Michael Johnson
Posted on 07/05/2012 9:49:50 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
(Reuters) - American sprinting great Michael Johnson believes Usain Bolt can lower his 100 meters world record from 9.58 to 9.4 seconds and has also suggested two years is not a long enough ban for drug cheats.
"If Usain was to be really focused and committed on cleaning up his technique he could probably run 9.4 seconds but he would have to do some major training and adjustments in the way that he runs," Johnson said in an interview with Laureus.com.
"I think he can do whatever he wants to do. If he gets to the starting line healthy, at his best, everyone else at their best, he wins every time ... he's that good."
Johnson, who holds the world and Olympic records over 400 meters, was impressed by Yohan Blake's two victories over Bolt in last weekend's Jamaican trials and believes the 22-year-old is another gold-medal prospect at the London Games that start on July 27.
"Yohan Blake showed he will take advantage when Bolt does not perform at his best," the American said.
"Bolt now has a legitimate challenger and will need to be at his best in London to defend his Olympic title." Johnson also called for the punishment for drug cheats to be increased from two to four years.
He and his relay partners gave back their gold medals won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics following 4x400 team mate Antonio Pettigrew's admission in 2008 that he had taken banned substances erythropoietin and human growth hormone.
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I doubt anyone ever will tho I admit I never thought anyone would run 9.8 in the 100 meters either.
I suspect the new shoes which I never saw anything like when I was running, are part of it. Also the tracks are probably faster.
When I saw movies like “Chariots of Fire” and saw them digging holes in the ground for starting blocks, and the dirt or cinder tracks, it just isn’t possible to compare really old records.
Cosmic tumblers came together that is for sure on these athletes.
My HS still has track records from the 1970's that have yet to be broken. The people in question never pursued their talents after HS back then or they were not available. Wonder what they would have achieved out of HS if they had the opportunity?
Yarddog, just saw your post..Yes, I often wonder what the records above would have been on today's tracks with modern shoes and clothing.....mind boggling.
I was a sprinter and hurdler in college. I attended on scholarship but no where near as fast as Bolt. I do recall I would often be the only White guy in a sprint or hurdles race.
Tracks really make a difference. We had an asphalt track and that is mostly what we ran on. I remember one year at the Florida relays they had a new track which was very spongy. It was so different that it messed up my steps between hurdles. I was able to maintain 3 steps but had to chop my steps just a bit.
On an asphalt or even dirt track, my steps came just naturally. That is why most hurdlers are around 6’1” or 6’2” and have a 31 or 32 inch inseam.
That’s damn fast. I tied the school record for frosh soph that my dad set at 10.3 When they went metric they froze the old records. He’ll have it forever!
That's about as long as I can run.
He does seem to have a penchant for show boating and I hope he’s mature enough to take the warnings against hubris seriously.
He’s has been a pleasure to watch the times I’ve seen him. When he’s on form he makes it look easy - the way of all those blessed with superior talent and discipline.
Of course, you're referring to 110M high-hurdlers. I stood next to Edwin Moses once at Disneyland. He was maybe 6'2" or so, but his inseam must have been 37-38". All legs. God just made him to be an intermediate-hurdler. Most extreme example of that I've ever seen personally.
Until just recently they still had his ribbons in a showcase at the high school. But as you say, the record will stand forever thanks to the changeover. But even at 9.8 he was only second at the state meet. I ran 10.8 but was always half sick just like now. But thankful I didn’t ever injure myself (brother damaged something first week at college track and had to quit sprinting).
Yes, I sometimes forget there is a 400 meter hurdles. I could not have run 400 meters in under a minute much less the 400 hurdles.
For a long time Moses totally dominated the event. I remember watching him and noting just how easily he stepped over those intermediate hurdles.
IMO the 400 meter hurdles is probably the most difficult event in track.
I remember a high school in my hometown in the early sixties that had four boys on their track team that could run the 100 yard dash under 10 seconds. On a cinder track. And they were all white.
I also get on sports talk forums and correspond with a lot of younger types who can't believe any athlete that was born before 1970 could compete with today's athletes. They seriously believe that every athlete today is a better athlete than the best athletes from years-decades ago. I like to tell them that no baseball player has yet to equal the distances Babe Ruth achieved on his homeruns. There still has been no basketball player who has equaled Wilt Chamberlain's combination of height, length, speed, jumping ability, and strength. I believe in a few years they'll probably think that prime Michael Jordan couldn't compete in today's NBA.
I think it's still really fast. Ok, maybe not Usain Bolt fast...but still.
There is a famous picture of Ty Cobb stealing third base. I think it has been called the greatest sports shot ever tho I am sure there would be a lot of argument. It was taken around the turn of the century or 1900.
The reason I mention it is I was looking at it a few days ago and noticed several things. First the umpire is in perfect position to make the call. Second, the throw from the catcher was right on the money. Last, the third baseman was in perfect position to make the play tho Cobb was safe, barely.
I thought to myself, “those guys were no chumps, they were pros just like our players today are professionals”.
It is just not possible to compare those players, runners etc. to today’s. People are getting larger and probably stronger and faster but that is almost certainly due to better diet and medical care, not innate ability.
I also would bet better equipment has a lot to do with it. Also there are simply more people today so a larger pool for selection.
Add 25 ft to what your brother would have had to run. He’d probably run 300m at around 10.7/10.8 secs assuming no lost of velocity in that extra 25 ft.
Ty Cobb debuted in the big leagues in 1905. That famous picture is from 1909. If you’ll look again (it’s on Cobb’s Wikipedia entry), you’ll note the umpire is actually much farther away than he would be today. The reason is that they had only one or two umpires at each game then.
Another note. When Rogers Hornsby (thought by some to be the greatest right-handed hitter of all time) was in his middle to late fifties, he was hired as a hitting coach for several different teams in the 1950s. He looked like your fat grandpa as he gave hitting instruction to certain players. Several times the players, after being unable to do what Hornsby instructed them do, handed him the bat to see if he could do what he was telling them to do. Hornsby angrily took the bat out of their hands and commenced to hit balls off the outfield wall or into the stands. The younger by about thirty years players watched with their mouths open not believing what they were seeing.
Ah-Ha!!
Jimmy the Greek 1988: “The black is a better athlete to begin with because he’s been bred to be that way....’’
VS
Former Olympian Michael Johnson 2012: ‘’The Descendants Of Slaves Have Athletically Superior Genes’’
I remember back in the 50s or maybe early 60s I was watching “You Bet Your Life” with Groucho Marx. I am not certain but I think he had Casey Stengel on the show.
They talked baseball for a few minutes and Groucho clearly knew his baseball. He asked Casey who was the greatest ever. Stengel replied “Ty Cobb, no one else was even close”. Groucho agreed with him and then asked how he thought Cobb would do against modern pitching.
Casey said he would hit around 270. Groucho said “well that doesn’t sound that good to me”. Stengel replied “well you have to consider Cobb is in his 70s now.
I thought it was funny, of course they probably had it rehearsed.
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