While "Best Ever" is subjective, there's no denying that such as Sydney McLaughlin, Jordan Geist, Samantha Watson, and Tara Davis belong in that category!
And in fact, Davis and Geist DID compete in BOTH meets!!
June 25th was all Seniors, but the first 3 days (June 22nd to the 24th) were a mixture, even though the separate meet's events were generally segmented into Junior and Senior sessions!!
It was the crossover that might have weakened the Junior meet from what it COULD have been, if the 2 meets had been a week apart!
June 25th was all Seniors, but the first 3 days (June 22nd to the 24th) were a mixture, even though the separate meet's events were generally segmented into Junior and Senior sessions!!
It was the crossover that might have weakened the Junior meet from what it COULD have been, if the 2 meets had been a week apart!
Anyway, let's see what DID occur!!
Tara Davis was indeed the best of the "crossovers", as she won the Junior LJ and 100H, then finished 5th in the Senior meet LJ! (See my previous post!)
In the heats, she sped 12.95 (0.5), moving her from 6th A-T HS to 4th, tied with 2 others!
She becomes the 6th HS girl to dip under 13 seconds!!
Davis had to duel with HSR holder Tia Jones in the final--and it was a doozie!!
Davis just beat the younger Jones, 13.01 to 13.02, the wind AGAINST them at 0.7!!
For Jones, she breaks her own Soph Class Record!!
For Jones, she breaks her own Soph Class Record!!
She returned to win the LJ with her 1st round 21-9!!
This is the USATF Junior Meet Record--the old record held by one Tianna Madison--aka Bartoletta, whom she later met in the Senior LJ!!
This is the USATF Junior Meet Record--the old record held by one Tianna Madison--aka Bartoletta, whom she later met in the Senior LJ!!
I don't pay attention to "Junior" SP's for the Men, as they use "Junior" weight implements, while the Women use Professional weights from Frosh year of HS on!!
(See my early post--January 2014--called "Should HS Boys use the 16 pound SP from Day One?"!)
(See my early post--January 2014--called "Should HS Boys use the 16 pound SP from Day One?"!)
Anyway, Geist won that Junior event with 69-4.25, then competed in the Senior event (16 pounders!)!!
Samantha Watson had been entered in the 800, but she had higher goals--to make the WC team, and to break 2 minutes!
So it was left for Caitlin Collier to take an easy victory--2:03.63--not a PR!
So it was left for Caitlin Collier to take an easy victory--2:03.63--not a PR!
Davis opted to not do the TJ, but Jaimie Robinson PR'ed at 43-10.50, making her 7th A-T HS!!
Jasmine Moore was relegated to 2nd, her windy 43-6.50 her best mark, but having a legal 42-11.75 also!
Tyrese Cooper has been busy all year--normally TRIPLING in his meets--not to mention having to run heats in most!!
But here again, he had his feet (Literally!!) in both pools--the Seniors and Juniors!
But here again, he had his feet (Literally!!) in both pools--the Seniors and Juniors!
In the Junior 400, however, he scratched!
Zach Shinnick didn't miss him, as his 45.20 makes him 8th A-T HS!!
Josephus Lyles was 2nd in 45.74, with Sean Hooper running 45.86, and Brian Herron taking 4th in 46.07!
Josephus Lyles was 2nd in 45.74, with Sean Hooper running 45.86, and Brian Herron taking 4th in 46.07!
Taken OFF my HS list was Roddie Haley, his 45.66 dating from 1984!!
Cooper won the 200 in 20.89!
His heat time was 20.85, with Max Willis running fastest--a 20.55!
Symone Mason was busy--all at the Junior meet!
Cooper won the 200 in 20.89!
His heat time was 20.85, with Max Willis running fastest--a 20.55!
Symone Mason was busy--all at the Junior meet!
In the 200 heats, she was 2nd in 23.48 (-1.9!!).
ShaCarri Richardson ran 23.36 in a separate heat, wind of "only" -1.2!
Mason won the final in 23.09!
She ran the 100 also, but was a DNS in the 400!!
In McLaughlin's absence, Brandee Johnson won the 400H in 57.27.
But it was Masai Russell's 57.55 in 2nd that made the HS Record Book--as she's now 21st A-T HS!
