Tokyo (AFP)

Usually domineering, the United States and their red and blue uniform threaten to crush the competition in the track and field events of the Tokyo Olympics, the first since the retirement of the legendary Usain Bolt, against a backdrop of runaway performances with the generalization of new generation shoes.

The "Trials", contested at the end of June in Eugene in the temple of US athletics, may have set the tone for the next ten days at the Olympic stadium. With two world records (400m hurdles women by Sydney McLaughlin, weight by Ryan Crouser) and a shower of extraordinary results, the Americans have clearly displayed their ambitions and should even more than usual fly over the medal table of sport N .1 of the OJ.

The strongest symbol would be a comeback at the top of the sprint and the 100m, the race most awaited by the general public, the one that forges the stars and over which Usain Bolt reigned supreme from 2008 to 2016. A l hour when the discipline is looking for an absolute headliner, taking over from Jamaican "Lightning" would mark the spirits and act for good the stranglehold of the American super-power.

With Trayvon Bromell, best time of the year (9 sec 77), accompanied by Ronnie Baker and Fred Kerley, the United States are well provided but in the absence of world champion Christian Coleman, suspended for three "no- shows ", the debates promise to be very open and will crown whatever happens a runner with a virgin record at this level.

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"Bolt led the way and now it's up to others to write their story," Bromell said before flying to Japan.

On the other hand, US cars can claim the 200m sweep with Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek and the 17-year-old phenomenon Erriyon Knighton, faster than Bolt at the same age.

- Record hunting -

Among the women, the United States, which have not won gold in the 100m since 1996 and the coronation of Gail Devers, relied heavily on the nugget Sha'Carri Richardson, with unparalleled sporting and marketing potential.

But the 21-year-old sprinter was deprived of the Olympics after testing positive for cannabis, which could leave the way open for a 100% Jamaican duel between the two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (2008, 2012) and the champion. by Rio Elaine Thompson.

At 34, Fraser-Pryce, who in June became the 2nd fastest woman in history (10 sec 63) behind the American Florence Griffith-Joyner, could be the first woman to offer herself three victories in the 100m in the JO.

“Whatever happens in Tokyo, my biggest achievement has been to come back to my best level after the birth of my son in 2017,” says the one known as “Mommy Rocket”.

Another famous mom, Allyson Felix, the American with nine podiums at the Games, will be on the track to try to supplant Jamaican Merlene Ottey as the most medal-winning Olympic athlete.

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While awaiting the verdict of the sprint and despite American supremacy, post-Bolt athletics remains a multipolar universe.

"I am often asked the question: + What does sport look like without Usain Bolt? + Well, he seems healthy in a whole range of athletics disciplines," said Sebastian Coe, president of the athletics, on Tuesday. International Federation.

There is no shortage of hot spots and the hunt for records is likely to be in full swing, with the prodigy Armand Duplantis (pole vault), the duos Karsten Warholm-Rai Benjamin and Sydney McLaughlin-Dalilah Muhammad (400m hurdles), the German Johannes Vetter (javelin), American Grant Holloway (110m hurdles) or Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas (triple jump).

- Medium boiling -

The middle distance has been in turmoil for more than a year, boosted by the technological revolution and the "magic" spikes, and has found new faces with the Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei, the Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey and the Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, in search of a historic treble 1500 m-5000 m-10,000 m.

If successful in his crazy business, Hassan, ex-protégé of the sulphurous Alberto Salazar, suspended four years in 2019 for "incitement to doping", would not fail to cause controversy.

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The runner of Ethiopian origin has already opened the umbrella by declaring at the beginning of July "to be always clean".

"If you want to test me, you can do it every day," she added.

For the French, Rio-2016 and its harvest of medals (6) seem to be ancient history and they approach these Olympics in the most total vagueness between misforms and limited podium hopes.

The chances of French victories rest mainly on the shoulders of world record holder Kevin Mayer in the decathlon.

© 2021 AFP