IAAF World Championships in Athletics Moscow 2013 - Results Photos UpdatesAug 5, 2013 by Mitch Kastoff
Usain Bolt targets three golds in Moscow and 10 WC medals all-time
Usain Bolt targets three golds in Moscow and 10 WC medals all-time
Usain Bolt is going to win two more individual gold medals in Moscow. If you think otherwise, that’s totally cool. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. But if I agreed with you, then we’d both be wrong. Coincidently, this is exactly how my last relationship ended.
After his 100m win in London, which brought about a seasonal best and fastest* time in the world, Bolt looks poised to defend his World Championship 200m title and pick up the elusive 100m gold, too (false start in Daegu).
There isn’t much more left for Bolt to accomplish. While we’re not grasping at straws (yet), these accolades would be little added longevity bonuses for the greatest sprinter of all-time.
In that department, we’ll compare the illustrious careers of Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson to Bolt’s current reign.
Note: Monday morning, Ryan Fenton provides me with two of my favorite things: coffee and statistics.
World Championship Medal Count
Carl Lewis = 10 WC medals, 8 gold
Michael Johnson = 8 WC medals, all golds
Haile Gebrselassie = 7 WC medals, 4 gold
Usain Bolt = 7 WC medals, 5 gold
If Bolt gets three medals, he’ll be tied with Lewis. Before we go any further, let us reiterate that we have to set Bolt’s bar at three gold medals for him to even have a challenge in Moscow. One or even two gold medals is not good enough for this guy.
So, can he do it?
The 100m
It was the match-up that was too good to be true. With Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell out of Moscow, the men’s 100m seems lackluster.
We share the same opinion as former world champion Ato Boldon. “I’d be lying if I said we have the normal anticipation and hype going into the worlds,” Boldon told ESPN. “The fans, on social media, they’re like, ‘I’ll watch, but it’s not like I can see Gay vs. Bolt. It’s not what it could’ve been.”
The one’s to fill that void, and now we’re really grasping at straws, is Nesta Carter and Justin Gatlin.
Carter, who took fourth at the Jamaican National Championships in 10.14, stormed back to grab wins in Birmingham and Madrid. His 9.99 win in Birmingham was solid, but his 9.87 seasonal best in Madrid makes him a contender.
Still, Carter took third (9.99) in London just behind Mike Rodgers and well behind Bolt (9.85).
One to watch, who unfortunately pulled out of his national championships 100m final a few weeks ago, is Great Britain’s James Dasaolu. At the UK National Championships, the 25-year-old shattered his previous personal best of 10.09 (from ’09) with a 9.91 run in the semifinals. However, a tight hip flexor forced him to withdraw from the final.
After The Independent asked what would happen if Dasaolu went up against Bolt, The Independent remarked, “... while not saying [Dasaolu] could beat him, [he] certainly suggested [that] he could give him a run for his money.”
Again, he’s one to watch. Note: He also DNS'd at London.
The other to keep your gaze locked on is the big American hopeful, Justin Gatlin. In Rome, Gatlin edged Bolt by 0.01 to take the win in 9.94. That was back in June. Since then, Gatlin has looked strong, but Bolt is well-improved.
Just in case you thought this was a figment of your imagination.
If you compare Bolt’s races from Rome and London, it’s night and day (for two reasons). In Rome, Bolt got out of the blocks quicker than solid starters, Mike Rodgers and Kim Collins. It never looked like he got up to his top speed though and Gatlin seemed to have the win the whole way.
It was the reverse in London. Bolt got off to a decent start, certainly nothing to write home about, but once he was away, it was all the big man. Which is also why he’s a lock in the 200m.
The 200m
If you needed any other reason than “Well, he’s Bolt” to strengthen your argument for why he’ll win the 200m, there isn’t much to add.
In his two half-lap races this year, he’s simply done what he’s had to do. In Oslo, he pulled away in the final meters to win in 19.79. In Paris, he was pushed all the way to the line by Warren Weir, but never looked like he was in danger.
Jamaica could very well sweep in the 200m with Weir and and Jason Young, but there may be another Young who’ll be on the podium, Isiah Young that is. The Ole Miss graduate ran a huge 200m at USAs to break the 20-second barrier for the first time. His first* place finish (19.86) at USAs looked strong, but we'll see how he shapes up against the rest of the world in Moscow.
The 4x100m
We started this preview by saying that Bolt is a lock for two individual golds. His third medal would be in the 4x100m and while most of us here at Flotrack think that Jamaica will win the relay, it’s not as much of a lock as the other two events.
The two teams will presumably be the following:
Team USA: Gatlin (9.89), Rodgers (9.96), Dentarius Locke (9.96), and Charles Silmon (9.98)
Team Jamaica: Bolt (9.85), Carter (9.87), Kemar Bailey Cole (9.96), and Nickel Ashmeade (9.99).
With no Gay, Powell, or Blake, the quarter-mile relay seems a bit more open than in year’s past. Flotrack thinks that if Jamaica has the lead at 200m, it’s over for the Americans.
Alex and Ryan take on the debate in Run Junkie. Take a watch tomorrow.
Other than that, it looks like Bolt will take his comfortable spot under the spotlight, center stage. The only limiting factor seems to be himself. With no big competition and a trophy case full of golds, can Bolt find the motivation to push himself?
"I went to the Olympics and now I'm back - back to regain my title," Bolt told The Guardian. "I'm even more focused than last time. So I'm going to get it done."
Extra Stats
Here is some other stuff Fenton dumped on my desk and since I don’t want to see any beautiful stats go to waste, check out the goods.
