While it might not quite be Super Saturday, Christine
Ohrougu and a third straight Ashes win gave England a dream sporting evening
yesterday in what has been a pretty glorious summer even in comparison to the
glory days of 2012, and with Mo Farah to go still in his attempt for another
title bid, things are looking pretty rosy for British sport once again. Andrew
Osagie is less likely to bring home another medal – infact he’s the rank
outsider of eight in an 800m that has been blown wide open by the absence of
the phenomenal David Rudisha due to injury. The brilliant Kenyan’s absence is one
of many blows to the prestige of these Championships, but in his absence we do
have one of the most competitive events of the whole week.
The market is led by three
contenders in the absence of all
three medallists from London 2012, with the market headed by the rising star
that is Etihopia’s Mohammed Aman, who has six wins from eight events so far
this season at Eugene, Rome, Birmingham,
Lausanne, Rabat and Ostrava and the second fastest time of the year.
He’s a worthy favourite this year, having won all three
meetings with US National Trailw inner and world leading Duane Solomon, but the
picture is clouded by the fact that Solomon, fourth at the Olympics, was well
ahead of Aman on that occasion despite the Ethiopian running a personal best
there. Solomon in turn, was beaten by Nick Symmonds in London recently, overturning
the form at Des Moines in style when winning at London.
Throw in rising star and third fastest this season Ayanleh
Souleiman, who has taken four seconds off his national record twice this summer,
and the four are hard to split, but a Soulomon has the best result when it
counts and may have been setting himself up to peak for this event.
Much less uncertainty surrounds the brilliance of Kirani
James (left, green), an outstanding bet at 8/11 to retain his world title. The winner there
by the tightest of margins over big rival La Shawn Meritt in Deagu, the two having dominated this discipline to
the exception of all others, James destroyed the competition in London with
Meritt absent, running out one of the easiest winners of the meeting bar David
Rudisha – and not much has changed since.
A man of firsts – James is the first youth, junior and Olympic
champion and medallist from Grenanda – he has been beaten only once this season
by Meritt. However that came when James had an usually slow first half of the
race and mistimed his effort, falling short by just 0.07 seconds, and if timing
the fractions as he has done flawlessly since 2011, he can once again get the
better of his American rival and the 8/11 that Sportingbet offer is a fantastic
bet on all the known evidence with 1/2 the best price given by at least 5
bookmakers.
Home success has been few and far between and Yelena
Isinbaevea may come up a little short in her bid for a fairyatale end to a long
career. A double Olympic gold medallist and World record-holder, she has had a
fine time at the top, but last won a title 6 years ago, failing to failed to
register a height in the final in Berlin and doing no better than sixth in
Deagu two years ago, and on the basis of her Olympic bronze, looks to be only
the third best in the field if brining the ‘A-Game’ she showed in London.
Olympic Champion Jennfer Shur broke the 5 meters mark this
summer indoors, becoming the second woman in history behind Isinbayeva to clear
five metres, but may be surpassed by Cuban hotshot Yarisley Silva (win), second in
London but a year older now, who comes here with the most consistent record of
any of the competitors, having set the top 5 outdoor marks of the summer this
time including the world leading mark of 4.90m in Hengelo, making her the
third-highest vaulter in history. Confidence in her chances is boosted by the
fact that she was only seventh in the World Indoors before her Olympic Silver,
and with the home favourite making her value, she’s the bet at 2/1 with
Ladbrokes.
Russia’s real hopes would have lied with Yuliya Zaripova,
but her withdrawal has opened the door to the world leading Kenyan pair Michah Chemos
and Lydia Chepkurui, who will feel confident of taking gold and silver for
their country respectively. Chepkurui set the world’s fastest time when winning
her first two Diamond League races but hasn’t won since while Chemos, the last
woman to beat Zaripova, has won her last five races in a row.
Advice
6 pts Kirani James to win Men’s 400m (8/11 Sportingbet)
2 pts Yarisley Silva to win women’s pole valut (2/1
Ladbrokes)
1 pt Duane Solomon to win Men’s 800m (11/4 general)
1 pt Micah Chemos to win Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase (10/11
Ladbrokes)
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