WTW: Elaine Thompson-Herah > FloJo, Emma Coburn > Courtney Frerichs and Andre De Grasse > Noah Lyles?

The Week That Was in Operating – August 16 – August 22, 2021

By Robert Johnson
August 23, 2021

The Diamond League has returned to America with followers and thus it’s time for me to carry again the Week That Was column.

Previous editions of the Week That Was can be found here. Acquired a tip, query or remark? Please name us at 844-LETSRUN (538-7786), email us or publish in our forum.

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The Pre Traditional Delivers

For the primary time in its historical past, the Prefontaine Traditional was the primary Diamond League meet after the Olympics. Pre actually delivered because it produced seven world leads, six meet data, 5 nationwide data, and three Diamond League data. Sure, there have been a couple of clunkers (Laura Muir ran 4:05, Allyson Felix ran 22.60), which was to be anticipated as some stars might have been mentally and/or bodily exhausted after Tokyo. After all the most important clunker got here from Sha’Carri Richardson and he or she wasn’t affected by Tokyo fatigue — extra on that later.

A buddy of mine texted me and mentioned earlier than the meet he instructed his spouse he thought the “performances could be disappointing, that the runners could be too drained from all of the journey after the Olympics.” After the meet, he mentioned he thought that was “largely confirmed true [except for Athing Mu], which simply proves how otherworldly Athing Mu is.”

So I made a decision to perform a little analysis. What was the share of excellence to non-excellence at Pre?

I went occasion by occasion and took a have a look at the highest three in each occasion on Saturday to see in the event that they produced a greater mark at Pre or within the Tokyo Olympics (in the event that they had been on the Olympics). Listed here are the outcomes

How Many Of The High 3 At Pre Have been Higher At Pre Than in Tokyo?
MTJ – 0 of three
WPV – 0 of two (Third placer Olivia Gruver wasn’t in Tokyo)
WHJ – 1 of three (Iryna Gerashchenko jumped 1.98 in each Tokyo and Eugene, Vashti Cunningham did 1.96 in Tokyo and 1.98 at Pre)
M800 – 3 of three (Emmanuel Korir’s profitable time in Tokyo was simply 1:45.06; he ran 1:45.05 for third at Pre)
W3KSC – 2 of two (Race winner Norah Jeruto wasn’t in Tokyo; the very fact that there have been pacers and it was 20 levels cooler helped folks run quicker)
M200 – 1 of two (third placer Josephus Lyles wasn’t in Tokyo)
W100 – 2 of three (Shericka Jackson ran the identical time, however should you issue within the wind — -0.6 in Tokyo, +0.9 in Eugene — it’s 0 of three)
W800 – 2 of two (Kate Grace wasn’t in Tokyo)
MSP – 0 of three
W1500 – 0 of two (third placer Josette Norris wasn’t in Tokyo)
W400H – 1 of two (Gianna Woodruff ran a Panamanian report of 54.20 at Pre whereas runner-up Shamier Little wasn’t in Tokyo)
M100 – 3 of three (In the event you issue within the wind — +0.1 in Tokyo, +2.9 at Pre — it’s just one of three, plus Ronnie Baker’s time could be equal to what he ran in Tokyo)
W200 – 1 of two (Dina Asher-Smith didn’t race the 200 in Tokyo)
MMile – 1 of three (Utilizing the 1.0802 conversion to 1500, solely Stewart McSweyn was higher at Pre than in Tokyo)
Whole 17 of 35

All collectively, 17 of the 35 top-3 performers at Pre on Saturday produced a greater mark on the Pre Traditional than they did in Tokyo.

So ought to we are saying we had been each proper?

By way of historic marks, nevertheless, there may be one we’ll nearly actually keep in mind 10 years from now…..

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Elaine Thompson-Herah Runs 10.54

The race of the meet was the ladies’s 100 meters. And it lived as much as the hype.

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Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, the double Olympic dash champ at every of the final two Olympics, produced the second-fastest ladies’s 100 meters in historical past, blowing away the sector in 10.54 seconds as Jamaica went 1-2-3 but once more. And nearly as good as Thompson was, Sha’Carri Richardson was unhealthy. Richardson not profitable wasn’t stunning. Her ending lifeless final was.

