Timely Thoughts

Felix Floats to 200 win and 800 semis

timely — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 09:19:38 +0000

Day 7 at the Berlin World Championships was the first day where the weather put a slight dampener on proceedings however the athletic performances were not affected though there were a few spills in the Men's 800m semis of note.

The USA's Allyson Felix is pure poetry in motion to watch. A 'whippet' of an athlete, yet devastating in delivering winning performances as she floated to a 22:04 which would no doubt have been faster if it was not for the damp track. The Beijing Olympic Champion in the Women's 200m, Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown, took silver after attempting to put the lithe American under pressure coming off the bend however Felix slipped away with what always looks like the easiest of effort. With this kind of grace one can only wish for her to tackle the 400m as she truthfully looks as though she could threaten the World Record in that distance.

Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas grabbed Bronze

And there were other performances of a major proportion on a night of exceptional surprises and those moving from Silver to Gold after a long wait.

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Bolt's lightening 200m - 19.19

timely — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:00:54 +0000

That amazing man in his flying machine. Words cannot describe the awesome ability of Usain Bolt, yet again he delivered on the World stage with a manner of nonchalance and calm by storming to 19.19, a New World Record, to capture the Berlin world Championships 200m Title.

If the 100m was breathtaking, the 200m was sublime. The ease with which this athlete runs is absolutely amazing to witness. His power to weight ratio is unfathonable and just like Bob Beamon's wonderjump in Mexico 1968, the other athletes can only watch in awe.

In 1968, Ter-Ovanesyan declared: "Compared to this jump we are as children."

Bolt's competitors will be forgiven for thinking the same thoughts when comparing to his sprinting ability. This is a challenge the athletes have to rise to, not only the Jamaican athletes but the World's athletes, this is an opportunity for each athlete to explore their boundaries and to push to where they have not considered possible.

In the build-up to the 200m final, Bolt was relaxed as normal and the one athlete who seemed to benefit the most from Bolt's blitz was Panama's Alonso Edward who captured Silver in an Area Record (AR) time of 19.81 with the USA's Wallace Spearman taking Bronze, defending champion Shawn Crawford ran and aggressive race and a brilliant bend but faded over the last 30m, whether this can be attributed to mental or physical only he can know.

All Jamaica's athletes seem to have taken up the torch that Bolt's performances has provided and the country's standards and belief has risen to new levels which is reflected in Berlin.

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Semenya Stuns while Kamel provides family double

timely — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:04:01 +0000

On another night of brilliant athletics, the public seemed to favour sensationalism above athletic performances.

South Africa 's Caster Semenya has had to overcome enormous odds over the last few days regarding her gender and before starting the Women's 800m final at the Berlin World Championships she made the simple gesture of 'brushing everything off her shoulders'.

Whether the public are intent on judging her regarding her gender on appearance or to view her as a human being who has had to overcome a lifetime of obstacles, will only be seen with time.

And how well she did perform, after Kenya 's Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei took up the front running after the first bend, Semenya waited patiently before moving alongside the Kenyan before taking the lead at the bell, reached in 56.83.

Down the backstraight the Ukraine's Yuliya Krevsun attempted to come on to level terms and this only seemed to spur the young South African on to maintain her lead and dominance over the field. She accelerated round the bend and on entering the final straight she gave a glance and then powered away from her opposition to win in a time of 1:55.45.

Behind her the field was decimated and a blanket finish for the remaining medals took place with the defending Champion, Jepkosgei Busienei, edging past Krevsun into Silver place, with Britain's Jenny Meadows pipping the Ukrainian on the line for Bronze in a Personal Best [PB] time of 1:57.93.

Less than 1 second seperated positions 2 to 7 and their dash for the line made exciting viewing.

Semenya yet again made the gesture of brushing her shoulders and had to make do with a subdued celebration.

Meadows had had this to say, stating that she was aware of the speculation about Semenya and presumed the South African had heard it as well before saying "If none of this is true, I feel very sorry for her".Â

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