In the Men's 400H, Quincy Hall won in 49.51, but again, it was the HS'er--Cory Poole--whose 49.88 makes him 8th A-T HS!!
ShaCarri Richardson ran 23.36 in a separate heat, wind of "only" -1.2!
Mason won the final in 23.09!
She ran the 100 also, but was a DNS in the 400!!
In McLaughlin's absence, Brandee Johnson won the 400H in 57.27.
But it was Masai Russell's 57.55 in 2nd that made the HS Record Book--as she's now 21st A-T HS!
In the Men's 400H, Quincy Hall won in 49.51, but again, it was the HS'er--Cory Poole--whose 49.88 makes him 8th A-T HS!!
In the heats, Poole ran 50.64, then missing my DDD by 0.08 seconds!
The fastest heat was that of Thomas Burns, whose 50.12 makes him 14th A-T HS!!
The fastest heat was that of Thomas Burns, whose 50.12 makes him 14th A-T HS!!
In the 110H, Eric Edwards improved to 13.32 (Wind a MINUS 1.8!!), giving him the Junior Class Record!!
He moves from 15th A-T HS, tied with 1 other, to 5th, tied with 1 other!!
He moves from 15th A-T HS, tied with 1 other, to 5th, tied with 1 other!!
Cameron Cooper ran good in the 800!
His heat time of 1:48.60 missed my HS DDD by 0.10 seconds!!
But he crushed the final, his 1:47.59 making him 5th A-T HS!!
Josh Hoey was 2nd in 1:49.37!
Taken OFF my HS list was an oldie--Dale Scott's 1:48.5, dating from 1972!!
A pair of HS 3000SC'ers made my short "Top 24" Performers list!
A pair of HS 3000SC'ers made my short "Top 24" Performers list!
While Sarah Edwards won it in 10:14.67, it was Alexandria Harris's 10:25.80 that moves her from 6th A-T HS to 5th!
A newcomer to the list was Clare Martin's 10:46.36, which makes her 9th A-T HS!!
BTW, Edwards's time is the USATF Junior Meet Record!!
Rachel Baxter won the PV by a foot, her 14-1.25 tying the Junior Meet Record!!
She missed 3 times at 14-5.25!!
BTW, Edwards's time is the USATF Junior Meet Record!!
Rachel Baxter won the PV by a foot, her 14-1.25 tying the Junior Meet Record!!
She missed 3 times at 14-5.25!!
The Women's 400 was won by Takyena Roberson in 51.25, with Jaevin Reed's 51.52 taking 2nd!
But it was HS Soph Arria Minor's 52.05 that makes her 20th A-T HS!!
Syaira Richardson was 4th in 52.25!
HS PRO Candace Hill also competed in both meets!!
She ran 11.23 (1.1) in her Junior 100 heat!
She ran 11.23 (1.1) in her Junior 100 heat!
Alyssa Wilson competed in the HT here, and won it with a fling of 185-11.
Tierra Crockrell finished the Heptathlon with 5149 points!
She's just a HS Soph, and fell only 21 points shy of getting the Soph Class Record!!
She was 61 points shy of making my A-T HS list!!
The two 10000 Track Walks were won by two of the HS world's finest!
Cameron Haught took the Men's event with 47:32.90!
Taylor Ewart--a Freshman!!--won the Women's event--her 51:12.42 beating her Senior Class opponent (And Mile specialist!!) Lauren Harris, who Walked 52:47.84!!
Both meets were in the same venue, with basically the same people watching--but surely better scheduling might have tempted the SUPERstars to try both--Davis, Geist, Cooper & Co notwithstanding!!
Jamaica's National Championships were sprint heavy, as that hot island nation doesn't attract many distance types!
ET---aka Elaine Thompson--sprinted the 100 in 10.71--all by herself, as Simone Facey was 0.33 back in 2nd!!
The wind was just 0.8!
The wind was just 0.8!
Yohan Blake took the Men's race in 9.90, wind of 0.9!
Seemingly back to near-PR shape, Blake also won the 200--time of 19.97 (1.0).
But it was left to Omar McLeod to have the best Men's mark!
