Asafa not ready!

[Karl]

Veronica ran 10.91 and came in 3rd!

[Lucky4life]

no jamaican have won,i think because this is not the real thing and we might been making the american think that we are not and wont be ready when the time come around,speacking about asfa is he ever ready this is not a surprize to me

[Historian]

Damn! What About Tyson Gay!?

no jamaican have won,i think because this is not the real thing and we might been making the american think that we are not and wont be ready when the time come around,speacking about asfa is he ever ready this is not a surprize to me

So, the world revolves around Asafa Powell and the question of when he will be ready to make a mark again, right? Very interesting! But like I’ve stated in the past on another track forum, Asafa’s golden chance was at the 2003 IAAF World Championships. That gold medal was his (he went into the finals with the fastest time, and Kim Collins eventually won the gold medal in the slowest 100-meter dash in IAAF World Championships history), but alas, there was also the “little matter” in 2003 of that shared false start between him and the USA’s Jonathan Drummond.

Personally speaking, I’m not seriously expecting a medal of any color from Asafa this summer. This is 2009, and other fast, strong, but confident athletes are making their presence felt! Did you see what happened to Ethiopia’s golden girl Tirunesh Dibaba (my favorite female athlete on the planet) today? Yes, she’s coming off an injury, but has anyone ever seen Tirunesh in this situation before?

The world turns, my friend, and we’d better realize this fact!

Veronica ran 10.91 and came in 3rd!

Karl, despite that heavily wind-aided 10.91 by Veronica Campbell (If I’m not mistaken, that time was her stadium record last year) for third, I’m not going to lose a minute’s sleep, as Veronica is just returning to the track after quite a bit of time recuperating. Veronica will be ready for Berlin, trust me on this! I can afford to sound confident as I’ve gotten to know this natural fighter. I’ve watching over and over all my videotape recordings of Veronica’s performances since that 1999 World Youth Games in Poland (which is why I occasionally still think of Lisa Sharpe, but those thoughts are slowly disappearing). It’s not by chance that she has won gold medals at EVERY global track and field meet that exists! Veronica will be ready for Berlin (Lauryn too, I suspect), long after Carmelita has burnt herself out.

What you guys should be talking about is Tyson gay’s opening season performance in the 200-meter race! That performance deserves a thread of its own!

[Hortical]

Asafa is injured, and he will rebound. He generally performs well in these types of meets and I will not write him off just yet.

[Historian]

Agreed!

Asafa is injured, and he will rebound. He generally performs well in these types of meets and I will not write him off just yet.

Good point!

My critical comment about Asafa, by the way, was directed at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin in August, and was based on a recognition of his past performances at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. I cannot include the 2003 IAAF World Championships in Paris in my somewhat negative outlook as that false start credited to both Asafa and Jon Drummond was an unfortunate error by both athletes.

[Sickko]

A bit confused here, you said Asafa went into the finals in 2003 with the fastest time but he was DQed in the second round

[Karl]

[quote=Historian;167351]So, the world revolves around Asafa Powell and the question of when he will be ready to make a mark again, right? Very interesting! But like I’ve stated in the past on another track forum, Asafa’s golden chance was at the 2003 IAAF World Championships. That gold medal was his (he went into the finals with the fastest time, and Kim Collins eventually won the gold medal in the slowest 100-meter dash in IAAF World Championships history), but alas, there was also the “little matter” in 2003 of that shared false start between him and the USA’s Jonathan Drummond.

Personally speaking, I’m not seriously expecting a medal of any color from Asafa this summer. This is 2009, and other fast, strong, but confident athletes are making their presence felt! Did you see what happened to Ethiopia’s golden girl Tirunesh Dibaba (my favorite female athlete on the planet) today? Yes, she’s coming off an injury, but has anyone ever seen Tirunesh in this situation before?

The world turns, my friend, and we’d better realize this fact! [qoute]

Bang on!