Carl Lewis = 3-time 100m World Champion
Maurice Greene = 3-time 100m World Champion
Bolt - 1
Olympics Medals
Carl Lewis - 9 golds, 1 silver
Bolt - 6 golds
Lewis = 20 total medals (17 gold)
Bolt = 13 total medals (11 gold)
After his 100m win in London, which brought about a seasonal best and fastest* time in the world, Bolt looks poised to defend his World Championship 200m title and pick up the elusive 100m gold, too (false start in Daegu).
There isn’t much more left for Bolt to accomplish. While we’re not grasping at straws (yet), these accolades would be little added longevity bonuses for the greatest sprinter of all-time.
In that department, we’ll compare the illustrious careers of Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson to Bolt’s current reign.
Note: Monday morning, Ryan Fenton provides me with two of my favorite things: coffee and statistics.
World Championship Medal Count
Carl Lewis = 10 WC medals, 8 gold
Michael Johnson = 8 WC medals, all golds
Haile Gebrselassie = 7 WC medals, 4 gold
Usain Bolt = 7 WC medals, 5 gold
If Bolt gets three medals, he’ll be tied with Lewis. Before we go any further, let us reiterate that we have to set Bolt’s bar at three gold medals for him to even have a challenge in Moscow. One or even two gold medals is not good enough for this guy.
So, can he do it?
The 100m
It was the match-up that was too good to be true. With Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell out of Moscow, the men’s 100m seems lackluster.
We share the same opinion as former world champion Ato Boldon. “I’d be lying if I said we have the normal anticipation and hype going into the worlds,” Boldon told ESPN. “The fans, on social media, they’re like, ‘I’ll watch, but it’s not like I can see Gay vs. Bolt. It’s not what it could’ve been.”
The one’s to fill that void, and now we’re really grasping at straws, is Nesta Carter and Justin Gatlin.
Carter, who took fourth at the Jamaican National Championships in 10.14, stormed back to grab wins in Birmingham and Madrid. His 9.99 win in Birmingham was solid, but his 9.87 seasonal best in Madrid makes him a contender.
Still, Carter took third (9.99) in London just behind Mike Rodgers and well behind Bolt (9.85).
One to watch, who unfortunately pulled out of his national championships 100m final a few weeks ago, is Great Britain’s James Dasaolu. At the UK National Championships, the 25-year-old shattered his previous personal best of 10.09 (from ’09) with a 9.91 run in the semifinals. However, a tight hip flexor forced him to withdraw from the final.
After The Independent asked what would happen if Dasaolu went up against Bolt, The Independent remarked, “... while not saying [Dasaolu] could beat him, [he] certainly suggested [that] he could give him a run for his money.”
Again, he’s one to watch. Note: He also DNS'd at London.
The other to keep your gaze locked on is the big American hopeful, Justin Gatlin. In Rome, Gatlin edged Bolt by 0.01 to take the win in 9.94. That was back in June. Since then, Gatlin has looked strong, but Bolt is well-improved.
Just in case you thought this was a figment of your imagination.
If you compare Bolt’s races from Rome and London, it’s night and day (for two reasons). In Rome, Bolt got out of the blocks quicker than solid starters, Mike Rodgers and Kim Collins. It never looked like he got up to his top speed though and Gatlin seemed to have the win the whole way.
It was the reverse in London. Bolt got off to a decent start, certainly nothing to write home about, but once he was away, it was all the big man. Which is also why he’s a lock in the 200m.
The 200m
If you needed any other reason than “Well, he’s Bolt” to strengthen your argument for why he’ll win the 200m, there isn’t much to add.
In his two half-lap races this year, he’s simply done what he’s had to do. In Oslo, he pulled away in the final meters to win in 19.79. In Paris, he was pushed all the way to the line by Warren Weir, but never looked like he was in danger.
Jamaica could very well sweep in the 200m with Weir and and Jason Young, but there may be another Young who’ll be on the podium, Isiah Young that is. The Ole Miss graduate ran a huge 200m at USAs to break the 20-second barrier for the first time. His first* place finish (19.86) at USAs looked strong, but we'll see how he shapes up against the rest of the world in Moscow.
The 4x100m
We started this preview by saying that Bolt is a lock for two individual golds. His third medal would be in the 4x100m and while most of us here at Flotrack think that Jamaica will win the relay, it’s not as much of a lock as the other two events.
The two teams will presumably be the following:
Team USA: Gatlin (9.89), Rodgers (9.96), Dentarius Locke (9.96), and Charles Silmon (9.98)
Team Jamaica: Bolt (9.85), Carter (9.87), Kemar Bailey Cole (9.96), and Nickel Ashmeade (9.99).
With no Gay, Powell, or Blake, the quarter-mile relay seems a bit more open than in year’s past. Flotrack thinks that if Jamaica has the lead at 200m, it’s over for the Americans.
Alex and Ryan take on the debate in Run Junkie. Take a watch tomorrow.
Other than that, it looks like Bolt will take his comfortable spot under the spotlight, center stage. The only limiting factor seems to be himself. With no big competition and a trophy case full of golds, can Bolt find the motivation to push himself?
"I went to the Olympics and now I'm back - back to regain my title," Bolt told The Guardian. "I'm even more focused than last time. So I'm going to get it done."
Extra Stats
Here is some other stuff Fenton dumped on my desk and since I don’t want to see any beautiful stats go to waste, check out the goods.
Carl Lewis = 3-time 100m World Champion
Maurice Greene = 3-time 100m World Champion
Bolt - 1
Olympics Medals
Carl Lewis - 9 golds, 1 silver
Bolt - 6 golds
Lewis = 20 total medals (17 gold)
Bolt = 13 total medals (11 gold)