Relays in Daegu

[3a]

In an ideal world, where everyone practiced the baton changes and team leaders chose their teams based on my advice ( :p ) this is what would happen in Daegu relays. I'll start with the women's 4x100: this is actually a soft WR IMO considering U.S nearly broke it in 97 and 04 with average teams.


1st JAM 41.5
Fraser - Stewart - Calvert - Campbell Brown
2nd USA 41.7
Barber-Felix-Myers- Pharmelita
3rd Bahamas 42.3
S.Ferguson- Smith - Strachan - Ferguson McKenzie
4th GBR 42.5
Porter - Onoura - Oyepitan - Kwakye
5th Ukraine 42.5
Povh - Pohrebenyak - Ryemen - Brezina
6th France 42.6
Soumaré - Mang - Jaques Sebastian - Louami
7th Nigeria 43.0
Asumnu - Okegbare - Abinuwa - Osayomi
8th Russia or Germany

[LJforlife]

for a moment I was thinking no jeter in the us team?!?!? ......

[iain]

1st JAM - 41.5
Fraser-Pryce; Simpson; Stewart; Campbell-Brown
2nd USA - 41.7
Barber; Felix; Myers; Jeter
3rd UKR - 42.5
Povh; Pohrebnyak; Ryemyen; Stuy
4th GBR - 42.8
Kwakye; Onuora; Porter; Oyepitan
5th TRI - 42.9
Ahye; Baptiste; Hutchinson; Hacket
6th NGR - 43.0
Asumnu; Abinuwa; Osayomi; Okagbare
7th BAH - 43.1
Robinson; Smith; Ferguson; Ferguson-McKenzie
8th FRA - 43.2
Soumaré; Louami; Jaques-Sebastièn; Mang

[mump boy]

I don't see BAH or UK (i wish) so high i deffo see GER and RUS higher

GEr inparticular may not have any faast sprinters but they will have a well drilled team which we all know is invaluable see the Euro J

[iain]

There are ten teams in contention for medals IMO. I agree Germany will have a strong chance, and was maybe a little hard on them. However, Russia's squad is: Fedoriva; Guschina; Savlinis; Rusakova; Katsura, which doesn't look too strong (only Guschina 100m and Savlinis 200m ar in individual events).

[sidelined]

3a, continuing our discussion from the Worlds Selection thread about the 4 x 400: Rooney often has a problem pacing the 400 (see Crystal Palace), which is why he is much better as a chaser than on the first leg, where you suggested he should run. He can run a 44.0 leg on the anchor if he puts his mind to it. I agree that who to put on the first leg is a problem, though. I think I'd opt for Clarke.

[iain]

I would probably put Levine on first, as Clarke is also a good chaser (went past the German at the Euro Juniors 2009 with a split superior by 0.96). I'm not even sure Greene warrants a place. Best relay split: 45.83 in Berlin compared with Strachan's 45.14 at the team champs that same year. Obviously Greene has improved massively since then though. Rooney has to be last.

[Tracker]

I read an interesting story regarding Savinova a few months back when she was saying she would like to run in the Russian 4*400, her Indoor PB is 52.05 compared to a 52.7 outdoor this year, Since then i have seen a few articles in Russian that i am trying to find so i can give you a link in which the Russian athletics federation chief was mentioning Savinova in terms of the relay, just heats? i personally think put her on leg 3 or 4 (Ideally 4 as i think she will fight) in the final and she will run a fast leg, sub 50, she is a PSD type athlete, If Okoro can split 50. then Savinova can go 49.

[mump boy]

I'm not sure you can read too much into individual times when it comes the the w4x1

i know there were a lot of dropped batons involved but RUS won 08 with a team consited of athletes with seasons bests

of 11.13
11.33
11.33
22.56 (but she ran 23.22 for last in her semi in Beijing)

on paper this is not a team that should run 42.2 and win OG but as has been proved many times it doesn't matter how fast you can run what matters is how fast you can get the baton round. There are medals to be won by many countries if they put in the practice

[iain]

I see your point and yet:
11.30
11.30
11.34
11.51
11.55
and they haven't run a race together this season, although Guschina and Rusakova are very experienced relay runners
I don''t think they are the best medal candidates, but I would not be terribly surprised to see myself proved wrong though

[3a]

I read an interesting story regarding Savinova a few months back when she was saying she would like to run in the Russian 4*400, her Indoor PB is 52.05 compared to a 52.7 outdoor this year, Since then i have seen a few articles in Russian that i am trying to find so i can give you a link in which the Russian athletics federation chief was mentioning Savinova in terms of the relay, just heats? i personally think put her on leg 3 or 4 (Ideally 4 as i think she will fight) in the final and she will run a fast leg, sub 50, she is a PSD type athlete, If Okoro can split 50. then Savinova can go 49.

