Ten Years Ago Today: Konstantinos Kenteris Captured the 200m Gold Medal at 2000 Sydney Olympic Games

It was ten years ago today Konstantinos Kenteris of Greece won the men’s 200m at Sydney Olympics. He clocked a time of 20.09s, beaten Darren Campbell (20.14) on the silver position. Ato Boldon, who won silver in 100m earlier, came third in 20.20s.

Kenteris was a 400m runner before switched to 200m during the outdoor season in 1999. At the 1999 World Championship in Seville, he had beaten Maurice Greene (who later became the world champion) in the R1 of 200m but withdrew the quarter finals due to injury.

During the 2000 Olympics, most people surprised when he managed to get a slot of the 200m final. Not like Maurice Greene who won the 100m final earlier, came to Sydney with an overwhelming prospect.

Early in the year, I had predicted the top three on the Olympics podium for 200m would be Michael Johnson, Maurice Greene and Frank Fredericks.

However, both American didn’t proceed due to hamstring injuries en route the 200m final at the U.S Olympics trials. About two weeks before the Olympics, Fredericks pulled out himself due to (ankle?) injury.

In the absence of the three  monsters, John Capel and Ato Boldon were the ones to watch. After the prelim rounds, QFs and SFs, John Capel seems to have a big chance to win, besides Ato Boldon was already run seven times (4 in 100m and 3 in 200m) and rather tired.

NOTE: The men’s 200m SF and Final were held at the same session, which was two hours interval not ONE DAY interval like today’s system. The men’s long jump final also held at the same time, Carl Lewis would get angry with the sort of schedule!

In the final, the field seems very close to each until the 150m mark where all of a sudden Kenteris took the lead and eventually leaving the field to emerge the Olympic champion.

John Capel, who won the U.S Olympic trails (19.85), unfortunately stumbled out of the blocks and finished eighth.

After the Olympics, Kenteris went to win two other major meets, the 2001 World Championship (20.03) and the 2002 European championship (19.85).

Video of 200m Final (Sydney Olympics and Edmonton World Championship)


Men's 200m Final
1, Konstantinos Kenteris, GRE, 20.09. 2, Darren Campbell, GBR, 20.14 3, Ato Boldon, TRI, 20.20. 4, Obadele Thompson, BAR, 20.20. 5, Christian Malcolm, GBR, 20.23. 6, Claudinei Silva, BRA, 20.28. 7, Coby Miller, USA, 20.35. 8, John Capel Jr, USA, 20.49.

SF 1: 1,John Capel Jr, USA, 20.10. 2, Christian Malcolm, GBR, 20.19. 3, Ato Boldon, TRI 20.20. 4, Obadele Thompson, BAR, 20.21. 5, Christopher Williams, JAM, 20.47. 6, Stephane Buckland, MRI, 20.56. 7, Francis Obikwelu, POR, 20.71. 8, Tommi Hartonen, FIN, 20.88.

SF 2: 1, Konstantinos Kenteris, GRE, 20.20. 2, Darren Campbell, GBR, 20.23. 3, Claudinei Silva, BRA, 20.30. 4, Coby Miller, USA, 20.45. 5, Kim Collins, SKN, 20.57. 6, Floyd Heard, USA, 20.63. 7, Koji Ito, JAP, 20.67. 8, Shingo Suetsugu, JAP, 20.69.

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How Fast Can Cristiano Ronaldo Run in the 100m?

Cristiano Ronaldo, a player who is reportedly worth 130 millions in USD has been said the fastest elite football player in the world.

Many observers have been predicting that the Portuguese has a potential to run around 10.6s in the 100m. But some people have claimed he can do 10.5s. Next, they exaggerated the time to 10.3s and then lowered again to 10.2s. But those who don't know track and field or silly guys believe that he could run as fast as the fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt. Yikes..!

However, a study conducted by Germans in 2009 found that Cristiano Ronaldo reaches an average speed of 33.6 kmh. They also indicated Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Arseanl’s Robin Van Persie has recorded 32.6kph and 32.1kph respectively, thus slower than Ronaldo.

Last time, in a training session I recorded a 5.5s (FAT 5.74) on a flying 60m test which translated to 0.9567s per 10 metres segments. Thus, my average speed in kilometer per hour (Kph) was about 37.63.

My fastest time over 100m at the time was 10.6s.

Usain Bolt, in the 2009 World Championship in Berlin recorded 9.58s and reached a top speed on the 60-70m segment with +- 0.805s, therefore 44.72kph.

