IT'S GO TIME FOR ELLINGTON: Korea update 1/9/11

The Daegu Stadium, where James Ellington will run 200m

It’s his first major senior games, and they are now just hours away!  Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington goes in the World Championship 200 metres, in Daegu, South Korea, at 0310hrs UK time (1110 local).  For the now published draw for the 200m heats, see the end of this blog.

He will learn who he must face, and who stands between him and what would be a sensational achievement in reaching the semi-finals, later today.  The semi’s take place at 11.55am UK (1955 local).

It could be anyone from the more obscure nations to World Record holder Usain Bolt, but James is ready for any of them:

“Obviously I’d rather not have Bolt in my heat, because that’s one of the automatic qualifying places gone,” he said, “but I reckon I’m in good shape and I have every intention of getting into the semi’s, and then we will see.”

Coach John Powell, also in Korea with his athlete, was equally upbeat: “James is in fine shape, but knows he has a real job ahead of him.  But there is no reason why he should not progress beyond the heats, and for someone who has got here with absolutely no support whatsoever in terms of sponsorship or funding, that would be fantastic.

“We’ve talked about the various scenarios, including if Bolt is in his heat, but it really comes down to focussing on his own job, and running the race of his life.  I’ve known James a very long time, and he has been a championship performer in the past, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t produce the goods here.  It will be tight though - there are 25 entries with faster 2011 best times than James, and only 24 places exist in the semi's!”

James completed his final training session yesterday (Wednesday 31st) and will rest today before he opens his account at what has thus far been a spectacular world championships.  212 nations have combined to thrill a virtually capacity crowd most evenings and a healthy attendance in the morning.  And in true Far East tradition, the event has gone like clockwork.

James Ellington completes his final training session before the 
World Championship 200 metres, in Daegu, South Korea, Friday 0310hrs UK

 “It’s very well organised,” said John, “and has been very entertaining so far – I’m sure the 200m will be equally as enjoyable!  The only real issue now is the heat.  The rainy season has finished and we hit 39 degrees today, so that needs to be managed very carefully.”

It will of course depend on how many heats there are as to what the qualifying conditions are, but if the women’s event was anything to go by today, give heats allowed the first four plus the next fastest four times through to the semi’s.

“That sort of qualification sounds easy,” said John, “but believe me it isn’t – you’ve got the very best in the world here, and some decent athletes fell foul in the heats and will not run again.  It really is fight or flight!“

James will learn on Saturday if he is to be part of the 4 x 100m sprint relay effort in heats or final on Sunday.

“James has established himself as a world class third leg at all the other internationals this year,” said John, “and he has proved time and again he is one of the best bend runners this country has ever seen.  It would be a scandal if he were not selected, but we will have to wait and see.”


Draw now published.  James lane 2 heat 5 (scroll to the right for SB / PB / country)....

Heat 1

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:10

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	530	Roudy Monrose	HAI	20.69	20.69
2	874	Femi Ogunode	QAT	20.30	20.30
3	477	Sebastian Ernst	GER	20.42	20.36
4	985	Sibusiso Matsenjwa	SWZ		21.93
5	1073	Walter Dix	USA	20.02	19.69
6	941	Kim Collins	SKN	20.56	20.20
7	315	Amr Ibrahim Mostafa Seoud	EGY	20.65	20.36
8	968	Marc Schneeberger	SUI	20.52	20.42

Heat 2

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:18

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	157	Michael Mathieu	BAH	20.38	20.38
2	294	Pavel Maslák	CZE	20.66	20.66
3	783	Churandy Martina	NED	20.38	20.08
4	216	Bryan Barnett	CAN	20.54	20.31
5	1009	Emmanuel Callender	TRI	20.67	20.40
6	448	Christian Malcolm	GBR	20.54	20.08
7	588	Usain Bolt	JAM	19.86	19.19

Heat 3

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:26

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	384	Jonathan Åstrand	FIN	20.50	20.50
2	557	Paul Hession	IRL	20.51	20.30
3	165	Khalilur Rahman	BAN	21.34	21.34
4	1110	Darvis Patton	USA	20.25	20.03
5	623	Yuichi Kobayashi	JPN	20.59	20.59
6	943	Brijesh Lawrence	SKN	20.59	20.59
7	801	Jaysuma Saidy Ndure	NOR	20.26	19.89
8	532	Rolando Palacios	HON	20.97	20.40

Heat 4

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:34

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	731	Mosito Lehata	LES	20.93	20.93
2	633	Shinji Takahira	JPN	20.49	20.22
3	969	Alex Wilson	SUI	20.51	20.51
4	886	Lebogang Moeng	RSA	20.58	20.58
5	413	Christophe Lemaitre	FRA	20.21	20.16
6	112	Brendan Christian	ANT	20.60	20.12
7	584	Marvin Anderson	JAM	20.27	20.06
8	938	Leeroy Henriette	SEY	21.70	21.70

Heat 5

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:42

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	1074	Jeremy Dodson	USA	20.33	20.33
2	438	James Ellington	GBR	20.52	20.52
3	585	Nickel Ashmeade	JAM	19.95	19.95
4	564	Calvin Dascent	ISV	20.66	20.66
5	1147	Gabriel Mvumvure	ZIM	20.67	20.67
6	629	Hitoshi Saito	JPN	20.55	20.42
7	204	Sandro Viana	BRA	20.42	20.32

Heat 6

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:50

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	258	Ben Youssef Meité	CIV	20.60	20.37
2	967	Reto Schenkel	SUI	20.51	20.51
3	198	Bruno de Barros	BRA	20.16	20.16
4	1028	Omar Jouma Bilal Al-Salfa	UAE	20.92	20.63
5	813	Alonso Edward	PAN	20.28	19.81
6	217	Jared Connaughton	CAN	20.45	20.34
7	770	Luka Rakic	MNE	21.94	21.94
8	891	Thuso Mpuang	RSA	20.56	20.53

Heat 7

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:58

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	191	Nilson Andrè	BRA	20.56	20.41
2	466	Holder da Silva	GBS		21.01
3	360	Marek Niit	EST	20.43	20.43
4	591	Mario Forsythe	JAM	20.29	20.29
5	262	Daniel Grueso	COL	20.83	20.49
6	1015	Rondel Sorrillo	TRI	20.16	20.16
7	283	Michael Herrera	CUB	20.52	20.31
8	851	Arnaldo Abrantes	POR	20.61	20.48