Athletics Thread

The sport needs to push on and athletes will always go where there's money but this isn't even going to lay a scratch on the Diamond League as it stands.

Can't see Kingston getting a world track meet for a long long time. Can't see Grand Slam going back there if it's still going next year.
 
Womens 800m was the most interesting, although the 1500m runners tonked the 800m specialists.
 
MCFC1993 said:
The sport needs to push on and athletes will always go where there's money but this isn't even going to lay a scratch on the Diamond League as it stands.

Can't see Kingston getting a world track meet for a long long time. Can't see Grand Slam going back there if it's still going next year.
Click to expand...
Glad that I recorded it and just fast forwarded to each race with there being no field events. It was very much a non event as far as I'm concerned.

Like you said, the diamond league shits all over this. Who wants to watch athletes not even at their peak running distances that they aren't even suited to.

The empty stands just added to the overall feeling of meh.
 
MCFC1993 said:
Womens 800m was the most interesting, although the 1500m runners tonked the 800m specialists.
Click to expand...
Morra had a mare, she really should be winning that. Who knows what her fitness levels are though.

Makes you wonder if the contracted athletes have to turn up even if they are out of shape or carrying a niggle/have been ill.
 
The Stockport Iniesta said:
Glad that I recorded it and just fast forwarded to each race with there being no field events. It was very much a non event as far as I'm concerned.

Like you said, the diamond league shits all over this. Who wants to watch athletes not even at their peak running distances that they aren't even suited to.

The empty stands just added to the overall feeling of meh.
Click to expand...

I thought the whole thing was shockingly poor.

I reckon the field eventers will be laughing their heads off, they put on a competitive show and are really important in keeping the atmosphere going whilst we wait for the next track event.

Then like you say, there were almost 2 races going on in every event as athletes clearly aren't suited to certain races. Fred Kerley didn't look fit but he's signed so almost has to run, the french hurdler essentially gave up halfway around too.

The Diamond League has nothing to worry about on that showing, a much higher quality product that is staged all around the world and everyone is invited and not signed to the event. Every race was missing depth of quality, the men's 5k I reckon I'd have still been in touch at the half way stage.

The crowd was just another nail in the coffin, happened in Eugene as well for the World Champs, North America has great athletes but not the crowds to match.

Basically needs the American meets to save the whole thing now, if even 1 American meet was like tonight then financially it's done.
 
MCFC1993 said:
I thought the whole thing was shockingly poor.

I reckon the field eventers will be laughing their heads off, they put on a competitive show and are really important in keeping the atmosphere going whilst we wait for the next track event.

Then like you say, there were almost 2 races going on in every event as athletes clearly aren't suited to certain races. Fred Kerley didn't look fit but he's signed so almost has to run, the french hurdler essentially gave up halfway around too.

The Diamond League has nothing to worry about on that showing, a much higher quality product that is staged all around the world and everyone is invited and not signed to the event. Every race was missing depth of quality, the men's 5k I reckon I'd have still been in touch at the half way stage.

The crowd was just another nail in the coffin, happened in Eugene as well for the World Champs, North America has great athletes but not the crowds to match.

Basically needs the American meets to save the whole thing now, if even 1 American meet was like tonight then financially it's done.
Click to expand...
Great point you make about the field events giving the punters something to watch and generate some atmosphere. Under 30 minutes of racing in 2 hours with nothing in between last night. The format isn't spectator friendly at all.
 
The Stockport Iniesta said:
Great point you make about the field events giving the punters something to watch and generate some atmosphere. Under 30 minutes of racing in 2 hours with nothing in between last night. The format isn't spectator friendly at all.
Click to expand...
Yeah I don't see why people would buy a ticket for it, especially at the prices floating around.

It's not even TV viewer friendly, field events have been replaced with adverts, don't see how it's helping the sport to be honest.
 
Giving it another go as I love Athletics, lucky if the stadium is 20% full.

Apparently they made the tickets free for today and tomorrow everywhere except the main stand.

Mary Moraa already pulled out tonight, so the 1500m is already down to 7 people, such poor optics.
 
I know MHS has won overall but they cut to a break and we missed the Long sprints results leaderboard, what is the point.

This is amateur hour, you wouldn't believe an Olympic champion who loves the sport (debatable leaving field events out) is behind this production. So out of touch with the fans. More adverts than races.

They need to shut up about the athletes running for money as well, we all know they are but repeating the money instead of the competition defeats the point.
 
MCFC1993 said:
I know MHS has won overall but they cut to a break and we missed the Long sprints results leaderboard, what is the point.

This is amateur hour, you wouldn't believe an Olympic champion who loves the sport (debatable leaving field events out) is behind this production. So out of touch with the fans. More adverts than races.

They need to shut up about the athletes running for money as well, we all know they are but repeating the money instead of the competition defeats the point.
Click to expand...
Record it and fast forward mate. It's the only way it's watchable.
 
The Stockport Iniesta said:
Record it and fast forward mate. It's the only way it's watchable.
Click to expand...
I watched up to the men's 1500m and then turned it off, so missed the last 2 events.

Never thought I'd say this but I got bored, the amount of breaks with just talking or adverts is horrendous, I think like you say it's a record and fast forward job moving forward.

The diamond league moves at a million miles an hour and doesn't have the ads. If they want more eyes on the sport just whack that on a main channel and you're laughing. GST isn't going to help with that on this showing.
 
Well that men's 3km race just shown this format right up, pathetic race.

I wanted to give GST a chance but overall I don't think the concept is good for the sport. Too many stars missing, no crowds, too many ads, not enough action, ridiculous format.
 
MCFC1993 said:
Well that men's 3km race just shown this format right up, pathetic race.

I wanted to give GST a chance but overall I don't think the concept is good for the sport. Too many stars missing, no crowds, too many ads, not enough action, ridiculous format.
Click to expand...
I wonder what Josh Kerr thinks. He's got quite the ego, so finishing 5th in the 1500m and tailed off last in the 800m must be embarrassing for him.

Wonder if he regrets signing up for it because he's not got the pace to be competitive over 800m, so has no chance over those 2 events.

Talking about the 800m, Wanyonyi didn't even have to give Arop a race, so another non event where jogging around in 2nd was enough for the money.

All very farcical.
 
I see Sydney won her 400m flat race tonight, yet last night we had Gabby Thomas & Paulino in a different women’s 400m flat race. So some of the biggest names in the sport … in different races over the same distance. Why not put them all in The. Same. Race.

Crackers
 
The Diamond League is back tomorrow ladies and gents, from Xiamen in China.

Not much British interest apart from Jeremiah Azu in the Men's 100M, and Amy Hunt in the Women's 200M. Both had great indoor seasons so it will be interesting to see how they fair in what are pretty stacked fields.

Lot's of World class talent on show, it's on the BBC red button from midday. I won't get a chance to watch it live so will catch up on the iPlayer tomorrow evening, which means I'll be avoiding this thread like the plague tomorrow.
 
Caught up with the latest grand slam, and it's soulless. Lovely weather, a fast track and some quick time's in the sprints but the stadium in Miami looks like it holds less than the athletics track in Manchester and was half full.
 
'Jacory Patterson hopes that being the world’s fastest 400m sprinter so far this year will ultimately allow him to quit his overnight job loading UPS trucks. Patterson, 25, notched the biggest race win of his life at Grand Slam Track Miami — taking Saturday’s 400m in 43.98 seconds, a personal best and the world’s best time since last August.'
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top