World Championships

Linford

Disapointing that he didn't qualify for final when equaling his PB would have been enough.

thirtyfoot

Yeah, pity. But he has brought Irish sprinting to a new level and like Cuddihy, Gillick, O' Rourke he is close and knows what is required to final next year in Beijing. That'll be some motivation when they are training over the winter.

LambDave

The only thing is that i'm pretty sure that 20.3 wont get him into an olympic final. Think he has the improvement in him though! The same goes for O'Rourke, Gillick, and Cuddihy. Its brilliant to have so many young Irish athletes who are getting genuinely recognised as world class. Roll on Beijing!

Common Sense

This has been a huge learning curve for our up and coming young athletes. In my view the stars of the show so far have been Joanne Cuddihy and Eileen O'Keeffe in terms of performing nearest to their ability. Cuddihy in particular in knocking almost three tenths of a second off the Irish record. In some ways, and this is not a criticism, the performances of, say, Roisin McGhettigan and Paul Hession have been somewhat disappointing in that if they had performed to the potential, McGhettigan would have finished up 5th or 6th while Hession would have made the final. This is a huge cause for hope and is not meant to be a criticism. In addition, I believe Derval can also achieve much more than she achieved on this occasion. I believe Cragg can make the 5k final and Campbell can pick up some valuable experience in the 800. In terms of where these athletes are at and with the experience they've gained, in my view these have been one of the most successful games for us. Good luck to O'Keeffe, Cragg and Campbell tomorrow and well done on those who represented us so well.

Common Sense

Dodge wrote:

Quite. Despising the British attitude with her ban compared to others. I know she didn't test positive for anything but still...

EDIT: Hession finished 6th in 20.50. Equalling his PB would've gotten him 4th (Goussis in 20.33)

Ah well

Apart from being naive (or even stupid, if you will) there isn't a shred of evidence that Ohuruogo is anything but clean. Sonia O'Sullivan gave a very graphic description on tonight's athletics programme as to how easy it is to miss tests. In fact, Ohuruogo was missing from her stated location on one occasion as she was doing promotions work for UKA and on another there was a school sports at the track she was to train so she moved to another location. It will be a shame if the British Olympic Council don't lift her lifetime olympic ban. (Incidentally, my position on her ban is that she committed an offence, irrespective of the reason, and the punishment meted out to her was justified. She has now served her ban and is entitled to re-commence her career.)

Rineanna

Common Sense wrote:

In addition, I believe Derval can also achieve much more than she achieved on this occasion

Me too. As Sonia said, there were so many things that didn't click into place for her this season, and she was unlucky with injuries and the timings of them.

An interesting point was made by Sonia O' S yesterday regarding Derval O' Rourke. It had crossed my mind during the indoor season but wasn't too sure. She said that maybe the reason that Derval wasn't exactly up to her best (not saying getting to the semis was a bad performance) was that she didn't compete in the indoor season, and therefore wasn't as race-sharp as the athletes who did.

I know she intentionally skipped the indoor season to build up her strength for Osaka, but the irony is it seems that she might have been better off to have actually taken part indoors. It certainly did Kallur no harm, and Derval's 12.72 NR was run after a considerable indoor season last year.

It's a pity though; she was so professional in her approach to her training and made a huge decision to skip the indoor season and, from my point of view, she hasn't reaped the rewards she deserves. I hope to God she defends her World title indoors next year.

thirtyfoot

http://www.rte.ie/sport/other/features/allenblog4.html

Great blog and hits the nail on the head.

Linford

LambDave wrote:

The only thing is that i'm pretty sure that 20.3 wont get him into an olympic final. Think he has the improvement in him though! The same goes for O'Rourke, Gillick, and Cuddihy. Its brilliant to have so many young Irish athletes who are getting genuinely recognised as world class. Roll on Beijing!

20.3 might not get Hession to an olympic final, but if he improves next year by a quarter of how he did this year!!!

With the exception of Xavier there was not many missing from that 200m. To be in the running for a final place in one of the most talented 200m (3 or 4 sub 20 runners) since 1996 is some feat.

ss43

Common Sense wrote:

Apart from being naive (or even stupid, if you will) there isn't a shred of evidence that Ohuruogo is anything but clean. Sonia O'Sullivan gave a very graphic description on tonight's athletics programme as to how easy it is to miss tests. In fact, Ohuruogo was missing from her stated location on one occasion as she was doing promotions work for UKA and on another there was a school sports at the track she was to train so she moved to another location. It will be a shame if the British Olympic Council don't lift her lifetime olympic ban. (Incidentally, my position on her ban is that she committed an offence, irrespective of the reason, and the punishment meted out to her was justified. She has now served her ban and is entitled to re-commence her career.)

