This is my second guest to write on this blog in a few days, and I think again it's a very interesting article, with one to follow in a few days that I think is a very interesting debate, any athletcis fans keep your eyes open for the updates.
Athletics is one of the rare sports that actually has a World Championships, and yet it is still not the biggest tournament in the sport. Having said that, last week in Daegu gave us plenty to look at going into the Olympics, including some big performances from relatively new names. So, here are six performances from Daegu that have really made me rethink some of my predictions for next year.
Mo Farah – A silver medal in the 5,000m at the World Championships is not to be sniffed at, but it says a lot about Mo Farah that we then expected him to ‘make up for it’ in the 10,000m. It says even more than he actually did it. Distance running has always had two key levels: world class, and Kenyan. Farah has been in the first category for a few years, but his gold medal in the 10k proved that he might just be a genuine contender in London. This wasn’t your average Commonwealth Games or European Championship crowd; he edged out the great Kenyan-born Bernard Lagat to win that (for the second time in six weeks, I might add). It was a perfectly run race, and for the first time in many years, Brits have a reason to watch the 10k at the Olympics.
Christian Taylor – Now, I have always been a big triple jump fan. I was brought up idolising Jonathan Edwards and, with Phillips Idowu being the best in the world right now, it amazes me that the event is not more prominent on British television. Personal issues aside, I sat back to see the inevitable moment when someone told me (note: told. Probably midway through the 800m, in passing) that Idowu had won. Then I found out about a 21-year-old who jumped 17.96m. I want to make this very clear: Idowu, widely recognised as the best triple jumper in the world did not perform badly. He did not choke. Idowu jumped a season’s best, just 4cm short of his PB, and he was still 22cm short. Taylor, who was not a contender, is now 5th on the all-time list. One more thing: in qualification for the final, Taylor failed to reach 17 metres. I hope he isn’t a one-off.
Yohan Blake – Undoubted shock of the tournament. Usain Bolt was such an overwhelming favourite that I didn’t even think to watch the heats. It’s just Bolt versus the clock at the moment. However, when Bolt fell afoul of the second most ridiculous rule in world athletics (I’ll get to that part later), we suddenly realised that other people run the 100m pretty damn quick. 9.92s quick. He isn’t a fluke either, as he proved at this week’s Diamond League (9.82). For those of you wondering if he is really all that good, bear this in mind: Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team broke the word record at Daegu. Blake was running instead of Asafa Powell. If you can keep Powell out of a relay team, you might just have something special.
Kirani James – Like Blake, this is a new kid who proved his win was no fluke by winning the Diamond League event this week. The 400m is a tough event to run, and to see an 18-year-old Grenadian to run 44.60s at the Worlds, beating the Olympic champion on the line, makes you wonder why this guy hasn’t really been seen before. Looking into his junior career had me even more excited about this guy. At the Carribbean Games (CARAFTA Games) Under-17 event, he won the gold medal with 47.86s… aged 14. Give this guy a good coach, and I can see this guy breaking a world record before he is done. I guarantee it.
David Storl - Shot put doesn't get a huge amount of viewership these days, but it doesn't mean there aren't big rising stars. Storl broke his personal best three times on his way to the shot put gold medal. Already the world junior record holder, the German became the youngest World Champion in shot put history. This isn’t impressive because of the distance though, but when you break your personal best three times in one week, it means you are still on a steep upward curve. This guy is on a steep upward curve, AND he’s already world champion. Again, I want to see how good this guy can go.
Dai Greene – I began this list with a Brit and it only seems reasonable to finish with a Brit. After winning in Daegu, the 400m hurdler is now surely the favourite to win gold in London. However, as if that wasn’t enough pressure, the Olympic title is all Greene needs to complete the athletics equivalent of a Grand Slam. Greene is already World, European and Commonwealth champion, and this will surely be his one and only chance to hold all four titles at the same time. Make sure you watch the 400m hurdles next year; it will be a big deal.
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