last to 150m!!! (he doesnt sit back on purpose).

2. Hurdling efficiency (not technique) - possibly one of the best in the world, this is the only reason why dai has run sub48 and can mix with with these other guys. What he lacks in speed he makes up with his hurdling abilities. to illustrate how important hurdle technique is look at kerron clement. He is possibly the fastest ever flat runner to run the hurdles, 47.2 PB is great but he should have gone sub47.

3. Dai wouldnt bring anything extra to the team when you consider Martyn, Nigel and Conrad as dead certs. Can Dai do a better job than Buck 45.3rs at Euro's?? Im not so sure we would get much more from Greene at all, nothing to do with tiredness, just sprinting capabilities.

too many confuse two very different events. being quick at 400mH will not automatically make you a quick flat runner. 400mH is just far too technical event.

[Occasional Hope]

I don't think we can afford to rest Rooney today

As he didn't have to run the final, he shouldn't really need resting anyway.

[jambob]

According to IAAF twitter it's N Levine, C Williams, J Green, M Rooney.

[iain]

Pistorius on third :-S Kenya seem to be putting out a pretty crap team.

[MysteryBrick]

WHAT a leg from Green!

[Packin_Snacks]

JACK GREEN IN THE FINAL FOR SURE NOW!

(Not so sure about Conrad Williams though....)

[iain]

I got Jack Green sub-44!!

[Flumpy]

It's the right team in the right order

[iain]

Maybe swap Williams and Green?

[Occasional Hope]

Great by Green.

I thought the IAAF had said Oscar Pistorius could only run a first leg in a relay?

[iain]

They changed their mind and said the South African federation made that rule themselves!

[Packin_Snacks]

Maybe swap Williams and Green?

Personally I wouldn't have Williams in the team, but we haven't got much choice in regards of replacements, so I guess they'll keep the line up the same in the final.

[Flumpy]

Maybe swap Williams and Green?

That' not a bad idea. I'd actually be tempted to go....

Nigel
Martyn
Conrad
Jack

[larkim]

Just checking on results and now I see that both Venezuala and Dominican Republic have been DQ'd; that puts Poland through with Belgium as fast losers.

Anyone know what for? The original results just showed Dominican out.

I predict appeals...

Matt

[jeremy1]

I hate the new schedule so much that really hope Usain drops the baton and Justin Gatin sweeps to victory so the lasting impression everyone has of the Olympic athletics is that drug cheating twat's smug face beaming with joy.

Maybe then the IAAF will stop with these cynical and nonsensical changes.

What a wonderful fan of great athletes you are to hope that the worlds greatest sprinter drops the baton. As for a lasting impression of these Olympics being the cheat, representing the USA, is irrelevant to track as far as I am concerned. Too many other great memories across Track and field and the other sports.

[Tuckin]

No idea why Flumpy wrote that in a 4x400m thread anyway - must have been tired and emotional.

Meanwhile, did anyone else think the Bahamas/USA battle all the way to the line was pointless and unprofessional? If Brown and Nellum fade towards the end of their legs in the final, I hope they remember the extra effort they wasted today in the final 50m.

[trevorp]

Levine 45.94
Williams 45.1
Green 44.42
Rooney 44.84

[Tuckin]

Levine 45.94
Williams 45.1
Green 44.42
Rooney 44.84

Great effort from Green.

Nothing special from the first two, but good enough to keep their places.

[jjimbojames]

Jack Green has always promised much - I'm so pleased for him to finally get the chance to prove himself.

He's also the sort that will thrive on the crowd and pull something out, so I can see why the suggestions of him on anchor, but I think Rooney is safe

Levine needs to find a bit more on the lead off leg - he's still the best we've got and if he can find a bit more, Williams will be right in the mix to let Jack run down whomever is in front of him

[Tuckin]

I think the race for bronze could look very similar to our semi, with the same teams involved.

T&T's third man ran 46.1, by the way. Do they have someone else they can bring in for him?