If we can name the event the United States has dominated the most in one century of Olympic history, it is arguably the male 400m. However, in the last four years, the biggest track and field powerhouse has failed to keep its traditional stranglehold at the distance, succesfully challenged by a number of talented quartermilers, mainly coming from several countries of the Caribbean area. We have assisted to the rise and fall of LaShawn Merrit, eventually overcome as number one in the distance for teen prodigy Kirani James, and also to the historical defeat of the US 4x400m squad in London Olympic Games, well beaten by the Bahamas. As a result, the 400m is not anymore a one nation affair but instead has become an open one in which it is even possible the victory in global championships of athletes coming from such exotic countries as Grenada or Botswana. And indeed the acclaimed victories of Kirani James and Amantle Montsho were the first ones in any sport for their remote homelands at World or Olympic level. On the other hand, in female category the nations with the greatest depth for many years have been Russia, United States and Jamaica but often global champions have come from other disparate countries as it is the case of Amy Mbacké Thiam (Senegal), Ana Guevara (Mexico), Tonique Williams-Darling (Bahamas) and Christine Ohuruogu (Great Britain), before Amantle Montsho and Botswana’s biggest day in Daegu. On the other hand, it was equally notorious in these years the struggle of the most talented quarter miler of the last decade, USA’s Sanya Richards-Ross to triumph at last in a global championship, which she eventually accomplished at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin and then repeated at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
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| Sanya Richards-Ross anchors the USA 4x400m team to win gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games Michael Steele/ Getty Images Europe www.zimbio.com |
If we can name the event the United States has dominated the most in one century of Olympic history, it is arguably the male 400m. However, in the last four years, the biggest track and field powerhouse has failed to keep its traditional stranglehold at the distance, succesfully challenged by a number of talented quartermilers, mainly coming from several countries of the Caribbean area. We have assisted to the rise and fall of LaShawn Merrit, eventually overcome as number one in the distance for teen prodigy Kirani James, and also to the historical defeat of the US 4x400m squad in London Olympic Games, well beaten by the Bahamas. As a result, the 400m is not anymore a one nation affair but instead has become an open one in which it is even possible the victory in global championships of athletes coming from such exotic countries as Grenada or Botswana. And indeed the acclaimed victories of Kirani James and Amantle Montsho were the first ones in any sport for their remote homelands at World or Olympic level. On the other hand, in female category the nations with the greatest depth for many years have been Russia, United States and Jamaica but often global champions have come from other disparate countries as it is the case of Amy Mbacké Thiam (Senegal), Ana Guevara (Mexico), Tonique Williams-Darling (Bahamas) and Christine Ohuruogu (Great Britain), before Amantle Montsho and Botswana’s biggest day in Daegu. On the other hand, it was equally notorious in these years the struggle of the most talented quarter miler of the last decade, USA’s Sanya Richards-Ross to triumph at last in a global championship, which she eventually accomplished at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin and then repeated at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
The United States' men had suffered some upsets at the event at the World Championships. Notably, the outstanding British generation of Roger Black and Iwan Thomas had challenged them all along the 1990s, with a resounding victory in Tokyo-91 at the 4x400m final. Avard Moncur too won a shocking gold at the individual event in 2001 in Edmonton and besides led the Bahamian team to glory. However, at Olympic level the United States had stamped its authority in every occasion for decades. The last individual who had dared to crush the almighty North Americans had been no less than Alberto Juantorena in Montreal-76 and if we look for another different country dominating in the event we must go back to the 1950s, when the first golden generation of Jamaican track and field of Wint, McKenley and Rhoden was winning everything.
