Christophe Lemaitre "White Lightning" 9.92 and 19.80!

[greyghost]

i dont believe somebody mentioned duran duran on these pages

 

[white lightning]

I know. What was I thinking. Hehehe.

I know one thing. The European Championships are going to very exciting. On youtube, you can find old video coverage from when guys like Allan Wells and many others were racing. It's actually very fun to watch. Even as recently as 2006, it was a good race. Our guys took the silver and bronze medals. So that is 2 out of the top 3 guys in the finals. Yepishin finished 2nd in a time of 10.10 and Osovnikar took 3rd in 10.14! This year should be even better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmOd1zypLDQ

 

[whiteathlete33]

Unfortunately Yepishin has regressed since then. He said a few year ago he would be the first white man to run sub 10 seconds. It's a shame.

 

[white lightning]

Yeah he went backwards in a big way. He had one good year and that was it. Indoors and Outdoors he was in his prime in 2006. He even ran two 10.10's in the same Euro Champs. He had the same time in the semi finals. He had a start that was amazing but his lack of height hurt him in the 100. Most of the time he would get run down late in the races.

Just imagine if Christophe can ever get his 60 times like Morne Nagel. It would be incredible to see that. He has to improve his drive phase drastically in the coming years. The top end speed is there and it's equal to almost any sprinter on earth. He just needs to get up to speed quicker and to stay consistant. At the moment, Christophe probably averages around 10.05 for his races if I had to guess. He needs to average a sub 10 the majority of the time.

He did look tired when he raced Bolt and Powell recently. I can understand this too as he was being interviewed by everyone. The coach will protect him from the media going into Barcelona. This will help him alot so that he is rested and relaxed.

 

[mastermulti]

spot on! Christophe's top 9 (i.e. everything he's done under 10.10) races now average 10.05.

I used to have access to an in depth list of dozens of sprinters with their top 10 averages. I'll try to find it for comparison purposes

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

@jimmy chitwood,
<div>well he's not that famous for non-sportive followers here in France, his fame is just starting after his sub 10! so not a lot of money right now, and he refuses publicity contracts (til now) because he says that he's not interested in money (and publicity duties) so he doesn't want to waste his time..</div>
<div>so I think he doesn't make a lot</div>

bk, thanks for the info from France and welcome to the site! We'd like to see more French posters on this site. It seems most are American, Canadian English- or other English speakers. France is a wonderful country culturally and scenically- and the policies are actually somewhat similar to Canada there (much less of a police and lock up state than the U.S- and minor addicts... (ie. people who partake in "minor", non violent indecencies) are treated as addicts first rather than criminals if I'm not mistaken. Economically it is probably a little left of Canada).

The only things that bother me about France is that they have let in too many non ethnic French immigrants and the sports system seems to be racist (although not as racist as the U.S caste system). The French soccer team had few true Frenchman and most of the basketball players are black (although Nando De Colo is a good white French NBA prospect). I'd like to hear your thoughts bk (or The Master's thoughts), on the lack of ethnic French athletes (at the top) in soccer and basketball. Thanks for any info you can divulge to me.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

BTW, not to get the thread too off topic, but I just wanted to say that I think Canada's economic and tax policies are pretty good, but the socialized medicine (from tax payer money) is a real mess- and is too far left. The U.S would be foolish to copy Canada's MO on health care, which it appears "Obama Care" might be fairly close to. But overall I like most French policies. Lots of them are similar to Canada!

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

@jimmy chitwood,
well he's not that famous for non-sportive followers here in France, his fame is just starting after his sub 10! so not a lot of money right now, and he refuses publicity contracts (til now) because he says that he's not interested in money (and publicity duties) so he doesn't want to waste his time..
so I think he doesn't make a lot

thanks for that response. i would like to have this confirmed, however, because i've an interest in comparing Lemaitre to some other athletes who've accomplished similar feats. i'm unable to do this myself, as i don't speak French.

any verifiable information ontoward this end would be most helpful.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

I think he'd have to summarize French media articles for us (if he has the time) to show how much attention Lemaitre is getting and how positive the reaction in the French media is- for you to get the perfect answer JC. Lemaitre has now joined the elite group of less than 80 men (if I'm not mistaken) in the history of the world to go sub 10. I honestly think that Lemaitre may have the talent to win a medal in 2012. A low 9.8 is possible for him I think (even without steroids).

