It’s that time again. Today is the eve of the 2013 World
Championships in Athletics, which will be held in Moscow, Russia, and I am
super excited for what the next 9 days have in store. I have been following
this season closely, mainly by keeping track of the Diamond League (DL) results,
so I think I have a pretty good sense of what’s going to happen in Moscow. Below
I have predicted all the medalists for the men’s events (excluding race walks
and the marathon). I’ve also included a short paragraph for each event
justifying my picks. After the Championships are over, I will fill in the
actual winners and score myself based on how accurate my predictions were. I
will give myself a point for each medalist I pick correctly, plus an extra
point if I get the color correct. That means the maximum number of points I
could get is 114 (6 pts. per event times 19 events).
100 Meters
2011 World Champion: Yohan Blake
2012 Olympic Champion: Usain Bolt
2013 World Leader so far: Tyson Gay
9.75
My Prediction
Gold: Usain Bolt
Silver: Justin Gatlin
Bronze: Nesta Carter
With 2011 champ Blake out due to injury and 2013 world
leader Gay also not competing due to a failed drug test, this race looks
secured for Bolt. One man who might take offence to that is the American
Gatlin, who actually defeated Bolt at a DL race in Rome back in
June. But Bolt is known for peaking at major championships, and his 9.85
season’s best (SB) is still faster than anyone else competing in Moscow. For
the bronze medal, I went with Nesta Carter, who actually only barely qualified for
the championships with his 4th place finish at the Jamaican trials.
But Carter is not without credentials. His 9.78 personal best (PB) makes him
the 5th fastest of all time, and he was a member of the 4X100 world
record team last year in London. Plus his 9.87 SB places him at 3rd
fastest of 2013, even ahead of Gatlin.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Usain Bolt 9.77
Silver: Justin Gatlin 9.85
Bronze: Nesta Carter 9.95
Points: 6/6
My only perfect prediction. I don't think there is any doubt at this point that Bolt is the greatest sprinter of all time.
My only perfect prediction. I don't think there is any doubt at this point that Bolt is the greatest sprinter of all time.
200 Meters
2011 Champ: Usain Bolt
2012 Champ: Usain Bolt
2013 WL: Usain Bolt 19.73
My Prediction
Gold: Usain Bolt
Silver: Warren Weir
Bronze: Isiah Young
Again, with Blake and Gay out, it will pretty much take
another false start for Bolt not to win this one. Warren Weir, who won bronze
last year in London, has been impressive on the DL circuit and has run a super
quick 19.79 this year, so I picked him for silver. The Americans’ best shot is
Isiah Young, who finished second behind Gay at the US championships in a solid
19.86 SB. Other medal contenders include Curtis Mitchell for the Americans and
Nickel Ashmeade for the Jamaicans.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Usain Bolt 19.66
Silver: Warren Weir 19.79
Bronze: Curtis Mitchell 20.04
Points: 4/6
Young unfortunately was the fastest non-qualifier in the semis, but it was great to see an Aggie pull through for the bronze.
Young unfortunately was the fastest non-qualifier in the semis, but it was great to see an Aggie pull through for the bronze.
400 Meters
2011 Champ: Kirani James
2012 Champ: Kirani James
2013 WL: Kirani James 43.96
My Prediction
Gold: Kirani James
Silver: LaShawn Merritt
Bronze: Tony McQuay
I wouldn’t be completely shocked if Merritt took the gold,
but you’ve got to admit that Kirani James has a better chance of doing so. I
think it’s too soon to start thinking world record for him, but at age 20, he’s
still got plenty of time. Now, Merritt did defeat Kirani at the Prefontaine
Classic back in June, which is why I think Merritt has a somewhat decent chance
at gold (maybe 20%), but Kirani has won 3 DL races this season (twice against
Merritt), so he is definitely the favorite. I’ve been impressed by former NCAA
champion Tony McQuay for awhile now, but he failed to reach the final both in
Daegu and London. I think this will be the year he finally pulls through and at
least reaches the final, and perhaps medals. Also having a phenomenal season is
Yousef Ahmed Masrahi of Saudi Arabia, whose 44.72 SB is the 3rd fastest
in the world this year, behind only the big two. Luguelin Santos, the silver medalist from
London, is another medal contender, but he seemed to be in better form earlier
in the season and hasn’t broken 45 seconds since April.