How fast can Ronaldo run in the 100m?

Okay just a comparison, I was collecting data for a flying 40 meters among junior sprinters for my research entitled “dynamic VS static stretching…” in 2009. One of the sprinters has a PB of 11.17 in the 100m (but my project was held during off season) and he recorded a 4.29s (for dynamic stretching). This equates to about 33.57kph, exactly the same to Ronaldo’s average speed.

So, will Ronaldo run an 11.17 or 10.9 in the 100m?

Recommended reading:
Cristiano Ronaldo: Champion of the World
Cristiano Ronaldo - Moments
Cristiano Ronaldo (World Soccer Stars / Estrellas Del Futbol Mundial)
The Story of Real Madrid

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Mohd Elfi Mustapha

Name: Mohd Elfi Mustapha
Nationality: Singapore
Event: Sprints (100m)
Born: 4 November 1987
Height: 5-9
Weight: 70

Personal Best: 
100m 10.56 -0.4 Singapore (25 July 2010)
200m 22.42

Major Meets:
Asian Championships- Kobe 2011
World University Games- Shenzhen 2011

Career Highlights:
2010: Gold Medalist at 100m (10.59)  in the ASEAN University Games.

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Ten Years Ago Today: Maurice Greene Won Gold Medal at 2000 Sydney Olympics

It was ten years ago today Maurice Greene captured gold medal in the men's 100m final at 2000 Olympic Games at Sydney, Australia.

Greene who came to the Olympics as the world fastest man with 9.79 set a year before, crossed the line in 9.87 -0.3 ahead of training partner Ato Boldon 9.99 and Barbados' Obadeli Thompson 10.04.

A few days later he, along with teammates John Drummond, Bernard Williams, and Brian Lewis, won the 4x100 meter relay in 37.65.

Greene's 100m time still ranks among the top-10 on the all-time list. Usain Bolt holds the current WR in 9.58, second fastest is Tyson Gay in 9.69, followed by Asafa Powell (9.72) and Nesta Carter (9.78).

As of today, he is the only sprinter to hold the Indoor 60m (6.39) and 100m (9.79) WR at the same time. His 60m WR which set twice still stand.

Greene, who dominated the sprint century for at least six years during his prime time has 53 times sub 10s in the 100m which at the time was more than any other sprinter in history.

On February 2008, he announced his retirement from athletics following a spat of injuries which have derailed him since 2006.

AdrianSprints.com rated Maurice Greene one of the greatest sprinters of all time, no doubt along with Jesse Owens, Bob Hayes, Tommie Smith, Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt.


Maurice Greene R1, QF, SF and Final (Video)




Men's 100m Final Results (-0.3)

1 Maurice Greene (USA) 9.87
2 Ato Boldon (TRI) 9.99
3 Obadeli Thompson (BAR) 10.04
4 Dwain Chambers (GBR) 10.08
5 Jon Drummond (USA) 10.09
6 Darren Campbell (GBR) 10.13
7 Kim Collins (SKN) 10.17
DNF: Aziz Zakari (GHA)

Men's 100m SF 2
1, Maurice Greene (USA) 10.06s. 2, Jon Drummond (USA) 10.10s. 3, Ato Boldon (TRI) 10.13s. 4, Aziz Zakari (GHA) 10.16s. 5, Matt Shirvington (AUS) 10.2s6. 6, Aliu Deji (NGR) 10.32s. 7, Sunday Emmanuel (NGR) 10.45s. 8, Bruny Surin (CAN) 50.94s.

Men's 100m SF 1
1 Dwain Chambers (GBR) 10.14s. 2, Obadeli Thompson (BAR) 10.15s. 3, D Campbell (GBR) 10.19s. 4, Kim Collins (SKN) 10.20s. 5, L Myles-Mills (GHA) 10.25s. 6, Curtis Johnson (USA) 10.27. 7, Koji Ito (JAP) 10.39s. 8, Lindel Frater (JAM) 10.46s.

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72nd Singapore Open Track and Field Championship 2010, Results and Videos

The 72nd Singapore open track and field championship was held from 18-19 September 2010 at Gombak Stadium, Singapore. Following are the full results and videos from sprint events:

Results: Click here (Singapore Athletics)

Video of Men's 100m Final


Video of Women's 100m Final



Results and Videos Courtesy of Singapore Athletics

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Lemaitre Wins IAAF VTB Bank Continental Cup 2010 in 10.06s

European sprint king, Christophe Lemaitre took advantage in the absence of the likes Gay, Carter, Bolt and Powell to win the men's 100m title of the IAAF VTB Continental Cup in Split, Croatia.

