Sorry for the delay--I was napping!!
Anyway, here's the remaining 12 Women's events!
Check my first Men's Preview for all the guide info!
LJ (24-3.50, or 7.40)
In a few events, there are Russians who, by their presence, would have added to that event's excitement, and--let's be honest--to the quality of its field.
Well here--with Darya Klishina entered--no such problem exists!
She made it through the insensitive and unjust iron wall of hypocrisy , as established and certified by such agents of destruction as the IOC, WADA, and IAAF!!
Well, politics aside, I've selected Ms Klishina as my Bronze medalist!!
Only Ivana Spanovic (Silver) and Brittney Reese (Gold) are better!
Much will depend on whether Reese can avoid fouling at critical moments.
And whether she can AGAIN come through with her massive final round jumps!!
Trying to break up this happy little group will be Tianna Bartoletta, Shara Proctor, Christobel Nettey, Blessing Okagbare, and Janay DeLoach.
Unless Reese adds a few inches to her PR, the MR is safe.
I'll give it 20-80 odds of going down!
200 (21.34)
Without Allyson Felix, the Road to Rio Gold became less foggy.
But we still have to decide the winner.
I just can't see Dafne Schippers being beaten here.
In fact, I give her (or even Elaine Thompson!) a pretty strong 30-70 odds of her removing Flojo from the OG Meet Record list here!
It's a VERY tough standard to beat, but Schippers seems to have the elements needed!
Thompson's 10.70 century speed might help her here, but mostly to hold on to Silver!
VCB is better here than in the 100, so she gets the Bronze!
Michelle Lee Ahye might be ready for a huge 200 breakthrough, so watch her!
Add Jenna Prandini, Tori Bowie, Marie Josee Ta-Lou, Dina Asher-Smith, and Shaunae Miller to your Watch list!
Deajah Stevens will have her Olympics experience to talk about when she returns to Eugene, but that's all.
100H (12.35)
We first need to ERASE the memory of the fiasco of Beijing 2015!
It won't happen here--knock on wood!!
(Besides, with the failure of the WORLD RECORD holder from making the US team, we've already HAD enough shocks to last a few Olympiads!!)
But Kendra Harrison's--and Lolo Jones's, and Sally Pearson's, and, and...!---absence will only have us focus more on who IS here!
All that said, I still don't see a US sweep!
I think Tiffany Porter (herself a former American, now a Brit!) will step in the middle of Gold winner Nia Ali, and Brianna Rollins's Bronze!
No WR here, but that MR is definitely under fire, with 85-15 odds of its going down!!
Porter's sister Cindy Ofili will challenge, as will Kristi Castlin, Alina Talay, Cindy Roleder, and Susan Kallur!
It would take a miracle (almost!) for Australia's best (in Pearson's absence!), Michelle Jenneke, to make it through the rounds!
But beware of Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, a fast riser who might be ready to rumble (or at least Rumba!! LOL) here!!
JT (234-8, or 71.53)
This is an event going through a transition.
For years, two women have been dominant--Christine Obergfoll and Barbara Spotakova.
They're still here--and still formidable--but just not quite where they WERE!
Thus, the door is opened for new spear-chuckers to emerge!
While I still believe Spotakova will win, she'll have some company, mainly from Linda Stahl and Tatsiana Khaladovich!!
Kara Winger began 2016 strongly, but has since leveled off, not coming near her American Record!
The other Americans--Brittany Borman and Maggie Malone would need a big throw just to make the final, even in this weakened event!
MR odds are 20-80!
400H (52.64)
Questions--
Is Delilah Muhammad ready for another sub-53?
Is Zuzana Hejnova in better shape than her results have shown?
And how much MORE can now-17 year old Sydney McLaughlin DESTROY her High School Record??
Beyond those mysteries, we need to know the TRUE potential of Ashley Spencer, Sara Petersen, Elidh Doyle, and Kemi Adekoya.
And what about Jamaica's Janieve Russell, finally admitted entry, after some puzzling flip-flops by the Jamaican team selectors!
The MR is in some danger, but will have to better the 40-60 odds I'm giving it!
In the end, I see Hejnova prevailing, with McLaughlin "shocking" for Silver, and Spencer finishing 3rd!
Muhammad's ONE great performance isn't enough to convince me!
20000 Walk (1:25:02)
The MR is safe!
ZERO chance of it going down!
And that's NOT only because of the missing Russians!
In their absence, the Chinese women should prevail, with Hong Liu beating Xiuzhi Lu for the Gold!
Bronze might go to Maria Gonzalez!
Eleanora Giorgi, Shepju Qieyang, and Anezka Drahatova are ones to watch.
If top American Maria Michta -Coffey can break her American Record AND finish in the top 15, it would be reward enough!!
(Actually, one of the two would do!! LOL)
PV (16-6.75, or 5.05)
That Meet Record is held by the one Russian whose absence will certainly NOT make this heart grow fonder!!
Yelena Isinbayeva's FORCED exclusion from this competition is a sin beyond forgiveness or redemption!!
Those who ruled against this CLEAN and INNOCENT Woman should hang their ugly heads in SHAME!!
That said--and my anger remains palpable!!--this event STILL has the deepest quality field of them all!!
