Hopefully, he’s outta there in one piece.
I think he would have ran 9.7 if he drank alcohol the night before this meet.
So no buzz about a meet record 9.84m -.3 wind in 60degree weather beating fasuba by .45?
i mean it wasn’t a world record or anything.
That’s the problem he faces. The people expect a world record every time or else they don’t really give a shit.
What I love so much about Asafa’s running style…is that he really stays low so long…He defenitly ‘waits for it to come’. This is so beautiful…
Point to work on: when he raises his head and is in full upright position, (is this only after 40-50 metres or something?) he only has to give a few steps and then relax. I think this athlete can still get a nice progression on the last finishing part of the race
Check out the preliminary splits. if the 7.98 to 80m holds up (prob no more than .01 off- he’s on pace to be the first under 9.70!
What would that put his fastest split at probably?
Saw it above. Nevermind.
Damn that boy is some kind of fast.
Charlie, I might have missed it but did you give an opinion on why AP appeared to be leaner in Rieti than he did in Osaka?
I am assuming that part of the difference could lie in the training effect of running all of those races in Osaka could have led to him “leaning out.”
Don’t you think that more tidy look (tight body suit over that yellow singlet, and groomed AP) could give us an impression that AP has lost a few kg? I am asking this because so far it is only a visual observation/speculation that he has lost weight? Do we have confirmation that he really has lost weight?
Cheers
I did the video analysis for Rieti’07, Gateshead’06 and Bruxelles’07- 2 points of view : from the crowd at mid way and at finish line (TV) with 50 frames/sec each. These 2 points of view unable to have 0.02 accuracy. I don’t have the first 10m - very difficult to read with end relay zone lines (yellow harrow) usually not alligned with virtual 10m line).
0.137 2.88 3.79 4.65 5.49 6.32 7.15 7.98 8.84 9.74 - Rieti’07
0.145 2.88 3.81 4.67 5.52 6.36 7.20 8.05 8.90 9.77 - Gateshead’06
0.148 2.91 3.82 4.69 5.54 6.38 7.23 8.08 8.95 9.84 - Bruxelles’07
0.145 2.91 3.83 4.71 5.57 6.42 7.28 8.15 9.03 9.96 - Osaka’07
0.91 0.86 0.84 0.83 0.83 0.83 0.86 0.90 - Rieti’07
0.93 0.86 0.85 0.84 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.87 - Gateshead’06
0.91 0.87 0.85 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.86 0.89 - Bruxelles’07
0.92 0.88 0.86 0.85 0.86 0.87 0.88 0.93 - Osaka’07
Weather conditions
Rieti’07 - wind 1.7m/s, temp 26°, humid 36%
Gateshead’07 - wind 1.5m/s, temp 25°, humid 57%
Bruxelles’07 - wind -0.3m/s, temp 17°, humid 72%
Osaka’07 - wind -0.5m/s, temp 30°, humid 62%
As it was mentioned by Charlie, the main improvement was done in top speed area, that’s the first time i find 0.83 by Asafa, and he did it for 3 consecutive 10m sections. I added Bruxelles because this was was impressive and held only 5 days after Rieti, in very different conditions. I don’t have crowd view for 9.78 so i can’t give accurate numbers.
Rieti’s final was the first time Asafa does less than 44 steps for a sub 9.90 time if i’m not mistaken.
Interesting to see the effects of wind when you compare Rieti and Bruxelles last 20m, almost the same speed, in one case he shut down visibly, in second case he maintained all through.
Asafa was on pace for sub9.70, but to do it he needs to find a race with such conditions allowing all 8 runners to set PB or SB in the same race, in september. I don’t think wind was blowing too much, the 34 wind readings for women triple jump, held during men’s 100m heats, show average 1.65m/s. It was on the opposite straight though. Anyway we all know wind readings for 100m are useless, given the recording procedures.
Yeah, it’s more of a general impression/visual observation rather than any actual data. I am asking this based upon the general opinions expressed by many here(CF included, I think?) that AP did APPEAR to be leaner in Rieti.
Thanks PJ. Nice work.
It’s not just the bodysuit- you can see it in his face. He’s tapered in Rieti the way he should have been in Osaka. Certainly, the races in Osaka served the purpose (an unintended one at that)
Thanks PJ for your great work as usual. The wind readings from elsewhere on the field at the same time and the splits support the legitimacy of the performance.
I might add that Asafa looked sore during Bruxelles warm-up, with right knee going outward for most of the drills and strides when he was decelerating. Thoughts?
Thanks. I was leaning towards, like some here, the belief that an actual physical change had occurred and it was not simply the suit. The pictures do appear to show a bit more definition/lean-ness in Rieti.
why do you say that? 
thank you for putting up this detailed report! Is the sub 8s 80m split the key to sub 9.7?:eek: