There is a strange twist of fate to Shaunae Miller-Uibo's surprising decision to contest only the 200m at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Miller-Uibo is the 400m champion who will not be defending her title at the upcoming Tokyo Games. But why would the 400m defending champion not seek to defend the title she won five years ago at the 2016 Olympics? This would be the first time that a defending Champion has chosen not to defend her title. Miller-Uibo has the opportunity to defend her 400m title like Marie Jose Perec of France, who won the title at the 1992 Barcelona Games and successfully defended it at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Why is she hellbent on squandering this glorious opportunity to become only the second woman in history to achieve this feat?
Miller-Uibo Versatility
The 1.85m Bahamian athlete has personal bests of 48.37 seconds over the 400m and 21.74 seconds over the 200m. Based on times, there is no doubt that Miller-Uibo is an exceptionally talented and versatile athlete over the 200m and 400m distances and could pose a great challenge to the best sprinters in both the 200m and 400m events.
At the 2019 World Championship in Doha, Qatar, Miller-Uibo at her best, was emphatically defeated by the younger and outstanding Bahrainian, Salwa Eid Naser, who posted a blinding Championship record of 48.14 seconds. Is Miller-Uibo afraid of Salwa Eid Naser? Does she doubt her chances in the 400m against the phenomenal Bahrainian? Why would she not want to defend her Olympic title in the 400m?
The competitive 200m
Why has she focused her attention only on the 200m that will include the likes of the sublime and defending sprint double Olympic Champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Daphne Schippers, Dina Asher-Smith and Marie Josse TaLou? Does Miller-Uibo consider the 200m an easier event to win at the Tokyo Olympics? Is it her intention to mount an assault on the legacy that awaits Elaine Thompson-Herah, and in the process, be seen as the queen of Caribbean sprinting or is it that she is just more afraid of Salwa Eid Naser than she is of Elaine Thompson-Herah and company? Could it be that Miller-Uibo, having already won the 400m Olympic title, wants now, to win another event at the Olympics? Is Miller-Uibo, by opting to doing only one event, the 200m, admitting that she cannot do the 200m/400m double and win any title? Could it be that Miller-Uibo no longer has the stomach nor the legs for the 400m?
Chasing history
What is clear to all is that the 200m final is going to be lightning quick and might very well prove the biggest gamble ever made by Shaunae Miller-Uibo. But then, it could be her coronation moment. Thompson-Herah is already in sub 10.80 shape and should be in at least sub 10.70 shape by June. By July it is quite conceivable that Thompson-Herah could be in low 10.6s to sub 10.60 shape. And, with that kind of blinding speed, there will be virtually no hope for Miller-Uibo in the 200m. It could very well be the classic case of choosing the bird in the bush over the bird in hand. Yet, it is really the case that Miller-Uibo is caught between a rock and a hard place; she has moved away from the rock (Naser) and has taken her gamble with a hard place (Thompson-Herah).
Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah) Sports Writer & Sports Analyst
Ben Nyah is a track and field enthusiast who has covered track and field for over 30 years. A graduate of Kingston College, Ben Nyah has interviewed athletes and analyze their performances. He has covered not just local Jamaican track and field athletes, but international athletes. His photogenic memory coupled with his analytical approach to the sport has led to lively and passionate perspectives of the sport.
Edited by Raymond Byfield.
Shaunae Miller-Uibo photo - courtesy of Joe Swift Photography
Comments
Leave a Comment