BEIJING, China, Sporting Alert – Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands is favourite to win the women’s 200m title at the IAAF World Championships on Friday, according to Sky Bet.
Schippers, who finished second to Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100m on Monday, has looked impressive throughout the championships so far and she heads into the medal race as the 4/11 favourite for the gold medal.
The European champion cruised to 22.36 seconds to win her semi-final heat on Thursday and she had a lot left in the tank.
Jamaican champion Elaine Thompson, who trains with Fraser-Pryce in Kingston, also looked very comfortable when winning her semis in 22.13 seconds and she is being backed at 9/4 to win the gold medal.
Like Schippers, Thompson is also not the quickest out of the blocks, but they have very fast leg speed, as both women have personal bests in the low 10.8s in the 100m, which were achieved this season.
Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith comes in as the 10/1 contender to be the gold medal winner.
The 19-year-old, who ran 22.12 secs to win her semis, looked bang on form in the first two rounds, and she led all qualifiers heading into the final.
However, unlike Thompson and Schippers who eased down significantly before the finish line, Asher-Smith ran all the way through the line in both her qualifying heats and it could affect her recovery for the decider.
The rest of the field is completed by American Candyce McGrone, at 40/1, with Ivet Lalova-Collio of Bulgaria, Jamaicans Veronica Campbell-Brown and Sherone Simpson and USA’s Jeneba Tarmoh, all at 100/1 to win the gold medal.
Base on form, Schippers will be the favourite, but she could find the going a little tough against Thompson, who did not run in the 100m.
If Thompson gets away to a fast start, which I think will happen, the Jamaican, who has a personal best of 22.10 secs, could deliver something special and hold off the Dutch star who I believe will be a little tired from running five rounds of sprints already.
In looking at a possible winning time, Sky Bet has odds of 8/11 for a 21.79 seconds and slower, with a 21.78 seconds and quicker being at 1/1.
2011 champion Campbell-Brown, who also won two Olympic gold medals in this discipline, is at 9/1 to collect a medal.
Gold Medal Winner
Dafne Schippers 4/11
Elaine Thompson 9/4
Dina Asher-Smith 10/1
Candyce McGrone 40/1
Ivet Lalova-Collio 100/1
Veronica Campbell-Brown 100/1
Jeneba Tarmoh 100/1
Sherone Simpson 100/1
Powerful runner.