He blasted the 110H in 12.90--the fastest time since 2012!!
He gets the Age 23 Record, as well as Jamaica's National Record!
He moves from 15th A-T World, tied with 1 other, to 5th, also tied with 1 other!!
Ronald Levy was far back in 2nd, time of 13.13.
But finishing 4th was young DeJour Russell, who broke the World Age 17 Record with his 13.32!!
Russell was born on April Fool's Day in 2000---NO fooling!!
Russell was born on April Fool's Day in 2000---NO fooling!!
Another one getting an Age Record was Novlene Williams-Mills!
Shericka Jackson won the 400 in 50.05, with recent US Collegiate Chrisann Gordon taking 2nd in a PR of 50.13!
Shericka Jackson won the 400 in 50.05, with recent US Collegiate Chrisann Gordon taking 2nd in a PR of 50.13!
But it was NWM's 3rd place time of 50.14 that broke her own Age 35 Record!!
Think the World's 100H talent is limited to the United States??
Think again!
Jamaica's 100H final saw 6 Women run 12.85 or faster, with 4 of them at 12.70 or faster!
Danielle Williams was the best of them, her 12.56 taking the W (wind of 0.4)!
She'd run 12.62 in her Semi!!
Nathan Allen won the 400 in 44.58!
And Kellion Knibb--also a recent US Collegiate--got back her National Record with a Discus Throw of 205-9!
Jamaica's 100H final saw 6 Women run 12.85 or faster, with 4 of them at 12.70 or faster!
Danielle Williams was the best of them, her 12.56 taking the W (wind of 0.4)!
She'd run 12.62 in her Semi!!
Nathan Allen won the 400 in 44.58!
And Kellion Knibb--also a recent US Collegiate--got back her National Record with a Discus Throw of 205-9!
The rest of the World had some impressive marks!
Michelle Lee-Ahye exploded to a 10.82 Century in her Trinidad & Tobago National Championships!
The wind was a mild 0.9, as she gets the National Record!!
The old record belonged to Kelly Ann-Baptiste.
She finished 2nd in a quick 10.88!!
And young Khalifa St Fort PR'ed in 3rd with 11.06!!
Kenya's National Championships--almost always held at high altitude--produced a couple of times impressive at ANY level, let alone at altitude!!
In fact, Ronald Kwemoi's 3:30.89 is the fastest ever 1500 run at altitude!!
And Emmanuel Korir--recently starring on the NCAA circuit--won the 800 in 1:43.86!!
BTW, the altitude height was 6000 feet!!
BTW, the altitude height was 6000 feet!!
Tsenko Arnaudov won the Euro Team Champs SP with 70-9!
This is the National Record of Portugal!!
This is the National Record of Portugal!!
In the IAAF Challenge Multi's in Ratingen, Germany, Rico Freimuth won the Decathlon with 8663 points!!
He misses the World DDD by just 4 points!!
Kurt Felix was second with his PR total of 8509 points!!
He misses the World DDD by just 4 points!!
Kurt Felix was second with his PR total of 8509 points!!
BTW, Freimuth is the SON of Uwe Freimuth, whose 8792 from 1984 still ranks 10th A-T World!!
(Could Rico soon join his Dad on the list??)
(Could Rico soon join his Dad on the list??)
Carolin Schafer won the Heptathlon with a non-PR tally of 6667 points!
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention a 400 time of 47.01 for a certain man!
That fellow is none other than SUPER Vet Chris Brown of the Bahamas!!
He didn't win his National Championship, but that time is the new Age 38 Record!!
(Hopefully, he'll race again, and bring it closer to his "normal" 44 and 45 second record!!)
That, as they say, is that!
What a weekend, eh??
Next up are some DL's, and the series of 3 meets known as the Tracktown Summer Series!!
Also, keep your eyes open for some US athletes who will be chasing London Q marks through July 21st!!
I have no idea where or when they'll show up, but when they do, the marks should be Record Book-worthy!!
I have no idea where or when they'll show up, but when they do, the marks should be Record Book-worthy!!
I'll end on that note, adding that Samantha (Not Sammy anymore, please!! LOL) Watson has hinted that her summer of racing isn't over yet!!