Take into consideration what was at stake for Thompson-Herah earlier than this one. Sure, she was the double Olympic 100-200 champ, but when she misplaced to Richardson in Eugene, she wouldn’t even be seen as one of the best sprinter of 2021. Now, simply over 10.5 seconds later, we’re questioning if she’s going to go down in historical past as the feminine G.O.A.T.

Keep in mind, many, together with Track & Field News, don’t even recognize Florence Griffith Joyner’s 10.49 world report because the proof is fairly clear that it will need to have been closely wind-aided.

For an amazing historical past of FloJo’s report race, learn this piece from Kevin Sully after which this report that Dr. Nicholas Linthorne of the University of Western Australia wrote for the IAAF. Primarily based on how briskly the complete discipline in FloJo’s warmth ran, Linthorne estimates the wind was between 5 and seven m/s. Keep in mind, that point got here within the quarterfinals of the 1988 US Olympic Observe and Subject Trials and nobody in her warmth equaled their time afterward on the meet. Most who’ve appeared into it suppose FloJo’s 10.49 was severely wind-aided (mainly everybody in her warmth ran manner quicker than anticipated) and that FloJo’s 10.61 (+1.2 m/s) that she ran within the finals of the identical 1988 US Olympic Trials ought to have been the WR.

Thompson-Herah equaled FloJo’s 10.61 in Tokyo and now has damaged it. Elaine Thompson-Herah ought to be seen as the ladies’s 100-meter world report holder.

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Thompson-Herah’s 10.54 Shouldn’t Have Shocked Us

What’s attention-grabbing about Thompson-Herah’s 10.54 mark is that she didn’t really run higher in Eugene than she did in Tokyo. It simply appears that manner.

She received the ladies’s 100 in Tokyo by operating 10.61 right into a -0.6 m/s headwind. In line with Jonas Mureika‘s 100m wind conversion calculator, that’s equal to 10.57 in nonetheless situations. Thompson-Herah’s 10.54 in Eugene got here with a 0.9 tailwind and it equates to 10.59 with no wind.

Wind, as Flo-Jo’s 10.49 confirmed, performs an enormous position in sprinting.

Most of the different Eugene dash marks had been additionally misleadingly quick due to the wind.

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Noah Lyles’ 19.52 Was Good To See However There’s A Motive He Acquired Beat in Tokyo

I used to be thrilled to see Noah Lyles look so significantly better within the males’s 200 at Pre, the place he recorded his second-fastest time of his profession, 19.52 (his pb is nineteen.50 from Lausanne in 2019). When that race ended, I assumed, “How did he lose in Tokyo? He’s clearly one of the best 200 man on the planet.” Nevertheless, an hour later, the Tokyo 200 champ Andre De Grasse of Canada appeared higher than ever within the males’s 100 when he ran a windy 9.74 (+2.9 m/s).

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So I crunched the numbers and used Mureika’s calculator to see what the varied marks are value in nonetheless situations.

The truth is while you issue within the wind the 19.52 that Lyles ran at Pre and the 19.74 he ran in Tokyo aren’t practically as far aside because it appears.

Lyles’ 19.52 at Pre (+1.5 m/s) in lane 7 equates to a 19.64 in nonetheless situations in line with Mureika. Sure, that result’s higher than the 19.74 (-0.5 m/s) that Lyles ran in Tokyo as that equates to a 19.71 in no wind, however it’s not leaps and bounds higher.

And De Grasse received the gold in Tokyo by operating 19.62 right into a 0.5 m/s headwind, which equates to a 19.58 in nonetheless situations. So the fact is, De Grasse is a really worthy 200m champion.

And as for De Grasse, he didn’t out of the blue get manner higher on the 100 at Pre. His 9.74 there (+ 2.9 m/s wind) equates to a 9.87 in no wind and he ran 9.89 for third in Tokyo.

*All conversions by way of Jonas Mureika

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Sha’Carri’s DFL

Sha’Carri Richardson’s efficiency or lack thereof was gorgeous when it unfolded dwell on worldwide TV. That being mentioned, she’s nonetheless an excellent sprinter. Listed here are one of the best performers this 12 months, adjusting for wind.

