Badminton, Diving & Table Tennis

There are 17 events being contested in London among these three sports. At the 2011 World Championships for these three sports, China swept all the gold medals. They won all 10 diving gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, plus racking up silver medals in the three individual women's events. The 1 meter springboard is not an Olympic event, but they could well be favored in the eight events on the Olympic program. British hope Tom Daley, the 2009 World Champion on the 10 meter platform, finished 5th in Shanghai. However, China's Qiu Bo won the gold medal by 41.2 points over American silver medalist David Boudia.

China swept all five events at the World Table Tennis championships in Rotterdam this year. The Olympic program includes team events, not any of the three doubles events. Singapore won the 2010 World Team Championship for women (team worlds are conducted in even years, the other five events in odd years), a big upset over the Chinese. Don't expect a similar surprise in London. China has so dominated table tennis that they have won 43 out of 45 gold medals in the last nine World Championships, stretching back to 1995. Only men's singles titles by Jan-Ove Waldner of Sweden in 1997 and Werner Schlager of Austria in 2003 have been the exceptions. Of the top 100 ranked women in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation, 20 are Chinese and 25 are either from Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei or are Chinese expatriates.

In badminton, China has not been as dominant, winning 29 out of 40 gold medals in the World Championships conducted during the 21st century. However, the women have won all of the singles and doubles gold medals during that time. The British have a hope with world silver medalists Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier in mixed doubles, although they were not ranked coming into the event and were surprise finalists at the event in London.

Add to this five gold medals in swimming (although Sun Yang won the men's 800 meter freestyle, not an Olympic event); four event wins at the 2010 World Weightlifting Championships; a gold and three silver at the 2010 Women's World Boxing Championships; two gold medals in Olympic events at the 2010 World Shooting Championships (although China did lead overall with 21 golds); and four golds at the 2010 World Gymnastics Championships. China seems poised to possibly improve on the 50 gold medals they won in Beijing.

LaShawn Merritt to defend 400 meter title in Daegu, but what about London?

Defending World and Olympic 400 meter champion LaShawn Merritt just recently completed a two-year suspension for three positive tests in 2009 and 2010 for the steroid Dehydroepiandrosterone, which he had allegedly consumed through the use of a male enhancement drug. His two-year suspension ended after the U.S. Nationals, so he could not qualify for the World Championships....but he had a wild card bid as a defending champion...but...USATF rules state that wild cards (defending World Champions) must compete in some event at the nationals.....but...the USATF made an exception for Merritt and named him to the team after Merritt threatened legal action.
Now London...the IOC has a rule which prohibits athletes who have served a drug ban of six months or greater from participating in the next Olympic Games. The USOC is challenging the IOC on this ruling and the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) will likely announce a decision in September.
Others are looking at this decision, including Great Britain which issues a lifetime ban for drug cheats. Sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar have served suspensions, but cannot represent Britain in the Olympics.
The one thing I am really not certain of is what exactly Merritt was trying to enhance.

The Good News & Bad News About NBC/Universal Coverage of Deagu

NBC and Universal Sports will be providing complete coverage of the World Track & Field Championships in the US. The schedule is available: http://www.universalsports.com/track-and-field/events/event=US0302094/viewers-guide/index.html?__source=GADW&cid=trackandfieldiaafchamp&gclid=CKP0343Z0qoCFQmD5QodSQvz1A

The good news is that one can see complete coverage of both morning & evening sessions on the universalsports website. The bad news is that Deagu is on the other side of the world, and Korean Standard Time is 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. The other bad news is that accessing the online coverage will cost you $14.99.

The good news is that I have Universal Sports on my cable package, so I can see about 5 hours a day of coverage. The bad news is that it is not in HD, and the quality of the low-def coverage is not very good.

The good news is that NBC will have HD coverage. The bad news is that they will only have coverage on weekends (I long for those hour long shows after Carson in 1983 & '87). More bad news....Tom Hammond. The guy who has been NBC's voice of track and field for 20 years and still can't figure out the three-turn stagger in the 4x400. He also can't seem to follow more than the American and maybe a Jamaican or some other runner in any race.

Enjoy Daegu, I will post my predictions on 8/26.

Mullings and Rodgers both may be out for Daegu

Two of the world's top ranked sprinters are facing doping violations that may keep them out of the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in less than two weeks time. Jamaican Steve Mullings, ranked and American Michael Rodgers both allegedly had positive samples disclosed within the last week.
Mullings appears to have to more serious problem. He has already served a two-year suspension stemming from a 2004 violation for high levels of testosterone. Reportedly, Mullings tested positive for a masking agent at the Jamaican trials in June. He will received a hearing on August 17, but the Jamaican team must be named by the 15th, so he appears out for Daegu and now his status for London appears jeopardized.
Rodgers, who qualified for the US team in the 100 meters and 4x100 meter relay, according to his agent Tony Campbell told Reuters on Saturday he had tested positive for the stimulant last month in Italy after mistakenly consuming an energy drink that contained the unidentified banned substance. Rodgers will have his case heard by the USADA (US Anti-Doping Authority). There is more latitude for stimulant offenses as opposed to steroids or masking agents. It is possible that Rodgers could receive a warning. He has already been named to the US team, and Trell Kimmons, who placed 4th in the 100, is already on his way to Daegu as part of the relay pool.
With Usain Bolt's form in question and Asafa Powell's groin potentially problematic, the 100 meters promises to be very competitive in Daegu. Richard Thompson just ran a 9.85 at the Trinidad & Tobago nationals and Walter Dix has the best shot of the Americans.
The World Championships begin August 27.

IAAF to Conduct Blood Tests at Worlds

On Thursday, the IAAF released a statement that every athlete participating in the upcoming World Championships will have his or her blood tested. (http://www.iaaf.org/news/newsid=61097.html). All 2,000 plus athletes competing in Daegu, South Korea will be tested and the samples analyzed. The blood testing will be done in addition to urine testing, which will be conducted for medalists and other randomly selected athletes during the championships.

One of the objectives of the program will be to develop an “Athlete Biological Passport” for each individual. The biological passport establishes a record for each athlete over time; measuring biomarkers, which can help determine the results of an athlete’s use of performance enhancing drugs when the presence of the drugs is absent in urine and blood. Additionally, an abnormal profile compared to past blood tests can lead to a suspension. The UCI (governing body for cycling) has suspended eight cyclists from the results of a biological passport, or used the passport to target an individual for further testing.

It appears to be a huge step forward for the IAAF in the constant race to catch the cheaters. I am strongly in favor of using blood to help catch athletes using PED’s and hope that the IAAF and IOC will use blood samples to catch cheaters well after the fact, when the time comes that a suitable test can be devised.

With this announcement coming just 16 days before the opening of the World Championships, the track & field community will be watching with great anticipation to see which athletes withdraw from the Worlds citing illness or injury. Some athletes, such as American 110 hurdler David Oliver have been vocal in support of the blood testing. The one potential drawback, with the announcement so close to the start of the Worlds, the main story leading up to Daegu will once again be performance enhancing drugs, especially with the recent story concerning a possible positive test by Jamaican sprinter Steve Mullings, a member of the gold medal winning 4x100 meter relay squad at the 2009 Worlds in Berlin.