Track and Field Blogs - Justin Kopunek

12th IAAF World Championship in Athletics – Berlin, Germany 2009

Preview of Day 7 – 21 August 2009

Day 7 has 4 finals and the US has the World Leader in each of those 4 events; Stephanie Brown Trafton in the Discus, Allyson Felix in the 200m, Andra Manson in the High Jump and LeShawn Merritt in the 400m. This does not mean 4 gold medals are coming stateside. The running events are more likely than the field events. Manson is tied at the top with a few other men and Brown Trafton struggled in the qualification round. More than 2 golds would really be outstanding. We will also get two great Olympic rematches between the reigning World Champs and the reigning Olympic Champs in the Women’s 200m and Men’s 400m. Allyson Felix v. Veronica Campbell-Brown and LeShawn Merritt v. Jeremy Wariner are two of the most anticipated match-ups of the meet.

Event: Men’s High Jump 1:15 PM EST

Defending World Champion: Donald Thomas (Bahamas) 2008 Olympic Champion: Andrey Silnov (Russia) 2009 World Leader: Andra Mason (USA), Ivan Ukhov (Russia), Yaroslav Rybakov (Russia) 2.35m (Ivan Ukhov 2.40m Indoors)

American Contingent: Tora Harris, Andra Manson, Keith Moffatt

Top International Contenders: Ivan Ukhov, Yaroslav Rybakov, Linus Thornblad (Sweden), Jaroslav Baba (Czech Republic), Raul Spank (Germany)

Outlook: With the reigning World and Olympic Champions not competing in this final, a new champion will rise. Russia has such a strong contingent that even without Osaka Champ Andrey Silnov they have 2 legitimate medal contenders in Ivan Ukhov and Yaroslav Rybakov. Ukhov has the highest jump in the world this year with a 2.40m clearing indoors. He has done better indoors in past years, so hopefully this will be the year that changes as he is in his first major outdoor final. Rybakov is the veteran Russian. He has medaled at the last 2 World Champs and last year’s Olympics, but is looking to land his first gold this year. American Andra Manson is tied with the Russians for the best outdoor mark of 2.35m, but that was back in early April. The USA’s biggest medal hopeful in the high jump, Jesse Williams, is not in Berlin because he placed 4th at USAs. However, if Manson jumps around his PR, he will be around the medals. Other heavy medal favorites are Sweden’s Linus Thornblad, who has great lifetime and season bests, but has had trouble putting it together at a championship. Jaroslav Baba (Czech Republic) was third in Athens and sixth in Beijing and Raul Spank will be riding the wave of German field event success at these games, spurred on by the crowd.

Likely Medalists: The Russian team has had a lot of disappointments at these championships so far. This event may give them a lift they need.

1. Ukhov 2. Rybakov 3. Thornblad

Event: Women’s 200m Dash 3:00 PM EST

Defending World Champion: Allyson Felix (USA) 2008 Olympic Champion: Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) 2009 World Leader: Allyson Felix (USA) 21.88

American Contingent: Allyson Felix, Muna Lee, Marshevet Hooker, Charonda Williams

Top International Contenders: Veronica Campbell-Brown, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (Bahamas), Simone Facey (Jamaica), Kelly-Ann Baptiste (Trinidad and Tobago), Anneisha McLaughlin (Jamaica), Emily Freeman (Great Britain), Eleni Artymata (Cyprus)

Outlook: This event will be a battle of the Western Hemisphere. The top 2 are clear and it will continue the theme of the sprints at this game, Jamaica v. United States. Allyson Felix has won the past two World 200m titles and has the world leading mark of 21.88. Felix seems to be becoming the Michelle Kwan of track and field because despite her World titles, she has been unable to beat Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown at the Olympics. Campbell-Brown has struggled with injuries this season, but is rounding into form now. She was 4th in a fast 100m final already in Berlin.

After these two, there is a stable of capable contenders looking to topple the two on top. Bahaman Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie is having a great season with the second fastest time in the world this year at 22.23. Continuing the Caribbean presence in this event are Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago and Anneisha McLaughlin and Simone Facey of Jamaica. American Muna Lee was very impressive in winning her semi-final heat and will want to improve on her 4th place finish from last summer. Both Emily Freeman (Great Britain) and Eleni Artymata (Cyprus) both set personal bests to get the last spots in the final. Artymata’s time of 22.64 is a national record.

Likely Medalists: Felix and Campbell brown will hopefully push each other into the under 21.8. If any other girl gets close to 21 seconds it will be what she needs to get on the podium.

