FLASH!
Asafa Powell broke down in the 200m and failed to finish at Yokohama, Japan.
YOKOHAMA, Japan, Sept 30, 2007 - Jamaica’s Asafa Powell injured his left hamstring today during the men’s 200m at the Super Track and Field Meet in Yokohama.
Powell, who holds the world record of 9.74 seconds in the 100m, pulled up coming off the turn on a wet track at Nissan Stadium.
It's a strain of some sort,'' said Powell's manager Paul Doyle. He felt a pain in his upper hamstring and then it moved to the middle of the hamstring which would indicate there is some sore of muscle tear.’’
Powell finished third in the 100m last month at the world athletics championships in Osaka, Japan.
Powell won the 200m two days ago at the Golden Grand Prix in Shanghai and Doyle said that might have been a factor in the injury.
``He ran the 200m in Shanghai and that might have influenced what happened here,’’ said Doyle.
Doyle said the injury could take up to three weeks to heal but that Powell, who was running in his last race of the season, was planning to be off for about a month anyway.
I’M SORRY but how predictable was this injury. The coach and agent should be shot for fking up his Olympic preparation. They obviously learned nothing from the experience of his injury fking up his preparation for this year’s world championships.
And Powell himself is a goose. A bronze goose.:mad:
Now a question arises…would Asafa with a good coach and manager be capable of running faster than 9.74 s sooner and if so, where would he be now (time wise)?
Just thinking out loud.
YOKOHAMA, Japan, Sept 30, 2007- World 100m record holder Asafa Powell limped out of a 200m race at the Yokohama track and field meet with a leg injury Sunday, ending two straight seasons with disappointment in Japan.
The Jamaican, who set a new 100m world record of 9.74 seconds in Italy earlier this month, appeared strong during the initial seconds of the race despite cold rain.
But he stopped suddenly, leaving American sprinter JJ Johnson to take the race with 20.64, followed by Canadian Tyler Christopher and Japanese Hitoshi Saito.
He (Powell) was coming off the turn and he felt pain in the upper hamstring. (The pain) immediately moved to the belly of the hamstring and then he stopped running immediately,'' said his manager Paul Doyle. As you could see in the first 100 meters on the turn, he was running really well. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be today,’’ Doyle said. He is in a lot of pain right now.'' Powell, who also ran a 200m race in Shanghai on Friday, declined to appear before journalists, but said in a Japanese-language statement that he was going too fast and the weather was cold. After running a lot of 100 meters through the season and then running 200 meters in Shanghai… he arrived here a little bit more fatigued than he normally would have been,’’ Doyle said.
At the Shanghai competition, Powell complained that he was not allowed'' to face arch-rival US sprinter Tyson Gay in a rematch of their world championship final. The Jamaican blitzed the Shanghai track in 20 seconds flat, just shy of his personal best. Doyle said Powell likely had a mild strain, possibly a muscle tear, and it could be at least three weeks before he could resume training. This was the last race (of this season). He was going to be off for the next four weeks anyway. It was not the worst time in the world for this to happen,’’ Doyle said.
The Yokohama competition also ended in disappointment for Powell last year, when the Jamaican was disqualified after making a second false start in the 100m race.
He was again thwarted in the Osaka world championships in August as Gay put in a stellar performance, but he went on to set the new men’s 100m world record in Italy earlier this month.
It is very difficult for him,'' Doyle said. Last year we came here, he was very excited about running. I think he would have ended the season last year with a new world record.
``Everything at the end of this year has almost fallen into place, and all of sudden something goes wrong. It has been a difficult experience for Asafa to end this season this way,’’ Doyle said.
YOKOHAMA, Japan, Sept 30, 2007 - World champion Tyson Gay promised to break the 100m world record next season after finishing this one with a comfortable victory at the Yokohama track and field meet Saturday.
The American dashed 100m in 10.23 seconds against wind and rain, followed by Churandy Martina of the Dutch Antilles and Naoki Tsukahara of Japan.
Gay, a triple sprint champion at the Osaka world championships, said he would focus on outdoor races in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics in an effort to beat the world 100m record of 9.74 seconds set by rival Asafa Powell.
Powell did not finish the Yokohama 200m race due to a hamstring injury.
I would like to beat the world record next year,'' Gay said after his race. I believe my fitness level is there, my technique is there. But I really believe I need the right conditions,’’ he added.
He shrugged off speculation that Powell’s injury would slow the Jamaican in the coming season.
``No, not at all. I don’t think (the injury) is too serious. I feel sorry for him, I didn’t see what happened. But I don’t think it’s too serious,’’ Gay said.
Powell’s manager said the Jamaican might have strained his left thigh.
So you think the races are too close together? I recall there is a third in this series of asian meets perhaps they should have left this one out rested up and then come out at the next one?
