How fast do we thin Noah will run. I'm setting the over under at 19.35. Dude has looked amazing.
He's in lane 6 but has Bednarek, Knighton and Tebogo all to his outside so he'll have targets to shoot for.
Does he get the American Record 19.31 or even the world record?
For some reason I'm going 19.33.
I think he wins - not a blow-out like Eugene, but by a stride and a half.
As for the time? It just feels like a classic "let-down" spot (time-wise). I think it will be quick - but I don't think it's anywhere near the WR and I don't think it will threaten his US record.
Rationale?
1) I think the amount of racing he has done this championships matters and it is completely normal for him to be a little tired physically and emotionally.
2) On that point, how often do you see sprinters run times in semi-finals in particular where they shut it down, try and pretend like what they just did was nothing and you think "man, they are going to run x.xx based on that" - then they never do? I always felt like those races are signs of when a lot of sprinters actually are at their best in terms of the championship overall.
3) This though is the biggest one for me. Last year the expectation on Noah in terms of times was almost non-existent. Yes he was the favorite to win the gold but there was really no talk of times and I can't remember the US record being even mentioned. So when he ran it, it was almost a shock (so much so they didn't even realize it on the race commentary as soon as it happened). But now he's put this time out there and I think it changes the dynamic of the race for him - it's human nature when you are chasing times to sometimes push when you shouldn't and that can be enough with sprinters to derail "record attempts".
Noah is the best, he's going to win barring an injury. But I will take the over and say he still runs an electric 19.41 but no US or WR.
Is my hopeful guess if everyone runs their best. I gave everyone but Lyles a PB. I would give Lyles a 19.2 if he only focused on the 200 this time around. I was also skeptical giving Tebogo a 19.4, but he did win silver in the 100 and dropped that 19.50 in London. I also can’t see Tebogo turning from 19.8 runner into a 19.3 or lower runner in one season. That progression is just too suspicious in my head.
In reality the winner runs in the 19.40’s and everyone else follows behind, but I want to see fireworks haha.
Lyles looked so good running 19.76 shutting it down way early in his semi. I honestly don't think his running the 100 is going to affect him. If anything its a motivation for him to complete the double and a confidence booster that he truly is the best man.
I believe he will break the AR again but not the WR.
Looks like Lyles is alone in predicting a 19.10! It'll certainly make him a legend if he pulled it off. Hard to predict conditions, but I'm hoping for a bit of nail-biting competition. It could just as easily be Knighton who challenges, but this is my guess.
Looks like Lyles is alone in predicting a 19.10! It'll certainly make him a legend if he pulled it off. Hard to predict conditions, but I'm hoping for a bit of nail-biting competition. It could just as easily be Knighton who challenges, but this is my guess.