OK, here we go--the last of this 4-part Preview!
This one has the last 12 Finals for the Women, dating from August 11th through August 13th!
LJ (August 11) (WR 24-8.50 MR 24-1.75)
Despite some high-23 footers from the leading trio of Brittney Reese, Tianna Bartoletta, and Ivana Spanovic, I believe the Records are safe.
But I'll give the MR 30-70 odds!
Word is, Spanovic had a tiny niggle, but is fine now!
Reese is still a hit-or-miss jumper, but is solid in the final rounds!
Bartoletta may be the steadiest performer lately!
Given all that, I still see this as a 3-way battle!
Lorraine Ugen might come through for her home crowd!
Darya Klishina could reach the podium, IF....!!
Watch also for Christobel Nettey and Claudia Salman-Rath, coming off of the Heptathlon!!
3000SC (August 11) (WR 8:52.78 MR 9:06.57)
The MR COULD fall in the Heats!!
But probably will have to wait for the Final!
There, give it 100-0 odds!!
But WHO will get it?
As noted in a recent post, Beatrice Chepkoech's 8:28.66 flat 3000 made her the Best World Combined Events Woman for the 3000-3000SC!!
That raw speed can definitely help when it comes to the last K.
And that's what Emma Coburn is missing--at least over the SC distance!!
She'll have to run THE race of her life to make the podium, as she'll have WR holder Ruth Jebet, teen sensation Celphine Chespol, Hyvin Chepkemoi, and Chepkoech to deal with!
Gesa Krause and Colleen Quigley might get lost in the shuffle!
200 (August 11) (WR 21.34 MR 21.63)
The MR holder is here, but her main Rio rival isn't!!
Elaine Thompson is running just the 100, but that doesn't exactly clear the roads for Dafne Schippers!
Shaunae Miller-Uibo is reaching her seemingly unlimited potential, and could PR by 0.2 or 0.3 seconds!!
Then there's Tori Bowie, she of the 21.77 PR!
Toss a coin?
Not quite, as each brings certain strengths to the table!
Give the edge here to Schippers!
But watch closely for Marie Josee Ta Lou!
Other probable finalists include Deajah Stevens, Michelle Lee Ahye, and the comebacking Kim Duncan!
MR gets 35-65 odds!
HJ (August 12) (WR & MR 6-10.25)
Russian Mariya Lasitskene (nee Kuchina) should win this, and seriously threaten the MR and World Record, set in this meet 30 years ago!!
She's been dominant all year, and has already made attempts on the WR!!
The ONLY person who could challenge her--and she'd have to step WAY up!!--is 19 year old Vashti Cunningham!!
She has unlimited potential, but may still be too young to fulfill it here!!
Others in the final should include Kamila Licwinko, Airine Palsyte, and Ageless (OK, she's 38!!) Ruth Beitia!
MR (& WR) gets 30-70 odds!!
100H (August 12) (WR 12.20 MR 12.28)
Oh Boy!!
Hey, my loyal readers, can I just SKIP this Preview, and let whatever happens be a total surprise??
Yeah, I thought you'd say No!!
Well then, throw the FOUR Americans' (Kendra Harrison, Nia Ali, Dawn Harper-Nelson, and Christina Manning) names into a bowl!
Add Tobi Amusan, Alina Talay, Tiffany Porter, Danielle Williams, and Sally Pearson to the mix!
Blindfold yourself, and pick a name!!
Barring another Beijing disaster, this could be THE event of the meet!!
The WR gets 10-90 odds!
The MR gets 25-75 odds!
One puzzle--Jasmine Camacho-Quinn is listed on T&FN's formchart (in 7th!), but is NOT listed as an entrant!!
I saw a recent tweet from her, which seemed to indicate she was still in the United States!
Of course, with her event over a week away, she could fly over later!!
IF she's in, add HER name to the bowl!!
4X100 Relay (August 12) (WR 40.82 MR 41.07)
SAFP is pregnant, which takes a LOT away from Jamaica's team!!
That said, the US has something the Brits pronounce as a "batten" to get around!!
Give THOSE odds as--um, er, 49-51??
IF they succeed, they'll win--easily!!
And the MR would get 65-35 odds!!
The WR would get 25-75 odds!!
Dafne Schippers does not a nation make!
But the Netherlands, Great Britain, Trinidad, Germany, and France should all make the final!
