It is the final night of athletics in the Olympic Stadium on Saturday with the last seven gold medals to be decided including some really open events while all British eyes will be on Mo Farah to see if he can complete a historic double double.
Gold Medal Events
- Women’s High Jump
- Men’s Javelin
- Men’s 1500m
- Women’s 800m
- Men’s 5000m
- Women’s 4x400m Relay
- Men’s 4x400m Relay
With events being decided on the track and in the field we should be treated to some top quality athletics to round off the Olympics with.
Women’s High Jump
This is probably the most open event of the night. Potential winners are loaded in this final. Chaunte Lowe heads into the event as the favourite but the European duo of Ruth Beitia and Blanka Vlasic have to be respected while Vashti Cunningham and Mirela Demireva are live dangers too.
2016 so far and the records of the year would suggest that Lowe is the one to beat. I’m not so sure I like her chances that much though. Away from America she hasn’t been great but she is the only woman to go over 2m this year so while I’m not a fan I get why she is favourite.
I think the consistency of Ruth Beitia could be the way to approach this final. We saw in the pole vault how Diamond League consistency can be a good form guide and the Spaniard has won the last three Diamond League events and has been getting better and better in each of them. In a field full of potential winners she’s my choice at 7/2.
Men’s Javelin
This is another wide open event where qualifying looks to have had a big impact on the betting market. Defending champion Keshorn Walcott made it through with the longest throw but really he has offered little going into the event so how he is favourite off the back of that is beyond me.
In fairness some bookmakers still have the world leader Thomas Rohler as the favourite. He is the only man to go over 90m this year and you would have to think if he can go that far here the gold medal is his for the taking.
As ever one throw in javelin can make a significant impression so really none of the finalists can be ruled out with confidence but four of the furthest eight throws in the world this year belong to Rohler and that is a statistic we are more than happy to support with our money.
Men’s 1500m
If the odds are anything to go by, and we’ve repeatedly seen throughout these Games they aren’t really, then Asbel Kiprop is a near certainty for the gold. I still think he’ll win this race but shoe ins don’t exist at the minute.
The reason I think Kiprop can win is because a genuine danger doesn’t look apparent. Taoufik Makloufi is rated his main danger but after a heavy workload which included the 800m how much he has left in the tank must be questionable. This just looks like a race to leave alone.
Women’s 800m
I say there are no certainties in this meeting but Caster Semenya is one barring something we have no chance of seeing beforehand but the race in behind her is likely to be extremely competitive with a number of women fancying their chances of a medal.
Great Britain’s Lynsey Sharp is one of those and she’ll have her supporters for a top three finish at 5/1 and I wouldn’t necessarily put anyone off but the Canadian runner Melissa Bishop has stood out to me all competition and at even money I can’t ignore the price on her to medal. I’ll have a dabble on her to win the race without Semenya too.
Men’s 5,000m
If Great Britain fans needed something to give them confidence that Farah can do the double double it certainly didn’t come in the women’s event when a 1/50 favourite was obliterated and could only come third and if that doesn’t put people off taking the 10,000m champion then nothing will.
That said Mo is much more experienced than his female counterpart and I don’t expect him to make the same mistake but it is a warning sign I’m prepared to heed and cheer the Briton on rather than back him or indeed anyone else.
Women’s 4x400m Relay
As ever the competition ends with the 400m relays with the women up first. In both relays I think Jamaica and USA are untouchable but the race for third could be very good. Great Britain are odds on to land third in this particular race and the form line suggests that is about right.
Most of the challengers to the main two come from European descent and given that Britain are the current European champions having won that title a month or so ago then the form is there to suggest their position in the betting is justified. I’m no odds on backer generally and I’m certainly no odds on backer in a relay so I’ll cheer them on too.
Men’s 4x400m Relay
Once again this is a relay that looks between USA and Jamaica. Actually it is probably USA and then the rest as ever. Great Britain’s disqualification might have opened the medals right up funnily enough with Bermuda, Botswana and Belgium all likely to fancy their chances of taking some hardware away from these Games.
I quite like Botswana. They have a couple of really good runners but a couple who aren’t the best and it could be that which is their downfall. That same can be said for Bermuda so it might be that Belgium are just a little underrated.
We know all about the Borlee brothers and with them likely to be the fresher of that trio having offered little in the regular 400m event they could take advantage and come through and nail the bronze medal. They were the third fastest qualifiers once GB was disqualified and that’s enough to tempt me in.
Tips
WON – Back R.Beitia to win Women’s High Jump for a 2/10 stake at 4.50 with Ladbrokes
Back her here:
WON – Back T.Rohler to win Men’s Javelin for a 3/10 stake at 3.50 with Betfred
Back him here:
Back M.Bishop Top 3 Finish in Women’s 800m for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Skybet
Back M.Bishop to win Women’s 800m w/o Semenya for a 2/10 stake at 4.50 with Skybet
Back them here:
Back Belgium Top 3 Finish in Men’s 4x400m Relay for a 3/10 stake at 2.75 with Betfair
Back them here:
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