What Actually Happened
Gold: LaShawn Merritt 43.74
Silver: Tony McQuay 44.40
Bronze: Luguelin Santos 44.52
Points: 2/6
This one was a big surprise. Not that Merritt won, as I thought that was a legitimate possibility. But I don't think anyone expected to see Kirani bomb the final like he did. The Grenadian tied up in the home straightaway and faded to 7th with a sub-par time of 44.99. Meanwhile, McQuay finally proved his talent at a Global Championships* as I predicted he would, and Santos returned to his peak form to earn bronze.
This one was a big surprise. Not that Merritt won, as I thought that was a legitimate possibility. But I don't think anyone expected to see Kirani bomb the final like he did. The Grenadian tied up in the home straightaway and faded to 7th with a sub-par time of 44.99. Meanwhile, McQuay finally proved his talent at a Global Championships* as I predicted he would, and Santos returned to his peak form to earn bronze.
800 Meters
2011 Champ: David Rudisha
2012 Champ: David Rudisha
2013 WL: Duane Solomon 1:43.27
My Prediction
Gold: Mohammed Aman
Silver: Nick Symmonds
Bronze: Duane Solomon
No matter what happens, the 800 will be a disappointment
since everyone was looking forward to watching the great David Rudisha perform.
It’s a shame that injury has plagued not only him but also London silver medalist
Nijel Amos, the 4th fastest all time at this event. This does,
however, create a golden opportunity for some athletes, notably the Americans
Nick Symmonds and Duane Solomon. Though Solomon is the world leader, I picked
Symmonds for silver based on his victory over Solomon at the most recent DL
meet in London. But I don’t think either of them will cross the finish line
ahead of Mohammed Aman, a man who has defeated Rudisha on two occasions. Aman
has done well on the DL circuit this year and has run a 1:43.33 SB, only a few
hundredths behind Solomon. Other medal contenders include Ayanleh Souleiman of
Djibouti and Pierre-Ambroise Bosse of France.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Mohammed Aman 1:43.31
Silver: Nick Symmonds 1:43.55
Bronze: Ayanleh Souleiman 1:43.76
Points: 4/6
If Aman really is 19 years old, as he claims, then he is the youngest 800 Global Champion ever. Even if he is a few years older, he is still World Champion, and that is impressive in its own right. Solomon led for most of the race but ultimately faded to 6th.
If Aman really is 19 years old, as he claims, then he is the youngest 800 Global Champion ever. Even if he is a few years older, he is still World Champion, and that is impressive in its own right. Solomon led for most of the race but ultimately faded to 6th.
1500 Meters
2011 Champ: Asbel Kiprop
2012 Champ: Taoufik Makhloufi
2013 WL: Asbel Kiprop 3:27.72
My Prediction
Gold: Asbel Kiprop
Silver: Silas Kiplagat
Bronze: Ayanleh Souleiman
London Olympic Champion Taoufik Makhloufi is battling an
illness, so he will not be competing in Moscow. That means Asbel Kiprop is the
favorite for gold. Kiprop ran a scintillating 3:27.72 in July to become the 4th
fastest 1500 runner of all time. Behind him in that race was Mo Farah, whose
3:28.81 puts him at 6th on the all time list. That performance makes
me wonder whether Farah should have been a middle distance runner from the
start. Anyways, Farah will be sticking to the longer distances in Moscow, so he
is not a factor in the 1500. I haven’t seen too much of Silas Kiplagat this
summer, but he did defeat Kiprop at the Kenyan Championships and at the
Prefontaine Classic, where he set the world lead in the mile. Ayanleh Souleiman
has been a beast on the DL circuit this summer. In fact, he is leading the
overall standings, 4 points ahead of Kiprop, so I selected him for bronze. It’s
a shame that Caleb Ndiku, who has gone sub-3:30 this year, did not even make
the Kenyan squad. The IAAF should seriously consider changing the qualification
rules to allow for more athletes per country to compete.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Asbel Kiprop 3:36.28
Silver: Matt Centrowitz 3:36.78
Bronze: Johan Cronje 3:36.83
Points: 2/6
Kiprop has solidified his spot among the greatest of all time. Impressive run from Centrowitz for silver. I had never even heard of Cronje before these Championships, so props to him. Souleiman did end up winning a bronze at these Championships; unfortunately it was not in the event I predicted.