She wants that sub-2 in the 800, but said she might race the 1500 at the Junior Olympics meet!!
The August 5th starting date for London's WC's is just 40 days away!!
The August 5th starting date for London's WC's is just 40 days away!!
See you soon!
now I can post again!
ReplyDeleteGreat!!
ReplyDeleteNow if only I can get others to comment!
Still don't know why they don't-----or can't!!
Is my blog THAT boring or UNimportant??
Does anyone REALLY read it?/
OK, I know you do---and Erik Charter, Coach D, and Ty Davis (Tara's dad) do---because they've told me on Twitter!!
Also, the 3 named retweet my posts!!
Oh well, I'd do the blog even if NO one read it!
I really love doing it!!
My blog has over 41,000 views!
ReplyDeleteDon't know if that means they READ it---or just "view" it---whatever that means!!
You probably have more readers than you know of. I don't know why people don't comment, except that your posts are very complete in themselves and don't give the sense that a comment is called for. I comment mostly just to express appreciation, as a courtesy to you, and to let you know that at least someone is reading and appreciating your blog.
ReplyDeleteBut with that many "views", certainly there are a number of, at least, occasional readers. Maybe some more regular readers too. I don't know how blogspot counts views, but some sites, like YouTube, won't count a view unless the person is on the page for a minimum period of time (not sure what that amount of time is, however). This is to prevent counting people that just stumble onto the page and leave it right away.
Here's an interesting little item (at least to me!).
ReplyDeleteI told you that Tara Davis's father (Ty Davis) is one of my fans!
We've chatted often---at length!---via Private Messaging on Twitter---like we do on FB!
We talk about how she's done, what her plans are, all kinds of stuff.
After I'd been a bit "judgmental" about one of her performances----said something like "her TJ wasn't up to her recent standards"----I asked him if he got mad about that!
He said NO!---then said he agreed with me, and explained WHY her performance was less than great!!
So I KNOW he's a fan.
He's said he loves my blog---and considers me "the expert"!!
Brag, brag, brag!!
Same with Charter & Coach D.
I know they read it, because they've commented (via Twitter's PM) on a specific thing I said!
Re my "relationship" with Tara's dad---
ReplyDeleteWish I'd been doing my blog in early 2013, and that Mary Cain's father and I had been chatting like I do now with Mr Davis!
Maybe all that BS about me being creepy would have been thrown out on its ear----by Daddy Cain!!!
LOL
Tara Davis is a mega-talent. Cool that you have this connection.
ReplyDeleteWhen you post online -- on any forum -- you open yourself to the possibility all kinds of bizarre and negative responses -- and you've certainly received more than your share on the T&FN forums. I amazed at how you can laugh off some of the really ugly comments you've gotten. But I guess it does stick with you somewhat -- still remembering the crap dished out to you about Mary Cain. Remember, that's when I first contacted you to take your side in the matter, and also when I dropped out of participating in the forum because of the disgusting way you were treated there.
I'm not as "thick skinned" as you appear to be, so that's why I don't post on any public forum. One thing I've learned from years on the internet is that there are a LOT of mean-spirited people out there.
Again about Mary Cain, circa 2012-2013. You posted what seemed like extravagant predictions for her for 2013, and you were ridiculed mercilessly for them. It turns out that your predictions were actually very accurate -- by far the most accurate of any I saw. Characteristically, no one on the T&FN forum ever acknowledged that you got it right about her!
ReplyDeleteHowever, when it comes to predictions altogether, you do tend to be optimistic. I have learned that if I consider your predictions to be more along the line of hopes and wishes, they make a lot more sense! (Hope you don't mind me saying this!)
You've been very good about spotting new, upcoming, talent early. You were the first to spot new national champion Raven Saunders, when she first began putting up some good marks in HS, and making improvement in big strides. Also about her inconsistency, she's still relatively new at the elite level. Hopefully she'll get more consistent with time. She did pull a "Raven" a nationals, however -- a big jump in her PR and a big win. I think you recently said that she could easily go 55' or 65' and you never know which it will be! It was nice to see her get close to the 65' this time!
Raven looks rather short, however. I saw her standing next to Michelle Carter, and Michelle towered over Raven. The short stature could ultimately put something of a limit on her top end potential.
