Kerron Clement of USA and Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic in action in the 400m Hurdles Final (© Getty Images)
After Felix Sanchez put an end to the United States of America’s stranglehold at the men’s 400m Hurdles ending a 16-year-old Olympic win streak with his Athens 2004 victory, there is a strong chance for the Olympic title to be US property again in Beijing.
Indeed, the Dominican who is also a two-time World champion has been plagued by injuries since and it will take his utmost efforts for him to defend his title. Yet Sanchez has proven with his silver medal performance last year in Osaka that he should never be ruled out and if he makes it to the start line then chances are that he won’t be there just for the record.
But the spotlight has been elsewhere this year with Kerron Clement and Bershawn Jackson sharing the headlines and as such the status of favourite for gold in Beijing.
Clement, the reigning World champion, is 2-1 up against Jackson in direct encounters but Jackson, himself the 2005 World champion, has the psychological edge of having won the US Trials, a competition which was run by USATF so as to “mimic the conditions of the Games.”
Is either of them capable of walking in the footsteps of Edwin Moses (84), André Phillips (88), Kevin Young (92), Derrick Adkins (96) and Angelo Taylor (2000)?
Pundits may give a slight preference to Clement who, taller and younger, is the more natural talent of the two. But Clement is known for stuttering in the final stages of the race, a mistake which cost him a medal in Helsinki 2005. Jackson, on the other hand, is known for hitting barriers, which cost him to be selected in the US team four years ago.
Gold as it stands should go to whoever runs the cleanest race in the final.
However, it would be very restrictive to call the men’s 400m Hurdles a two-man race and as Taylor himself proved back in Sydney, anyone from any lane can win the title. Can Taylor do it again in Beijing? After his bronze medal at 400m flat in Osaka last year, Taylor has turned his full attention back to the hurdles for what will be his third Olympic Games at the event. He may be the slowest of the three Americans, he certainly is the one with most experience.
Traditionally two other nations will field full strong squads at the event. Although neither Jamaica nor South Africa have ever won an Olympic title, their depth in the 400m Hurdles is such that representatives of both countries are seldom absent in major championships finals. South Africa is led by former World Junior champion LJ van Zyl, the third fastest man this year at 48.22, with Peter de Villiers and Alwyn Myburgh also under 49 seconds this season.
The defending Olympic silver medallist Danny McFarlane who set a season’s best 48.39 in Monaco just before heading to Beijing will be Jamaica’s strongest chance for a medal with Markino Buckley and Isa Phillips the other islanders to compete in Beijing.
The European challenge should not be underestimated. Marek Plawgo, a former World Junior champion and last year’s surprise bronze medallist, is a fine competitor and as always a potential threat to the rest of the world. European champion Periklis Iakovakis will aim at making it to his first Olympic final after failing to advance past the semis in front of his home crowd four years ago in Athens.
Laura Arcoleo for the IAAF