I think he will become a more clutch and accomplished sprinter than Powell- even without steroids. I agree with you guys' suspicions that Powell and Bolt may be on steroids- since Jamaica seems to have a shady history with weak testing standards and drug scandals in track. Ben Johnson is still a hero there and "lifestyle" drugs are a big part of the culture there.

I think Gay is probably clean of steroids- since he voluntarily signed up for the stringent Pilot program (they even back check the stored viles of blood from monthly random tests- when new info becomes available months or years later!). He "could" be using something like HGH- that you are VERY unlikely to be caught for. I think Gay and Bolt would be running almost neck and neck for world's fastest man if they were both clean or steroids.

Lemaitre I think could get within 0.1 to 0.15 seconds of Gay's likely "steroid" clean record of 9.69- if he stays completely clean me's thinks. I predict Lemaitre will become one of the top 10 100 meter sprinters (time wise) in the history of track when it's all said and done...He is that talented! I predict two individual bronze medals and a bronze and silver in the relay at the Olympics in the 100 (from the 2012 and 2016 Olympics) and a PB of 9.81 when he hangs up his spikes!Edited by: ToughJ.Riggins

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

What are you guy's predictions for the career of Christophe? I know some of you guys may be superstitious and believe in jinxes, but I think Christophe is too talented for that and is very headstrong/ mentally tough to avoid negative energy. Let's get some predictions going for 2012, 2016 and a career!

 

[white lightning]

This will be my hypothesis for the coming years on what I think Christophe will run. I will just stick to the 100 for the time being.

2010 - 9.95

2011 - 9.85

2012 - 9.80

2013 - 9.76

2014 - 9.72

2015 - 9.68

2016 - 9.57 and a new world record! Gotta be positive!Edited by: white lightning

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Those are some bold predictions WL! I love the optimism. Many here were skeptical that we'd even see Lemaitre run a sub 10 this year. You were proven right! I myself, believed his chances were better than not to run the sub 10 either this year or next with the way he was performing!

I'm not sure if it's humanly possible at this state of evolution to run a high 9.5x without steroids. My hypothesis is the fastest a human can possibly run- wind legal- is about a 9.7 if they are completely clean of PEDs right now (strange anomalies can happen though). I put Lemaitre's ceiling at about 0.1 seconds slower than Gay and a clean Bolt. I should also point out that Gay, like Wells, hit his prime later than most sprinters. Lemaitre like Shirvington, and Andrei Yepelshin seems to have blossomed early, but I predict he stays healthy, trains hard- and his cool and calm demeanor keeps him from stressing himself out of contention.

2010 - 9.95
2011 - 9.90
2012 - 9.86 (Bronze medal 100 meter, Bronze 100 meter relay)
2013 - 9.85
2014 - 9.88
2015 - 9.81
2016 - 9.81 (Silver medal 100 meter, Silver 100 meter relay)

What the heck, I upped him to an individual silver for 2016. I agree, gotta be positive.

 

[white is right]

I reserve judgment on what he can do until I see if he can gain size and not slow down or can he even gain size(some guys can't). If he could get to a Bolt type size I think the sky is the limit and times in the Bolt/Gay Powell range are possible. I would love for a Balco type scandal to hit the sport again so that times could get more realistic for a while and then we could see what a clean athlete can attain in terms of medals.

 

[GiovaniMarcon]

Well, even if he never tops his 9.98 CLM is still a winner in my book because he broke the barrier, and he will never be forgotten for that. For him to turn it into a regular thing, or just do so a couple more times to prove it wasn't a fluke is just a bonus. He does have the potential to do more, though. I picture him going into the 9.8Xs during his career, at the very least.

It's so sad that The Shirv was never able to cross the barrier. He had all the tools -- size, raw power, talent... Just fizzled out. I think that if Matthew came along today, instead of ten or twelve years ago, and saw what CLM did, got different training, he would have dipped under 10 at least a couple of times.