Kiprop has solidified his spot among the greatest of all time. Impressive run from Centrowitz for silver. I had never even heard of Cronje before these Championships, so props to him. Souleiman did end up winning a bronze at these Championships; unfortunately it was not in the event I predicted.
5000 Meters
2011 Champ: Mohamed Farah
2012 Champ: Mohamed Farah
2013 WL: Edwin Soi 12:51.34
My Prediction
Gold: Mohamed Farah
Silver: Yenew Alamirew
Bronze: Edwin Soi
Farah has proven he is in top shape this season, so he will
be hard to beat. The other medals are really hard to pick because there is just
so much talent coming out of Kenya and Ethiopia. Yenew Alamirew and Hagos
Gebrhiwet have been the most successful athletes on the DL circuit. I decided
to go with Alamirew for silver since his victories were more recent. It’s also
hard to ignore the world leader, so I went with Edwin Soi for bronze. But I
expect Gebrhiwet to challenge them till the very end. Another runner to watch
out for is Isiah Koech.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Mohamed Farah 13:26.98
Silver: Hagos Gebrhiwet 13:27.26
Bronze: Isiah Koech 13:27.26
Points: 2/6
Believe it or not, but with this victory, Farah has now won more 5k Global Titles than anyone else in history (3). The other medals, like I said, were very difficult to predict, but I at least mentioned Gebrhiwet and Koech in my prediction paragraph.
Believe it or not, but with this victory, Farah has now won more 5k Global Titles than anyone else in history (3). The other medals, like I said, were very difficult to predict, but I at least mentioned Gebrhiwet and Koech in my prediction paragraph.
10000 Meters
2011 Champ: Ibrahim Jeilan
2012 Champ: Mohamed Farah
2013 WL: Dejen Gebremeskel 26:51.02
My Prediction
Gold: Dejen Gebremeskel
Silver: Mohamed Farah
Bronze: Abera Kuma
Some may say I’m crazy for betting
against Farah, but Gebremeskel is a HUGE talent. So talented, I believe, that
he deserves the title of World Champion. Ibrahim Jeilan already has that title,
but so far he hasn’t convinced me that he’s anything more than a one-year
wonder. So I put Abera Kuma, the second fastest 10k runner of 2013 so far, in
the bronze position.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Mohamed Farah 27:21.71
Silver: Ibrahim Jeilan 27:22.23
Bronze: Paul Tanui 27:22.61
Points: 1/6
Okay, I'll admit I was wrong to bet against Farah. But seriously, what happened to Gebremeskel? Somehow he only managed 16th place. Jeilan, with his silver medal, also proved to me that he is not a one-year wonder.
Okay, I'll admit I was wrong to bet against Farah. But seriously, what happened to Gebremeskel? Somehow he only managed 16th place. Jeilan, with his silver medal, also proved to me that he is not a one-year wonder.
110 Hurdles
2011 Champ: Jason
Richardson
2012 Champ: Aries
Merritt
2013 WL: David Oliver
13.03
My Prediction
Gold: Aries
Merritt
Silver:
David Oliver
Bronze: Hansle Parchment
This event is one of the hardest for me
to predict because there are a lot of serious medal contenders. Obviously, Merritt, the world record holder and Olympic Champion, is the most talented
athlete in the field, but he is definitely not a lock for gold. Injury
sidelined him early in the season, and he has clearly not been the dominant
hurdler we saw in 2012. Still, I selected him to win gold because he seems to
be progressing quite nicely, and he won against a stacked field at the DL meet
in Saint-Denis. David Oliver has made a mini-comeback after a disappointing
2012 season in which he did not even qualify for the US Olympic team. I doubt
we’ll ever see the unstoppable David Oliver of 2010 again, but still, leading
the DL standings and holding the world lead are nothing to scoff at. Hansle
Parchment won bronze in London, and he is the second fastest of 2013 with a
13.05 SB. There are a plethora of other hurdlers who could plausibly win a medal,
including Orlando Ortega of Cuba, US Champion Ryan Wilson, Pascal Martinot-Lagarde
of France, 2009 World Champion Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados, former NCAA
Champion Andrew Riley of Jamaica, and 2011 World Champion Jason Richardson of
the United States.
