by Larry EderThe women’s 400 meters was supposed to be a bit of a grudge match between Allyson Felix, USA, who lost the 400 meters in Rio to Shaunae Miller-Uibo.
As the runners came off the 300 meter mark, Shaunae Miller-Uibo was in the lead, a lead that looked insurmountable. Shaunae Miller-Uibo looked up at the screen with about seventy meters to go, clipped her toe on the track and began to collapse, relegating the Bahamanian sprinter to fourth, in 50.49. Allyson Felix had gone out so hard, there was no more gas in the tank, and she finished third, in bronze, running 50.08. Running the race of her life, Salwa Eid Nasser, from Bahrain, who ran 50.06 NR, taking silver.
Running the race of her life, Phyllis Francis ran 49.92 PB to take gold in the 400 meters. Again, no race every works to the plan. Humans are involved.
In reviewing the presser, it was obvious that Allyson Felix has some motivation for 2019 and 2020, Salwa Eid Nasser will be around for some time, and Phyllis Francis ran her nearly perfect race in London, upsetting many track fantasy games.
