UK 400m - State of play

[RunUnlimited]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and state it early..... we medal in Budapest in Both long relays

#400IsLife

Are you willing to stick your neck out even further and predict which colour medal for both long relay teams?

[Stew-Coach]

Are you willing to stick your neck out even further and predict which colour medal for both long relay teams?

Haha MB has beat me to it, but yeah I think Bronze in both, and dare I say a bronze in the mixed too! (if we qualify lol )

[Loop-guru]

For the 4x400M Mixed to happen a lesson would have to be learnt from the worlds when AHW was used & ran pretty much his slowest 400M of the year. I'm sure he wanted to do it and was keen when asked but in the end he inevitably was holding himself back for his individual event where he produced a new outright pb and very nearly made the final.

[RunUnlimited]

Seeing how well Brodie Young, Ben Higgins and Michael Ohioze are doing currently, then I can see at least one of those being used in the mixed 4x400m rather than having to ask AHW to do double duty in the World Champs.

[Stew-Coach]

I'll make even bolder claims: at least 3 women sub 50 and at least 3 men sub 45 in open races

Just going off conversations and seeing some training

[LoveSprints1]

I love your optimism. Who are you thinking will be the sub-50 women, and the sub 45 men, and how is Yasmin Liverpool's training going? She hasn't opened up yet.

[Stew-Coach]

@lovesprints1

Men: MHS, AHW and CD with possible close low 45s.. BH, EF and possibly NB.

Ladies: JW, NY, VO, AA, with possible 50.s from LN, YMJ and AP


Little struggle tbh, going into the new year I would have said she would have won the indoor champs and qualified, she got a 5th met stress facture on a training camp in Cyprus in January and its knocked back a large chunk. We currently have little plans for 400 at this stage, its a very agile season plan as we progress and assess

[LoveSprints1]

Sorry to hear about Yasmin. After her swift 200m last season, I looked forward to seeing what she would do. However the season pans out I hope she is fit and flying in 2024 for Indoor Worlds and Paris.

[RunUnlimited]

I'll make even bolder claims: at least 3 women sub 50 and at least 3 men sub 45 in open races

Just going off conversations and seeing some training

Now that would be something to see!

Pretty sure the last time we had 3 men running sub-45 seconds for 400m was from the heyday of Thomas, Richardson and Baluch in the mid-90's.

[Runner88]

Here’s someone I wonder whether we will see over 400m this season - Joe Ferguson. Amazing breakthrough to run 20.23 last year in the 200m. Strikes me as more a 200/400 guy rather than a 100m/200m athlete. Can he do a Charlie Dobson and run a few 400m to work his way into relay contention. The 4x100m would be harder to break into IMO

[Runner88]

That said I thought Danny Talbot would be a 200m/400m guy and he managed to cement his place in the 4x100m squad…

[CAML]

Stew-Coach, what time do you think Adeleke will run in the 400m this year?

[Stew-Coach]

Oh she is simply amazing so far! I think she is just gonna keep progressing and run faster than any of the brits Brits, possibly mid 48, id say she is an individual medal contender in Budapest. Of course dependant on the usual NCAA - Summer season transition

She has already ran sub 50 few weeks ago, just hope its not all too early.

[MysteryBrick]

32.39 300m for Alex Haydock-Wilson. That is really top-level 400m speed, suggests he is equipped to go sub-45 this year.

[MysteryBrick]

Not a chance he gets it, MHS just hasn't raced a fast 400m. Roger Black etc. ran 32.0. 32.4 in an open 400m suggests a 44.7 or so which sounds right to me.

[Loop-guru]

I was thinking for a season opener to suggest 44.7 is mighty impressive. Most athletes improve quite a bit into the season. It's not outlandish to improve say 44.7 to 44.2 throughout the season. His comments re. the british record falling and he being one of the ones to do it don't seem nearly so outlandish to me anymore. Bear in mind you are quoting Roger Black's best ever times. AHW can still improve.

[MysteryBrick]

Oh yes, don't get me wrong - he's very good and impressing me more year on year. I just think projecting anything sub-44.5 just yet is a lot.

[Runner88]

Vicky O back to form with 51.09 and a nice PB of 23.14 over 200m taking victory in both races

[Occasional Hope]

Is she still working with her banned partner?

[carterhatch]

Congratulations to Yemi Mary John on becoming European U23 400m champion with a PB [51.04]. She certainly defies any preconceived notion I have of what makes the ideal one-lap lady and strikes me as very much in the Jaz Sawyers mould of making every ounce count. On her current trajectory, with World U20 title also on her growing palmarès, who could argue against her soon achieving a sub51.

Meanwhile Victoria Ohuruogu quietly goes about her business. Stuck out in lane 8 at the Silesia DL she looked strong on the home straight and if her sister has any influence on her season’s timing, we might see her peak performance come Budapest. Whether her best will see her make the final, only time will tell, it is an event that demands sub50. Though is there any resolution to that hanging question of training with her ‘banned’ long term partner?

The reason I evoke the ‘state of play’ is probably more to do with the relay.

Yeargin and Anning both showed very good indoor form, in the US via NCAAs, which had rather raised expectations, but neither have challenged their outdoor PBs. Yeargin may be recovering from injury and with a month still before Budapest, has time to find an extra level though probably only as an integral part of the 4x400.