What Actually Happened
Gold: David Oliver 13.00
Silver: Ryan Wilson 13.13
Bronze: Sergey Shubenkov 13.24
Points: 1/6
2013 was just not Aries Merritt's year. But I am happy for Oliver, who was the fastest ever not to win a Global Title. It's hard to believe that in my long list of potential medalists, I failed to mention Shubenkov.
2013 was just not Aries Merritt's year. But I am happy for Oliver, who was the fastest ever not to win a Global Title. It's hard to believe that in my long list of potential medalists, I failed to mention Shubenkov.
400 Hurdles
2011 Champ: David
Greene
2012 Champ: Felix
Sanchez
2013 WL: Michael
Tinsley 47.96
My Prediction
Gold: Michael
Tinsley
Silver: Javier
Culson
Bronze: Jehue
Gordon
Given that David Greene is only
the 12th fastest hurdler this season, and Felix Sanchez was born in
1977, we are likely to see a new champion in this event. Tinsley is the only
man who has broken 48 seconds this season, and he has done so twice. Only one Global Championship final has been won in 48 seconds or more (2011), so it
makes sense to pick Tinsley for gold. My justification for my silver pick is
that Culson is leading the DL standings. Jehue Gordon won the most recent DL
race (ahead of Culson), and at 48 seconds flat, his SB ranks him second fastest
this year. Also watch out for 2007 and 2009 champion Kerron Clement and 2005
champion Bershawn Jackson.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Jehue Gordon 47.69
Silver: Michael Tinsley 47.70
Bronze: Emir Bekric 48.05
Points: 2/6
At just 21 years old, Gordon became the youngest ever 400 hurdles Global Champion. It was super close at the line, but Gordon out-leaned Tinsley for the victory by .01 seconds.
At just 21 years old, Gordon became the youngest ever 400 hurdles Global Champion. It was super close at the line, but Gordon out-leaned Tinsley for the victory by .01 seconds.
3000 Steeplechase
2011 Champ: Ezekiel Kemboi
2012 Champ: Ezekiel Kemboi
2013 WL: Ezekiel Kemboi 7:59.03
My Prediction
Gold: Conseslus Kipruto
Silver: Ezekiel Kemboi
Bronze: Mahiedine
Mekhissi-Benabbad
The Kenyans don’t even need to worry about whether they will
win gold; the only questions are which
Kenyan it will be and whether they will win silver and bronze as well. No event
has been dominated by a single country as much as the 3000 meter steeplechase
by the Kenyans. A Kenyan-born man has won EVERY Global Title in this event in
my lifetime (I’m 20), and I highly doubt that streak will end this year. So, on
to the question of which Kenyan will win. I generally tried to avoid selecting
winners who were younger or older than the youngest or oldest previous global
champion in the event, but in this case it would have been foolish to do so.
Conseslus Kipruto, age 18, and Ezekiel Kemboi, age 31, lie beyond their
respective extremes, but they have been the most dominant steeplechasers of
2013. In the end, I went with the youngster, who has defeated Kemboi on multiple
occasions this season. I picked the Frenchman Mekhissi-Benabbad to block the
Kenyan sweep, but he’ll likely have to outkick Paul Kipsiele Koech in order to
do so. Notably absent from the field is former Olympic and World Champion
Brimin Kipruto, whose PB of 7:53.64 from 2011 is the 2nd fastest of
all time and just one-hundredth of a second shy of the world record.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Ezekiel Kemboi 8:06.01
Silver: Conseslus Kipruto 8:06.37
Bronze: Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad 8:07.86
Points: 4/6
The Kenyans continued their domination, but it was Kemboi who managed to win an unbelievable 5th Global Title. Still, Kipruto proved himself on the global stage. I think he is the future of the 3k Steeplechase.
The Kenyans continued their domination, but it was Kemboi who managed to win an unbelievable 5th Global Title. Still, Kipruto proved himself on the global stage. I think he is the future of the 3k Steeplechase.
