IAAF Grand Prix London 14-15th August

[FinLandiaFish]

Sport	Athletics
Event	Matthias de Zordo - Teemu Wirkkala
Selection	Teemu Wirkkala
Strength	10/10
Date	14/08/2010
Bookmaker/Price	Pinnacle Sports @ 2.78
Reasoning	Matthias de Zordo awed most of us by winning the silver medal in Barcelona throwing 87.81m besting his old personal best by few meters. Since June 20 his results from four competitions are the following (excluding the Barcelona event): 83.80m, 82.02m, 80.05m, 82.05m. Those are from oldest to newest and the latest result is after Barcelona which shows his back to a *normal* level again. Teemu Wirkkala's results since June 4: 85.04m, 83.77m, 81.76m, 79.90m, 83.88m. Again from oldest to newest. He won the silver medal in finnish championships on August 8th with that last result. I really think that de Zordo has has shown his best stuff this year in that Barcelona miracle and the little over 82meter throw after the championships agrees with me. On the other hand Wirkkala has been pretty solid this year and the 83.88m thrown about a week ago suggests that he still has some punch left in him for the rest of the season. Bookies are pricing Wirkkala a big underdog to place better than De Zordo. Again this should be not the case, one good competiition doesn't make the young man de Zordo suddenly perform like a champ every day. I'd say it's more like 50-50 who places better and thus I'm taking Wirkkala @2.78 .

[FinLandiaFish]

Re: IAAF Grand Prix London 14-15th August Hmm.. I guess they shortened the competition to only four rounds of throws. It was raining a bit so I guess that's the reason :\ Not that it would've mattered as de Zordo got one throw over 80meters and it was 86.97m. In all likelyhood Wirkkala wouldn't have thrown even near that. Well, worth a try but the young german happened to get one throw right to sink my bet :moon