Probably nothing. Plus that's a 47.9 run in Bol's legs and she'll run 2 more rounds before meeting Sydney. I'd say that gives Sydney the edge if anything
I lieu of a nicer way to say it but Bol is a thoroughbred; I think she loves to race and the more she races the better she gets.
She knows Bol has improved so she'll dig even deeper in the hurdles
Bol will push Sydney and Sydney will end up breaking the WR again
Sub 50 may be incoming
See, you are answering with a self-absorbed American mindset and proving the point i wanted to mke.
I don't want to know what she's thinking about her own race. What I want to know is does she think at all, "Why aren't I out there running for the stars and stripes?"
It's quite hard to explain to my wife and 6-year old why the top US stars don't want to run for their country. I didn't want to get into , "Shoe execs don't value this event at all so they don't bother. In the short term, financially the mixed 4 x 400 does nothing for Sydney. Lots of downside."
I'm quite sure she didn't think - "Why aren't I out there running for the stars and stripes?"
If she had, and had expressed a desire to run, I doubt she would have been turned down. .
I don't blame her. She's there to do one thing, win the 400m hurdles. When that's done, she probably run the 4x400m.
At the end of the day, running is really an individual event, and you're running for yourself. The hyper-nationalism is probably one of the most negative aspects of the games.
In America, it's not even just hyper nationalism. It's hyper nationalism plus heavy doses of ethnocentrism. I've watched pieces of the Olympics at three bars in one of the most progressive cities in America and w/out fail the patrons have rooted heavily against the Black American athletes, cursing them out when they appear on screen and cheering for whomever beats them. They also cheer raucously for any white athlete from a foreign country who beats Black American athletes. America sure is interesting.
Femke Snatches Gold from the USA while Sydney hides in her AirBNB. Regrettably, she must race this week, but then she can take 9 months off from racing.
In America, it's not even just hyper nationalism. It's hyper nationalism plus heavy doses of ethnocentrism. I've watched pieces of the Olympics at three bars in one of the most progressive cities in America and w/out fail the patrons have rooted heavily against the Black American athletes, cursing them out when they appear on screen and cheering for whomever beats them. They also cheer raucously for any white athlete from a foreign country who beats Black American athletes. America sure is interesting.
If I were Sydney I'd be thinking if I bring anything less than my A game in the final I'm gonna get beat.
Sydney isn’t Sha’Carri Richardson. Sydney is actually of the toughest athletes in the sport. This is not a concern. Femke will need to be on current WR pace to even have a small chance.
But Syd is probably about to go 50 low in the 400H. She’s in absurdly strong shape.
At the end of the day, Bol still hasn't run a sub-50 in the 400mH at sea level yet. The London Diamond league race was a more accurate representation of Bol's true pace, which gives SML over a half second advantage.
Bol might run quicker due to the track, but so will SML.
I am grateful that Bol is around though. Without her, SML would be winning the event by at least a couple of seconds.
This post was edited 2 minutes after it was posted.