High Jump
2011 Champ: Jesse Williams
2012 Champ: Ivan Ukhov
2013 WL: Bohdan Bondarenko 2.41
My Prediction
Gold: Bohdan Bondarenko
Silver: Erik Kynard
Bronze: Derek Drouin
The high jump Global Title is notoriously difficult to win
more than once. Its “repeat percentage”-that is the percentage of titles won by
someone who has won it previously-is only 19. That means 81% of the time there
is a new champion in the high jump. (Across all events, the repeat percentage
is 40). And nobody has repeated in the
high jump since world record holder Javier Sotomayor in 1997. That streak seems
likely to continue this year, as 2011 Champ Jesse Williams and 2012 Champ Ivan
Ukhov have posted mediocre SBs of 2.31 and 2.30 respectively. The clear
favorite is Bohdan Bondarenko, whose massive jump of 2.41 m this season places
him at number 4 all time. Amazingly, there is another 2.40 jumper in 2013,
Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar. However, Barshim has been injured recently, so I
figured it would be too risky to select him as a medal winner. Instead, I went
with London silver medalist Erik Kynard and then the next highest jumper of the
season, Derek Drouin.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Bohdan Bondarenko 2.41
Silver: Mutaz Essa Barshim 2.38
Bronze: Derek Drouin 2.38
Points: 4/6
I think Universal Sports commentator Dwight Stones put it well when he said we are witnessing a Renaissance in the high jump. As recently as 2009, the winning height was only 2.32. Fortunately for the fans (though not for my prediction), Barshim seemed to be over his injury. But he still could not match Bondarenko. I am super excited for what Bondarenko has in store for next season. Drouin jumped a Canadian national record for the bronze.
I think Universal Sports commentator Dwight Stones put it well when he said we are witnessing a Renaissance in the high jump. As recently as 2009, the winning height was only 2.32. Fortunately for the fans (though not for my prediction), Barshim seemed to be over his injury. But he still could not match Bondarenko. I am super excited for what Bondarenko has in store for next season. Drouin jumped a Canadian national record for the bronze.
Pole Vault
2011 Champ: Pawel Wojciechowski
2012 Champ: Renaud Lavillenie
2013 WL: Renaud Lavillenie 6.02
My Prediction
Gold: Renaud Lavillenie
Silver: Raphael Holzdeppe
Bronze: Konstadinos Filippidis
Lavillenie may be the closest pick there is to a “lock” of
anyone else in Moscow-other than perhaps Bolt in the 200. Granted, he was
defeated by Holzdeppe at the Rome DL meet, but more recently he’s been absolutely
on fire, even soaring over a gigantic height of 6.02 m. I was a bit skeptical
of putting Filippidis in the bronze position since he is only the 7th
highest vaulter of the season, but he has performed extremely well on the DL
circuit.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Raphael Holzdeppe 5.89
Silver: Renaud Lavillenie 5.89
Bronze: Bjorn Otto 5.82
Points: 2/6
To save myself some embarrassment, let me point out that I did not say Lavillenie was a lock. I simply said he was the closest pick there was to a lock, besides Bolt in the 200. Still, I'll admit I'm very surprised by this result. It seemed like Lavillenie just choked under the pressure.
To save myself some embarrassment, let me point out that I did not say Lavillenie was a lock. I simply said he was the closest pick there was to a lock, besides Bolt in the 200. Still, I'll admit I'm very surprised by this result. It seemed like Lavillenie just choked under the pressure.
Long Jump
2011 Champ: Dwight Phillips
2012 Champ: Greg Rutherford
2013 WL: Luis Rivera 8.46
My Prediction
Gold: Aleksandr Menkov
Silver: Luis Rivera
Bronze: Eusebio Caceres
Athletes who are inconsistent make these predictions extremely
difficult because there’s no way to tell if they will be “on” the day of the
final. Luis Rivera has jumped farther than anyone else this season, but in half
of his 14 competitions this year, he has failed to reach the 8 meter mark. So I’m
taking a big risk by selecting him, but whatever. At least he has another 8.30
jump to back up his world lead of 8.46. Menkov, on the other hand, has won 3 DL
meets, so I selected him for gold despite the fact that he doesn’t hold the
world lead. Eusebio Caceres of Spain ranks 3rd for this season with
a SB of 8.37. Another medal contender is
Jinzhe Li of China, who has jumped 8.34 this season but has competed sparingly.