In 2009 the United States remained at the top with its two standouts of the last years, Merritt and Wariner, who snatched respectively gold and silver at Berlin Worlds, besides teaming up with hurdlers Angelo Taylor and Kerron Clement for another 4x400m relay victory, ahead of Great Britain and Australia. Yet something was already going wrong: although he was still the second best in the world, Jeremy Wariner had considerably slowed down. Wariner, training under Michael Johnson’s coach Clyde Hart, had won gold medal at 20 years of age at the 2004 Olympic Games, then at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships, becoming the third fastest man ever, at the latter contest (43.45). In 2012 Wariner splitted up wit Hart, a decision which proved wrong for his career. Meanwhile, up-and-coming star LaShawn Merritt, the 2004 World junior champion, was quickly closing the gap between him and the world number one, to set a two-men rivalry in order to rule the 400m event, so Merritt had pushed his compatriot to his outstanding clocking in Osaka. Notwithstanding, at Beijing Olympics there was not rivalry at all: Merritt won the gold medal in a 43.75 PB, one second ahead of the dissapointing defending Olympic champion. In spite of returning back to Hart, Wariner was not back to his past fitness and was again handily beaten by Merritt in Berlin (44.06 to 44.60). In 2010, Wariner seemed in the way to recovery, dominating at the Diamond League and winning big at the Continental Cup. However, the following year he was struggling again and eventually did not even qualify for the Olympic Games. He seemed to have lost all his confidence as a runner. Wariner did not break anymore the 44 second barrier and at 27 years of age his prime had past.
In recent years, we had witnessed a continuation of the trend. The United States had swept the 400m male podium in the last two Olympic Games: in Athens-2004 with Jeremy Wariner, Otis Harris and Derrick Brew and in Beijing-2008 with Lashawn Merrit, Wariner and David Neville. In between they had also achieved this feat at the 2007 World championships in Osaka, again with Wariner, Merritt and 400m hurdles specialist Angelo Taylor.
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| Angelo Taylor for the United States and Ramon Miller for the Bahamas fight for gold in the last leg of the 4x400m relay final in London Olympics Photo: Getty Images http://www.thebahamasweekly.com |
In 2009 the United States remained at the top with its two standouts of the last years, Merritt and Wariner, who snatched respectively gold and silver at Berlin Worlds, besides teaming up with hurdlers Angelo Taylor and Kerron Clement for another 4x400m relay victory, ahead of Great Britain and Australia. Yet something was already going wrong: although he was still the second best in the world, Jeremy Wariner had considerably slowed down. Wariner, training under Michael Johnson’s coach Clyde Hart, had won gold medal at 20 years of age at the 2004 Olympic Games, then at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships, becoming the third fastest man ever, at the latter contest (43.45). In 2012 Wariner splitted up wit Hart, a decision which proved wrong for his career. Meanwhile, up-and-coming star LaShawn Merritt, the 2004 World junior champion, was quickly closing the gap between him and the world number one, to set a two-men rivalry in order to rule the 400m event, so Merritt had pushed his compatriot to his outstanding clocking in Osaka. Notwithstanding, at Beijing Olympics there was not rivalry at all: Merritt won the gold medal in a 43.75 PB, one second ahead of the dissapointing defending Olympic champion. In spite of returning back to Hart, Wariner was not back to his past fitness and was again handily beaten by Merritt in Berlin (44.06 to 44.60). In 2010, Wariner seemed in the way to recovery, dominating at the Diamond League and winning big at the Continental Cup. However, the following year he was struggling again and eventually did not even qualify for the Olympic Games. He seemed to have lost all his confidence as a runner. Wariner did not break anymore the 44 second barrier and at 27 years of age his prime had past.
On the other hand, LaShawn Merritt failed a doping test some months after winning in Berlin so he got a two-year ban. This sanction and Wariner’s weak shape left their country orphan at the event. Of course, as always US Colleges were crowded of talented quartermilers but none of them was able to replace their decorated countrymen at big stage. The United States between the Olympic cycle 2009-2012 had even a greater depth in the event than in the previous four-year period (18 athletes made the top-50, against 15 for 2005-2008). However these 18 athletes only tallied 540 points, compared to 714 for the 15 quartermilers of the previous cycle, mainly because then no less than six of them had ranked among the 11 best, while four years afterwards only Merrit and Wariner accomplished it. COMPARE NATIONS RANKING in 2009-2012 and 2005-2008. Experienced Greg Nixon and Jamaal Torrance failed to reach the final when selected for major contests and collegian quartermilers were unlucky the same. Among those youngsters there were such accomplished athletes as Gil Roberts, Josh Mance, Mike Berry or David Verburg and specially Tony McQuay from Florida. McQuay in 2011 had grabbed silver at the NCAA after Kirani James, before winning at the national championships, and one year later triumphed big at the NCAA and qualified for the Olympics, running the distance in an awesome 44.49 at the trials. However the Florida Gators athlete was too tired after a long campaign in Daegu and simply dissapointing in London Olympics. Another intriguing athlete, Bryshon Nellum, a former teen sensation, had miracoulously recovered for the practise of track and field after being shot coming from a Halloween party in 2009. http://moti-athletics-400-m.blogspot.com.es/2012/07/bryshon-nellum.html Nellum obtained a praiseworthy third place at the national trials to make the Olympic team but did not qualify for London final either.
