2012 Olympics - Women's 100m Hurdles

There are many favourites at these Olympic Games, but in the public eye none seem more assured than Sally Pearson, who has a fantastic chance to right the wrongs of a poor Australian games so far in the 100m Hurdles final tonight.

Pearson had to settle for silver in the 100m hurdles in Beijing but last year she clinched gold at the World Championships in South Korea, the highlight of 15 wins out of 16 races last year to be named the IAAF’s Athlete of the Year, including that world title at Daegu in a time of 12.28sec — the fourth fastest on record for a woman.

Pearson has run five of the ten fastest times in the world this year with a season’s best 12.40 from the Paris Diamond League meeting, while defeat to Kellie Wells was the first in 33 completed races. That kind of consistency is special and it’s impossible to see her getting beaten, although her price is too short to consider at just 1/4, so she’s in the acca we suggested yesterday – kicked off well by Kirani James in the Men’s 400m.

The battle for Silver and Bronze is a picture of total US dominance. Kellie Wells – one of few women ever to beat Pearson – is seen very much as the main danger to Pearson, although Lolo Jones and Dawn Harper themselves are capable of beating her on her day, as Harper – Champion in 2008 when Jones hit the second last and cost herself a chance of glory when looking as if she could well win – showed when winning the US Trials, although Danielle Carruthers beat her to silver in Deagu. Sadly she wasn’t at the Worlds last year (illness and injury cost her badly) but a recent US Trials third was promising if nothing else.

Wells – who looked good in her heats when posting a nifty and comfortable win – is a strong favourite in a w/o Pearson market at 4/5 on Betfair, which did tempt, but Harper, as a medallist at two of the the last three major championships, looks too big at 4/1 in that event and at 8/11 for a medal, and she may be the one to support today if showing her best.  Jones is as big a threat as ever with a personal best of 12.74 although she is just the ninth fastest US athlete this season, and 6/4 for a medal (9/2 w/o Pearson).

Advice

1 pt Dawn Harper w/o Sally Pearson (4/1 Betfair)

2 pts Dawn Harper to medal (8/11 Hills)