50000 Walk (August 13) WR 4:08:26 MR--a New Event)
The World Record holder--Ines Henriques--leads this 7-Woman troop of Pioneers!!
Her WR is approximately 8:00 per Mile pace!
The other 6 are (with their PR's--and approximate per Mile pace)--
Hang Yin (4:22:22---8:27)
Katie Burnett (4:26:27---8:35)
Shuqing Yang (4:27:24---8:37)
Erin Talcott (4:29:33---8:40)
Nair Da Rosa (4:39:28---9:00)
Susan Randall (4:54:12---9:28)
There is some sort of "cut-off" time, where "stragglers" will be taken off the course!
This is brutally and cruelly UNFAIR!!
I hope ALL of these courageous Women will DEFY the Rulesmakers, and REFUSE to leave the course, if asked!!
I hope EVERY INCH of this race will be shown on livestream--free of the Men who will be sharing the course!!
I have NO doubt whatsoever that SOME Women will BEAT some of the Men!!
(Will the MEN be removed from the course too??)
I see this in the EXACT SAME way I saw the 1984 Olympic Women's Marathon!!
The IAAF, Seb Coe, and Walking fans Worldwide should see this the same way!!
As for the race itself, Henriques is said to have sub-4 hour potential!!
I believe EVERY one of these Pioneers will PR!!
Let's embrace this fine and talented group of Professional Athletes!!
I will!
20000 Walk (August 13) (WR 1:24:38 MR 1:25:41)
This more traditional distance (for the Women!) won't be seeing any new Records!
The Chinese trio of Xiuzhi Lu, Na Wang, and Jirajo Yang will be challenged by Maria Gonzalez!
Maria Michta-Coffey and Miranda Melville could make the Top 20!!
(I really hope THEY do a 50K someday!!)
DT (August 13) (WR 252-0 MR 235-0)
That MR is by no means soft, but Sandra Perkovic has hit the 230's in recent years (Her PR of 234-3 came earlier this year!), so should be given 30-70 odds of getting it!
That is, if she wins!
Denia Caballero has a PR of 231-9, but that's from 2 years ago!
Watch for Yaimi Perez and Nadine Muller!
Dani Stevens could provide a small shockwave!
5000 (August 13) (WR 14:11.15 MR 14:26.83)
Basically the same puzzle to solve here as in the 10K, but without the thrill of a possible WR!
(Then again.....!!!)
It's supposed to be Almaz Ayana vs Genzebe Dibaba, but Ayana remains a question mark!
Not to worry!
Genzebe should get plenty of competition from home girl Laura Muir (Doubling back from the 1500!!), who might take the reins if the pace dawdles!!
Sifan Hassan, Helen Obiri, Yasmin Can, Letesenbet Gidey, and Senbere Teferi are serious contenders!
Watch for German sensation Konstanze Klosterhalfen.
As for the Americans, Molly Huddle will be doubling back from the 10K.
Shannon Rowbury is the AR holder, and could surprise!!
But watch the 3rd American--Shelby Houlihan!!
I'm seeing her as possibly having the most potential of the 3.
Only problem--she's yet to break 15 minutes!!
MR gets 40-60 odds--because of the usual "race strategy" caveats!
800 (August 13) (WR 1:53.28 MR 1:54.68)
If you eliminate "those" athletes from consideration--as I'm doing--Ajee Wilson will win this, and possibly break her own American Record!!
She gets 30-70 odds of taking down the MR!!
Melissa Bishop nipped her own Canadian NR recently, and could reach the 1:55 level!
Eunice Sum gets some respect, as should Brit Lynsey Sharp!
The 2 other Americans are good--Charlene Lipsey and Brenda Martinez--but maybe not quite up to the new AR standards!
Main question might be--Will anyone "rabbit" the race, like Laura Roesler did in Monaco with her 55.31 opener??
4X400 Relay (August 13) (WR 3:15.18 MR 3:16.71)
This one should be the US vs Jamaica!
Both have serious wheels, with the US accumulative times giving them the edge!
Don't know yet who the US is running, or in what order.
Shouldn't really matter, so give the MR 40-60 odds!
If pushed really hard, reverse those odds!!
Could be as exciting a closer as at the NCAA's!!
Enjoy the meet, folks!
I'll try to provide at least three fully detailed reports throughout the meet---about every 3rd day!
Could be TWO posts at a time--one for each gender!!
Use the Schedule--and these Previews--this blog provided as your main source to help you follow the meet!
It could be GREAT!!
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