The Bahamas would not let escape one more time another gold medal chance in London, but before the single 400m event had to be contested. Unfortunately, the defending champion La Shawn Merrit pulled out of his heat with a hamstring injury. Five Caribbean athletes made the final: World champion and favourite Kirani James, two Bahamians (Chris Brown and Demetrius Pinder), Lalonde Gordon from Trinidad and newly minted world junior champion Dominican Luguelín Santos, who had run the distance in 44.45 during the season. Also the bronze medallist at the World Juniors in Barcelona, Steve Solomon of Australia had made the cut and so did Belgian twin brothers Jonathan and Kevin Borlée. No US quatermiler had qualified for the decisive race. Among the eight finalists only the veteran Chris Brown had more than 24 years of age. Without Merritt, Kirani James won much more easily than the year before in Daegu, becoming the first no-US runner under the 44 seconds barrier (43.96). Luguelín Santos confirmed his huge progression winning the silver medal in 44.46 and Lalonde Gordon was a shocking bronze medallist in 44.52. He had improved a whole second in the distance during the 2012 season. On the other hand, Chris Brown ended up fourth for the fourth time in a global championship, followed by Kevin and Jonathan Borlée. It was a surprise none of the brothers got a medal in London, in a year they were extremely well prepared and both had broken the national record.
The Bahamas entered its best quartet (Brown, Pinder, Matthiew and Miller) in the semi-final and this time there was no mistake. Without their leader LaShawn Merritt, the United States were eventually defeated in the final as Bahamian anchor Ramon Miller overcame Angelo Taylor at the homestretch to win gold in a new national record (2:56.72). This Olympic victory came 12 years after the female 4x100 Bahamian gold medal in Sidney and 11 after the triumph at the World Championship in Edmonton of another national 4x400m male squad, which already featured the perennial Chris Brown. Trinidad and Tobago, with single bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon, added another bronze to the one achieved at the 4x100m relay, beating in the process all three best European squads: Great Britain, Russia and Belgium. Venezuela, South Africa and Cuba completed the final.
Men's400m Men's4x400m
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| Battle of the titans at the 400m final in Daegu between Kirani James and Lashawn Merritt Photo: Ian Watson/ Getty Images Asia Pac http://www.zimbio.com |
With the United States in crisis, European quartermilers were not faring much better either. All three finalists from the continent in Berlin, Leslie Djhone of France, David Gillick of Ireland and Michael Bingham of Great Britain picked up injuries in following seasons. On the other hand, Martyn Rooney, the revelation of 2008, was alternating up and downs so quite surprisingly no Briton athlete met the A standard for Daegu Worlds. Nevertheless still two up-and-coming athletes managed to represent very well their country, Belgium, and the European continent at world level during the period: the outstanding twin brothers Jonathan and Kevin Borlée. All four Borlée brothers were coached by their father, a former European medallist at the 200m event. The eldest in the group, Olivia, had grabbed two awesome medals, along with her 4x100m mates at both 2007 Osaka Worlds and 2008 Beijing Olympics. After the retirement of the foremost member of the team, Kim Gevaert, it was the turn of the boys in the family to shine internationally. Jonathan and Kevin, aged 20, participated in Beijing both individually and as members of the 4x400m squad, which had qualified for the Games, after breaking a 27-year-old national record. The 4x400m team ended up in a noteworthy fifth place, in 2:59.37, which remains as the current Belgian best.
