I’ve always said the Relay is like the Irving Berlin song… Anything Goes…
The 4x400m meter relay at the 2010 World Indoor Championships (WIC) in Doha were no exception.
Every time you line up for the finals, you have to believe you can win or medal. It doesn’t matter if you are sandwiched between Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. You just have to believe that on your good day, it could be their bad day, and of course, anything goes.
I am sure Christophe Lemaitre had the same sentiments at the Paris 2010 Diamond League.
Back to the relay.
In the race, both Andretti Bain of Bahamas and Sanjay Ayre of Jamaica both pull their hamstrings on their respective second legs. Moreover, USA anchorman Bershawn Jackson pulls him hamstring while leaning for the tape a step too early!
6 countries, 3 pulled hamstrings. Ouch!
The last time we saw 2 hamstring pulls in the same race was the over-hyped 200 meters at the 2000 USA Olympic Trials finals with Maurice Greene and Michael Johnson.
What’s up with that? Why so many hammy pulls? is March too early for speed work? Indoor running and tight curves? Fatigue from too many races with rounds in the individual races and the relay?
Here is the race on YouTube. The Women’s 4x400m race can be found here.
I think the main human interest story in this summer’s track circuit is not the hamstring pulls, but who pulls who, and this in reference to all the male enhancement pills one certain athlete has been consuming. LaShawn, BerShawn? The name slips me mind now, but there certainly is a lot of pulling going on in the track circuit. I bet. Christophe Lemaitre, don’t do it, just concentrate on high kneels drills and somebody from above will look at you pleasingly, just reminding you to keep your lower lip loose and relaxed. Thatta boy.