Karl, despite that heavily wind-aided 10.91 by Veronica Campbell (If I’m not mistaken, that time was her stadium record last year) for third, I’m not going to lose a minute’s sleep, as Veronica is just returning to the track after quite a bit of time recuperating. Veronica will be ready for Berlin, trust me on this! I can afford to sound confident as I’ve gotten to know this natural fighter. I’ve watching over and over all my videotape recordings of Veronica’s performances since that 1999 World Youth Games in Poland (which is why I occasionally still think of Lisa Sharpe, but those thoughts are slowly disappearing). It’s not by chance that she has won gold medals at EVERY global track and field meet that exists! Veronica will be ready for Berlin (Lauryn too, I suspect), long after Carmelita has burnt herself out.

What have been noticing about Veronica is her blazing start in the 200M...and her slow...last year plus...starts in the 100M

Nothing is wrong with her...except running the 100M... and particularly hr starting...which has a lot to do with confidence. Veronica is confident in her speed...but has lost confidence in the 100M...particularly her start.

Starting - particualrly in sprints - has to do with believing...then being able to block out all sound except 'the gun'...and visualising self 40 meters down the track in an instant (Think it and it happens!). Veronica has lost the plot (confidence that is necessary for that start).

Aside: Asafa usually has a blazing start. Take a look t his start in that 100M. His start was always a great part of...in my mind, the greatest part of his 100M races. Even if he got up late (by his standards) the technique...and I believe concentration and confidence (That thinking it and it happens) was his greatest asset. It was after he was up 40-50 meters and had time to think of other things that he fell apart and lost at the big games - i.e. Olympic and Worlds.

If as I saw, his start does - it is over for him excepting in relays! He certainly has Bolt-like speed...but 'his head' + shake-head emoticon.

I have no reason to worry about VC. Warrior and strong enough and quick enough to bring home the 200M and anchor our 4x100M to victory.!

What you guys should be talking about is Tyson gay’s opening season performance in the 200-meter race! That performance deserves a thread of its own!

You're correct!
He was awesome!
...but Bolt will still whip him in the 200M and in the 100M if at 60M Bolt is only two strides behind!

[Karl]

Asafa is injured, and he will rebound. He generally performs well in these types of meets and I will not write him off just yet.

Look again...at his start?

[Jangle]

Hearing the fans talk after the meet: "The collection plate not enough for the pastor's son to put out any big effort". The talk is that Asafa only runs well when there is big money being offered.

[MdmeX]

Hearing the fans talk after the meet: "The collection plate not enough for the pastor's son to put out any big effort". The talk is that Asafa only runs well when there is big money being offered.

Well, one, one coco full basket nuh suh the saying goes!!

[Historian]

Oh yes?

Hearing the fans talk after the meet: "The collection plate not enough for the pastor's son to put out any big effort". The talk is that Asafa only runs well when there is big money being offered.

Well, if that is so, I wish him luck because if he continues like this then the time might come when are very few big meets to which he is invited! Other sprinters (and not just Tyson Gay) are/will be stepping up their game this year. Bolt revitalized track and field with his remarkable exploits last year, and other sprinters will be eager to follow suit.

Anyway, not to worry, as while the fans often project themselves as all-knowing experts, such is rarely the case. But having said this, the fact is that Asafa needs to realize that he's not getting younger, and that there are young guns eager to occupy the space he started.

[Islandman]

the fans often project themselves as all-knowing experts, such is rarely the case.

I would replace "often" with always, and not just in track but every sport. Watching any international cricket game will have one almost convinced that the best batsmen are in the stands!

I think we are being too hard on Asafa. The man had an injury and clearly he is not totally over it. If anything his mistake was in running at an unimportant meet like Penn before he was ready.

[Jangle]

I still have faith in Asafa. I am a little concerned (not worried, but more like keeping an eye) about our 100m ladies. There is not one dominant person, and this includes the US sprinters too. Jeter and Muna Lee seems to have stepped up their game...........again...it's early season.

[Muadib]

Yuh know a girl named Kerron Stewart ?

[Twan]

Dont worry about Asafa !! the big plus for him this year is that the "limelight" will be on Bolt and Gay...so watch out...when he is fully fit and ready