Richards-Ross to give US one-two behind Felix in 200m Olympic final
Published:Allyson Felix has 0.4secs in hand over her seven rivals in the final of the women’s 200m and so Sanya Richards-Ross may be the better bet for punters to pick up the each-way money by finishing second.
Felix is a heavy 1/7 favourite to win a first individual Olympic gold, with Richards-Ross available 14/1 to add a second gold in London to that which she already collected when beating Britain’s Christine Ohourogu in the women’s 400m.
Five of the finalists qualified within 0.1secs of each other from the semi finals, with Richards-Ross marginally the quickest in 22.30secs.
Felix was one of these, but it was clear that she was already easing down a good 50m from the line and had more in the tank if required.
When winning the US trials for the event, Felix clocked a new personal best of 21.69secs and this is faster than anybody else in the field has ever run.
Meanwhile, nobody else has even broken the 22.00secs barrier this season, showing why Felix is such a short-priced and fancied favourite.
The battle for second is much trickier to call, with Felix’s fellow Americans Richards-Ross and Carmelita Jeter live contenders, along with Jamaican duo Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
Fraser-Pryce and Jeter were the first two home in the women’s 100m final earlier in London and there are doubts as to whether both have the speed endurance to fully maintain their form to the line.
Campbell-Brown has won the gold in this event at the last two Olympics and is worthy of each-way consideration at 12/1.
However, Richards-Ross brings optimum speed endurance from her considerable 400m training and will be finishing the quickest in the closing metres.
She has the second quickest time this season of the eight athletes in the final and looked strong when winning her semi-final from Fraser-Pryce.
The only weakness is that she has her main rivals for silver on her inside, which may cause her technique to fall apart if she finds herself being overtaken early on.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
