Christophe Lemaitre "White Lightning" 9.92 and 19.80! -- Part Two

elispeedster

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It sounds like a few posters in this section must be moonlighting as French reporters.

All jokes aside he may have under developed lungs or maybe he does smoke cigarettes. I remember when I was 16 I smoked for about a year and I smoked up to 6 a day and my running stamina went from elite for a gym class amount of guys to middle of the pack until I bothered to quit.
lol, I dont think he smokes...its under developed training, thats about it. I am curious to know if he ever ran 400's in training, i know Bolt and a lot of the Jamaicans do and American sprinters, Matt Boiling started as a 400 guy etc..
 

jacknyc

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It would have really helped him to train and run 400s. But it's too late now.
If he raced a 400m these days, he would pass out and die.
 

greyghost

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Long to short ...short to long ....bud winters ideals in relation to track training still exist very much so in Jamaican coaching systems and American coaching systems ....strength is built on being able to run 1 solid 400 in competition ....for any solid 100/200 sprinter ....that's why we always see Americans and carribbean sprinter usually run a quartet mile early / early in the season .. ......but ..........there is one caveat ....a sprinter has to be able to withstand the loading .!!!!!!!...some athletes cannot withstand similar strength training loads to others ....!!!!!!!!!.... and this is where real top class coaches earn their pay .....taking peds out of the equation ....a coach must understand what kind of sprinter he has in front of him ....say for instance if a benke blomqvuist or a Dan Pfaff were to begin to coach lemaitre ( please somebody call these guys ) ..I feel they would indeed go down the 400 meter training route .....lemaitre like Pickering before him has hit a wall both mentally and physically .........he needs a new start ...a new coach ...even vicauts old coach ....
 

greyghost

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It seems unlikely he has ever done a quality 3 by 300 meter all out ....this a main stAy for 200 meter sprinters ....just observe how guliyev trains ....for me both similar athlete now ......
 

sprintstar

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I have always enjoyed watching CL sprint. It is sad to see where he is now. Always hope he has that fire in his belly but I am not sure he has it anymore. It is similar to watching Jeremy Wariner fall off in his career, the difference is JW wanted to do well and trained hard, his legs just weren't there, heck he even switched to the 800m. With Lemaitre it is coulda, woulda, shouda.
 

white lightning

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I have always enjoyed watching CL sprint. It is sad to see where he is now. Always hope he has that fire in his belly but I am not sure he has it anymore. It is similar to watching Jeremy Wariner fall off in his career, the difference is JW wanted to do well and trained hard, his legs just weren't there, heck he even switched to the 800m. With Lemaitre it is coulda, woulda, shouda.

I loved Wariner. Jeremy Wariner still holds the 4th fastest 400 meters time ever run. He ran best times of 43.45, 43.50 and a 43.60! As great as todays guys are only the world record holder from south africa has a faster time in his career.
 
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jacknyc

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https://spikes.iaaf.org/post/karsten-warholm-on-his-coach-leif
"When I am not fulfilling my potential he can be very harsh about that. Tough love is the perfect way to describe our relationship."

Tough love. This is what Karsten Warholm gets from his coach and helps him to be successful.
And it's exactly what Lemaitre needed. But what he got instead from his coach was coddling and excuse making.
 

jacknyc

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In the 'B' race at the European Team Championships, Christophe took 1st place in 10.31.
Yes, Lemaitre ran in the 'B' race.
 

jacknyc

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From Lemaitre's twitter: "
Today, I'm going to run on the Bydgoszcz track, where I was world junior champion, 11 years ago. I will be lined up today on the 100mB and I will be with the collective relay tomorrow as part of the team European Cup."
Here is a photo of him then winning the 200m Euro Jr. Championships (2008), and now winning the B race at the Euro Team Championships.
Screen Shot 2019-08-09 at 10.33.27 PM.jpg Screen Shot 2019-08-09 at 10.33.07 PM.jpg
 

jacknyc

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100m h2 (-1,6) 1 Churandy Martina (ned) 10.48; 2 Christophe Lemaitre (fra) 10.48; 3 Ruttanapon Sowan (tha) 10.75
200m h2 (-0,8) 1 Christophe Lemaitre (fra) 20.56;
 

white is right

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I know we have run in circles talking about Lemaitre and the failings of his career, here's an article on the traits of champions........https://getpocket.com/explore/item/...rom-almost-champions?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Ps, judging by the full circle career of Lemaitre concerning the meet it seems like he might be on a victory tour of sorts, aside from his scraggy hipster beard his conditioning looks off as his muscle tone IMO isn't what a super fit elite sprinter would have.