I think they should have been thinking about winning something that matters. He needs that Olympic gold medal, but he has jeopardised everything for the short-term gain of cash. Maybe the guy is just in it for the money and doesn’t really care about the medals. He sure behaves that way. Whatever he may say, actions speak louder than words and he acts like someone who does not plan on winning the majors. He’s just done it again.
Whatever they may say, even if he was due to have a rest for a month starting from tomorrow, he will now be having physio every day for at least the next month.
So when does he have his break? The answer is in the month that follows his month of rehab. “Rest” for an elite athlete means a mental rest not only a physical rest.
How far behind schedule for the Olympics is he today: at least one month.
Is history repeating itself? Time will tell but it sure looks like it.
I have posted the video on “Training/Competition Videos”.
great work!
History repeating itself?
Can you fill me in with the details, did Powell get injured towards the end of last season. Was it a re-occurring groin injury that your referring to.
yes, the groin.
Hopefully the damage is minimal, so his prep isn’t pushed back like worlds this year. As a general rule hamstrings do heal a lot quicker then groin injury. If it’s Biceps Femoris then healing time may be longer.
But do you see my point about a delay to his “rest period”?
Instead of coming into an Olympic training cycle off world record pace, he’s coming in off what… whatever he can run right now.
I also hope he runs to his potential in the Olympic final but geez he tests the Gods’ patience …
His problem every championships season appears to have been primarily one related to getting the time-line right. A couple of weeks after each major championship he runs his PB.
I just think this injury was avoidable. If that was correct, then it’s a case of poor management again - this time resulting in injury. It just seems to be groundhog day for this team.
You make a valid point. Coming off WR verse injury are varied starting points. Unfortunate for him with sprinters 80% of hamstring strains are biceps femoris at the musculotendinous junction.
Money can drive people to make poor choices; it won’t be the last time either. Remember Sanya missed out a 400m spot at the US trails because she was chasing $ in Europe
Tough call. Because of his stature, the races are chosen some time in advance -ie Osaka WCs prob last date to confirm or pull out. Additionally, they clearly didn’t know his state of readiness for a WR in Rieti- or they’d have had him ready for it in Osaka.
The choice of events was right- a 100 after the 200 in Shanghai would have been a disaster for sure and I’m not sure the weather was predictable, BUT, he should have cruised as soon as he saw the conditions he faced. He was under no obligation to win a 200m, given his limited history in the event. This was an appearance for the crowd to see him.
We had a similar problem in Japan before Seoul, when an injury would have been a disaster. Ben was entered in a 4 x 100 relay and we normally would never run in such conditions but couldn’t get out cause the organizers had paid for the whole Can team training camp. He covered himself with heatrub and basically jogged through to guarantee he’d be in one piece at the end. The crowd seemed to understand and didn’t seem to complain then.
It’s not the end if it’s is truly minor as they claim (though they would anyway, even if it wasn’t) but it’s certainly an unfortunate repetition of past history. Anyone know who’s doing the therapy?
THIS WAS THE “RIETI” THREAD, POSTED TWO WEEKS AGO
2 Weeks Ago
kitkat1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Francis
I’d like to see Asafa get out of there- it’s too soon for another 100 IMO unless the 100 field is weak. The 200 is stacked but at least he doesn’t need to win anything there.
The most important things in Asafa’s career now is a victory at the Beijing Olympics.
He needs to survive this year without an injury.
If he wins in Beijing, any money he passes up at the tailend of this season will be more than recouped for the rest of his life.
But if his preparation for the Olympics is set back by yet another injury now, his Olympics will be finished - or at least he will be doomed to relive Osaka at best.
AND THEN THERE WAS THIS…
kitkat1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Francis
Based on that, what do you think of Tyson’s upcoming schedule?
it has to be all about short-term thinking, make money while the sun shines (because you never know when the axe might drop). he could argue he’s building his brand in Asia. and no doubt he’s making sure to avoid anyone fast enough to take him out of his comfort zone.
He might also say he’s using Asian meets to drop by Beijing and check it out as a reconnoitre for next year.
but it wasn’t it in one of those purposeless Asian meets (without prupose except for the pay) last year that Jeremy Wariner got injured?
If Wariner had not been injured, maybe he would have been sufficiently advanced in his training for Osaka to have been ready for a world record. Who knows.
A man’s gotta make a living and there is guaranteed money on the line in these Asian meets for Gay, but let’s hope for his sake he doesn’t overcook things and damage his prep for the Olympic season.
AND THIS…
Charlie Francis
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Yup. And now, along those lines, if we could just get Asafa out of Brussels and into something another week off, or just home now!
Now if we could just get to Asafa’s management team. Maybe one of us could be disguised as a psychologist!
(Dr Shildhousen! Paging Dr Shildhousen! - Anyone here see the movie Diry Rotten Scoundrels a few years back??)