Each gender's Preview will be in 2 parts!
This 1st part will cover all the Men's Finals from August 4th through August 9th!
The events are presented in order of the Finals!
The World Record & Meet Record are given.
If they're one & the same, just one mark will be listed!
I'll offer names of the major players, but do NOT consider this to be a "predictions" Preview!!
While you have the full schedule (my previous post!), I'll list the Date of each Final here!
10000 (August 4) (WR 26:17.53 MR 26:46.31)
Despite a Kenyan team vow to defeat Mo Farah, don't bet on it happening--not with this summer being the MoBot's "Last Hurrah" of track racing, and this being his "home turf"!
Also don't expect the MR to fall!
Give it 30-70 odds---and even THAT is wishful thinking on my part!!
Geoff Kamworor, Paul Tanui, and Bedan Muchiri are the Kenyan "wrecking crew".
Also watch for Abadi Hadis!
DT (August 5) (WR 243-0 MR 230-2)
The "Old Guard" of Robert Harting and Gerd Kanter are here, but it won't matter.
That's because you have a "new" trio of giants--Daniel Stahl, Fedrick Dacres, Piotr Malachowski--all coming up fast!
Especially interesting is Dacres, as you don't expect DT'ers to come from the land of Usain Bolt and Elaine Thompson!
If they're all ON, give the MR 60-40 odds of going down!
Also watch for Andrius Gudzius, Phil Milanov, and Robert Urbanek!
Could come down to the 6th round!
LJ (August 5) (WR & MR 29-4.50)
South Africa vs the USA!
Luvo Manyonga and Ruswahl Samaai are TeamSA!
Jeff Henderson, Marquis Dendy, and Jarrion Lawson are TeamUSA!
If this were June, I'd hand the Gold to Manyonga NOW!!
But he's been "off" a bit recently!
(A niggle?)
Tyrone Smith of the Bahamas has been getting a lot of Twitterverse space, but mainly as the boyfriend of Sandi Morris!
His 27-4.50 PR shouldn't be much of a threat!
The Records are safe!
But give them 10-90 odds anyway!
100 (August 5) (WR & MR 9.58)
In his "final" individual race in a Championship setting, will DA MAN even win??
I truly do not know!!
He SAYS he's confident, and believes 9.8 will be the winning time!
That said, Christian Coleman has run 9.82!
Justin Gatlin is even faster--though NOT this year!!
No Records, but I'm saying Bolt will have to WORK for this one!!
Add Akani Simbine, Chris Belcher, Yohan Blake, and Chijandu Ujah as mild threats!
Andre De Grasse was a late scratch due to a "training injury"!
(Though some "wits" are saying he was paid by Bolt to scratch, clearing the field for DA MAN! Despite my misgivings, I'd say that's a plausible plot for a great novel!!)
Marathon (August 6) (WR 2:02:57 MR 2:06:54)
The race is in London!
London is in Great Britain!
Callum Hawkins is British!
Place him in the SERIOUS running for Gold---or at least SOME medal!!
Back to Earth, watch for Daniel Wanjiru, Tsegaye Mekonnen, Stephen Kiprotich, Geoff Kirui, Tamirat Tola, and Paul Lonyangata to be the "real" contenders!
London's cool temps might allow for a fast pace--as if 2:06 is "fast" nowadays!!
40-60 odds!
SP (August 6) (WR 75-10.25 MR 72-11.25)
The MR could fall by the end of Round ONE!
The WR could go by the end of Round 6!
The MR gets 99-1 odds!!
The WR gets 2-98 odds!
Despite the presence of a tremendous field of 21 & 22 meter throwers--Konrad Bukowiecki, David Storl, O'Dayne Richards, Michel Haratyk, Tom Walsh, Tomas Stanek--this COULD be a USA sweep!!
Joe Kovacs & Ryan Crouser are sure bets.
But watch for the "other" Ryan--Whiting--to possibly shock!!
110H (August 7) (WR 12.80 MR 12.91)
Despite a few sub-13 guys, this really is an open race!!
Given, of course, they all make the final!!
