OT: Spoiler Alert 100 meters

[MilfordHusky]

Not sure if it was shown live on U.S. television or is delayed to prime time, but the 100 meters finals is great. The first time ever that the 4 fastest guys in the world are running. If you can't run under 10.00, you can't make the finals. If you can't run under 9.70, you can't win. A close race with great speed from the U.S. and Jamaica.

 

[VAUConnFan]

The greatest 100 meter race of all time and the winner was clearly dominant. Absolutely incredible!

 

[JS]

The greatest 100 meter race of all time and the winner was clearly dominant. Absolutely incredible!

All the more incredible in that he didn't get a particularly good start.

 

[Icebear]

All the more incredible in that he didn't get a particularly good start.

Since sprinters are the equivalent of dragsters in the world of track and field I don't know why they don't go to a Christmas tree arrangement and let the runners see the countdown to the start with a no false starts DQ rule. It would go a long way towards equalizing the start for everyone.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Since sprinters are the equivalent of dragsters in the world of track and field I don't know why they don't go to a Christmas tree arrangement and let the runners see the countdown to the start with a no false starts DQ rule. It would go a long way towards equalizing the start for everyone.

In track, they are trying to eliminate anticipation of the start to avoid disparities in reaction time not based on reflex. This is why they've eliminated the free false start...costing Usain Bolt a place in the 2011 100 meter world championship final. He used a "rolling start" and mistimed the gun. Had it gone off a fraction sooner, he could've shaved most of his reaction time.

In the 100 meter final, the reaction times accounted for most of the spread between the top 5 finishers.

 

[VAMike23]

That was an amazing race! I would love to see the 10m breakdown for each runner. Likely Bolt is the only one who maintained his speed over the last 25m or so.. Somewhat like Carl Lewis, but with more natural speed.

 

[Icebear]

In track, they are trying to eliminate anticipation of the start to avoid disparities in reaction time not based on reflex. This is why they've eliminated the free false start...costing Usain Bolt a place in the 2011 100 meter world championship final. He used a "rolling start" and mistimed the gun. Had it gone off a fraction sooner, he could've shaved most of his reaction time.

In the 100 meter final, the reaction times accounted for most of the spread between the top 5 finishers.

It is, specifically, based on reflex that seems to be most unfair and irrelevant to absolute speed. The Christmas tree would seem to serve all contestants with sufficient info favoring no one.

 

[Fishy]

There's nothing unfair about the start of the 100m. As with nearly every other racing event where a living creature needs to go from point A to point B, the start is triggered by a sound that hits all competitors at the same time.

And, it bears mention, that the winner of the 100m final was the fastest man in the race. Where there is no problem, there's no need for a solution.

 

[OneTrickPony]

It is, specifically, based on reflex that seems to be most unfair and irrelevant to absolute speed. The Christmas tree would seem to serve all contestants with sufficient info favoring no one.

Don't disagree...they've gone the other way and it hasn't been a huge success...

 

[meyers7]

It is, specifically, based on reflex that seems to be most unfair and irrelevant to absolute speed. The Christmas tree would seem to serve all contestants with sufficient info favoring no one.

But it is not a race or evaluation of absolute speed. It's a distance race. Just a short distance. If it was absolute speed then they would have timers every 10 meters and take the highest speed by anyone at any 10 meter interval.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Its weird, solely because the 100M is the shortest race, the winner is the fastest man in the world even though at times the 200M record or world champ might have a faster time than the 100. And in the 200 clearly the start is not as critical. I think Michael Johnson was running quicker 200s that his contemporaries were 100s.

Right now I think Bolt holds both world records at 9.58 in 100 and 19.19 (so 9.595 over 200) = the 100M version of Bolt is the fastest man in the world, especially since he could have gone 9.55 or quicker last night. I wonder if there is an in between distance where greatest MPH would be sustained?

 

[OneTrickPony]

Its weird, solely because the 100M is the shortest race, the winner is the fastest man in the world even though at times the 200M record or world champ might have a faster time than the 100. And in the 200 clearly the start is not as critical. I think Michael Johnson was running quicker 200s that his contemporaries were 100s.

