Anyone for Athletics...

[richp007]

Don't think we've got an athletics thread, so thought I'd start one.

But with a bit of rubbish news sadly.

Diack guilty of corruption and jailed

Lamine Diack, the disgraced former head of athletics' governing body, is sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of corruption.

www.bbc.co.uk

Along with what Russia were upto this is an absolute pisstake.

 

[Mandark]

The outdoor season is now under way for this year. I’ve seen that several events have taken place in the US and Jamaica. Some good performances by British athletes over the weekend. Excited that Zharnel Hughes has had a good early run in the 200m but competition will be tough this year as the American, Laird has run 19.81s already. Ridiculous! Jasmin Sawyers jumped better than indoors so that’s good too.

European Athletics

European Athletics

european-athletics.com

 

[Mandark]

Dina Asher-Smith had a good win over rising star Sha'Carri Richardson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in terrible conditions in Gateshead last night. I suppose the conditions didn't allow the women to show their best form but I suspect that 2021 Dina is an improvement on 2019 Dina. She said herself that she's stronger! She'll need to be better to take golds over the two above plus Elaine Thompson-Herah in the 100 metres and Shaunae MIller-Uibo in the 200m in Tokyo.

 

[Bessboro]

SAFP 10.63 in Kingston, only Flo Jo has run faster.

 

[Mandark]

SAFP 10.63 in Kingston, only Flo Jo has run faster.

Yes a great run. Laying down her marker. We could be looking at the greatest women’s Olympic 100 metres in history

 

[Xenomorph]

Mo Farah not doing too well in the 10k qualification race for Tokyo. Looks like it's over for him, but then he is getting on a bit now, in athlete terms.

 

[Mandark]

Mo Farah not doing too well in the 10k qualification race for Tokyo. Looks like it's over for him, but then he is getting on a bit now, in athlete terms.

Yes, he's veteran class now and not all can keep it going at a high level. By contrast, Dina Asher-Smith ran a good 100mv race in Hengelo - 10.92s. But perhaps the real performance was Daryll Neita. She ran a 11.04 and is at a US college so should have a lot more to come.

Oh and Jazmin Sawyers seems to be hitting the big time at last with a new long jump PB of 6.90m.

 

[Boo Radley75]

Sophie Hitchon who got a bronze at Hammer for GB in Rio and British record holder has announced her retirement. At only 29 years old, I thought she would have a few years left in her. A shame, was looking forward to seeing her in Tokyo. At the risk of sounding sexist, one of the few women's hammer throwers who are easy on the eye, too.

Olympic bronze medallist Hitchon retires

Sophie Hitchon, who threw a British record to win hammer bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, retires from the sport.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Call me Candy]

I used to love the Olympics. My first real memories of it was the Moscow Olympics 1980 of Alan Wells, Daley Thompson & of course the magical rivalry between Coe & Ovett. At the time I was in the Seb camp..... not so sure now.
As time has gone on I have been less enthusiastic towards it - especially the athletics. 2 things happened to rekindle my interest, first Usain Bolt. A true superstar & his almost mythical charisma, personality Then there was London 2012.
I must admit I really was not looking forward to it. Really thought we'd arse it up. But the unthinkable happened & the whole country was carried away on a wave of joy & pride. Who will ever forget super Saturday. THREE golds! This was team G. B we don't do things like that. Moment of the games for me was our Jess crossing the line in the final event to confirm gold. Her look of triumph & relief still bring a smile to me now.
These memories seem a little distant now. We have a confirmed drug cheat winning the 100m World championship, Russia, even alleged wrong doings by our own Mo Farah.
I'm sure Tokyo will happen- rightly or wrongly- & I'm sure that I will settle in front of the TV to watch it & cheer our boys & girls on...... Still.

 

[Deleted member 897776]

British Champs/Olympic Trials next weekend 25th-27th @ Manchester Regional Arena by the Etihad.

Toying with the idea of going, limited tickets on general sale sometime tomorrow, Monday.

Went 2 years ago at Alexander Stadium to see it before the place got redeveloped for the Commonwealths next year.

 

[fairytootoo]

British Champs/Olympic Trials next weekend 25th-27th @ Manchester Regional Arena by the Etihad.

Toying with the idea of going, limited tickets on general sale sometime tomorrow, Monday.

Went 2 years ago at Alexander Stadium to see it before the place got redeveloped for the Commonwealths next year.