"at nationals" not "a nationals"
ReplyDeleteAgree---about "lots of mean spirited people" on the net! All you need do is read the comments under most ANY article about most ANY subject----and you'll see a lot of "creepy" stuff!
ReplyDeleteBetter yet, just read Let's Run's Forum!!
Every time a NOP woman runs a bad race---she's being fed X number of drugs by Alberto!
Mary Cain's problems?
Oh, she's "fat", "pregnant", or loaded with Alberto's magic potions!!
One really FUNNY L-R comment came from the SRR statement about her knowing no one who hasn't had an abortion!
So someone wrote that meant that she doesn't know Alexi Pappas!
The reply went---
No Mommas or Pappas.
Talk about great puns on names!!
LOL
Don't know Carter's height, but she doesn't seem much taller than Saunders.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely MUCH shorter than Val Adams---yet she's come pretty close to Val's PR---and has beaten her a few times!!
So not sure if height in the SP makes much difference.
Look at the Men!
You had John Godina, who is tall---and Reese Hoffa & Christian Cantwell---who are much shorter!
Same with Crouser and Kovacs!
But I'm not an expert on what makes a great SP'er!!
No, not angry about what you said about my "optimism"! But my predictions are mostly based on what I think one's POTENTIAL is---not on "wishes or hopes".
ReplyDelete(Although maybe they DO enter my thinking a bit---If you're a fan of your home team, you want them to win, even if they're the worst team!!)
My predictions on Cain----or ANY runner!!---are based mostly on my "slowdown rate theory"!!
Also on HOW they ran their PR race!
Was it negative split?
How fast was their last lap?
How close (in value) was this mark to their OTHER marks!
For example, when I said something like Cain could run a 4:21 mile, it was based on her 4:04 in the 1500----add 17 seconds for the final 109!
I've said that Shannon Rowbury and Jenny Simpson can run low-14:20's in the 5000---and somewhere between 8:18 and 8:22 for the 3000.
They've run 1500's around 3:56 (Jenny's close!).
Slowdown rate---IMO---is 12 to 15 seconds per 1500.
So add that to their PR's over 1500---and you have times of 8:16 to 8:22 for 3K!
They've run 8:29's---and they've gotten better since then!!
So my predictions---for them---are based more on slowdown rates than on wishes & hopes!
Same with Mo Farah---and everyone else!
Looked up their heights in the FAST Annual!
ReplyDeleteCarter is 5-9---Raven is 5-5!
Adams is 6-4!!
Hope you don't mind all these additional comments---but new thoughts pop up all the time!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, about predictions---
When an athlete hits a plateau, and they start putting out the same marks meet after meet, you know that athlete is ready for a jump forward!
Hitting a plateau means you've gained consistency.
Once you become consistent at a certain time, height, or distance, then you're ready for a big PR!!
For example, Maggie Ewen had been throwing consistently in the high-230's all season.
Her NCAA mark of 240-7 was basically in that range!
When she hit 244-7 at USATF---a 4 foot PR!---I was thrilled, but NOT really surprised!
She'd been on a plateau for months---so she was bound to get a good PR soon----and she did!!
And with a new PR comes added confidence!
And that means I wouldn't be TOO shocked if she gets a 250 this year!!
Height is definitely a factor in the SP. It's simple physics. Identical arcs beginning at different heights will produce longer distances if they begin at higher heights. That doesn't mean that shorter putters can't excel, just that they will have to make up the height disadvantage with some other virtue, such a speed in the ring. Some do this. But the taller guys do have height advantage -- Ryan Crouser is HUGE! Even the guys you mentioned as shorter aren't that short. Raven at 5-5 is definitely short. Her spin technique is improving and that's helping her overcome the height disadvantage.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, speaking about athletes, my father said "other things being equal, the good big man will beat the good little man". He was right -- in most sports bigger size is definitely an advantage. (Not in gymnastics, however.) In swimming there are other guys who have as much talent as Michael Phelps, but Phelps is very tall and his longer wingspan is a big plus for him.