After the Olympics, both twin brothers moved to the USA for a year in Florida State University, with Jonathan winning the NCAA title. By 2010 both twin brothers had steadily rose to the best quartermilers in Europe. Jonathan had broken the national record at the semi-finals but it was Kevin who won the European Championships in Barcelona. Then both brothers would show their class, making the final in Daegu Worlds and also in London Olympics, with Kevin besides winning a impressive bronze medal at the former championship. Much was expected also of the 4x400m relay. At the 2010 indoor World championships, Belgium won a collective silver medal but, after Cédric Van Branteghem retirement, the national relay did not make the expected progression, because they could not find other members for the team worth of Jonathan and Kevin. It was instead Russia, which had no big stars but did have quite solid runners as Trenikhin, Dyldin or Krasnov, the most accomplished team in the continent with victories in Barcelona, two European Team championships and doing well too in Daegu and Beijing. Yet, in the absence of the best Russian specialists at the 2012 European championships in Helsinki, Belgium enjoyed its chance to win the gold medal, in the same way Czech rising star Pavel Maslak did in the individual contest, with none of the Borlée brothers entered. On the other hand, with Djhone injured, the French 4x400m team could not qualify for the Olympic Games, while a former powerhouse as Poland relay was never a factor in these years, neither among the men nor among the women.
If the United States and Europe had lowered their standards at the 400m event, all along the Caribbean Sea plenty of talented quartermilers had blossomed in many different countries, although most of them growing as athletes in a USA college. The 2006 World junior champion, Rennie Quow of Trinidad and Tobago was the most promising athlete in the area by 2009, the year he snatched the bronze medal at the World Championships in Berlin and ran the distance in a powerful 44.53. Unfortunately, injuries stopped his progression but by then other wonderful youngsters as Lalonde Gordon, Deon Lendore or Jehue Gordon at the 400m hurdles had taken the relay. Even with a deepest field, the Bahamas had a well balanced team of quartermilers with experienced athletes as Chris Brown, Andrae Williams and Micheal Matthiew and strong newcomers as Ramon Miller and Demetrius Pinder. At 31 years of age, Brown still had the power to win the 2010 World indoor championships, ahead of Cuban William Collazo. In Jamaica, two athletes well in his twenties as Jermaine Gonzales and Ricardo Chambers made a big breakthrough in 2010 with huge PBs of 44.40 and 44.54 respectively, although both would also have troubles with injuries in following years. Another consistent athlete in the area was Tabarie Henry from US Virgin Islands, a world finalist in both Berlin and Daegu. Quite as good, Nery Brenes from Costa Rica won three area championships in those years, including the Pan American Games and he was even able to win the gold medal at the 2012 World indoors, before an injury left him out of the Olympic Games. Precisely at the PanAms in Guadalajara, Brenes had narrowly beaten a 17-year-old Dominican whose name was Luguelín Santos. That youngster seemed to be the next national star, the natural relay to Félix Sánchez, although the hurdler would prove at the Olympic year he was not done yet. Finally from the small country of Grenada there were Rondell Bartholomew and the men who had created the biggest expectations: Kirani James. http://moti-athletics-200-w.blogspot.com.es/2011/08/who-is-in-college-now.html
If Usain Bolt was already doing marvellous things on the track at a very young age, Kirani’s feats as a precocious running prodigy were even greater. Inspired by former world indoor champion Alleyne Francicque, he achieved the fastest time ever for a 14 and 15 year old at the 400m distance. In 2007 Kirani won the first of many titles at Carifta Games and the same year grabbed a silver medal at the World Youths. The following year he also won the silver at the world junior championship, being 15, thus facing athletes up to 4 years older. Eventually, James would snatch a global title in 2009 at the World Youth Championships in Bressanone, running the 400m distance in 45.24. Actually it would be two titles because he also triumphed at the 200m. A well-expected World junior champion in 2010, he chose Alabama University for his collegiate career to be coached by Harvey Glance. With Alabama, Kirani James won back-to-back NCAA outdoor titles in his freshman and sophomore years, also setting a new World junior best indoors in 2011, recording 44.80 to win SEC. After the NCAA final in June, Kirani only stepped on the track once before Worlds to make his debut at the Diamond League in London. However, he won big in 44.61. At 18, James was going to Daegu, leading the world lists, but was he ready to face the best?