The Olympic Champ Rutherford, meanwhile, is only the 14th farthest
jumper of the year, and World Champion Phillips was born in 1977, so he can
pretty much be excluded based on his age.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Aleksandr Menkov 8.56
Silver: Ignisious Gaisah 8.29
Bronze: Luis Rivera 8.27
Points: 3/6
Menkov blew away the field with two jumps beyond 8.5 meters. Everyone else was largely bunched together, with 2nd and 6th place separated by only 7 cm.
Menkov blew away the field with two jumps beyond 8.5 meters. Everyone else was largely bunched together, with 2nd and 6th place separated by only 7 cm.
Triple Jump
2011 Champ: Christian Taylor
2012 Champ: Christian Taylor
2013 WL: Pedro Pablo Pichardo 17.69
My Prediction
Gold: Christian Taylor
Silver: Pedro
Pablo Pichardo
Bronze:
Teddy Tamgho
Interestingly, the US triple jump squad this year is
comprised entirely of former University of Florida Gators. Leading them is
Christian Taylor, whose PB of 17.96 places him 5th all time. He
actually is not the farthest jumper in the field, however, as the Frenchman Teddy
Tamgho has a PB of 17.98, the 3rd best of all time. He also holds
the indoor world record. Obviously, Tamgho is an incredible talent, but I only
chose him for bronze because he is rather inconsistent. Make no mistake,
though. If Tamgho is “on” the night of the final, he could win. The Cuban
Pichardo has the 1st, 3rd, and 4th best
performances of the year, so I think he is a solid pick for silver. Also watch
out for the American Will Claye.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Teddy Tamgho 18.04
Silver: Pedro Pablo Pichardo 17.68
Bronze: Will Claye 17.52
Points: 3/6
Wow. This I think was the most impressive performance of the entire Championships. It turns out that Tamgho was indeed "on" the night of the final. He is one of only 3 people to surpass the 18 meter barrier. Taylor disappointed with a meager 17.20.
Wow. This I think was the most impressive performance of the entire Championships. It turns out that Tamgho was indeed "on" the night of the final. He is one of only 3 people to surpass the 18 meter barrier. Taylor disappointed with a meager 17.20.
Shot Put
2011 Champ: David Storl
2012 Champ: Tomasz Majewski
2013 WL: Ryan Whiting 22.28
My Prediction
Gold: Ryan Whiting
Silver: Reese Hoffa
Bronze: David Storl
When someone has the top 4 performances of the year and is
57 centimeters ahead of the next guy, as is the case for Ryan Whiting, it would
be pretty darn foolish not to pick him for gold (unless he is injured or
something, but that’s not true in this case). The other two picks are on much
shakier ground. Reese Hoffa has performed superbly this season. His SB of 21.71
is equal to the average winning throw at Global Championships, but being born
in 1977 means he will have to compete against men much closer to their primes
than he is. I really have no idea who will win bronze. I went with Storl even
though he only ranks 10th for this season, mainly because he has
proven himself before, having won the title in 2011. Meanwhile, London Champ
Tomasz Majewski has not even broken the 21 meter barrier this season.
What Actually Happened
Gold: David Storl 21.73
Silver: Ryan Whiting 21.57
Bronze: Dylan Armstrong 21.34
Points: 2/6
This was Whiting's big chance, and he blew it. Let me just say that I love Armstrong's last name.
This was Whiting's big chance, and he blew it. Let me just say that I love Armstrong's last name.
Discus Throw
2011 Champ: Robert Harting
2012 Champ: Robert Harting
2013 WL: Piotr Malachowski 71.84
My Prediction
Gold: Robert Harting
Silver: Piotr Malachowski
Bronze: Martin Wierig
This is bound to be a close battle between Harting and
Malachowski. The bronze medal is up for grabs. I went with Wierig, who defeated
Harting in Ostrava in June. But it could also go to Gerd Kanter, Benn
Harradine, Julian Wruck, or Ehsan Hadadi.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Robert Harting 69.11
Silver: Piotr Malachowski 68.36
Bronze: Gerd Kanter 65.19
Points: 4/6
4th consecutive Global Title for Harting. Very impressive. Weirig was just off the podium in 4th place.
4th consecutive Global Title for Harting. Very impressive. Weirig was just off the podium in 4th place.