Sometimes very tall guys have a harder time controlling their lanky bodies. This can be an equalizer. In pole vaulting, taller is better -- up to a point. VERY tall guys have trouble getting in close enough to the pole. If they're dangling out away from the pole, that's a disadvantage.
It's a complex issue, but still, Val Adams has been the dominant female shot putter for years. He size has always been a big advantage for her. She's only getting beat now because she's had injuries, surgery, and she's on the downslope of a long career.
I agree completely about your "plateau" comments. I've always said when an athlete starts producing a lot of marks near their PR, they're ready for a breakout mark. By definition, a PR should be something of an outlier -- what you can do when everything comes together, your training, your biorhythms, the conditions, the competition, etc. If you're consistent near your PR, your PR should be better and probably will be soon.
ReplyDelete"her size" not "he size" -- wish I could edit posts!
ReplyDeleteThe reason that "taller is better" in pole vaulting is again simple physics -- a more favorable pole angle (closer to vertical) at takeoff. This will generally allow a higher grip, which is a big plus. But if a short guy has great speed on the runway, the height disadvantage can be offset to some degree. Mondo's father, Greg, has always been known as a great short vaulter. Maybe his lack of height prevented him from approaching WR levels, but he had great speed and was a good vaulter. Mondo is several inches taller than his father, probably not quite as fast (yet), but has already gone 4" higher!
ReplyDeleteDon't know Mondo's current height, but I imgine that, at 17, he has 2-3 more years of possible growth in height!
ReplyDeleteI did some research, and found the following heights of some A-T great PV'ers---
Bubka---6-0
Lavillenie---5-9.75
Kendricks---6-2.25
Didn't know Kendricks was that tall!!
But Renaud's "short" stature must give Mondo a confidence boost!
LOL
imagine
ReplyDeleteOf course "bigger is better" is not an absolute -- it depends on the requirements of the specific athletic activity. For example, distance running. Here we see smaller athletes excelling all the time. There are some tall distance runners who excel (Paul Tergat, Asbel Kiprop, etc.), but short guys are often at the top. Even so, there are physiological factors in play here too. But in distance running those factors are more the ability to metabolize oxygen efficiently (helped enormously by being born and raised at high altitude -- like the Kenyans and Ethiopians), and the ability to shed heat efficiently (thin body types do this better). You don't see a lot of thick-bodied distance runners! They can't shed heat efficiently!
ReplyDeleteIn distance running being tall or short is not nearly as important as having a high red blood cell count and a thin body type. Those runners who were not born and raised at high altitude often try to up their red blood cell count by training at high altitude, and this does help. But, generally speaking, the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners have an advantage from birth, and they have dominated distance running for decades.
In speaking about these physiological factors, I am in no way suggesting that this is all that's involved. Mental and emotional factors play a big role too. And perhaps most important is simply having an overwhelmingly strong drive to succeed. But you can't ignore physiology, and physical characteristics altogether, in sports. A skinny Kenyan will never be a great shot putter, no matter how hard he tries. And big-body guy like Ryan Crouser could never be a great distance runner. His body just wouldn't do it! That's why we always see certain characteristic body types in different events.
Please understand that I am not merely speculating about these things. I was a world-class athlete and spent much of my youth around other world-class athletes. I also spent years studying sports physiology intensively. We can only make generalizations about these things -- there are always exceptions -- but the generalizations are nonetheless meaningful.
Which take me back to where this discussion began -- Raven Saunders is very thick, heavy, and strong -- that's good for shotputting. She also has pretty good speed in the ring. That's also good. But she's short, and that is definitely a disadvantage. To what extent she will be able to overcome that disadvantage remains to be seen.
Those heights are not accurate. Bubka was defnitely taller than 6'. I don't know where you got that. He was somewhere between 6-1 and 6-2. I have seen heights for Lavillenie between 5-10 and 5-11 -- short for a vaulter but not as short as the figure you gave. Kendricks is more typical of top vaulters. I have always seen that 6-2 to 6-3 was ideal. Lavillenie is shorter than that, and that is definitely a disadvantage. He compensates with great speed, great strength-to-weight ratio, and super-great technique on the pole. But even though he has the highest vault ever made, Bubka had MANY more 6m+ vaults, and many vaults over 6.10. Lavillenie only has the one at 6.16. Because of his physical disadvantages, he has to have everything else perfect to go high, and the result has been quite a bit of inconsistency -- it's hard to get everything right in a technically very complex event!
