Tokyo Olympics day 4 - Monday 2 August

[MysteryBrick]

Prediction - Battle nowhere near qualifying.

[trickstat]

Ta Lou and Miller-Uibo look like a comedy duo with their height disparity!

[philipo]

And further confirmed by Thomas?

Clearly that super stuff in eugene was their olympics! Love the humble pie on T and F Forum. Cocky sods.😃

[Christy93]

Prediction - the conversation around the Namibians is going to get nasty quickly...

All handled horrendously by governing bodies. I feel for those women - People treat these situations like they do politics, but forget about the people behind the story - The human beings finding out something quite traumatising about themselves, and in many cases coming from communities that just don't understand it. The potential impact on their lives away from athletics is huge. I understand womens sport needs to have boundaries, it is essentially just a protected category, but we have to handle things with empathy and keep the integrity and wellbeing of those most affected (dsd athletes) at the forefront of our minds.

[Occasional Hope]

Yes I do feel very sorry for the Namibians themselves. Maybe it's time now for a third category in elite competition.

[Runny]

It’s nuts!

[RunUnlimited]

Anavia Battle, continuing the trend of American sprinters running sensational times in those heatwave-powered US Trials, not being able to produce in the major championships.

And again, DINA ASHER SMITH WOULD BE A GOLD MEDAL FAVOURITE ALONG WITH THOMPSON-HERAH, if she was fully fit.

[MysteryBrick]

I think Silver not Gold, based on how Thompson looked. But 100% the Silver favourite.

[Occasional Hope]

Elaine Thompson looks like favourite to get double gold now.

Silver is more open, but I think Mboma could well do it, and that does indeed mean the rules will change again.

[LuckySpikes]

Prediction - Battle nowhere near qualifying.

Sorry, no extra points for you in the contest there. That was entirely predictable.

[philipo]

Mboma with a WJR of 21.97!

Let's face it Semenya was a Dsd with a vengeance and got a gold in OG and WC. Hope that Mbona gets a medal. 😃😃

[marra]

Super impressive by ETH. Definitely still was a medal of some colour there for Dasher if fit though.

To put a neutral hat on for a second, I'm loving these Games generally - maybe it is my imagination but they seem like the most competitive I remember in a long time, with people pushing each other to new bests left, right and centre. From a British perspective, it's slightly less enjoyable at times. 🤣

[RunUnlimited]

After seeing that semi-final with SMU, after all the hype that was thrown at her and the disrespect directed at Dina by her fans, saying the Brit would have no chance against her.... If Dina WAS here and fit, she's beating SMU judging by the way she's run so far in Tokyo. SMU was *flat* out trying to keep up with Ta Lou, and both ended up running 22.1.... That's not what Dina would be running by this stage, for sure.

[RunUnlimited]

Beth Dobbin, babe, it's time to go with the 400 m methinks. Look at Jodie Williams... you know the future is in that direction.

[MysteryBrick]

100% the case. 22.8 speed for a 400m runner looks very nice. Dobbin just does't have the 100m speed for the half-lap.

[SprintRelayFan]

I was quite surprised they put Beth in the 4x1 rather than the 4x4. I tend to agree with you that she should try 400. Anyway, I wasn't expecting more than a semi for her, so job done I guess

[trickstat]

She's giving away 0.9 to ETH on 100 PBs. A few more races might trim her best down a little from 11.51 but not much. I do think that her future should lie with the 400. With Yeargin and Clark, Scotland could have a very decent trio at the Commonwealths next year.

[Occasional Hope]

SMU looks a bit below par so far.

[Laps]

Though she is going for the double so maybe just doing the minimum. I would be expecting 22.0 in the final and a silver medal unless a biological male gets in the way.

[SprintRelayFan]

It's so, so sad. I guess Dina will only be the same age as ETH in Paris. But there's no way a fit dina wouldn't have got a medal here.
Well done to Kambundgi, having a great week

[RunUnlimited]

SMU looks a bit below par so far.

Honestly, I had my doubts about her over 200 m when she was in that big meeting in Hungary and everybody thought she would run a super fast time... then ran 22. and change... And had to fight hard for the win. A far cry from how she'd beaten Dina over 200 m a couple of years earlier and ran 21.7. and made it look effortless.

And Michael Johnson pretty much said what I was thinking just now in the studio about SMU's form shown so far.

In fact, could SMU be affecting her chances in her best event, the 400 m, with this attempted double? Once the IOC confirmed they weren't going to alter the schedule to make the 200/400 double an easier prospect, SMU still trying to double up might be looking a tad bit foolish currently.

[Ursus]

And again, DINA ASHER SMITH WOULD BE A GOLD MEDAL FAVOURITE ALONG WITH THOMPSON-HERAH, if she was fully fit.

No need to shout!

Don’t disagree, but she’s not and a big part of the sport has always been getting to the start line fit. We’ll probably never know the root cause of her injury, but maybe a possibility that she pushed herself slightly harder in training than she could cope with?

It’s a massive shame she’s not in this, but injuries are a part and parcel of sporting life.

I’ve not seen the semis but looks like Dobbin turned in a regulation performance. Shame to see Schippers so far off the pace.