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Commonwealth Games Preview: 100m Sprint (Men)

Expert
24th July, 2014
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Jamaica's Usain Bolt, center, breaks the tape with a world record time of 9.72 seconds in the men's 100 meter sprint at the Reebok Grand Prix athletic meet at Icahn Stadium in New York. AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Expert
24th July, 2014
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If you feel the need – the need for speed – then stick the 100 metre sprint at the top of your priorities ahead of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. People simply don’t get any faster than this.

What is it?
The 100m sprint is exactly what it sounds like, a 100 metre long dash to the finish line. It may be simple, but the simplest things often require the hardest work, and that’s certainly the case here.

It would be fair to say that the Aussies are suffering a bit of a drought in the 100m sprint lately. We haven’t won gold in the event since Raelene Boyle claimed back-to-back gold medals in the 1970 and 1974 Commonwealth Games.

The first rounds of the event are on July 27 for both men and women, and the semi-finals and finals for both are on the next day, July 28. Mark that one in the calendar for must-watch television.

The Aussies
2012 OIympic Gold Medallist Sally Pearson is heading up Australia’s Athletics team for Glasgow 2014, and is one of two Australian women participating in the 100m sprint. Pearson won gold in 100m Hurdles at London 2012, and also in the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games. Her personal best in the 100m sprint is a speedy 11.14 seconds.

However, she’s just a split second behind fellow Aussie Melissa Breen, whose 11.11 second personal best, set earlier this year, is the all-time Australian women’s record for fastest 100m sprint.

Also representing Australia at the games will be South Australian paralympian Sean Roberts, who has never let his cerebral palsy hold him back. Roberts won a gold medal in the long jump at the 2011 Arafura Games.

The Competition
The dominant nation in the 100m sprint in recent years has been one that’s better known for its bobsledding, at least in the movies – the Jamaicans have won three of the last four gold medals in the event and will be fielding a strong team again this year.

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Three-time Oympic gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown has returned to competition after a suspension last year and will compete in Glasgow. That race is sure to be red hot.

The 100m sprint is also a great event for some of the smaller nations competing at the Commonwealth Games. Some recent winners include Natasha Mayers of St. Vincent and the Grenadines at Delhi 2010, and Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis at Manchester 2002.

Fast Facts
– Australia has never won Commonwealth gold in the men’s 100m event. Its most recent triumph in a short sprint was John Treloar’s win the 1950 games, in what was then a 100 yard race.
– The personal bests of Sally Pearson and Melissa Breen would both be quick enough to beat all three of the most recent women’s gold winners in the 100m sprint.
– In 2011, Sally Pearson won the International Association of Athletics Foundation’s award for Female Athlete of the Year, and was the first Australian to do so.
– The world record for the 100m sprint is held by none other than the fastest man alive himself, Usain Bolt, who set a record of 9.58 seconds back in 2009. The women’s record belongs to Florence Griffith of the United States, who recorded a dash of 10.49 seconds in 1988. Bolt will be at the Commonwealth Games, but will only compete in the 4x100m relay.

What to Drink while watching
Considering our Sally is going to run this in well under 12 seconds, it’s going to have to be something short and sharp that’ll fire you up. Considering the shape these athletes are in, a wheatgrass shot would be well within the spirit.

This article was first published on the Tenplay website here.

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