When can we get it across that corrected times are meaningless. Meaningless because:
1: Wind vector isn’t included
2: Humidity isn’t included
3: Temperature isn’t included
4: Altitude isn’t progressively calculated
5: The reported wind reading could be full of shit like in Edmonton 2001, when the wind meter was set up backwards (some but not all results were removed). Same thing happened when Ashford’s 10.92 was ranked ahead of Gohr’s 10.88 because of an alledged headwind despite the fact that almost every girl in Ashford’s race had a pb (bit odd for a wind hindered race, wouldn’t you say?)
You need to accept times as they are and then evaluate their significance by the margin of victory and the quality of field beaten.
Then:
reebok grand prix
1 Usain Bolt JAM 9.72 10+6(WR)
2 Tyson Gay USA 9.85 8
3 Darvis Patton USA 10.07 7
4 Aaron Armstrong TRI 10.10 6
5 Michael Rodgers USA 10.11 5
6 Rodney Martin USA 10.12 3.5
6 Daniel Bailey ANT 10.12 3.5
8 Ashhad Agyapong USA 10.13 1
8 Shawn Crawford USA 10.13 1
monaco
1 Asafa Powell JAM 9.82 20
2 Darvis Patton USA 9.98 16
3 Nesta Carter JAM 10.02 14
4 Derrick Atkins BAH 10.02 12
5 Darrel Brown TRI 10.06 10
6 Travis Padgett USA 10.07 8
So my analysis:
Bolt crushed Gay by a massive margin and both of them were so far removed from a good field, they looked like they were last in the race before!
Asafa isn’t there yet but he’s shown that Bolt is vulnerable to a mistake and he’s on a definite upswing. Race 11 today and race 15 for the Olympic Final. based on his shortened training periods this year and all the training in the bank from previous years, he may be ready for a WR if he’s careful through the heats. Bolts already proven he’s ready and Gay’s a wild card right now. The 100m is going to be colossal!!
One of those guys will go wild!!
also the americans, patton and padgett were looking their best since the trials.
some other interesting results in terms of the 4x4, bain, the #2 400 guy from the bahamas ran 45 high, and the ageless danny mcfarline ran a 48.low in the hurdles, so it could be that JA and BA are switching places on the presumptive podium. although good old poland got 3rd last year.
As I see it, Gay is a full yard slower than Powell and Bolt. The only way he can win is if the others have a bad race. I simply don’t believe he has the first 60m to run under 9.8. Powell may or may not have the ‘bottle factor’ so the favorite has to be Bolt (assuming he hasn’t blown his load too early). I doubt, given the conditions in China, we will see a WR but I’d be very surprised if the winning time is >9.8s (therefore making a Gay win unlikely)
Now Gay has gone legal 9.77 and windy 9.68 so the neural imprint is there for faster times. In addition, he has proven strength through the rounds, so I wouldn’t count him out.
If you’re right and he must rely on a bad race by Usain AND Asafa, he’s in trouble because the chances of both screwing up at the same time are remote.
He’s run 9.84-85 range for a while and all the marbles are on the table. no reason why not. But that’s why we have the Olympics- to see who can do what when it counts. Can’t mail in form charts.
Where I come from, when we wanted to see who was faster we raced for it Like charlie said, we can leave this for the olympics to see how it goes, last year Gay ran his PB in the world championships, provided all 3 guys here can be in peak form, we will know who’s faster simply by who wins the race.
