IAAF World ChampionshipsAug 19, 2015 by Meg Bellino
IAAF World Championships Preview: Hurdles
IAAF World Championships Preview: Hurdles
Dawn Harper-Nelson will look to be the top American in the women's 100m hurdles. By doing so, she will more than likely become the world champion. Read below for more!
2015 IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW
| SPRINTS | | | MID-DISTANCE | | | DISTANCE | | | HURDLES | | | JUMPS | | | THROWS |
Men's 110m Hurdles
With the world leader Orlando Ortega out of Beijing, can David Oliver repeat his 2013 performance? Or will the newcomer Omar McLeod take the reigns?
Anything is possible - especially in a race like the high hurdles. In 2013, Ortega entered the arena with a new 13.08 personal best. He failed to make it out of the prelims.
Oliver, with his shiny PB of 12.89 has been hard to beat this season. With two Diamond League wins, a U.S. title, and Pan Am victory under his belt (and Ortega out of the mix) can anybody top the experience Oliver has?
If he repeats his gold medal performance from 2013, Oliver will become the fourth man to win multiple golds in this event at the world championships, joining the U.S.’s Allen Johnson and Greg Foster, along with Great Britain’s Colin Jackson in the exclusive club.
Where Oliver has experience, he’ll need to deal with some of the younger faces in the crowd. France’s Pascal Martinet-Lagarde is 10 years younger than Oliver and took the victory from him at the Pre Classic in May. It’s alarming that his SB is from that race in May, a then-world leading 13.06, and he hasn’t gone under 13.18 the rest of 2015. The frenchman may have some flashy European medals to his name, but he’ll need to step up big time if he wants his first major outdoor hardware.
Sitting quietly waiting for his turn to pounce would be Sergey Shubenkov of Russia. The 24-year-old has only raced seven times this season, including a new Russian record of 13.06. He was third behind Ortega and Oliver in Paris and could definitely prove to be an upset. Former Arkansas Razorback McLeod is also very capable of grabbing a medal. His 12.97 is No. 2 in the world behind Ortega. He’s technically the No. 1 seed in the field, but his heavy NCAA racing schedule from the year may take a toll on his sharpness.
Where the heck is Aries Merritt? He is the defending Olympic Champion and world record-holder at 12.80, but has not shown any glimpse of that form in 2015.
Anything is possible - especially in a race like the high hurdles. In 2013, Ortega entered the arena with a new 13.08 personal best. He failed to make it out of the prelims.
Oliver, with his shiny PB of 12.89 has been hard to beat this season. With two Diamond League wins, a U.S. title, and Pan Am victory under his belt (and Ortega out of the mix) can anybody top the experience Oliver has?
If he repeats his gold medal performance from 2013, Oliver will become the fourth man to win multiple golds in this event at the world championships, joining the U.S.’s Allen Johnson and Greg Foster, along with Great Britain’s Colin Jackson in the exclusive club.
Where Oliver has experience, he’ll need to deal with some of the younger faces in the crowd. France’s Pascal Martinet-Lagarde is 10 years younger than Oliver and took the victory from him at the Pre Classic in May. It’s alarming that his SB is from that race in May, a then-world leading 13.06, and he hasn’t gone under 13.18 the rest of 2015. The frenchman may have some flashy European medals to his name, but he’ll need to step up big time if he wants his first major outdoor hardware.
Sitting quietly waiting for his turn to pounce would be Sergey Shubenkov of Russia. The 24-year-old has only raced seven times this season, including a new Russian record of 13.06. He was third behind Ortega and Oliver in Paris and could definitely prove to be an upset. Former Arkansas Razorback McLeod is also very capable of grabbing a medal. His 12.97 is No. 2 in the world behind Ortega. He’s technically the No. 1 seed in the field, but his heavy NCAA racing schedule from the year may take a toll on his sharpness.
Where the heck is Aries Merritt? He is the defending Olympic Champion and world record-holder at 12.80, but has not shown any glimpse of that form in 2015.
Men's 400m Hurdles
Johnny Dutch is the only man in the world to beat his American teammate Bershawn Jackson in 2015.
Justin Gatlin. Tianna Bartoletta. Bershawn Jackon. Just three Americans trying to do the same thing in their respective events - win a gold medal 10 years after they won a gold medal.