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, when I saw Kendricks vaulting, I thought he was very good in every respect except that he lacked strength -- he needed more power. Since then he has hit the weight room big time and he's much stronger now. The result is that he's right at the top of men's PV. He has more upside potential too -- I don't know about WR levels, but he should be getting some good distance above 6m in the next few years. He's good!
Too much scientific technological stuff here!
ReplyDeleteWay above my head!
But agree about body types fitting certain event groups.
(What about short High Hurdlers? Wouldn't taller athletes be better? Or at least have long leg span!)
Bolt is about 6-5. That's probably why his start isn't as good as others! But once he uncorks, his longer stride is what powers him those last 30 to 60 meters! And why he can't be a good INdoor 60 guy!
About Raven---she has a dynamic personality!
That makes up for a lot!!
Bubka's height was off Wikipedia.
ReplyDeleteLavillenie & Kendricks from Athletics Annual book----though had to translate metrics to English!
Wikipedia shows Lavillenie at 5-10 and Kendricks at 6-1. This just shows that depending on what source you see, the heights are all over the map. And maybe none of them are correct! I've seen a lot of errors on this kind of thing on Wikipedia, but then again, sometimes they are probably right!
ReplyDeleteBolt's size gives him the same kind of advantage that Phelps has. But you can be too tall in the sprints too -- it might take too long to "uncoil" that big body in an events that lasts such a short time. Bolt is just so superior that his height has been an advantage, even in the 100m. But he was directed into the longer sprints when he was young -- probably because he was so tall. "Conventional" wisdom would have said he should be a 200-400 guy, but he was just so fast that he could excel at any distance. Bolt is an extreme outlier, and it doesn't mean another fast 6-5 guy would excel at 100m. Some maybe -- some not.
ReplyDeleteRaven's "dynamic personality" is definitely a big advantage! Remember shot putter Adam Nelson? He was a big guy, of course, but smaller than average for a world class putter. But he sure had the dynamic personality! It can be a big factor in any event!
ReplyDeleteAnd no matter what height you see listed for any athlete on any site, remember that they aren't measuring the athletes. The heights are self-reported, and may be misreported. Many athletes will say they are bigger or smaller than they actually are in order to create what they think might be an advantageous impression. And journalists also make a lot of mistakes in reporting things like this, which may not have even come from the athlete in the first place, but instead from coaches, or parents, or whatever. So it's hard to know!
ReplyDeleteThe "scientific and technological" stuff I mentioned is really quite basic, and is extremely pertinent to the sport of track and field. So I don't think it's "too much" at all. But if you don't want me to post information on this kind of thing, OK. I'll stop.
ReplyDelete"What about short High Hurdlers? Wouldn't taller athletes be better? Or at least have long leg span!"
ReplyDeleteSorry, one more comment since I hadn't responded to this. As far as getting over the hurdles, yes taller would be an advantage. But it might be a disadvantage between hurdles -- it's three steps no matter how tall you are and a very tall guy might feel cramped if he has a naturally long stride. There have been excellent high hurdlers both short (Nehemiah) and tall (several examples), but most of the best high hurdlers have been "medium tall" meaning they are tall enough to negotiate the hurdles easily, but still not so tall that they run into problems between hurdles.
OK, I'm done now.
It's okay to comment on anything you want.
ReplyDeleteI'm just saying that I personally don't understand most of it.
Science of any kind was my worst subject in school.
When you can't understand something, you tend to let it roll off you!
But I CAN understand what you said about Bolt & tall runners, or the 110/100H stuff.
Yes, leg speed between hurdles is probably more important to consider when talking about potential in the event.
Another in the SP who had great height was Randy Matson!
My thoughts here are all over the map.
Sorry.
But I saw where GH moved "all the marriage crap" (His words!!) to Things Not T&F!
Saw the July 1st Paris DL entrants.
Not many Americans!
No female SP'ers from here.
Coburn in the SC.
A handful (or less) more!!
A lot are taking part in that Tracktown Summer Series---June 29th, July 2nd & 6th!