Omar McLeod and Orlando Ortega should be the favorites, but neither is a "clear" fave!
Aries Merritt can still produce, as can Russian Sergey Shubenkov!!
Devon Allen and Aleec Harris have medal talent!
Ron Levy and Andrew Pozzi are 2 more to watch!
Add Garfield Darien as a lane filler!
MR gets 30-70 odds!
PV (August 8) (WR 20-1.75 MR 19-10.25)
Pardon the punnery, but this event has seen a lot of ups & downs!!
Up goes Piotr Lisek, Pawel Wojciechowski, and Shawn Barber!
Down comes Renaud Lavillenie and Mondo Duplantis!
That leaves Sam Kendricks as the likely winner, with Raphael Holzdeppe a possible threat!
Kendricks is exciting to watch, but most eyes will be on the INdoor WR holder & the "Kid"!!
Give the WR 20-80 odds, and the MR 70-30!
3000SC (August 8) (WR 7:53.63 MR 8:00.43)
T&FN picks Evan Jager to WIN!!
Could be, could be!
Consesius Kipruto had a niggle recently, but has said he "won't allow" an American to win!!
(Was he speaking of former Kenyans Hillary Bor & Stan Kebenai, now TeamUSA?)
Or of Jager?
I'm thinking he'll push the pace, hoping to dim the kick of Mr Bun.
Jairus Birech, Soufiani ElBakhala, Brimin Kipruto, Getnet Wale, and Mahudine Mekhissi are threats.
Watch too for Ezekiel Kemboi, who could win on personality alone!
MR odds are 65-35!
800 (August 8) (WR 1:40.91 MR 1:43.06)
(David Rudisha was a late scratch due to some injury!)
When you've run 44.53 for 400 (& 43.35 in a Relay!!), you have what it takes to top the podium!!
But Emmanuel Korir spent the first 6 months of 2017 being a Collegiate, INdoors & OUTdoors!!
A Record-breaking one, but a BUSY one too!!
He'll have THREE rounds here--possibly ALL of them at sub-1:45!!
Nijel Amos should be his main challenge, but watch too for Amel Tuka, Ferguson Cheruiyot, Brandon McBride, Kipyegon Bett, and Adam Kszczot!
Donavan Brazier is still very young, and Drew Windle might be THE best American--but not yet!!
MR gets 70-30 odds!
NOTE: Official heat sheets for this event have been posted! Mo Aman is entered! But his shape is unknown! Put him AMONG the challengers, but NOT the favorite!! This has been added BEFORE the meet begins, so not cheating!!
400 (August 8) (WR 43.03 MR 43.18)
WR holder Wayde Van Niekerk is also entered in the 200, with that Final coming just 2 days after this one!!
Also, his 2nd best time is 43.48--far removed from his 43.03 WR!
Room enough that if WVN doesn't BLITZ this, he might find he has company on the home straight!!
Isaac Makwala PR'ed in the 200 recently, and went sub-44 as well!
Babolaki Thebe and Gil Roberts have 44.2's to their credit, as does Steven Gardiner!
LaShawn Merritt has a few ???? to consider, and might NOT be on the podium this time!!
Nathan Allen could sneak into the final!
Then there's Fred Kerley!
Like Emmanuel Korir (See my 800 Preview!), he's been busy on the Collegiate front---and VERY fast!!
But can he handle some SERIOUS rounds---which will make the NCAA seem like child's play??
WR odds are 5-95.
MR isn't much better--Give it 15-85!
400H (August 9) (WR 46.78 MR 47.18)
The Records are safe!!
But Kerron Clement's once-upon-a-time sure-bet status is NOT!!
Not with exciting newcomers like Kyron McMaster and Karsten Warholm around!!
On "shock & awe" value alone, give this one to Warholm!
Yasmani Copello, Michael Stigler, and Eric Futch could be more than lane fillers!
Be nice if the Top 3 go sub-48!!
12 done, with 12 to go!
See you soon, with Part 2 of my Men's Preview!
(The 2-part Women's Preview will follow soon also!)
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