T&FN Message boards are saying the chances for Jamaica to get 1, 2, 7, 8 are about equal
Awful Jamaica…if Powell is out…so are gold hopes…Understand they were controllling but…How fast is Lemaitre???gained ground to Thompson easily…but not usual frech baton handling…pretty poor in my opinion as a whole…
I wonder how much the IAAF will get involved. If they did, Jamaica would magically get lane 7.
I hope they do not get 1…a shame the rules of 4x100 demands 4 guys…could be 2x100+ bolt x200…
and game over!
It’s from the specific lifting my friend.
I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the lanes are drawn. They aren’t up yet on the IAAF meet site
If Germany had run to form, Jamaica and Canada would be split by reading the photo finish to the thousanths to see who went through! It wasn’t that tough a heat but the hurdler the Jamaicans had on first leg got killed.
Now the US is out…
The part in bold above happened today in the women’s 200 m final -the two ‘q’ were in lanes 1 and 2 (and with the 8th and 7th time, respectively, if I remember correctly).
There has been a British protest against the USA in the relay for passing EARLY.
This is very strange indeed. They obviously set up conservative passes to not go out but this should never happen because the outgoing runner shouldn’t put the hand back till he’s into the beginning of the zone. Contact was made before the zone but the pass inside.
So now two controversies for the IAAF to deal with, if, in fact they can, to preserve a major attraction for the games:
1: What lane for Jamaica?
2: Can they keep the USA in?
Since Asafa is extremely doubtful for the final and it’s looking like a record by Jamaica isn’t possible, will the IAAF try to do anything or just lets the chips fall where they may.
That would be huge for Jamaica.
That’s what Patton said they did, indeed!
Re: my previous comment, I don’t know the rule, but that’s what happened in 200 m W final… (they actually had the exact same time of 22.64, but Freeman was given a spot ahead of Artymata on the photofinish and therefore (?) lane 2 to her and lane 1 to the Cypriot). We’ll see…
The rule indicates an infraction if the outgoing runner even touches the baton before entering the zone but the situation may well still be under review as I don’t see any lane assignments for the final on the Berlin WC site.
I would bet, just like in the Beijing 200m, the Americans will have scoured films looking for any other violations for leverage/retaliation. The Brits better be 100% clear on their passes!
Re my earlier post. If the US decision is final and still there is no relay lane assignment posted, there may be another problem, perhaps pointed out by the Americans, a la Beijing 200m, or the Brits to get another competitor out. It will be a long night for a lot of people.
I’ve reviewed scores of high level 4x100 and there is a distinct tendency for the final exchange to take place early in the zone. If the US coaches had done their homework they would have made allowances for this.
The first US exchange was very good, but Rogers didn’t get enough of the baton and didn’t know what to do. He was very fortunate to get the baton to Crawford. Patton in a relay disaster. His initial movement is awkward, which means his acceleration is inconsistent at best. He should NEVER have put his hand back until he was in the zone. In theory he’s an experienced pro and that’s a high school mistake. To compound all of this he give the incoming athlete a lousy target. Does Harvey Glance coach the relay? If so that may part of the explanation.
On a side note, Japan has now taken the mantle of best passing team from France. They studied the latter’s method and now beat them with it. Quite impressive and an example of what can be done when unencumbered by politics, forced tradition and inaccurate assumptions.
Jamaicans cruise through, US scratched
By Dan Silkstone, Berlin
The Age (Australia)
August 22, 2009 9-37AM
Anthony Alozie, Josh Ross, Aaron Rouge-Serret and Matt Davies can all now say they ran against the great 4x100m Jamaican sprint machine.
Unfortunately for the Australians it was a little bit like going to see The Phantom of The Opera and copping the understudy.
There was no Usain Bolt and no Asafa Powell on show in the third heat of the sprint relay last night. Greater things are planned for those men, who will parachute into the team just in time to scorch the track in today’s final.
Instead, the alternates were more than good enough to book the Caribbean nation into a final that will provide Bolt the chance for his third gold medal and third world record of the meet. Not all of Michael Frater, Steve Mullings, Lerone Clarke and Dwight Thomas will be on the track when their nation runs for gold today, but they will all have done their part.
Australia ran third in the heat, behind the Jamaicans and second-placed Italy. There was disappointment but also pride for the Australian combination, still developing and focused more upon making a mark at next year’s Commonwealth Games.
They led the Jamaican for almost half of the race, before second leg-runner Ross was overhauled by Michael Frater down the back straight. Even so, the Australians managed a season’s best time of 38.93 – to finish tenth of the 17 teams and narrowly miss the final.
In the second heat, the United States 4x100 relay team have had their appeal against disqualification rejected.
The Americans were disqualified for an illegal baton exchange.
IAAF spokeswoman Anna Legnani says, “the team has been disqualified. The jury of appeal has upheld the decision.”
The US team were disqualified after the semi-finals because the exchange between Shawn Crawford and Darvis Patton was outside the designated zone. Patton was running the anchor leg.
The final is on Saturday, with the favoured Jamaicans safely through.
The defending champion Americans had the best qualifying time of 37.97 seconds. At the Beijing Olympics last year, the United States dropped the baton and were eliminated.
Even on a night when he did not set foot on the track Bolt was still the star. After receiving his medal and standing through the Jamaican anthem, Bolt’s eyes watered just a little as the entire crowd sang happy birthday to him. What a way to turn 24.
Even on a night when he did not set foot on the track Bolt was still the star. After receiving his medal and standing through the Jamaican anthem, Bolt’s eyes watered just a little as the entire crowd sang happy birthday to him. What a way to turn 24.
Any word on POwell’s status?
Let’s get it poppin Jamaica.
Actually, Jamaica is through with a ‘Q’ and the 5th time -same as Canada- from those going through automatically. Only France has a faster time but are a ‘q’ and perhaps France and Brazil now will be assigned in bad lanes (2 and 1, respectively) 
Still waiting for both relays…
A hypothetical question, if any other team had done something wrong in the relay, could the USA appeal against it now or not, since they are DQed (i.e., they can’t be reinstated anyway)?