Christophe Lemaitre "White Lightning" 9.92 and 19.80!

[ZELLGADISS]

I disagree with you.
Christophe started athlectics at the age of 15.
After only four years of training (at the age of 19) he ran 10,04 (+0,2 Novi Sad).
Now, he will be glad to run 10,04. That's a poor developement.

Ok it is your opinion, not mine.
Since 20-21 until now he did not improve his first 30m, very important for to get great times in 100m.
So he does not have margin in 100m, his options are around 10.00 or sub10 with strong wind.

In 200 he has better future, if he is in big shape he can to get sub20, it is great.
But sub 19.8 every day is harder for him, because his 100 is not better, i can tell worst perhaps...

 

[elispeedster]

No, Lemaitre is not capable of so much more, you are being very optimistic.
We should to be realistic.

In all his life Lemaitre is not capable sub10 with few wind, it is the truth.
In 200 when he is in big shape he can to be around 20.0 or sub20.

Lemaitre should to be at top, with around 10.00 or sub10 with big wind or sub20 in 200.

To talk about sub 9.9 or sub 19.8 is a joke.

You are right! and Wrong!

Lemaitre is to blame to stick with a amateur club and a unconfident coach...A coach that tells him to strive for bronze, a coach that hopes other competitors drop out of races so Lemaitre has a easier time to win.
Lemaitre sub conscious is holding him back because that Old Fool Carraz ruined his potential and confidence, and he does not even see it. I have never seen a Gawky, weak sprinter who couldn't lift a 5 pound dumbell over his head and with 2 left feet run a Sub 10 or Sub 20 at an early age....Lemaitre was raw from the beginning, but the fools that train him destroyed his full potential. He had the potential to run 9.8 and even a 19.6...I am sure of it!

 

[elispeedster]

You are right! and Wrong!

Lemaitre is to blame to stick with a amateur club and a unconfident coach...A coach that tells him to strive for bronze, a coach that hopes other competitors drop out of races so Lemaitre has a easier time to win.
Lemaitre sub conscious is holding him back because that Old Fool Carraz ruined his potential and confidence, and he does not even see it. I have never seen a Gawky, weak sprinter who couldn't lift a 5 pound dumbell over his head and with 2 left feet run a Sub 10 or Sub 20 at an early age....Lemaitre was raw from the beginning, but the fools that train him destroyed his full potential. He had the potential to run 9.8 and even a 19.6...I am sure of it!

Oin a side note, both Gemili and Kilty changed coaches and trainers over a year ago and guess what happened? They are improving their personal bests...if took them a year or two to figure out that change is good. Lemaitre 4 years and counting and he blames it on tired legs, jet lag, tight underwear etc,..I'm starting to think lemaitre may be slightly mentally handicapped...

 

[ZELLGADISS]

You are right! and Wrong!

Lemaitre is to blame to stick with a amateur club and a unconfident coach...A coach that tells him to strive for bronze, a coach that hopes other competitors drop out of races so Lemaitre has a easier time to win.
Lemaitre sub conscious is holding him back because that Old Fool Carraz ruined his potential and confidence, and he does not even see it. I have never seen a Gawky, weak sprinter who couldn't lift a 5 pound dumbell over his head and with 2 left feet run a Sub 10 or Sub 20 at an early age....Lemaitre was raw from the beginning, but the fools that train him destroyed his full potential. He had the potential to run 9.8 and even a 19.6...I am sure of it!

The potential? Perhaps, he has a huge talent,i dont doubt it.
But i dont think that he gets 9.8.
His first 30m are poor always, it is the reality.
And with poor 30m is impossible 9.8

Sorry but i think it.

In 200 if he is in good shape and around 10.00 in 100 he can to get sub20 perfectly.
With those times he can to have options for medals,of course.

 

[elispeedster]

The potential? Perhaps, he has a huge talent,i dont doubt it.
But i dont think that he gets 9.8.
His first 30m are poor always, it is the reality.
And with poor 30m is impossible 9.8

Sorry but i think it.

In 200 if he is in good shape and around 10.00 in 100 he can to get sub20 perfectly.
With those times he can to have options for medals,of course.

I meant had potential, past tense, if had received better guidance in his early career, yes 9.8 would have happened. now all lost due to a old fool with no confidence in his pupil, very sad

 

[frederic38]

But I still think we can celebrate Christophe historically, and not just for breaking the 10-second barrier. I honestly believe his 9.92 may be the fastest non-Peds time ever run. 19.80 may be the fastest time run without peds or altitude (Mennea's best time was at altitude).

Looking back at Olympic finals, even in the darkest days of the steroid era, typically only one (heavily drugged) runner would dip (barely) under 10. The rest were running the sort of times that Christophe runs. It's only recently that it's become standard to go sub-10, and I don't trust the people doing it.

:yo:
he's the most obviously natural athlete ever

 

[elispeedster]

I was very optimistic after the World Relays, but now I'm wondering if I put too much stock in those, given that legs can't be accurately timed.

Assuming the relays were misleading then I think we all have to swallow hard and admit to a painful reality: Christophe was fastest as a lanky teenager. Since that time he's gotten much slower, not because of coaching (which hasn't changed)(and besides which, he's tried everything) but because the changes to his body made him slower. When he started filling out, he filled out in the wrong places, such as the calves. Physical maturity doesn't always help.

But I still think we can celebrate Christophe historically, and not just for breaking the 10-second barrier. I honestly believe his 9.92 may be the fastest non-Peds time ever run. 19.80 may be the fastest time run without peds or altitude (Mennea's best time was at altitude).

Looking back at Olympic finals, even in the darkest days of the steroid era, typically only one (heavily drugged) runner would dip (barely) under 10. The rest were running the sort of times that Christophe runs. It's only recently that it's become standard to go sub-10, and I don't trust the people doing it.

Oh, and on another topic, Kilty won't be next. Teeters will. He's been much closer than Kilty consistently.

I agree that his body filled up in the wrong places...your classic sprinter is usually long limbed, thick hips and upper thighs, thin calves, wide strong shoulders, generally speaking.

If Lemaitre thick calves are holding him back which may explain this heavy leg feeling he complains about, its possible the weight training he is doing is wrong...I am curious to know his strength to body weight ratio, this is the key. I hope Master Carraz does not have him lifting weights in high rep form only to get muscular. Strength is the key, muscularity is only a side effect.
His Hip Flexors need to be stronger to pull up the thick calves. Lemaitre still has hope if trained correctly, only way to do this is to leave Carraz once and for all.

 

[NWsoccerfan]

I have noticed that as some guys mature, they get thicker calves. Even without necessarily training them, they seem to get bigger. Not sure if this is the case with Lemaitre. In any case, he is still running 10.1x so with a good trainer he should be able to get back below 10. Also if he regularly trained and ran against some other too guys that might help too.

 

[Don Wassall]

This has been an epic thread but I am closing it because of its size. There's a new Lemaitre thread now to post in.