Difficult call, but some experts give Gatlin edge
THE semi-finals and final of the men’s 100-metre event at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing are scheduled for this morning, and tongues are wagging as to what could be the outcome.
Yesterday’s 100m heats did little to reveal a clear winner since the major contenders all did what they had to do to win their respective races, without seeming to exert too much.
United States’ Justin Gatlin, the favourite entering the championships due to the remarkable consistency he has shown the past two seasons, was timed fastest, but his 9.83 seconds was assisted by an illegal wind of 2.1m/s.
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, the biggest name in world sprinting, reaffirmed his good form — despite a checkered season due to lack of fitness — with a fairly comfortable 9.96s.
His 32-year-old compatriot Asafa Powell cruised to 9.95, while in another heat, America’s 20-year-old Trayvon Bromell was impressive in running the fastest legal time of 9.91.
The United States’ 2007 world champion Tyson Gay was far from smooth with his 10.11s, while Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade did 10.19 in the same heat to take second.
Highly regarded track and field expert Hubert Lawrence said not much was proven during the heats.
“Everybody looks pretty good and under control, so nothing is shown…everybody is comfortable,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
“Young Bromell looked really good, Asafa looked very good and Gatlin looked very good. Bolt looked well under control all the way through. If you are a Bolt fan, you would see that he is in quite excellent shape, so that’s very encouraging. But if you are making a guess as to who will win, there is not much for you to choose from,” Lawrence added.
Lawrence, who tipped Gatlin, 33, for the gold medal ahead of the start of competition, maintained he still would give the consistent American an edge over the others.
“Nothing has changed because all the contenders qualified without showing anything. None of them had to rush to qualify.”
He said even Gay could spring a medal surprise.
“I don’t think anybody is seeing him [Gay] in the top three, so maybe he is under control too. But these guys know how to get through with doing the minimum. They are trying to run the rounds without using up too much energy because the semis and finals will be a couple of hours [apart],” he said.
Former Jamaica sprinter Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, multiple medal winner in Olympic Games and World Championships, also gave Gatlin a narrow advantage, but said she was encouraged by Bolt’s run.
“I thought Usain looked quite relaxed. What I was most pleased about is that he had a pretty decent start…and was relaxed the entire way,” she said.
“I give the edge possibly to Gatlin, only because he’s run the faster times this year and Usain hasn’t gone below 9.8s.”
The dominant Gatlin’s personal best of 9.74 seconds was done this year, and is the quickest time this season. Bolt, 29, known for performing his best on the biggest stages, twice scampered to 9.87 in Britain just ahead of the Beijing World Championships.
Cuthbert-Flynn said Powell, Bromell and the seemingly irrepressible Gatlin would all push Bolt. But she was skeptical of anyone knocking off Bolt’s remarkable world record of 9.58s achieved in Berlin in 2009.
“Three other guys are there who are going to push him. Gatlin looks very good, very compelling…again I expect no different from Gatlin; he’s been running very well. But no, no world record… I’m predicting about 9.6 seconds. Though athletes run easy [in the heats] it doesn’t mean they are going to come back much faster. So I’m very cautious what time [the winner] would run,” said Cuthbert, now a respected track and field analyst.
Veteran journalist and track and field analyst Leighton Levy was of the opinion that Gatlin’s smooth execution in the heats reaffirmed his favourite tag.
“Let me start with Justin Gatlin… he ran 9.83 running with the aid of a 2.1 m/s wind. He looks relaxed, very comfortable, [and] he looks like the man to beat. He definitely has continued the outstanding form that he has shown all season long…he looks ominous.
“Asafa Powell looked really good. His start wasn’t perfect, but he didn’t need to be perfect in the heats. He just ran through very relaxed and was in control from halfway. I think what was pretty outstanding was the run of Trayvon Bromell from the United States, who ran steadily for a very comfortable 9.91s,” Levy said.
Levy said Bolt’s heat was not perfect, but he added that the sprint great could give “something special” today. He, however, said a record-breaking performance is not on the cards.
“This is the fastest opener he [Bolt] has ever had in a World Championships, and it could augur for some outstanding performances in the semi-finals and finals. I don’t see a world record going in this event.”
He said both Gay and Ashmeade were underwhelming.
“I wasn’t too pleased with Nickel Ashmeade…he doesn’t look like somebody who is going to contend for a medal. I’m not particularly convinced he [Gay] will be a factor in the final, but then again what do I know? But he has looked pretty ordinary all season long. If Tyson Gay is going to be a contender, he has to improve a lot on his start, his acceleration phase and certainly his finish,” Levy told the Observer.