It could--even without Isi--still be a HISTORIC moment in time!!
Without Isinbayeva's SURE Gold--I gave it to the rapidly-rising STAR, Sandi Morris!
Jenn Suhr has had some enormous vaults in 2016, but she's also been somewhat tentative in her performances, trying to avoid a worsening of her calf problems!
Ekaterina Stefanidi has been great all year, and seems ready for more.
If Morris falters at all, Gold goes to the Greek!!
Brazil's Golden Girl--Fabiana Murer--is now 35 years old!
She's still able to scale the heights, but that highest bar will keep her in the Bronze position, despite the massive cheers she'll receive from the sold-out crowd on the day of this final!!
The list of challengers is long--and strong!!
(We could very well see Place Records broken in EVERY position!!!)
Watch for Angelica Bengtsson, Yarisley Silva, Ling Li, Lisa Ryzih, Tina Sutej, Holly Bradshaw, Alana Boyd, Nicole Buchler, Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou, and Alysha Newman!
But don't neglect the trio of teens who are more than mere window dressing--Eliza McCartney, Lexi Weeks, and Wilma Murto!
And be SUHR to keep Jenn in your sights!!
HaHaHa!
5000 (14:40.79)
This MR gets 95-5 odds of being SMASHED into oblivion!!
That said, WHO gets the MR honors at the end?
The entry list has both Almaz Ayana and Tirunesh Dibaba returning from the 10K to double here!
IF they both run--and Ayana is a certainty!--it will be another doozy of a dogfight!!
They both have everything needed to prevail!
Toss a coin!
I'm thinking Tiru will NOT double back, so I gave my Silver and Bronze to Helen Obiri and Vivian Cheruiyot.
Mercy Cherono seems the only other one good enough to challenge for a medal!
But beware of Meraf Bahta!
The American trio are good--for Americans!
None, however, have ever broken the 15:00 barrier.
Even if one or more do here, it won't be enough!
But give the "US Gold" to Shelby Houlihan, who looks to be the next great American all-arounder!
Kim Conley is in her SECOND best event, but she and Abbey D'Agostino might get PR's!
4X100 Relay (40.82)
The United States has a foursome with enough wheels to run this MR into the ground!!
IF they finish with baton still in hand, the odds are 70-30!!
If not, and Jamaica wins, the MR will survive!
SAFP remains too big a question to see her beating whoever the US has on anchor!
Great Britain is a strong Bronze candidate!
The Netherlands will have Dafne Schippers somewhere on their team---2nd leg? anchor?--but she won't be enough to send her team to the podium!
Nigeria, Poland, Germany, and Trinidad are teams to watch.
HJ (6-9, or 2.06)
The MR should be safe, with 15-85 odds of its even being tied!
The Russians--whether clean or dirty--leave a deep hole in this field's quality!
But even with them here, I'd still give Chaunte Lowe a great chance for Gold!
Without Anna Chicherova and Mariya Kuchina, 3-time mother Lowe should go highest--pun very much intended!
Vashti Cunningham is just 18, and a recent graduate of a Las Vegas HS!
But she's shown a toughness and maturity that seems 10 years older!!
So she gets my Silver, ahead of the iconic--and highly entertaining!--Blanka Vlasic!!
Ruth Beitia is 37, but setting Age records, and winning!!
However, the podium will probably be beyond her reach here!
Kamila Licwinko is a STRONG contender, and would be the one to step in if any of the top 3 have problems!
Alessia Trost, Akela Jones, Inika McPherson, and even young Morgan Lake, are ones who could shock!
800 (1:53.43)
Which side are you on?
Accepting Caster Semenya as a full-blown WOMAN (as well as Margaret Wambui and Francine Niyonsaba!!)---or NOT??
I'm siding FIRMLY against their inclusion in an all-WOMAN's event!!
I've written about this in other posts, so won't repeat myself.
But whatever their results---for place or time--I will NOT honor them here!!
With that clearly in mind, I give Gold to Melissa Bishop, who is clearly the World's best this year!
Ajee Wilson should finish 2nd, with Kate Grace's Mile strength giving her the nod for Bronze!
Eunice Sum is always dangerous, and Lynsey Sharp is a solid contender.
Watch also for Sifan Hassan (doubling??), Natoya Goule, and Sahilly Diago!
A shock candidate remains Iceland's Anita Hinriksdottir, who has yet to finish in the 1's!
The MR has a 100-0 chance to survive!!
4X400 Relay (3:15.17)
The US Trials open 400 saw Francena McCorory being left behind.
She won't be behind here, as she'll probably help the US to beat a strong Jamaican squad for Gold!
Only Great Britain and the Bahamas have enough wheels to challenge!
Allyson Felix will probably anchor for the US, and even if she doesn't repeat her 47.72 split from Beijing, it will be enough to prevail!
The MR is safe, however---with ZERO odds for beating it!
And that end's THAT!!
Enjoy the next 10 days, my friends!
Thank you for using my blog as your source for all the necessary information needed to heighten and sharpen your enjoyment!!
Watch for FREQUENT results-filled posts throughout the Games of Rio!!
No comments:
Post a Comment