The 20-year-old was slow out of the block but surged through the field and crosses the line in 10.06, just ahead Antigua's Daniel Bailey who has recorded 10.10. Briton Mark Lewis Farncis came third in a season best time of 10.16.

Lemaitre is the first caucasian (white) sprinter to break the 10s barrier with 9.98s, set at the French nationals. He also won a triple gold medals at the European Athletics Championship. At the IAAF World Challenge meeting in Rieti last week he improved on his 100m record to 9.97 at the final race that saw Jamaican, Nesta Carter became the fourth fastest man of all time by recording 9.78.

Click here for full results

Video:
 

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Sabah's First Olympian Datuk Gabuh Piging Dies

Datuk Gabuh bin Piging, PBs LJ: 7.15m, TJ: 15.38m

Sabah’s first Olympian, Gabuh bin Piging passed away at age of 78 during the 53rd National day on 31st of August at his home town Tambunan, Sabah. The former police force was reported has a series of illness.

Gabuh Piging was one of the most illustrious and successful athletes in Borneo. His athletics career begin to soar in early 1950’s which then took him to compete at the highest level.

Gabuh represented North Borneo (Sabah) at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne at Triple Jump. Out of 28 participants he finished 24th, cleared a distance of 14.55m. His teammate, Sium Diau leapt 14.09m to place 28th. Both became Sabah’s first men to compete at the Olympics.

In 1958, he was selected to compete in the VI British Empire and Commonwealth Games at Cardiff, Wales in two events (triple jump & long jump). In the men’s triple jump he finished 6th in a distance of 15.10m. Australian Ian Tomlinson won in 15.74m, followed by 15.69m, 15.45m, 15.45m and 15.40m. While in the long jump he placed 17th.

In June 1959, at the Police Championship in Jesselton (Kota Kinabalu), Gabuh as a Malayan (Malaysia) triple jump’s record holder (15.25m) has broken two national records. Firstly, he bettered the triple jump record to 15.38m. The record remained Malaysia’s national record until 1986 when a youngster Sidik Sahak, 19, smashed it in 15.45m during the 18th Borneo Games athletics championships at Kota Kinabalu. Later in the long jump, he eclipsed the 21-year-old Malayan’s long jump record 23ft 2in (7.06m) set by Lee Fun in 1938 with a new mark of 23ft 2 ¼  (7.07m).

Two months later, at the MAAU Championship in Kuala Lumpur, again, Gabuh rewritten his long jump national record 7.07m to a new distance of 7.12m. However he was unlucky because of had faulted four times. And one of his jumps had topped 24ft (7.3+m) which he had done many times in training.

After that, in the hop step and jump (triple jump) for which he hold the Malayan record 15.38, Gabuh was in the best shape to break a record again but he could only manage 15.11 on account of a pulled thigh muscle.

Gabuh’s coach Tom Rosandich of United States quoted , “it was pity that Gabuh had a pulled thigh muscle, otherwise he would have brought off a big surprise as he had jumped more than 52ft (15.85m) during training session”. Well, wait a minute, the winner of the 1958 Commonwealth Games was only 15.74!

At age of 30 in 1962, Gabuh competed at the Asian Games in Jakarta in the long jump and triple jump. Once again, he broke another national record in the long jump with a distance of 7.15m. In the triple jump he had registered 14.64m. Both performances enabled him to compete later at the VII British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia. In Perth, he finished 10th in the triple jump and again 17th in the long jump.

In 1974, at age of 42 and was still at a good shape and took part in the Police Championship held at Gurney Road, Kuala Lumpur. He cleared 14.45m in the triple jump to add another gold medal in his medal collections from 1950's.

In 2003, Gabuh was conferred the Datukship in recognition for his all-time avhievements, which is equivalent to a British’s Knighthood.

As of today, his personal record in the triple jump remained on the top list in the country. Following are the top performances of triple jump in Malaysia:

16.29 Zaki Sadri 1989
16.24 Sidek Sahak 1991
15.80 Firdaus Salim 2007
15.80 Hakimi Ismail 2009
15.65 Chai Song Lip 1997
15.57 Zulkifli Salleh 1991
15.47 Ammar Fitri 2010
15.38 Gabuh bin Piging 1959
15.36 Mazlan Mahmud 1984

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