That's very interesting. I do enjoy the way Russian women switch things up. Although, I'm not always so sure about their methods.

Guschina was actually one of the most successful athletes of the Beijing Olympics, and not many people seem to have noticed.
She actually finished top 4 in 3 different events, with a 4th place in the 400m, a Gold in the 4x100m and a silver in the 4x400. Really great stamina, and she pretty much won the 4x100m relay for her team.

[iain]

see your point and yet:
11.30
11.30
11.34
11.51
11.55
and not having run together at all this year?
Admittedly Rusakova and Guschina are experienced relay runners but still.
I don't think they are the best medal candidates but I would not be overly surprised to see myself proved wrong.

[iain]

Oops
and had Kapachinskaya held off Richards she would have become the first ever woman (person?) to win Olympic gold in both relays. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately!) she hasn't run many 400s since then.

[3a]

Throwing Savinova into the frame for the Russan 4x4 is interesting. What would be even more interesting to me, would be throwing VCB into the frame for the Jamaican 4x4. I'm not sure they need her at this rate, to beat the Americans as a team of

S. Williams - N.Williams - Whyte and Spenser (super reserves with Walker and Prendergast)

should be able to beat

Dunn - Felix - Beard - Richards

I reckon Dunn will trail Williams, Felix won't have the energy after 3 events to do her usual low 48, besides Novlene is a beast, Beard could close or overtake the relatively inexperienced Whyte, but I'd give Spenser the nod over Sanya even if she was trailing her a little.

I would absolutely love to see the British Gals run the Russians out of the medals. It's only a mere 4 years since the British Gals ran the 3.20 for bronze in Osaka, a time that would have won MANY Olympic and World titles. That team was TBO-Maz-Lee-Nicola. If TBO and Sanders could get back to shape, with Lee and Perri also capable of sub 50 splits......sigh

[Flumpy]

After JAM and USA surely Ukraine are favourites for the Bronze. they were great last year.

I'd love Savinova to do the 4x4 but don't see VCB as a 400m runner at all. That's no to say she couldn't run a great leg (A'la John Regis) but I wouldn't put her in over the people they already have.

[3a]

After JAM and USA surely Ukraine are favourites for the Bronze. they were great last year.

I'd love Savinova to do the 4x4 but don't see VCB as a 400m runner at all. That's no to say she couldn't run a great leg (A'la John Regis) but I wouldn't put her in over the people they already have.

True on both accounts, but I'm not sure Brezhina is that fit.

RE: VCB, remember when Jamaica used to have the most eclectic group of gals. Atlanta for example had a future world 200m medalist Merlene Frazer, a future world 200m Indoor Champ, Juliet Campbell, a 400m Hurdler Deon Hemmings and Sandy Richards. They also relied on Debbie Paris a fair bit and, I remember Beverly Grant ran anchor for the 4x1 at worlds in 97 and a 4x4 leg at a different worlds.

I also remember not too long ago in their 4x1 they had Long jumper Elva Goulbourne, Hurdler Astia Walker and even in 2003 relied on fricken Brigette Foster to anchor them home. Now, there's an embarrassment of riches which means you'll never get the likes of Annie McLaughlin or Nikeisha Wilson near a relay, even though they would both have been staples in the early 00's.

[mump boy]

S. Williams - N.Williams - Whyte and Spenser (super reserves with Walker and Prendergast)

should be able to beat

Dunn - Felix - Beard - Richards

I reckon Dunn will trail Williams, Felix won't have the energy after 3 events to do her usual low 48, besides Novlene is a beast, Beard could close or overtake the relatively inexperienced Whyte, but I'd give Spenser the nod over Sanya even if she was trailing her a little.