Right now I think Bolt holds both world records at 9.58 in 100 and 19.19 (so 9.595 over 200) = the 100M version of Bolt is the fastest man in the world, especially since he could have gone 9.55 or quicker last night. I wonder if there is an in between distance where greatest MPH would be sustained?

I believe most runners hit peak MPH around 70 meters...

http://speedendurance.com/2008/08/22/usain-bolt-100m-10-meter-splits-and-speed-endurance/

 

[MilfordHusky]

I believe Bob Hayes accelerated in each 25 meters in the 4 x 100 relay in Tokyo. He had to make up several yards--and did.

But that is abnormal. Seventy meters sounds about right for peak speed. Usain may have peaked at 80 last night.

In the NFL, Hayes was the primary reason behind zone pass defense. He was uncoverable.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I believe Bob Hayes accelerated in each 25 meters in the 4 x 100 relay in Tokyo. He had to make up several yards--and did.

But that is abnormal. Seventy meters sounds about right for peak speed. Usain may have peaked at 80 last night.

In the NFL, Hayes was the primary reason behind zone pass defense. He was uncoverable.

I lived in Dallas and got to watch a lot of his games...he had a lot of gears!

 

[Dogdeacon]

I believe most runners hit peak MPH around 70 meters...

http://speedendurance.com/2008/08/22/usain-bolt-100m-10-meter-splits-and-speed-endurance/

I didn't mean peak in terms of highest MPH, but I think there is a distance say 130M where athletes can maintain top speed without slowing down as they likely do in the 200. So if you do the math and calculate what a 130M time is to the 100M or 200M it would be a world record in either = that should be the distance for world's fastest human not 100 or 200 because they happen to be divisible by 10.

 

[Icebear]

There's nothing unfair about the start of the 100m. As with nearly every other racing event where a living creature needs to go from point A to point B, the start is triggered by a sound that hits all competitors at the same time.

And, it bears mention, that the winner of the 100m final was the fastest man in the race. Where there is no problem, there's no need for a solution.

Disagree, Fishy. It means athletes with hearing deficits are at a disadvantage despite their ability to run. And the changes in the rules for starting means the the track officials have disagreed, as well. But their solution is a non solution.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I didn't mean peak in terms of highest MPH, but I think there is a distance say 130M where athletes can maintain top speed without slowing down as they likely do in the 200. So if you do the math and calculate what a 130M time is to the 100M or 200M it would be a world record in either = that should be the distance for world's fastest human not 100 or 200 because they happen to be divisible by 10.

Check out the speed endurance site...looks like most top sprinters can't maintain speed through 100 meters, although Bolt seems to come close...

 

[Blakeon18]

I believe that each starting block has a microphone attached [or located just behind it]...that should enable each runner to hear the gun at the same time.

Bolt better at the 200 than the 100 with those long legs!

What is too bad is that Usain seems to avoid the 400...he has said he doesn't like the training involved for that longer race. I think the 43.18 world record is held by Michael Johnson...established 16 years ago. If Bolt trained for that event, he might smash it to smithereens.

World record in the 200 coming up? World record in the 4 by 100 relay coming up by the Jamaicans?

Run Allyson Run...200 coming up! Tough competition by Ross-Richards and the Jamaicans

 

[VAUConnFan]

I like the way that young lady from Arizona closes in the 400m hurdles.

Hopefully, the American relay teams can get the baton around track. Still, the Jamaican teams will probably win.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I like the way that young lady from Arizona closes in the 400m hurdles.

Hopefully, the American relay teams can get the baton around track. Still, the Jamaican teams will probably win.

We'll probably push them to a world record if we can hold onto the stick...hope they put less butter on it this year!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I believe that each starting block has a microphone attached [or located just behind it]...that should enable each runner to hear the gun at the same time.

Bolt better at the 200 than the 100 with those long legs!

What is too bad is that Usain seems to avoid the 400...he has said he doesn't like the training involved for that longer race. I think the 43.18 world record is held by Michael Johnson...established 16 years ago. If Bolt trained for that event, he might smash it to smithereens.

World record in the 200 coming up? World record in the 4 by 100 relay coming up by the Jamaicans?

Run Allyson Run...200 coming up! Tough competition by Ross-Richards and the Jamaicans

WR in the 200? Probably.

WR in the 4 x 100? Yep, unless they drop the baton. Jamaica has the most speed ever assembled.