Betfair Official Blog

Track and Field Preview - Day Eight

Despite their extremely talented team, the USA may lose out to Jamaica in the 4x400, says Jack Houghton.

Women's Long Jump Final

Events upon which to bet are quickly diminishing, but, after the successful lay of World ranked number one, Naide Gomes, who failed to qualify for the final, the value call is to go back in again and back Carolina Kluft for a Podium Finish in this Women's Long Jump. Kluft is [2.3] and I recommend a 3pts bet at that value price. Kluft qualified for the final by nailing her first jump; her 6.70 making her the third best qualifier. She was disappointed not to make the Triple Jump final and that, coupled with her experience of winning big competitions, will drive her to perform here. Reese has perhaps looked the most likely winner of the event, but her [3.9] doesn't offer any value. A case can also be made for Maggi. But outside of those two jumpers, the final looks open, with World Champion Lebedeva looking average in her qualification.

Women's 4 x 400m

The USA look short at [1.98] to capture the 4 x 400m. They have an extremely talented team - Sanya Richards, third in the individual event and Allyson Felix, arguably the best 400m runner in the world, being the backbone - and the likely same team were champions in Osaka last year. However, they only won that race by a second; with only three seconds covering the first five home. That kind of time is the difference between a good and bad changeover, and, whilst Sanya Richards will want to make amends for her dreadful tactical mishap in the individual event, the Jamaican team might just have the beating of her US team. With Shericka Williams, second in the individual event, and Melanie Walker, winner of the 400m Hurdles, along with a host of other women capable of running sub-50 second relay legs, they look the most likely winners. Therefore, the [5.5] currently available looks massive. I recommend a 4pts bet.

Men's 4 x 400m

The US are the top ranked team in the World this year, but on first examination, [1.06] looks ridiculously short considering they are only half a second ahead of their nearest competitor. Then you realise the time was set by a makeshift US team, and that the second, third, fourth and sixth best times on the lists have all been set by US college teams: and all at times that would have seen them competitive in last year's World Championships. The real US team won that event, over four seconds ahead of their nearest rival. This all underlines the strength in depth of US men's 400m running, and only a disqualification can deny them victory here. Two of their team - Merritt and Wariner - are capable of going under the current individual World Record (at the time of writing, the final of the individual event is yet to be run), and with David Neville, an individual finalist and athlete capable of running a 44-second relay leg, the World Record of 2.54.29 looks a real possibility. Michael Johnson came into this Olympics holding three World Records; he could leave holding none. I recommend a 2pts bet at [4.0].

Summary of advice:

3pts back at [2.3] on Carolina Kluft to Podium Finish in Women's Long Jump.
4pts back at [5.5] on Jamaica in Women's 4 x 400m.
2pts back at [4.0] on a New World Record in Men's 4 x 400m.