Anning, Pipi and Nielsen will likely make up the ‘six’, though with The Hodge and Jess Knight both on the plane, cash-strapped UK Athletics might look to make a saving or two in personnel here, they surely won’t be selecting that infamous 8 of recent championships [correct me if I am exagarating…]

Women's 400 in the UK is solid without being spectacular. Nine ladies have run between 50 - 51'n'bits... would you swap that for just one sub50?

[treadwater1]

VO ran a PB in the Eugene semi, another in the Birmingham final and yet another in the Munich semi, she’s got the knack just like her sister. I’m optimistic she’ll produce the goods again this summer

I’d imagine they will take 8 relay runners as quite a few will be involved in the mixed

[philipo]

Now that would be something to see!

Pretty sure the last time we had 3 men running sub-45 seconds for 400m was from the heyday of Thomas, Richardson and Baluch in the mid-90's.

Optimism is one thing but the last few posts about our male and female 400m is barmy🤣🤣

[philipo]

32.39 300m for Alex Haydock-Wilson. That is really top-level 400m speed, suggests he is equipped to go sub-45 this year.

Equipped who know?
let's see AHW actually do what's talked of here may we. To mention any uk 400m runner with Black is great stuff on a Monday a.m.😃

[MysteryBrick]

He's run 45.25 this year and ran 45.08 last year, his 300m time is markedly better than last year and you are saying projecting he runs sub-45 is barmy? I guess yes, because you're a degenerate troll with substandard critical faculties...

[jjimbojames]

To be fair - this wasn’t mentioned on a Monday morning (today), but some time ago, when AHW first opened his season and ran 300m times on a par with RB…the season hasn’t played out that way, but the post wasn’t written with that hindsight!

[LoveSprints1]

Congratulations to Yemi Mary John on becoming European U23 400m champion with a PB [51.04]. She certainly defies any preconceived notion I have of what makes the ideal one-lap lady and strikes me as very much in the Jaz Sawyers mould of making every ounce count. On her current trajectory, with World U20 title also on her growing palmarès, who could argue against her soon achieving a sub51.

Meanwhile Victoria Ohuruogu quietly goes about her business. Stuck out in lane 8 at the Silesia DL she looked strong on the home straight and if her sister has any influence on her season’s timing, we might see her peak performance come Budapest. Whether her best will see her make the final, only time will tell, it is an event that demands sub50. Though is there any resolution to that hanging question of training with her ‘banned’ long term partner?

The reason I evoke the ‘state of play’ is probably more to do with the relay.

Yeargin and Anning both showed very good indoor form, in the US via NCAAs, which had rather raised expectations, but neither have challenged their outdoor PBs. Yeargin may be recovering from injury and with a month still before Budapest, has time to find an extra level though probably only as an integral part of the 4x400.

Anning, Pipi and Nielsen will likely make up the ‘six’, though with The Hodge and Jess Knight both on the plane, cash-strapped UK Athletics might look to make a saving or two in personnel here, they surely won’t be selecting that infamous 8 of recent championships [correct me if I am exagarating…]

Women's 400 in the UK is solid without being spectacular. Nine ladies have run between 50 - 51'n'bits... would you swap that for just one sub50?

I reckon Vicky O is quietly chipping away and may be in sub-50 mode by Budapest. She had run a 50.3s, but the meeting wasn't licensed. I heard she stopped working with her boyfriend when it was publicised last year. She looked lean and strong in every stage of the 400m at the champs.

In the present landscape, women could run sub-50 in the semis at World's and still not make the final which if it goes to form should have the following athletes: McLaughlin, Paulino, Wilson, Adeleke, Kaczmarek, Klaver, Diggs, Naser.

Closer to home, Yeargin and Anning have both been injured in the outdoor season. Anning is returning to form and was the only athlete to run outdoor PBs at the British Champs. Yesterday she also ran a strong 400m in blustery conditions at Newham, as reported by Ian Hodge, decisively beating Carys McAulay, Seren BD and Jodie Wiliiams, though the latter has not found her form this season.

McAulay has had just one sub-52 run in her career but has not come close to breaking into the 51s since. Yeargin ran a solid 200m last week at 23.3 and will possibly do enough for 4x4 selection as she is on funding and looking for European races, Nielsen too is on funding and should have earned her place with a fifth-place finish behind Ohourogu, Pipi, John and Anning at trials.

Agree with you that based on present and improving form, a relay squad of six for the women's and mixed should be: Ohuruogu, Pipi, John, Anning, Yeargin and Nielsen plus Knight. I don't think Keely has enough speed to be selected though great to see her 51.76s.

[Stew-Coach]

Sheeesh I take back all I stated lol the summer has definitely stalled for the 400s
Few big players have secretly had some serious and persistent injuries to contend with early season.

But hey that's track, if only they were robots

Those that raced yesterday at Newham it was really really tough, the wind was swirling and gusting at points -/+ 5, hopefully they have more chance to race over the next week somewhere dry, still and fast.

[jjimbojames]

You certainly did go bold…at this rate, we’ll take one sub-50 woman and a fully fit MHS and Dobson!

[carterhatch]

I have to confess my optimism-bias is being fully tested by our 400m lads... MHS seems to have developed a penchant for DNF, Dobson and Faulds are competing for 'Most Fragile' award and I fear AHW will be more Tobin than Grindley... tell me I am wrong, someone, as I had hoped that Project Sub3 could be put to bed!

[Occasional Hope]

I see Amber Anning's UK coach is now Christine Harrison-Bloomfield (she was one of the Lloyd Cowan athletes).