Bershawn ‘Batman’ Jackson is back! The 2005 400m hurdle champion has the world lead of 48.09 and he has not slowed down since. His only loss in this race in 2015 comes to fellow American Johnny Dutch at the Pre Classic. Batman has eight wins to his name and is showing no signs of slowing down heading into Beijing.
The unsponsored Dutch has a world No. 2 time of 48.13, while Americans Michael Tinsley (48.34) and Kerron Clement (48.44) are ranked fourth and fifth. Could and will the Americans go 1-2-3? Clement and Jackson went took home gold and bronze in 2009 and with the way Jackson and Dutch have been racing, it wouldn’t be crazy to think of an American sweep.
Women's 100m Hurdles
There’s really not much to say about this event. Except that, if you’re not from the U.S.A., you will have a very hard time winning a medal.
It’s crazy, I know. But the women’s 100m hurdle team was the HARDEST to make in 2015. The top five marks in the world right now are held by Americans. Seven of the top 10 marks are Americans. Two of those top five? They didn’t even make the team at the U.S. Championships. IT’S THAT HARD!
We’ve got reigning world champion Brianna Rollins, who hasn’t looked outstanding in 2015, but so far has done all that she needed to do to get back to Beijing. Even with the auto bid, she made the finals at the trials and has run 12.56 this season.
Led by world leader Sharika Nelvis, who in her first professional season has managed to shock the world and all of the fabulous American hurdlers with her effortless knack for winning, the U.S. will also send 2008 Olympic Champ Dawn Harper-Nelson and NCAA stunner Kendra Harrison.
The only women capable of beating any of the Americans would be the dynamic sister duo of reigning bronze medalist Tiffany Porter and her younger sister Cindy Ofili. Porter stands at No. 6 in the world, while Ofili is No. 9 and finished runner-up to Harrison at the NCAA Championships in June.
It’s crazy, I know. But the women’s 100m hurdle team was the HARDEST to make in 2015. The top five marks in the world right now are held by Americans. Seven of the top 10 marks are Americans. Two of those top five? They didn’t even make the team at the U.S. Championships. IT’S THAT HARD!
We’ve got reigning world champion Brianna Rollins, who hasn’t looked outstanding in 2015, but so far has done all that she needed to do to get back to Beijing. Even with the auto bid, she made the finals at the trials and has run 12.56 this season.
Led by world leader Sharika Nelvis, who in her first professional season has managed to shock the world and all of the fabulous American hurdlers with her effortless knack for winning, the U.S. will also send 2008 Olympic Champ Dawn Harper-Nelson and NCAA stunner Kendra Harrison.
The only women capable of beating any of the Americans would be the dynamic sister duo of reigning bronze medalist Tiffany Porter and her younger sister Cindy Ofili. Porter stands at No. 6 in the world, while Ofili is No. 9 and finished runner-up to Harrison at the NCAA Championships in June.
Women's 400m Hurdles
The No.1 ranked woman over 400m hurdles just completed her second year of college at Texas A&M. Let that sink into your brain for a little.
Shamier Little became the first woman to win the NCAA Championship AND the U.S. Championship in the same year. Her best time of 53.74 comes from the NCAA meet and she’s since only won two Pan Am titles in July. A smart move by Little’s coach - she’s been racing since January and the Aggie sprinters race a ton. This will be her first big test in international competition and she could set herself up for something special in 2016.
Suzanne Hejnova will attempt to be the first woman to ever defend her world title in this event. She’s ranked No.2 in the world just behind Little with 53.76 and has won five major competitions since May 26. It will truly be a test between the rested (Little) and the accomplished (Hejnova) for gold.
Shamier Little became the first woman to win the NCAA Championship AND the U.S. Championship in the same year. Her best time of 53.74 comes from the NCAA meet and she’s since only won two Pan Am titles in July. A smart move by Little’s coach - she’s been racing since January and the Aggie sprinters race a ton. This will be her first big test in international competition and she could set herself up for something special in 2016.
Suzanne Hejnova will attempt to be the first woman to ever defend her world title in this event. She’s ranked No.2 in the world just behind Little with 53.76 and has won five major competitions since May 26. It will truly be a test between the rested (Little) and the accomplished (Hejnova) for gold.