Incidentally, Grenada, a country of 104.000 inhabitants, had precisely the two best ranked athletes in the world because Rondell Bartholomew had completed the distance in 44.65, and both James and Bartholomew qualified for the final. Notwithstanding, a reappeared LaShawn Merritt who had got a reduction of his penalty to defend his title, had won his heat in a 44.35 new world lead. Yet James did not fear anybody. He knew he was as strong finisher as Merritt so he entered the homestretch with determination and came from behind to pip the Olympic titleholder at the line and thus become the youngest 400m world champion ever. Eventually, 44.60 was enough to win. The Borlée brothers accomplished an excellent third (Kevin) and fifth (Jonathan) positions, with Jermaine Gonzales splitting the duo. Nevertheless, Merritt saved narrowly the gold at the 4x400m relay for the USA, against the huge challenge of South Africa and Jamaica. An astonishing second leg of Ofentse Mogawane and Jermaine Gonzales led their respective teams brilliantly to the medals. Also in the heats and at the individual 400m event, South Africa had entered double amputee Oscar Pistorius who would run at the Olympic Games as well.
The African team had prepared brilliantly its male relays during the year so the 4x100 relay also achieved an impressive victory at the World University Games. A second African nation, Kenya, made also the final. No less than Olympic champions in Munich-72 and silver medallists four years before in Mexico, in a squad featuring David Rudisha’s father, Kenya had achieved for many years impressive results at the 4x400m and at the single event as well, with champions like Samson Kitur. However, in the last two decades, sprints had been neglected in the country. For the 2010 African Championships held in Nairobi, Kenya made an effort to excel not only in distance running and the result was the victory at the 4x400m relay, ahead of traditional powerhouses in the distance as Botswana and Nigeria. South Africa and Kenya would be again the African representatives in London but with less fortune.
It was also noteworthy that for the second time in a row at Worlds, The Bahamas, one of the biggest favourites in the contest, failed to make the final in Daegu. They had reserved their best men Brown and Pinder for the final, taking for granted they would going to qualify but their replacements were unable to do it. They lost a big opportunity in a race which was won by the USA in only 2:59.31, the worst clocking in the event since the USSR won the inaugural edition of the Championships back in 1983. Interestingly, altitude or not altitude, the 4x400m level at worlds was very similar to what was achieved at the Pan American Games two months later by three squads absent in Daegu: Cuba, Dominican Republic and Venezuela, which brilliantly increased to six the number of Caribbean teams for the Olympics. http://moti-athletics-4x4-m.blogspot.fr/2011/11/with-8-months-to-go-4x400-squads-for.html
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| Luguelín Santos achieves the silver medal for the Dominican Republic at the 400m London Olympic final, edging Bahamians Chris Brown and Demetrius Pinder Photo: Roger Sedres/ Gallo Images http://imagesa.photoshelter.com/image/I0000AwQpdx9Lvds |
If Usain Bolt was already doing marvellous things on the track at a very young age, Kirani’s feats as a precocious running prodigy were even greater. Inspired by former world indoor champion Alleyne Francicque, he achieved the fastest time ever for a 14 and 15 year old at the 400m distance. In 2007 Kirani won the first of many titles at Carifta Games and the same year grabbed a silver medal at the World Youths. The following year he also won the silver at the world junior championship, being 15, thus facing athletes up to 4 years older. Eventually, James would snatch a global title in 2009 at the World Youth Championships in Bressanone, running the 400m distance in 45.24. Actually it would be two titles because he also triumphed at the 200m. A well-expected World junior champion in 2010, he chose Alabama University for his collegiate career to be coached by Harvey Glance. With Alabama, Kirani James won back-to-back NCAA outdoor titles in his freshman and sophomore years, also setting a new World junior best indoors in 2011, recording 44.80 to win SEC. After the NCAA final in June, Kirani only stepped on the track once before Worlds to make his debut at the Diamond League in London. However, he won big in 44.61. At 18, James was going to Daegu, leading the world lists, but was he ready to face the best?