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Finest Dash Performers Ajudsting for Wind in 2021
10.57 – Elaine Thompson-Herah – Tokyo Olympics – July 31 (10.61, -0.6 m/s)
10.69 – Sha’Carri Richardson – Mt SAC – Could 9  (10.77, -1.2 m/s)
10.70 – Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – Tokyo Olympics – July 31 (10.74, – 0.6 m/s)
10.72 – Shericka Jackson – Tokyo Olympics – July 31 (10.76, – 0.6 m/s)

The issue for Richardson is for the second straight non-pandemic season, she peaked too early. In 2019, she ran her finest at NCAAs on June 8 (10.75, +1.6 m/s). When USAs rolled round on July 25, she additionally completed lifeless final within the remaining. Actually, her time then (11.72) was even worse than it was at Pre (11.14). Not a giant deal although as she was a freshman in school.

It’s value noting, nevertheless, that nobody within the historical past of the world has run as quick as Richardson has at her age. Her 10.75 at 2019 NCAAs is the quickest time by a U20 athlete by a whopping .13 of a second. And her 10.72 private finest from April is the quickest time ever run by somebody age 21 or youthful (the notorious Marion Jones is subsequent on the record at 10.76).

For comparability, at age 21 Thompson Herah’s pb was 11.17 and Fraser-Pryce’s pb was 10.78.

Given how Sha’Carri appeared this week, one of the best factor that would have occurred to her was her marijuana DQ after USAs. She doubtless peaked too early and he or she would have been at finest 4th in Tokyo. So as an alternative of going to Tokyo and getting crushed, she’s as an alternative now a really well-known US celeb who’s being featured in Nike commercials.

The YouTube algorithm loves her — our post-race interview of her has racked up greater than 300,000 views (nothing else has even 20,000).

Some folks don’t like her brashness/boldness. That’s nice. However the actuality is almost everybody has an opinion about her and we expect it’s nice for the game. She strikes the needle.

What we love most about Sha’Carri is she doesn’t attempt to run and conceal when issues don’t go nicely. She’s the identical — win, lose or draw. It’s essential to personal your selections and life and he or she does. It drove me nuts in Tokyo when Sam Kendricks examined constructive for COVID-19 after which wouldn’t admit he wasn’t vaccinated. If you’ll go unvaxxed, at the very least admit it. Don’t run and conceal when issues don’t go nicely.

Alongside these traces, have you ever chekced out Sha’Carri’s latest Twitter profile pic? She’s embraced the meme that has gone viral on the Web — that of SAFP smirking as Richardson gave her NBC post-race interview.

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Stat of the Week

1 12 months, 6 months, 9 days (556 days) – quantity of days which have handed since Athing Mu final misplaced an 800-meter race.

I appeared that up as a result of after watching Mu obliterate the sector at Pre and end her undefeated 800 season in model with a 1:55.04 American report, I began questioning, “Will she ever lose an 800 race once more? How on the planet is anybody going to beat her?”

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If Mu retains any such kind, it’s going to be subsequent to not possible for anybody to beat her. Why? Nicely, whereas I don’t have proof of this, I imagine each single lady in historical past below 1:55 was both on medicine on intersex. I do know for a reality that every one of them both had ties to the Japanese Bloc or had been named Caster Semenya or Pamela Jelimo.

With drug testing getting harder and harder and with the DSD laws in place, Mu is manner higher than everybody else.

Right here is her margin of victory in her 800s this 12 months.

Sure, half of the 12 months, she was racing collegians however it’s nonetheless spectacular as hell. Solely as soon as all 12 months did anybody come inside a full second of her.

However as an alternative of questioning how lengthy her unbeaten streak goes to go, can we respect for a second what Mu has achieved this 12 months? When she final raced an 800 earlier than this 12 months, it was pre-COVID on the US Indoors on Valentine’s Day 2020. She blew up and ran 2:14 (including a 38.79 last 200) and didn’t make the US indoor remaining a 12 months after arriving by profitable the 600m title indoors over Raevyn Rogers.

Due to COVID, Mu didn’t get to run the remainder of her senior 12 months in highschool however now she’s untouchable. She was so good on the NCAA stage that I anticipated her to go to US Olympic Trials and win. She did simply that. I anticipated the identical factor on the Olympics. And he or she did it. All on the age of 19.

The second was by no means too huge for her. She was completely unfazed by all of it.