I would absolutely love to see the British Gals run the Russians out of the medals. It's only a mere 4 years since the British Gals ran the 3.20 for bronze in Osaka, a time that would have won MANY Olympic and World titles. That team was TBO-Maz-Lee-Nicola. If TBO and Sanders could get back to shape, with Lee and Perri also capable of sub 50 splits......sigh

i don't think Beard will be on the team over McCrory will she ?? and even then Whyte had run 49.8 this so there is no reason to think she couldn't handle her. On the other hand no matter what form Sanya is in she is a different athlete on a realy and i would be very surprised to see her run down if she is fully fit (eg her thing hasn't flaired up again)

As for the UK team i have given up hope of all our girls being fit and in form at the same time, it will never happen

[iain]

4x400m Women

1st USA - 51.0, 48.8, 49.8, 49.3 = 3:18.9
Dunn; Felix; McCorory; Richards
2nd JAM - 50.6, 49.6, 50.1, 49.2 = 3:19.5
Williams; Whyte; Spencer; Williams-Mills
3rd RUS - 50.3, 49.8, 50.1, 49.8 = 3:20.0
Kapachinskaya; Litvinova; Vdovina; Krivoshapka
4th GBR - 51.4, 49.9, 50.8, 49.4 = 3:21.5
Sanders; McConnell; Ohuruogu; Shakes-Drayton
5th UKR - 52.8, 50.7, 51.4, 50.8 = 3:25.7
Zavorhodnya; Yefremova; Yaroschuk; Pyhyda
6th GER - 52.8, 51.0, 51.8, 50.5 = 3:26.1
Lindenberg; Cremer; Schmidt; Hoffmann
7th BRA - 51.7, 52.1, 51.6, 51.3 = 3:26.7
Coutinho; de Oliveira; Sousa; de Lima
8th CUB - 52.4, 52.2, 51.1, 51.1 = 3:26.8
Martínez; Peña; Clement; Bonne

I might have been a tad generous to Russia, as they don't have any brilliant relay runners, but I am probably just tellin myself that.
As for GB if we have an injury free year it will be next year, as every athlete will want to run in London. I hope.

[nevetssllim]

I might have been a tad generous to Russia, as they don't have any brilliant relay runners, but I am probably just tellin myself that.
As for GB if we have an injury free year it will be next year, as every athlete will want to run in London. I hope.

What about Antyukh? She recently set a season's best of 50.73 for the 400m which is her fastest time since moving to the hurdles and she's a very experienced runner. She ran 49.43 on the anchor leg in Athens, 49.4ht and 49.72 in Helsinki and 49.40 in Osaka. I think they'll give her a run in the relay in Daegu.

[iain]

I don't. The Russians almost always seem to pick their four fastest runners from the relay squad. Also, considering she will have just run the 400m H final (probably) the Russians will feel they have enough strength in depth to keep with 400m flat runners. From what I have seen, if you are not named in the squad then you haven't got a hope in Russia.

[Tracker]

My Predictions for the female long relay.
4*400m

1.USA-3.17.6
Dunn (50.6) Felix (48.7) McCorory (49.6) Richards (48.7)...I personally would run (McCorory-Felix-Demus-Richards)
2.JAM-3.18.5
Whyte (50.2) Williams (49.4) Spencer (49.7) W-mills (49.2)
3.RUS-3.18.6
Kapachinskaya (50) Ltvinova (49.7) Firova (49.9) Krivoshapka (49.0)
4.GBR-3.20.2
Ohuruogu (50.5) Sanders (49.9) Mcconnell (50.3) PSD (49.5) ...Quite optimistic TBO & Nic can drop chunks.
5.BLR-3.24.5
S Usovich (50.9) Yuschanka (51.7) Tashpulatava (50.7) Usovich (51.2)
6.UKR-3.24.9
Titimets (52.5) Yefremova (50.4) Pyhyda (50.7) Baraley (51.3)....Karandchuk on lead off if added.
7.GER-3.25.9
Cremer (52.3) Lindenberg (50.9) Schmidt (51.7) Hoffmann (51.0)
8.BRZ-3.26.3
Coutinho (51.5) De lima (51.3) De Oliviera (51.9) Sousa (51.6)

[damienc]

My Predictions for the female long relay.
4*400m

1.USA-3.17.6
Dunn (50.6) Felix (48.7) McCorory (49.6) Richards (48.7)...I personally would run (McCorory-Felix-Demus-Richards)
2.JAM-3.18.5
Whyte (50.2) Williams (49.4) Spencer (49.7) W-mills (49.2)
3.RUS-3.18.6
Kapachinskaya (50) Ltvinova (49.7) Firova (49.9) Krivoshapka (49.0)
4.GBR-3.20.2
Ohuruogu (50.5) Sanders (49.9) Mcconnell (50.3) PSD (49.5) ...Quite optimistic TBO & Nic can drop chunks.
5.BLR-3.24.5
S Usovich (50.9) Yuschanka (51.7) Tashpulatava (50.7) Usovich (51.2)
6.UKR-3.24.9
Titimets (52.5) Yefremova (50.4) Pyhyda (50.7) Baraley (51.3)....Karandchuk on lead off if added.
7.GER-3.25.9
Cremer (52.3) Lindenberg (50.9) Schmidt (51.7) Hoffmann (51.0)
8.BRZ-3.26.3
Coutinho (51.5) De lima (51.3) De Oliviera (51.9) Sousa (51.6)

I think McConnell will run a sub 50 split and Nicola about 50.4.

