See my Men's Preview for all the intro stuff!
Same exact format here!
Same excuse for being late!
PV (15-11.25) Thurs at 7:05 P.M.
Jenn Suhr
Sandi Morris
Ekaterina Stefanidi
Suhr lost to Morris at USATF, but she won't lose here!
She's the WR holder, and is in THE shape of her life!
Also, this might be her last INdoor WC!!
Morris was INCREDIBLE at USATF, but might be too giddy from that meet to be ON here!
Demi Payne, Yelena Isinbayeva, and Yarisley Silva--all absent for very different reasons--would be GENUINE Gold Medal contenders here!!
The MR (and maybe the WR!!) WILL fall here!
100-0 (for the MR)
50-50 for the WR!
Pentathlon (5013) Fri at 8:10 P.M. (for the 800!)
Anastasiya Mukhnyuk
Kendell Williams
Brianne Thiesen-Eaton
I know, I KNOW--you don't bet AGAINST an Eaton!!
But Williams should open with the fastest 60H.
Mukhnyuk has the best score going in THIS year!
MIA's include the other Hyphens--Katerina Johnson-Thompson and Jessica Ennis-Hill, Gold Medal favorite LOCKS!!
But alas, they're absent!
Thus, the MR (and WR!) are given 10-90 odds, and even THAT is probably too much!!
LJ (23-8.25) Fri at 6:55 P.M.
Shara Proctor
Brittney Reese
Ivana Spanovic
Reese jumps hot OR cold, so her place will be determined by her penchant to foul!
Watch for Janay DeLoach to shock!
0-100
60H (7.72) Fri at 8:30 P.M.
Brianna Rollins
Kendra Harrison
Nia Ali
Yes, I see a USA sweep!
And you can switch the order any way you please!
There's too many American MIA's--but IAAF rules are the rules!!
(Whatever happened to that old saw--Rules are made to be BROKEN!!--??)
20-80
TJ (50-4.75) Sat at 11:37 (!!) A.M.
Yulimar Rojas
Kristina Gurasch
Keturah Orji
Yes, Orji made the cut, and is still in college.
But I believe she's ready to go 47 feet.
IF she does--or is even close--this field is WEAK enough that she COULD medal!
Missing is the WINNER--Caterine Ibarguen!
Odds for that MR (and WR)??
You gotta be kidding!
ZERO, baby!!
SP (70-3.75) Sat at 5:45 P.M.
Michelle Carter
Valerie Adams
Jillian Camarena-Williams
Adams has an OUTdoor 63-9 from an Oceania meet.
Carter has one mark about the same!
It could be close.
But I still took a HUGE chance giving the Gold to Michelle!
I wish Raven Saunders could have been here--if only for the experience!
But her last 2 meets--including the NCAA--were AWFUL!!
The MR is VERY safe!
0-100
400 (50.04) Sat at 6:47 P.M.
Quenera Hayes
Ashley Spencer
Stephanie McPherson
MIA's include Sanya Richards-Ross, Allyson Felix, and Fran McCorory.
Also, Natasha Hastings WAS listed a few days ago, but isn't on the final heat sheet list!
Courtney Okolo either isn't here, or will be running the Relay only!
10-90
1500 (3:59.75) Sat at 7:18 P.M.
Dawit Seyaum
Sifan Hassan
Gudaf Tsegay
Brenda Martinez says she's not 800 sharp yet, but she's a STRONG bet to replace one of the above for a medal!
Missing, of course, is Genzebe Dibaba, who decided to do just one event here!
20-80 odds for the MR are fully dependent on whether they MoBot the race--or RUN it!!
60 (6.95) Sat at 7:53 P.M.
Dafne Schippers
Barbara Pierre
Marie Jose Ta Lou
So MANY names missing--the best being probably Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce!
But loads of others too!
That said, the two 7.00 women ARE here!
Ta Lou--to me--is an unknown!
Dina Asher-Smith, Tori Bowie, or Michelle Lee-Ahye could surprise--at least for the Bronze!
30-70 for the MR!