Javelin Throw
2011 Champ: Matthias de Zordo
2012 Champ: Keshorn Walcott
2013 WL: Dmitri Tarabin 88.84
My Prediction
Gold: Vitezslav Vesely
Silver: Dmitri Tarabin
Bronze: Tero
Pitkamaki
These three men are more than a meter and a half ahead of
everyone else this season, so it seems reasonable that they would be the three
medalists. As for the order, Tarabin is the world leader, but Vesely has been
the best on the DL circuit, so I chose him to win gold. Pitkamaki has won this
title before, back in 2007, and defeated both Vesely and Tarabin at the DL meet
in Shanghai, so it ought to be an exciting battle. I don’t mean to diminish
Keshorn Walcott’s accomplishment last year in London, but he did get extremely
lucky with some better throwers having “off” days. It was the worst winning
distance in Global Championship history. Nonetheless, Walcott is still very
young, so he may very well improve a few meters still, but he probably won’t
medal this year.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Vitezslav Vesely 87.17
Silver: Tero Pitkamaki 87.07
Bronze: Dmitri Tarabin 86.23
Points: 4/6
Well, I got the medalists correct; I just mixed up silver and bronze. To think that the best javelin throwers in the world are still 10 meters behind Zelezny's world record is a testament to how truly great he was. Rarely do we see Kenyans outside the middle and long distance events, but congrats to Julius Yego, who set a Kenyan national record of 85.40 for 4th place.
Well, I got the medalists correct; I just mixed up silver and bronze. To think that the best javelin throwers in the world are still 10 meters behind Zelezny's world record is a testament to how truly great he was. Rarely do we see Kenyans outside the middle and long distance events, but congrats to Julius Yego, who set a Kenyan national record of 85.40 for 4th place.
Hammer Throw
2011 Champ: Koji Murofushi
2012 Champ: Krisztian Pars
2013 WL: Krisztian Pars 81.02
My Prediction
Gold: Krisztian Pars
Silver: Lukas Melich
Bronze: Dilshod Nazarov
These are the top three in the IAAF World Hammer Throw
Challenge. Another threat is Sergej Litvinov, son of former Olympic and World
Champion Sergey Litvinov. He has thrown 80.89 this season, which ranks him 2nd
behind Pars.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Pawel Fajdak 81.97
Silver: Krisztian Pars 80.30
Bronze: Lukas Melich 79.36
Points: 2/6
Fajdek is now the youngest Global Champion in the hammer throw ever.
Fajdek is now the youngest Global Champion in the hammer throw ever.
Decathlon
2011 Champ: Trey Hardee
2012 Champ: Ashton Eaton
2013 WL: Pascal Behrenbruch 8514
My Prediction
Gold: Ashton Eaton
Silver: Leonel Suarez
Bronze: Pascal Behrenbruch
Eaton’s SB is a mediocre 8291, but that doesn’t concern me
too much. He has set PBs in three individual events this year: the 400, Shot
Put, and Javelin Throw. I went back and forth about whether to include Trey
Hardee in my medal picks, but ultimately I decided against it based on the fact
that he hasn’t even completed a decathlon this year. I really don’t know what
kind of form he is in, so it would be too risky. That might seem like strange
reasoning given that my pick for silver, Leonel Suarez, also has not completed
a decathlon this year. But there is a difference I think. Suarez normally
competes sparsely before major championships, and he has won a medal at every Global Championships starting with the Beijing Olympics in 2008 (and yet he’s
still only 25). So yes, it is a risk, but a risk I’m willing to take. For
bronze I just went with the world leader Behrenbruch.
What Actually Happened
Gold: Ashton Eaton 8809
Silver: Michael Schrader 8670
Bronze: Damian Warner 8512
Points: 2/6
Turns out I was right to be skeptical of Hardee for not having completed a decathlon in 2013 before the Championships. He no-heighted in the high jump. But I should have applied that same scrutiny to Suarez, who finished 10th. Anyways, congrats to Eaton, who is arguably the most athletic person who has ever lived.
Turns out I was right to be skeptical of Hardee for not having completed a decathlon in 2013 before the Championships. He no-heighted in the high jump. But I should have applied that same scrutiny to Suarez, who finished 10th. Anyways, congrats to Eaton, who is arguably the most athletic person who has ever lived.
*I use the term "Global Championships" as a general term which refers to either the Olympics or Outdoor World Championships, but only since (and including) the first World Championships in 1983.
My Score: 54/114
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