Can the individuals who say you want years of expertise to discover ways to tactically race as a professional, significantly within the 800, now formally not discuss for the remainder of eternity? Athing Mu (plus Patryk Dobek) formally killed off this argument.

The loopy factor is, if she will get significantly better, she’s going to be giving the world report a scare.

Athing Mu’s Development
Age 14 – 2:10.85
Age 15 – 2:06.59
Age 16 – 2:01.38
Age 17 – 2:01.17
Age 18 – 1:57.73
Age 19 – 1:55.04
Age 20 – ???

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Mu has mentioned she might be skipping the Diamond League remaining and is as an alternative happening a seaside trip. I’m nice with that. She’s been racing since January. Finish with perfection.

That being mentioned, I don’t like when different Olympic champs name their seasons when the Diamond League continues to be happening (Sydney McLaughlin is an instance). What concerning the sport? If World Athletics paid the athletes’ salaries, there isn’t a manner they’d be allowed to do this. Within the NFL, do you suppose one of the best groups actually take pleasure in enjoying 17 regular-season video games? No, however the league makes them do it. The shoe firms pay the payments although, in order that’s not the best way it really works in operating.

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Congrats to Courtney Frerichs, However Please Cease The Hyperbole

Courtney Frerichs made historical past at Pre by turning into the primary American lady to interrupt 9:00 within the steeplechase by running 8:57.77 — a much-deserved feat after her daring Olympic run of 9:04 within the warmth of Tokyo.

That being mentioned, can people who find themselves asking if she’s now the GOAT of American’s ladies’s steeplechasing please cease?

MB: Overreaction or fact? Frerichs officially passes Coburn as #1 US Steepler ever 

Let’s play “Blind Resume.” Check out the next stats and inform me who has had the higher steeple profession.

Runner A is Emma Coburn. Runner B is Courtney Frerichs.

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Frerichs has by no means received a US title and has crushed Emma Coburn precisely two occasions in her whole life within the steeplechase. Coburn has crushed her 16 occasions, received 9 US titles, and damaged 9:10 13 occasions, a feat Frerichs has executed simply six occasions. Plus Coburn has received three international medals, together with a world title, whereas Frerichs has simply two international medals. Sure Frerichs is the American report holder however so was Coburn. Actually, Emma Coburn has damaged the American report 3 times in her profession (4 should you rely Glasgow 2014, when Coburn ran quicker than the AR however the report wasn’t ratified as a result of she forgot to take a post-race drug take a look at) whereas Frerichs has executed it twice.

Frerichs is the quickest American steeplechaser in historical past, however she’s not the best.

LRC Courtney Frerichs Runs 8:57.77 To Become First American to Go Sub 9 in Steeple
MB: Overreaction or fact? Frerichs officially passes Coburn as #1 US Steepler ever 

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The US Main Marathon Fields Are Set

We now have 4 of the six elite fields for this fall’s World Marathon Majors (nonetheless ready on Berlin and Tokyo). We’ve made two charts the place we examine the standard of the fields primarily based on the entrants’ private finest occasions. Check out the numbers beneath and what one factor jumps out at you within the males’s fields and what one factor jumps at you within the ladies’s fields?

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand the NYC males’s and Chicago ladies’s fields are very skinny.

Sure, the NYC numbers are slightly deceptive as half-marathon WR holder Kibiwott Kandie isn’t included in there however these numbers do embrace the good Kenenisa Bekele, who is understood to typically not present up firstly line (and might be doubling again from Berlin simply six weeks earlier). That being mentioned, I’m THRILLED Bekele was introduced for NYC as I all the time thought a cross nation ace like himself would thrive in a hilly, non-rabbitted marathon.

As for the Chicago ladies, let’s simply hope they add somebody to the sector quickly. Heck, you doubtless don’t even want to provide them an look charge. If the prize cash continues to be $75,000 for 2nd, $50,000 for third, $30,000 for 4th, and $25,000 for fifth, there could be loads of sub-2:25 Africans more likely to take their possibilities should you simply give them a bib quantity and allow them to into the nation.

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Quotes Of The Day and Final Week’s Dwelling Pages

To see the quotes of the day from final week or final week’s house web page or any house web page, go to our archive page.

Previous editions of the Week That Was can be found here. Acquired a tip, query or remark? Please name us at 844-LETSRUN (538-7786), email us or publish in our forum.