Bolt -- world record...again.

His goal is 9.4, I don't think sub 9 is possible.

 

Yeah, I think we're getting pretty close to the limit of human achievement on this one. Watching that race yesterday it was over so quickly it felt like they only ran about 80 meters

 

I disagree. There is a clear relationship between height and starting ability in sprinting. Taller longer-legged sprinters often struggle with the start but tend to be stronger finishers after their top speed stride kicks in, whereas shorter stockier sprinters are usually better at exploding out of the blocks but often get run down after the field has reached top speed. It's why track coaches have had a tendency to push sprinters built like Bolt into the 200 and 400, where the start isn't as important, instead of the 100. I won't claim to know why (I've read it has to do with longer legs and having to bend over more in the blocks putting em in a more awkward starting leverage situation) but that relationship clearly does exist.

And it's how it works with Bolt, too. The start is the only part of his races where he looks human. But, after those first 20 meters, he's running on a different plane than anybody ever before him.

 

Hey, records keep falling like dominoes with this guy. Anything is possible.

 

Maybe, but there have always been athletes who were way above others. Track and Field's a bit different because of its history so there's certainly reasons to be skeptical. Swimming too. But I don't think the criteria should be you're under suspicion just because you're so much better than everyone else. Should Nicklaus have been suspected? Gretzky's numbers made hundreds of thousands of hockey players' numbers look pathetic. Suspicious of him? I'd also take LeBron out of the Phelps-Woods trio; it seems like an SAT question of which one doesn't belong. Two of them might be the best ever in their sport. The other one has an absurd body, but isn't anywhere close to being considered the greatest ever.

 

Phelps' and Bolt's opponent basically is a clock when it comes to where they stand in history. You can take James off of the list, but I would add Armstrong.

If James was on the juice, he can be removed from those three because the other guys he is playing against are on the juice as well so that evens things out. If James was playing in 1960, he might average 50-25-15. It's just the players he has played against are on the same stuff he is on, so the numbers look similar.

The stopwatch cannot be on juice.

 

Bolt has been unbelievably fast since he was 16, he is the only man run sub 20 200m race as a teen. Keep in mind 200m is his best event.

 

One of the most impressive things I've ever seen in person was Bolt actually finishing 2nd in his 200m prelim in Beijing last year. He ran hard the first 110 meters and then I'm not joking when I say he jogged the last 90 meters. Some other guy edged him at the line and we joked how when that guy tells his grandkids that story he won't mention the fact that Bolt shut it down about halfway through.

 

I remember that. Amazing, indeed.

What did Bolt do in the prelims for the 100 this week? I'm guessing he jogged again to a couple 2nd or 3rd place finishes, probably laughing along the way.

Anyone know if he has any personality? If so, I'm sure someone will try to do a reality show about him.

 

Savannah Sanitoa shattered 15.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1206969/Samoan-shot-putter-Lightning-Bolt-Thunder-Thighs.html

Probably a bit faster than I could do.

 

There will be a Cool Runnings-type movie, only this will be about, running.

 

Gay beat him out of the blocks, so he obviously choked the rest of the race