Incidentally, Nicola ran 51.9 today in Germany. Seems to be a bit stuck around 51.8-52secs so will need to find another gear come the Worlds.

[iain]

Ohuruogu is more tactical than the rest so should definitely not be put on first. I would say third or fourth. I agree Lee should go sub-50 and Nicola may go sub-51 as she is a good relay runner, though I would personally put her on first. I reckon 51.5ish

[Tracker]

My Predictions for the female long relay.
4*400m

1.USA-3.17.6
Dunn (50.6) Felix (48.7) McCorory (49.6) Richards (48.7)...I personally would run (McCorory-Felix-Demus-Richards)
2.JAM-3.18.5
Whyte (50.2) Williams (49.4) Spencer (49.7) W-mills (49.2)
3.RUS-3.18.6
Kapachinskaya (50) Ltvinova (49.7) Firova (49.9) Krivoshapka (49.0)
4.GBR-3.20.2
Ohuruogu (50.5) Sanders (49.9) Mcconnell (50.3) PSD (49.5) ...Quite optimistic TBO & Nic can drop chunks.
5.BLR-3.24.5
S Usovich (50.9) Yuschanka (51.7) Tashpulatava (50.7) Usovich (51.2)
6.UKR-3.24.9
Titimets (52.5) Yefremova (50.4) Pyhyda (50.7) Baraley (51.3)....Karandchuk on lead off if added.
7.GER-3.25.9
Cremer (52.3) Lindenberg (50.9) Schmidt (51.7) Hoffmann (51.0)
8.BRZ-3.26.3
Coutinho (51.5) De lima (51.3) De Oliviera (51.9) Sousa (51.6)

I think McConnell will run a sub 50 split and Nicola about 50.4.

Incidentally, Nicola ran 51.9 today in Germany. Seems to be a bit stuck around 51.8-52secs so will need to find another gear come the Worlds.

Nicola went to Barcelona with a 52 high SB last year a lead off the relay 51. and she had a very similar path in 2008 & 2009, i Think she will run 50. in the individual in Korea.

[mump boy]

4.GBR-3.20.2
Ohuruogu (50.5) Sanders (49.9) Mcconnell (50.3) PSD (49.5) ...Quite optimistic TBO & Nic can drop chunks.

There is not a hope in hell that TBO will run 50.5 on the lead off leg of the relay in Daegu

She has never split fater than 50.4 in a relay when she's been on the last leg and been in sub 50 shape. She should not be allowed anywhere near first or last leg. I think she should be on 2nd but 3rd would be ok

I would usually put Lee on first but this year i could consider another leg

[iain]

Sanders looks quite promising. 51.92 to beat Hoffmann and Lindenberg. All the sprints run in strong winds, 1m/s to 3m/s. I certainly hope she can run better in better conditions in Daegu.

[iain]

TBO could run low 50. on a chasing leg this year, and Lee could go sub-50. Lee is a brilliant chaser, she should never be stuck on first. Sanders for this year IMO.

[jjimbojames]

TBO could run low 50. on a chasing leg this year, and Lee could go sub-50. Lee is a brilliant chaser, she should never be stuck on first. Sanders for this year IMO.

Sanders is a better chaser IMO - her strength is great and (at her best, clearly not this year) she has split times that only Felix and SRR have run (of current athletes). This year, I'd be inclined to put whichever one is the quickest from blocks on first, to keep us in the mix, and the other on 3rd.

Lee/Nicola-TBO-Lee/Nicola-PSD, for a solid 4th place

[nevetssllim]

I don't. The Russians almost always seem to pick their four fastest runners from the relay squad. Also, considering she will have just run the 400m H final (probably) the Russians will feel they have enough strength in depth to keep with 400m flat runners. From what I have seen, if you are not named in the squad then you haven't got a hope in Russia.

I think any athlete named in the roster is eligible for relays. There's 48 hours between both finals so it's definitely possible although she doesn't seem to be first in line.

[iain]

Iknow she is allowed, it is just that the Russians don't