Renato Canova předpovídá dnešní disciplíny (podle něj vyhraje na 40procent Anťuchovová, se stejnou pstí Demusová, Hejnová na 15 procent, na 5 procent Spencerová):
If we have to look at the semifinals, we need to give the role of favorite to the Russian NATALYA ANTYUKH. Born on 26th Aug 1981, with perfect structure for the event (175 x 64 kg), she won the bronze medal in Daegu (Wch 2011), after a career spent in the event without barriers. Natalya was one of the top specialists of 400m (PB of 49”85 in 2004), but was able to improve her PB in 200m in the current season with 22”73, and her shape seems to be the best ever. In the semifinal, she ran the best time till now (53”33) showing full control and finishing realxed. She is absolutely able to run faster than her PB of 52”92, obtained winning European Championships in Barcelona in 2010.
However, the history of big championships speaks in favor of LASHINDA DEMUS. The athlete from US, born on 10th March 1983, more compact than Antyukh (170 x 57 kg), is a terrible fighter when there is the full focus in winning medals. After running, only 16, in 57”04 (1999), Lashinda won the World Junior Championships 2002 in Kingston, with the World Junior Record of 54”70. In 2005 and 2009 won the silver medal in WCh, and finally in Daegu 2011 became World Champion in the event. Lashinda is very aggressive, and normally attacks the race at very high speed, trying to create a gap during the first 300m. She can do this having a good technique (her PB in 100 hs is 12”96 in 2011), and also works for increasing her specific endurance (this year she started the season with 2’07”49 in 800m). Till now, she was able running 4 times under 53”, with a PB of 52”47 winning in Daegu, fact showing she is able to peak reaching the best shape for the top competitions.
Other two athletes can look at the medals : ZUZANA HEJNOVA of Czech Republic, and KALIESE SPENCER of Jamaica.
HEJNOVA (born on 19th Dec 1986), very similar to Demus as morphology (170 x 54 kg), comes from 100m HS, where has a PB of 13”36 in 2011. She was already finalist in Beijing 2008, but now is very much stronger. Last year she ran in 53”29, but this year seems able to improve this time. She usually is able to finish very fast, having a good endurance, that tries to better working in this direction during the indoor season (she ran 800m in 2’07”99 in the indoor season 2012)
Last, but not least, KALIESE SPENCER. The youngest of the group (6th May 1987) and the tallest (178 x 59 kg), Kaliese was the World Junior Champion in 2006, and already for two times was 4th in WCh (2009 and 2011). She is fast (50”55 in 2008) and resistant (2’03”01 in 2011), but her technique in overtaking the hurdles is not the best, since many times goes with too much rotation of the hips, losing her balance at the moment of landing. However, she has a PB of 52”79 in 2011. But during the semifinals she never seemed in a shape comparable with last year.
Percentages : Antyukh and Demus 40%, Hejnova 15%, Spencer 5%