The African team had prepared brilliantly its male relays during the year so the 4x100 relay also achieved an impressive victory at the World University Games. A second African nation, Kenya, made also the final. No less than Olympic champions in Munich-72 and silver medallists four years before in Mexico, in a squad featuring David Rudisha’s father, Kenya had achieved for many years impressive results at the 4x400m and at the single event as well, with champions like Samson Kitur. However, in the last two decades, sprints had been neglected in the country. For the 2010 African Championships held in Nairobi, Kenya made an effort to excel not only in distance running and the result was the victory at the 4x400m relay, ahead of traditional powerhouses in the distance as Botswana and Nigeria. South Africa and Kenya would be again the African representatives in London but with less fortune.
It was also noteworthy that for the second time in a row at Worlds, The Bahamas, one of the biggest favourites in the contest, failed to make the final in Daegu. They had reserved their best men Brown and Pinder for the final, taking for granted they would going to qualify but their replacements were unable to do it. They lost a big opportunity in a race which was won by the USA in only 2:59.31, the worst clocking in the event since the USSR won the inaugural edition of the Championships back in 1983. Interestingly, altitude or not altitude, the 4x400m level at worlds was very similar to what was achieved at the Pan American Games two months later by three squads absent in Daegu: Cuba, Dominican Republic and Venezuela, which brilliantly increased to six the number of Caribbean teams for the Olympics. http://moti-athletics-4x4-m.blogspot.fr/2011/11/with-8-months-to-go-4x400-squads-for.html
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| Jonathan and Kevin Borlée, await for their result in the Olympic 400m final Photo: Olivier Morin/ AFP http://www.lefigaro.fr |
The Bahamas entered its best quartet (Brown, Pinder, Matthiew and Miller) in the semi-final and this time there was no mistake. Without their leader LaShawn Merritt, the United States were eventually defeated in the final as Bahamian anchor Ramon Miller overcame Angelo Taylor at the homestretch to win gold in a new national record (2:56.72). This Olympic victory came 12 years after the female 4x100 Bahamian gold medal in Sidney and 11 after the triumph at the World Championship in Edmonton of another national 4x400m male squad, which already featured the perennial Chris Brown. Trinidad and Tobago, with single bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon, added another bronze to the one achieved at the 4x100m relay, beating in the process all three best European squads: Great Britain, Russia and Belgium. Venezuela, South Africa and Cuba completed the final.
| Men's400m | Men's4x400m | |||||
1
|
Kirani James
|
GRN
|
1
|
United States
|
USA
| |
2
|
Luguelín Santos
|
DOM
|
2
|
Bahamas
|
BAH
| |
3
|
Kevin Borlée
|
BEL
|
3
|
Great Britain
|
GBR
| |
4
|
Chris Brown
|
BAH
|
4
|
Belgium
|
BEL
| |
5
|
Jonathan Borlée
|
BEL
|
5
|
Russia
|
RUS
| |
6
|
Jeremy Wariner
|
USA
|
6
|
Trinidad & Tobago
|
TRI
| |
7
|
LaShawn Merritt
|
USA
|
7
|
Jamaica
|
JAM
| |
8
|
Jermaine Gonzales
|
JAM
|
8
|
South Africa
|
RSA
| |
9
|
Lalonde Gordon
|
TRI
|
9
|
Australia
|
AUS
| |
10
|
Tabarie Henry
|
ISV
|
10
|
Cuba
|
CUB
| |
11
|
Demetrius Pinder
|
BAH
|
11
|
Germany
|
GER
| |
12
|
Tony McQuay
|
USA
|
12
|
Venezuela
|
VEN
| |
13
|
Nery Brenes
|
CRC
|
13
|
Poland
|
POL
| |
14
|
Rennie Quow
|
TRI
|
14
|
Kenya
|
KEN
| |
15
|
Angelo Taylor
|
USA
|
15
|
Dominican Rep
|
DOM
| |
16
|
Rondell Bartholomew
|
GRN
|
16
|
Japan
|
JPN
| |
17
|
Leslie Djhone
|
FRA
|
17
|
France
|
FRA
| |
18
|
Michael Bingham
|
GBR
|
18
|
Nigeria
|
NGR
| |
19
|
David Gillick
|
IRL
|
19
|
Botswana
|
BOT
| |
20
|
Steven Solomon
|
AUS
|
20
|
Brazil
|
BRA
|
Men's400m Men's4x400m
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