I was there too, with a friend who lives within walking distance of the stadium.
Great day.
She’s applied, on our behalf, for Commonwealth athletics tickets. As a resident she gets to apply early, so

 

[Deleted member 897776]

I was there too, with a friend who lives within walking distance of the stadium.
Great day.
She’s applied, on our behalf, for Commonwealth athletics tickets. As a resident she gets to apply early, so

Hope you get them! Should be good and can’t complain if can walk to stadium!

 

[Deleted member 897776]

Bit of a shock 800m world champ Donovan Brazier won’t be in Tokyo.

World champion Brazier fails in Tokyo bid

World 800m champion Donavan Brazier fails to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics after finishing last at the make-or-break US trials.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 897776]

No BBC coverage of the British champs, obviously not important enough

Full coverage on British Athletics website and their YouTube channel.

Starts at 2:30pm today.

 

[fairytootoo]

No BBC coverage of the British champs, obviously not important enough

Full coverage on British Athletics website and their YouTube channel.

Starts at 2:30pm today.

Makes me want to cry, footie matches between other countries get televised, yet our own Champs in athletics doesn’t get a sniff

 

[Xenomorph]

Bit of a shock 800m world champ Donovan Brazier won’t be in Tokyo.

World champion Brazier fails in Tokyo bid

World 800m champion Donavan Brazier fails to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics after finishing last at the make-or-break US trials.

www.bbc.co.uk

Add Mo Farah to that.
Usual avalanche of drug accusations on Twitter.
The man is 38. That's ancient for a track athlete.
Still disappointing, as he obviously thought he had one more Olympics in him.

 

[Deleted member 897776]

Makes me want to cry, footie matches between other countries get televised, yet our own Champs in athletics doesn’t get a sniff

Exactly, only so much money to go around and not enough to buy the rights for grass roots athletics. I enjoy the heats and young athletes who haven’t got the times obviously to threaten the bigger names but will be a massive deal to them. All of our biggest stars started somewhere.

 

[Deleted member 897776]

Add Mo Farah to that.
Usual avalanche of drug accusations on Twitter.
The man is 38. That's ancient for a track athlete.
Still disappointing, as he obviously thought he had one more Olympics in him.

He desperately wanted to get to Tokyo, I wonder how much it was Father Time caught up with him and how much the niggling injury was to blame? Always sad when you see athletes trying but it’s just not there anymore.

Also caught Martyn Rooney’s chat on the track after he finished, he was very emotional and another British stalwart possibly finished

 

[richp007]

In some ways I'm glad Mo hasn't made it. I didn't want to see him getting a pasting after how prolific he was.

Truth be told though I've never really made peace with regards the drugs question.

Agree though about there being no coverage of our Champs. It's a shambles.

 

[Mandark]

Karsten Warholm breaks the 400mh world record with a phenomenal run - 46.70. And conditions weren’t ideal. His rivalry with the sub 47 American Benjamin could see that record fall again in Tokyo.

Gah! I watched that phenomenonal 400m run by Namibian, Christine Mboma, in Poland last night where she beat the European champion by 30 metres. Turns out to be what they now call a suspected DSD (Differences in sex development) case, as World Athletics have taken her and her teammate Masilingi off the 400m eligibility list.

 

[Deleted member 897776]

Gutted I missed this last night, put it in my diary when the Diamond League is on but obviously no athletics coverage on terrestrial atm with Wimbledon on red button. Then of course my internet started playing up

Not repeated on iplayer as yet so will have to wait until 7am when it’s getting a re-run on the red button.

I thought Warholm might break it at the Olympics the way he was running in the Diamond League last season but now if he does it will be his own WR!

Can’t wait

 

[Bessboro]

Remove.

 

[Mandark]

American superstar sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson facing an Olympics ban for the 100m solo event for testing positive for cannabis. This is one of those nightmare scenarios where a coming star of the sport gets into trouble. Some wonder if she might be able to run whilst she puts in an appeal. She's only likely to get a short ban at worst anyway.

Sha’Carri Richardson out of Olympic 100m after positive cannabis test

American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson has tested positive for cannabis, and she will not challenge for the Olympic 100m title in Tokyo this month

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bessboro]

I see no reason to void the results from the trials, cannabis can't be performance enhancing, just the opposite I would've thought, maybe that explains the slightly disappointing time in the final.

 

[Mandark]

I see no reason to void the results from the trials, cannabis can't be performance enhancing, just the opposite I would've thought, maybe that explains the slightly disappointing time in the final.

Cannabis can act as a relaxant so I suppose that could be useful in some sports/events. Still, I think a fine and a warning would do. Possibly missing the Olympics is a huge punishment for a minor misdemeanour.