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Another Jamaican T&F Star on the Horizon

 
Headley 2017-05-09 08:13:05 

Demish Gaye who promised a lot last year but fell to the Zika virus just before National Trials has been quietly raising cane this year. Now he has put his wares on sale for all to see. Javon Francis has since 2015 quietly changed the men's 400m in Jamaica from a 46-47 sec event to a 44-45 sec event. Now Mr. Gaye has stepped up to challenge and beat Mr. Francis.

The exciting thing about Demish Gaye is that he runs the 400m with short steps somewhat like Van Neikerk. The curious thing about Demish Gaye is that he was not a schoolboy 400m runner.

What is his top end? We will have to wait for chapter 3. In the meantime be warned, do not miss the men's 4x400m at the WC in Aug big grin

 
JohnBull 2017-05-09 10:47:37 

In reply to Headley

Is years now I've been trying to figure out why we have not been able to extend the great legacy of our Mssrs. Wint, Rhoden, Laing(x2) and McKinley. Bert Cameron came closest but we have not had a world-dominant 400m male since Herb Mac and Co.

Neither have we been a force in the relays since those glory days. We've had a good runner or two here and there but never the strength in depth to to be able to really bring it to the USA. Recently however, and for whatever the reason, the talent pool in the 400 is both deepening and improving, to the point where we now have multiple four sub-45 athletes instead of just the usual one, maybe two. Guys like Donkey Man, Demish Gaye, Akeem Bloomfield and the still young Christopher Taylor look like they're ready to finally bring JA back to the pinnacle of 400m male sprinting.

And it's about effing time ...!

And btw ....fix yuh link nuh boss ...so that peeps doan have to be overworking Mr. Google ...
lol

 
archangel 2017-05-09 12:05:15 

I agree with your view John Bull that Jamaica has been a step behind in the 400m since the glory days and then Bert Cameron.

I still don't think that we are anywhere close to making a splash here either. Still a step behind. Sub 45s are few and far between and just when we are having a couple, now the standard seems to be going sub 44.


2016 World List:400 METERS
43.03 Wayde van Niekerk (SA)
43.76 Kirani James (Grn)
43.85 *LaShawn Merritt
44.01 Machel Cedenio (Tri)
44.22 Baboloki Thebe (Bot)
44.24 *Tony McQuay
44.25 Karabo Sibanda (Bot)
44.36 Ali Khamis Abbas (Bhr)
44.38 Bralon Taplin (Grn)
44.46 Steven Gardiner (Bah) Bah

Jamaica has no one going low 44s

 
rudebway 2017-05-09 13:37:22 

In reply to JohnBull

i have lots of hope for Bloomfield. I am hoping he can transfer that school boy success to the next level. Hopefully Donkey Man gets out of the rut that he is in. I noticed you did not mention Rusheen McDonald. that national record run is looking more like a fluke.

 
Headley 2017-05-09 13:51:05 

In reply to archangel

I cannot disagree with you. Yes we do not have a consistent sub 44.50 man - not yet. Rusheen McDonald is the only one who has ventured there and he does not look capable of repeating that 43.93 any time soon.

But we presently have 5 guys who have gone sub 45. Mc Donald, Francis, Gaye, Matthews and Bloomfield. We also have Dunkley who has done 45.00 as well as Nathon Allen and Taylor all of whom are expected to dip below 45 this year. We have quantity and the quality is improving. As I mentioned in my opening post pre Javon Francis big, grown men were running 46-47 at National Championships.

The fantastic thing about the 8 guys listed above is that only Matthews is older than 24 and he is 27. LaShawn Merritt should finally have some real work to do on the final leg of the 4x400m at WC this year. big grin

 
Baje 2017-05-09 16:30:39 

that Taylor guy will get there soon

 
archangel 2017-05-09 17:39:39 

In reply to Headley

From a relay perspective, a medal is in the offing.

I hear people talking about the junior Taylor. I don't really like the argument. I remember last year they tried to put him up against the seniors and I though it was too much. He is just first year class one. Body structure wise , he has some ways to go.

 
RoyalDad 2017-05-09 19:31:25 

In reply to Headley

Nice run by Demish. Hopefully he continues to move forward and not regress like " Donkey Man ". Our medal hopes are very high now with Gaye,Dunckley,Bloomfield,Allen and Francis. I also hope that young Taylor has not hit his peak as he has been running too many races at this young age.
I saw the Auburn 4x400( Penn ) which they won and Bloomfield's split was 44 and licclebit.Looking good Headley. Very good.