Does anybody have a clue if Lemaitre is going to the worlds in the 200? I know he will be on the relay team or at least in the pool if he wants to be.
 

jacknyc

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In Spain today:

200m (0.2) 1 Serhii Smelyk (ukr) 20.39; 2 Salem Eid Yaqoob (brn) 20.43; 3 Churandy Martina (ned) 20.50; 4 Yancarlos Martínez (dom) 20.57; 5 Kyree King (usa) 20.70; 6 Christophe Lemaitre (fra) 20.79; 7 Daniel Rodríguez 20.83
 

mastermulti

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Guliyev would have had a full second on him judging by his Brussels result same day. This from 2 200 metre men of similar talent ... Lemaitre must just like to have a run free from any expectations. Where is his hunger?
 
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I don't think anybody posted this but Lemaitre is slated to run the 200 meters and 4x100 relay at the worlds in Doha 2 weeks from now. If he makes the semis in the 200 that would be a miracle.
 

white is right

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I don't think anybody posted this but Lemaitre is slated to run the 200 meters and 4x100 relay at the worlds in Doha 2 weeks from now. If he makes the semis in the 200 that would be a miracle.
I don't think that goal is too hard for him. In the last few championships the 3 semi final format has been used and 24 guys make that format, considering the 200 is always thinner in depth than the 100 he would probably need a seasonal best which he should be peaking for. Getting out of the semis should be the miracle part......
 

white lightning

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This race by 20 Year Old Christophe Lemaitre was the wind legal sub 10 by a white sprinter. He has inspired so many kids around the world. This race is in slow motion to appreciate the beauty & grace. :)
 

white lightning

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One more time. The historic first sub 10 ever by a white sprinter back in 2010 in normal speed with an interview in french afterwards. Notice his margin of victory over most of the other sprinters! :)
 

mastermulti

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just a congratulations for an old forum favourite ...... Christophe Lemaitre turned 30 2 days ago. Ihope he keeps enjoying his club running for many years to come
 

white lightning

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I'm rewatching a few older Lemaitre Videos. Most of you have seen his wind legal 9.92 in Canada. Here is a wind legal 9.95 and if he was coached
right nad had the desire who knows just how fast he could have fun. Regardless he started the wave of a revival of white sprinters. Salute to him
for all the great memories at the European Championships, World Championships and the Olympics.

https://piped.kavin.rocks/watch?v=vYZgJUcTmU0
 

white lightning

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For those new to the board or not familiar with track and the sprints here is why Lemaitre was so popular here over the years. A trip down memory lane!:)
 

mastermulti

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“He had significant problems with breathing during the early phase of his ascension to top flights of tennis due to certain allergies,” he said. Doctors first thought it was asthma. But it was only when he turned to a gluten-free diet and made other lifestyle changes that his performance soared. “For him, this was a watershed moment,” Mr. Brajovic said. “He went from a perennial No. 3 player, to No. 1 in a matter of a year.”

Taken from the NY Times I was reading this morning as this Djokovic saga rolls on (and we're apparently persecuting him), I started to wonder why Christophe always looked gutted after a 200m run ....... I wonder if something like this applied to him
 

grandmaster

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I disagree with the idea Lemaitre had a disappointing career.
He has easily the best 100m PB of all the non-black 100m mega-prospects:
9.92 - Lemaitre
9.97 - Gemili
9.97 - Guliyev
9.98 - Kiryu
10.03 - Zohri

...and Zohri is the only one I think can still improve his 100m PB.
 
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mastermulti

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Zohri could hardly be put in the "white' basket. He's non-black but he's Asian. But, hey, I'm pleasantly surprised by the surplus of Asian talent and await discovery of more great sprinters.

But his name can be replaced with Aussie Rohan Browning whose PB is better anyway with his recent 10.01 legal. He'd be at good odds to go sub 10 this year.
 
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