1. Felix 2. Campbell-Brown 3. Ferguson-McKenzie

Event: Women’s Discus Throw 2:20 PM EST

Defending World Champion: Franka Dietzsch (Germany) 2008 Olympic Champion: Stephanie Brown Trafton (USA) 2009 World Leader: Stephanie Brown Trafton (USA) 66.21m

American Contingent: Stephanie Brown Trafton, Aretha Thurmond, Becky Breisch

Top International Contenders: Aimin Song (China), Natalya Sadova (Russia), Nicoleta Grasu (Romania), Yarelis Barrios (Cuba), Zaneta Glanc (Poland), Xuejun Ma (China), Dani Samuels (Australia), Nadine Muller (Germany)

Outlook: In Beijing last year, American Stephanie Brown Trafton was a surprise winner. This year, she is in a different position, as the favorite. She has the world leading throw of 66.21m, but has many women right on her heels. In the opening round, she made the final by the skin of her teeth, so to get on the podium she will need to up her game. The Chinese women, Aimen Song and Xuejun Ma each won one of the 2 qualifying heats. Song also has a great seasonal best of 64.83 and was 4th in Beijing. Just ahead of her on the world list is Natalya Sadova of Russia. She is the 2004 Olympic Champion, but has not been at that level in years. Regardless, the level she is at now is still a medal contending one. Last year’s silver medalist, Yarelis Barrios, and the bronze medalist from 2007, Nicoleta Grasu, will both be looking to improve on the hardware they have and are having great seasons so far. Despite not throwing as far this season, do not count German Nadine Muller out of the medals with the way her compatriots have done at these games.

Likely Medalists: She has done it before, so Brown Trafton can do it again, but she will need to improve from her preliminary throws by a large margin. Song is throwing well in Berlin and hopefully will continue to do so in the final.

1. Song 2. Brown Trafton 3. Sadova

Event: Men’s 400m Dash 3:20 PM EST

Defending World Champion: Jeremy Wariner (USA) 2008 Olympic Champion: LaShawn Merritt (USA) 2009 World Leader: LaShawn Merritt (USA) 44.37

American Contingent: Jeremy Wariner, LeShawn Merritt, Gil Roberts, Lionel Larry

Top International Contenders: Chris Brown (Bahamas), Renny Quow (Trinidad and Tobago), Tabarie Henry (US Virgin Islands), David Gillick (Ireland), Michael Bingham (United Kingdom), Leslie Djhone (France)

Outlook: The top two in this event are head and shoulders above the rest of the field. I do not think anyone who follows track and field can say they do expect Americans LeShawn Merritt and Jeremy Wariner. In the past few years the only people these two have lost to is each other. After winning in Beijing, Merritt enters Berlin the favorite. Wariner has returned to his old coach after a so-so 2008, so this will be his first real test since the change. After them, there is a drop off to the rest of the field. At the last few championships, a third American has taken bronze, but only two Americans in the final make that outcome impossible. After being fourth in multiple World Championships and the Olympics, Chris Brown of the Bahamas will be fighting hard to stay out of that spot again. If any man keeps him there, it could very well be Renny Quow of Trinidad and Tobago, who ran a very quick 44.53 personal best in the semi-final round here. Like Brown, Frenchman Leslie Djhone has been resigned to the same spot at the last two global championships and that is 5th place. Rounding out the field are Tabarie Henry (US Virgin Islands), David Gillick (Ireland), and Michael Bingham (United Kingdom), who have each set big personal bests this season. If they continue progressing, they will be right where they need to be for a podium spot.

Likely Medalists: The gold and silver spots are the biggest locks of the meet and a disaster would have to happen for it not to be an American 1-2. The third spot is up for grabs by anyone in the field. They all have PRs within a few tenths of each other.

1. Merritt 2. Wariner 3. Quow

Preliminary Action to Watch For

World Leader Brittney Reese will take to the Long Jump runway for the first time in Berlin during the qualifying round for the Women. Also, the Men’s Javelin is the last field event to have its qualifying round as the meet goes into its final third. The Men’s 800m and Women’s 1,500m semi-final rounds go off and we hope that some of the Americans in these events, who are having great seasons, qualify through to the final. Finally, GET THE STICK AROUND! The Men’s 4x100 heats are the first of the relays to take the track in Berlin. Nobody wants a repeat of last year, so let’s hope no batons are dropped.