 
Headley 2017-05-10 20:28:15 

In reply to archangel

I suspect last year Taylor had too many taxing races including the Snr Trials. I do not expect his coach to make that mistake this year. I will agree that where a superior age-group athlete is concerned it is better to play it safe.

It can be a tough call. Kirani James and Sibanda of Botswana show why it must be done on a case by case basis.

 
Headley 2017-05-10 20:35:21 

In reply to RoyalDad

Francis is ok. He was recovering from a minor injury and as the cock of the walk was not expecting Gaye to go out so strongly. By the time Francis made his move apparently Gaye was long gone. Francis will need to recalibrate. What I like about Gaye even when he was running 45.3 was that he is not a strider. He runs the one lap race like a long sprint with short steps and fast turnover. When he gets the final 100m right it could be magic.

Yes the relay squad is coming together nicely. I saw the Auburn video. Bloomfield ran a 20.2 plus for the 200m about a month ago, so his fast 400m split was not a surprise. Nathon Allen was looking good too but he had the race covered after getting the 5m lead. There was no need to extend himself.

 
Headley 2017-05-14 12:34:38 

Fred Kerley 44.30 wins SEC 400m with Nathon Allen second and Akeem Bloomfield third. A PB for Bloomfield and a massive PB for Nathon Allen from 45.25 to 44.52.

Jamaica now has the 6, soon to be 8, 44 plus men to make a serious 4x400m relay.


Published on May 13, 2017

Results
1 Fred Kerley
Texas A&M [SR] 44.30
10 Pts 6
2 Nathon Allen
Auburn [FR] 44.52
8 Pts 7
3 Akeem Bloomfield
Auburn [FR] 44.81
6 Pts 5
4 Michael Cherry
LSU [SR] 45.09
5 Pts 4
5 Mylik Kerley
Texas A&M [JR] 45.60
4 Pts 8
6 Steven Gayle
Alabama [SR] 46.04
3 Pts 1
7 Kunle Fasasi
Florida [SO] 46.09
2 Pts 3
8 Randall Ceneus
Auburn [SO] 46.33
1 Pt 2
9 Obi Igbokwe
Arkansas [SO] 46.84 9

 
Headley 2017-05-15 08:37:33 

Former Munro College athlete Kemar Mowatt was a winner at the meet on yesterday's final day. A junior at the University of Arkansas, Mowatt stopped the clock at 48.79 seconds to capture the men's 400m hurdles and become the fastest Jamaican so far this season in the event. He is at number seven on the IAAF World list. Eric Futch of Florida was second in 48.82 with third going to Robert Grant of Texas A&M University in 49.15s.



Sub-49 is the real deal.

 
JohnBull 2017-05-15 11:17:46 

In reply to Headley

Not looking to hijack yuh thread bro but if we talking bout 400M for men then this is worth a look.


This mofo can run ...!

 
buds 2017-05-15 13:04:45 

In reply to JohnBull

Will he represent JA or the US?

 
RoyalDad 2017-05-15 15:03:21 

In reply to Headley

Don't forget Martin Manley.He will surprise.

 
DukeStreet 2017-05-15 16:22:19 

In reply to buds
I posted this days ago about Kerley and said he will rep the US but the experts on here turned a deaf ear to it.

cool

 
Headley 2017-05-15 16:26:56 

In reply to JohnBull

Been watching him all season. Amazing strength over the final 100m. Hard to believe it's the same guy who went to US Trials summer 2016 with a PB of 45.40.

 
Headley 2017-05-15 16:28:06 

In reply to RoyalDad

I am waiting until he goes below 45.50 to get excited. big grin

 
JohnBull 2017-05-15 16:53:25 

In reply to DukeStreet and buds

AFAIK Kerley is a Yankee with no ties to the yard.

 
Headley 2017-05-16 18:26:41 

Lovely Testimony by Claston Bernard.

 
Headley 2017-05-18 21:59:08 

In reply to archangel

Hubert Lawrence is now writing about the sub 45 sec 400m runners we discussed 2 weeka ago. His comments about Taylor are very similar to yours. big grin

Link

 
archangel 2017-05-18 22:54:40 

In reply to Headley

I see. I know Hubert well.

What do they say about great minds?

cool