Valery Borzov? I think against a runner like Lemaitre, if he had modern training methods -- with his perfectionism, technique -- he'd go sub 10, too.

 

[Bk21]

@jimmy chitwood,
well he's not that famous for non-sportive followers here in France, his fame is just starting after his sub 10! so not a lot of money right now, and he refuses publicity contracts (til now) because he says that he's not interested in money (and publicity duties) so he doesn't want to waste his time..
so I think he doesn't make a lot

thanks for that response. i would like to have this confirmed, however, because i've an interest in comparing Lemaitre to some other athletes who've accomplished similar feats. i'm unable to do this myself, as i don't speak French.

any verifiable information ontoward this end would be most helpful.

well this info about money contract I've read it on L'Equipe.fr (the paper version journal is the most selled paper in France, all catégories included (politics, people, etc..)).. it was an itw given by his coach, I'va searched for it but I was unable to find it again because the "briefs" stay online 3/4 days maximum the newest ones replace the oldest.. but I'll track another intersting infos and post them here

 

[Bk21]

@jimmy chitwood,

well he's not that famous for non-sportive followers here in France, his fame is just starting after his sub 10! so not a lot of money right now, and he refuses publicity contracts (til now) because he says that he's not interested in money (and publicity duties) so he doesn't want to waste his time..

so I think he doesn't make a lot

bk, thanks for the info from France and welcome to the site! We'd like to see more French posters on this site. It seems most are American, Canadian English- or other English speakers. France is a wonderful country culturally and scenically- and the policies are actually somewhat similar to Canada there (much less of a police and lock up state than the U.S- and minor addicts... (ie. people who partake in "minor", non violent indecencies) are treated as addicts first rather than criminals if I'm not mistaken. Economically it is probably a little left of Canada).

The only things that bother me about France is that they have let in too many non ethnic French immigrants and the sports system seems to be racist (although not as racist as the U.S caste system). The French soccer team had few true Frenchman and most of the basketball players are black (although Nando De Colo is a good white French NBA prospect). I'd like to hear your thoughts bk (or The Master's thoughts), on the lack of ethnic French athletes (at the top) in soccer and basketball. Thanks for any info you can divulge to me.

Hi and thanks for the welcome,
first of all, I was welcomed by a private message from "Lisa D" a "forumer" on this site, she's french, and may provide a female touch on this forum if needed..
thanks too for the compliments about France, it is actually a very beautiful country if somebody wants to look at it without any "prejudices?" or "cliché" (snobbish wine drinkers )on mind, just as I see the states as a marvellous country
about non ethnic French in our sports, it can be explained by different factors:
we have the DOM-TOM are the overseas departments and territories, (french polynesia, guyane, reunion islands etc..) which are outside Europe, but are French territories (like Thierry Henry and Florent Malouda for example, they are not immigrents.. as they don't have another "mother country" else than France)
the history of France and the colonisation of Africa and large parts of Europe (18th and 19th century) (Napoleon Bonaparte for ex) and north africa (after ww1) started the immigration to France, with the foreign soldiers who fought for France during multiple wars!
but the question is why in sports there is a lot of immigrents (wide question!) even if they are far from being the majority,well, immigrents are by far, the poorest social category here, and a lot of kids are willing to give up their studies to be fully devoted for sports! soccer players are for the majority of them issued from poor families and the one who doesn't succeed will live miserably, this is a risk that no average family will accept to take and prefer to assure for their kids a safer way of life, behing the glamourous soccer players team, there are hundred of thousands who ends up in amateur clubs with derisory salaries!
there area lot of"white" sports very popular and successfull like Handball and Rugby and others which are majoritarily ethnic french, but have the same common points: if you don't become professionnal you will not ruin your life, and you don't make a huge amount of money (like soccer player does!)

i hope it was clear

totally off topic,I don't know if you know this other french athlete (which is 1st ranked in 2010) Renaud Lavillenie.