HJ (6-8.75) Sun at 1:00 P.M.
Vashti Cunningham
Ruth Beitia
Kamila Licwinko
Vashti is 18.
Ruth is 36.
But Cunningham showed true maturity at the USATF!
If she doesn't "teenage" out, she CAN win!
But Licwinko and Beitia should NOT be taken lightly!
10-90 for the MR
800 (1:56.90) Sun at 1:30 P.M.
Ajee Wilson
Lynsey Sharp
Laura Roesler
Francine Niyonsaba is here, but I know of NO times for her this year!
If she's in shape--and why would she BE here if she wasn't??--she could very well take it all.
But Wilson has proven herself as a WINNER!
Off of ANY pace!
Roesler is having a GREAT year, and has the 400 speed to move up on the medal ladder!
ZERO-100
3000 (8:33.9) Sun at 1:45 P.M.
Genzebe Dibaba
Meseret Defar
Gelete Burka
Jeez, I hope the Big D's RACE this baby all the way out!!
From the GUN!!
I want a time in the TEENS here!!
Or, at WORST, in the low-8:20's!
Anything slower than 8:30--I'll consider a MoBot JOG!!
The only shocker might come from Shannon Rowbury!
She has the 1500 speed!
Does she stay with the Ethiopians?
95-5--IF!!
4X400 Relay (3:23.88) Sun at 2:20 P.M.
USA
Jamaica
Nigeria
Not much to say about this.
Even without their best, the home team should win--easily!
And they CAN get the MR, but it would help if Jamaica stays close through the first 3 legs!
50-50
Enjoy the meet!
See you Sunday with my DETAILED recap!
I was happily surprised that the NBC livestream actually WORKED for me! I saw the entire competition, right down to the fun awards ceremonies at the end. I The livestream was great -- one of the best track and field broadcasts I've seen. They showed every vault. I don't know what happened to your webcast -- did you try rebooting the computer and logging in again? That often helps.
ReplyDeleteThe video was superb -- high definition and very clear -- and good camera angles too. It was so great to see every vault, rather than the usual one or two vault highlights. Jenn continued her best season ever, and it was the first time she's ever been over 16' in a major international championship. She looked great. I didn't think she was in WR form, but over 16' two weeks in a row in championship meets is a super-great performance. It's great to see Jenn vaulting so well.
Sandi Morris did very well too. She wasn't on fire like last week (actually just five days ago), but still did well. Her 15-11 (4.85) would have been a PR anytime before last week. Stefanidi did well too, though looking a little ragged out there.
And yes, I loved watching Eliza McCartney! She's a beauty and seemed to be having a lot of fun out there. She couldn't quite get the 4.80 that she did at home recently, but still vaulted quite well for 19 years old in a very big meet.
While the women's competition was great and moved right along, the men dragged for quite awhile. When Renaud made his first vault, it had been over two hours since he had warmed up. But he was still very ready! He looked great in all his vaults through a fantastic vault at 6.02. His WR efforts weren't close, but it was nice for him to do this for the crowd who loved it -- and loved him! That guy can really fly!
ReplyDeleteShawn Barber looked terrible the whole meet. He was the only big name to disappoint. He looked like he was having a lot of trouble with his steps -- too far under. He made adjustments throughout the competition, but not enough. By the time he got over 19' he seemed spent and had no power at the takeoff. Not a good time to have a bad day, but it happens.
"He" didn't get over 19' -- the bar did. He couldn't make it and didn't even look close.
The women went true to form -- Suhr, Morris, and Stefanidi, in that order -- was what you picked and also what I picked, and pretty much what everyone expected. The men's winner was a strong favorite, and only Barber failed to live up to expectations. Kendrick vaulted about as high as he can vault and getting second on a day when Lavillenie was untouchable was a fine performance.
ReplyDeleteJenn was the tallest of the three women medalists. Renaud was the shortest of the three men's medalists. Jenn is a stunning physical specimen with superb athleticism but only average (for an elite) technique. Renaud is a little guy, very fast on the runway, and has the best technique on the pole of anyone I've seen except Bubka.