Could not believe that at the World Championships, someone would be running in a loose, flappy tank top ! Not that Tyson wouldn’t have taken him anyway, but did yoo all notice that ? i mean, talk about non-aero, Asafa needs to get tuned in to ST in a bad way.
Was that in the finals? Didn’t see it, but I did see the semi heat that Gay ran in, and I also thought it was odd that half the field was racing in un-tucked singlets. But, I guess they figure that when you are that scary fast, a flap or two blowing in the wind ain’t gonna make that much difference…
yeah, i recorded and the finals is all i watched. i kept thinking he was gonna peel it off before the start, but nope, ran with the tail a-flapping…
I thought the same thing as I kept waiting for him to at least tuck in the bottom of the shirt before the race but he never did. I’ve gotta think that makes a little difference at those speeds.
I can’t find the quote right now, but Powell has said in the past that he’s just more comfortable in the loose top because he feels more free and less restricted.
PS. This country is so damn illiterate that google automatically searches “lose” when you type “loose”. I guess it’s to correct for all the morons out there.
Exactly ! especially when races are won / lost by hundredths of a second…
At first i saw him wearing it in the semis and thought ok i guess its ok as long as he makes it to the finals…but in the FINALS??? i wonder what he was thinking
in the quarters both powell and gay wore baggie tops to send a message to the competitors. gay also had his thigh number flapping around in the finals like a flag. hopefully gay will not be another greene, mitchell big head type…he could be the first american 100 olympic champion since bob hayes to be a good role model.
You know what is crazy…Asafa Powell is the fastest human EVER, so guess what he can wear whatever the hell he wants…I can’t believe you guys are flaming about this. Seriously, I’m pretty sure he knows what to wear when he races…plus I’m sure you yahoos race or plod along in whatever is comfortable for you on race day. You crazies are not the ones setting world records sooo maybe Asafa Powell knows a little more about speed than you all. Stick to triathlon or did you guys run out of stuff to complain about so you gotta dip on over to track and field.
I think you guys are pushing it a little bit. In a nine half second race, with the first three to four seconds in the start/acceleration phase, exactly how much time to you think they save in the last 5 seconds? They are standing straight up, arms flying, legs churning. I would think maybe the 200 or 400 meter guys might have a case for aero clothing. I also think think a guy an inch shorter would have a bigger aero effect on a race than a fairly tight shirt. Lycra is also hotter than a singlet and heat is a factor in Oska. A close fitting tank top is not like an aloha shirt or something flapping around there.
I think you guys are pushing it a little bit. In a nine half second race, with the first three to four seconds in the start/acceleration phase, exactly how much time to you think they save in the last 5 seconds? They are standing straight up, arms flying, legs churning. I would think maybe the 200 or 400 meter guys might have a case for aero clothing. I also think think a guy an inch shorter would have a bigger aero effect on a race than a fairly tight shirt. Lycra is also hotter than a singlet and heat is a factor in Oska. A close fitting tank top is not like an aloha shirt or something flapping around there.
Nicely put, glad to see not everyone has lost there damn mind on this forum.
“I think you guys are pushing it a little bit.”
nike and all its scientists and engineers disagree. not that they’re all correct. but you’ll remember the speed skating like suit marion jones wore a few years ago.
I think you guys are pushing it a little bit. In a nine half second race, with the first three to four seconds in the start/acceleration phase, exactly how much time to you think they save in the last 5 seconds? They are standing straight up, arms flying, legs churning. I would think maybe the 200 or 400 meter guys might have a case for aero clothing. I also think think a guy an inch shorter would have a bigger aero effect on a race than a fairly tight shirt. Lycra is also hotter than a singlet and heat is a factor in Oska. A close fitting tank top is not like an aloha shirt or something flapping around there.
While I agree with you on the first point, it’s hard to have it both ways… You can’t really say that aero doesn’t matter because the race is only 10 seconds long, but then suggest the man is concerned with overheating in tight fitting lycra in a race that’s 10 seconds long.
They never caught on, but tim montgomery, marion jones, and a few others were big into the nike swift suits a few years ago (they were into drugs too, but that’s a different issue!). The suits had a hood and covered the hands and were down to the ankle - there’s merit to being concerned about aero for these guys. But just like on the bike, you have to balance it against other factors.
The race is only 9 1/2, but the hanging around before is more like an hour with stretching and warmups.
Dan, what do you think Nike is going to say? Hmmm we just spent a million in a wind tunnel, and under some circumstance it might be .1000 of a second faster. Yea, that is the ticket now spend $250 instead of $20 and get yourself one. Or better yet we, will give you World Cup guys that run under 9.9 one so 10,000 high school kids think they need one to go fast.
I think there are way too many other factors in the 100 mbut agree you do feel fast in a sprintsuit. God help you in a 5-10k as those things are really hot, or at least the one I tried out sure was.
Now if you really want to rag on someone what about that 5 lbs of bling hanging around your neck? How much faster does that make you go?.
I realize this is the women’s race I’m talking about, but I’m wondering what Lauryn Williams and Carmelita Jeter think about this issue. They certainly didn’t run in a baggy top, but still, it took 6 minutes to determine the world champion, AFTER the race had already finished.
Which race did you watch?
Gay won. 9.85 to 9.96…Powell was off his game, he admitted to not running well…9.96 is nearly .2 off his WR.
i don’t understand what you’re saying; yes i know Gay won; my point is simply i could not believe someone of Powell’s abilities would be so non-aero attired.
all other things being equal (which i know they are not) someone in a race suit will beat someone in a tank top EVERY time.
sorry I mis-read your post. read it as : Not that Tyson would’ve have taken him anyway.
I agree with your point.
“I think you guys are pushing it a little bit.”
nike and all its scientists and engineers disagree. not that they’re all correct. but you’ll remember the speed skating like suit marion jones wore a few years ago.
Yeah, just finished “Game of Shadows”. Might be best to avoid Marion Jones as an example of “things that help people shave those crucial tenths of a second.” 
(Yes, I do understand your general point, that even in short races the little things matter.)
“Might be best to avoid Marion Jones as an example of “things that help people shave those crucial tenths of a second.” ;-)”
when i consider the american sprinters of the past decade, they as a group represented the fastest runners on the plant. they certainly did things that helped them get to that point. they were supremely good examples of how to run fast. some of those methods were legal. some were not. some were ethical and some were not. but they all were effective