 

[waterbed]

im from holland we have a lot of colononials in the Carribean and the people look often like henry or malouda, they are multi generation mixed but people think they are black.Pure blacks we don't have here much because we don't have colonial area in sub saharn africa we have 200 million sub saharn africans here, we have 1 million arabs and 500 thousand people mixed indonesian(colonial in the past) with dutch blood.200 thousand east asians and 300000 south asians india.and like 150 thousand mestizos from colombia and other countries were most people are mixed native american with white.Younger generation are much more non white.

we have just like france a lot of white sports like ice skating, hockey, in holland tennis too, our nation leaugue pro highest divison is like 65 % white which is maybe a little higher then in the amateur league,france por leaugue from what i have sean is like 40% white.The only thing i dont like about a lot of non whites like in france sports is if more european countries would do this whites would be seen as nothing.They say france was very muti cultural is 98 but in fact they were much whiter then they are now they played with like 8 whites.whites hold nearly every world record in strength events but blacks are seen as strong just because they look a bit more lean, and because of that you see there muscles more.Like i said before they also said that france was so strong( african ancestries) when we played them in 2008 but within 10 minutes kuyt scored with his weak body of 84 kgs and controled the musculair Malouda of 72 kgs lol.A never had a lot of problems with blacks I just don't like the media.

 

[Bk21]

im from holland we have a lot of colononials in the Carribean and the people look often like henry or malouda, they are multi generation mixed but people think they are black.Pure blacks we don't have here much because we don't have colonial area in sub saharn africa we have 200 million sub saharn africans here, we have 1 million arabs and 500 thousand people mixed indonesian(colonial in the past) with dutch blood.200 thousand east asians and 300000 south asians india.and like 150 thousand mestizos from colombia and other countries were most people are mixed native american with white.Younger generation are much more non white.

we have just like france a lot of white sports like ice skating, hockey, in holland tennis too, our nation leaugue pro highest divison is like 65 % white which is maybe a little higher then in the amateur league,france por leaugue from what i have sean is like 40% white.The only thing i dont like about a lot of non whites like in france sports is if more european countries would do this whites would be seen as nothing.They say france was very muti cultural is 98 but in fact they were much whiter then they are now they played with like 8 whites.whites hold nearly every world record in strength events but blacks are seen as strong just because they look a bit more lean, and because of that you see there muscles more.Like i said before they also said that france was so strong( african ancestries) when we played them in 2008 but within 10 minutes kuyt scored with his weak body of 84 kgs and controled the musculair Malouda of 72 kgs lol.A never had a lot of problems with blacks I just don't like the media.

 

[Bk21]

personally I don't think that there are genetic predisposition for blacks or whites in soccer! I explained above why there are a lot of black in french football, but there aren't a lot if you count the whole mass of sport athletes.. and it's definitely not a matter of weight. 98 was still multicultural, 2010 isn't anymore

 

[waterbed]

Yes i understand but in holland the % non whites is at least as high as in france and the non whites play also nearly all soccer,when whites play a lot of sports.We have very whites sports too where nearly all of the anticipaters are white ( what rugby is in france is ice skatting in holland).But we now play with national team 8 out of 11 whites.I just don't think the amateur soccer league's in france is only like 35% white like the nation team and pro teams, but i do believe that it is less white then france overall because whites play more sports but 35% is just very low.

I love france btw with vacances

 

[trackster]

From a training site:

http://speedendurance.com/2010/07/11/christophe-lemaitre-not-the-first-white-man-to-break-10-seconds/

 

[Bk21]

From a training site:

http://speedendurance.com/2010/07/11/christophe-lemaitre-not-the-first-white-man-to-break-10-seconds/

well when you round up 9.992 it makes 9.99 not 10.00! so I don't think it'san official chrono

 

[waterbed]

normally but the IAAF rounds always up.

 

[Swede]

A 9,992 is a 10,00 according to the rules. It is always done that way. A 9,991 would also be a 10,00. But all that will be academic when Lemaitre smashes his own pb in the Euros. I think he will get into the low 9,9 area, at least. Remember last year when he went from 10,17 to 10,04 in the championship.

Im new on the board by the way. Im from Sweden and i can give you updates on Wissman and som other info.

 

[whiteathlete33]

Welcome to Castefootball Swede! I can't wait till Lemaitre hits the low 9.9 range or 9.8.