If it's so easy how come there aren't loads of athletes getting suspended for it? Is there any proof that what Sonia was saying last night about where Ohuruogo was is true or was she just accepting her explanation of events?

thirtyfoot

ss43 wrote:

If it's so easy how come there aren't loads of athletes getting suspended for it? Is there any proof that what Sonia was saying last night about where Ohuruogo was is true or was she just accepting her explanation of events?

When she was banned last year there were 4 other athletes sitting on 2 missed tests and 70 on one missed test. 2 others missed 3 and were banned also - Tim Don is one of them. This was just the UK.

thirtyfoot

Eileen is 4th after Round 1!!!

Dodge

Decent start for O'Keefe. 70.93 has her in 4th place after 1st round. should be easily enough to get through to last 8 anyway. She'll need to smash her PB to get a medal though (72.45 is in third place and thats after only 1 round)

EDIT; Campbell finished in 7th in his heat in 1.46.77 very unlucky to be ill during the week

EDIT 2; although the hammer is hotting up. Eilleen has definitely made the top 8

Rineanna

It's really encouraging to see O' Keefe consistently throwing over 70m. She's really risen to the occasion.

Dodge

She finished in an excellent 6th place. 70.93 was her best. 3 others over 69

Cragg up next in the tougher 5,000m heats

Rineanna

Well done to her, excellent performance. I just wish the Euro's were on next year!

SitUbuSit

Uugh, watching Cragg lately is like watching Sonia back in 96/97. It's a case of will he run well, decently or crap. Unfortunately, today it was the latter. It wasn't a fast race and he finished in 14:00.

But he's run some great times this season...so I wonder what's up. But he put himself in some awful positions as well.

This is the one downer I've had at this WC.

I'll be annoyed for the rest of the day now

Rineanna

For the love of God, he's as erratic! I wonder what his race plan was (if he had one at all!). He didn't look too confident from the very start.
And as for that Swedish joker.............

Domer

Overall I think the Irish team has equiped itself well on the world stage, and are set up nicely for next years olympics. The experience gained in this kind of competition is paramount in building confidence and consistancy. I have said it here before, but major championships are not won by those why perform best, but by those who mess up least.

Cuddihy, O'Rourke, Hession, Britton, McGettigan, O'Keefe, Cambell, Gillick and Heffernan all did very well, and justified their selection. If Cambell moves to 1500, I can see all these make an olympic final next year.

Cullen and Carey have some improvement to do it on the world stage, but the experience will stand to them.

Cragg needs to learn to run in championships. He has the pedigree and the performance to merit a place in the final... but he is not their!

I you add in those athletes not there... Reale, Fagan, Ryan (HJ) and Chamney the future looks bright.

Well done to all!

Rineanna

What would anyone think of Mary Cullen as a Steeplechaser? I mention this because, as was pointed out on t.v last night, her best event is actually the 3000m but the step up to the 5000m just doesn't do her talent justice. She has a good flat speed (8.47 this year) and I think would do well in the steeple. This is Britton's first real season as a steeplechaser and look at how well she's done, and add Clitheroe's reasonably successful switch to the Steeple (Cullen has a faster flat speed than her and is 8 years younger) and her prospects at the event are quite good. Any opinions?

Pherekydes

Rineanna wrote:

What would anyone think of Mary Cullen as a Steeplechaser? I mention this because, as was pointed out on t.v last night, her best event is actually the 3000m but the step up to the 5000m just doesn't do her talent justice. She has a good flat speed (8.47 this year) and I think would do well in the steeple. This is Britton's first real season as a steeplechaser and look at how well she's done, and add Clitheroe's reasonably successful switch to the Steeple (Cullen has a faster flat speed than her and is 8 years younger) and her prospects at the event are quite good. Any opinions?

Clitheroe is way faster than Cullen. She has 2:03 and 4:01 to her name. Cullen has more stamina, perhaps. Not sure about her trying the 'chase. Recall Janowska and Zhadorozhnaya in Helsinki 2 years ago? Fabulous flat credentials, but throw in the barriers and...

I don't think the steeple will prove to be Britton's best event. She has very little basic speed, only 4:18 for the 1500m. Maybe 10k eventually?

Rineanna

Slow coach wrote:

Clitheroe is way faster than Cullen

Over the shorter distances which she specialised in before switching to the steeple this year, yes, but the opposite is true over the longer distance in question, the 3000m. I don't know, it was just a suggestion. The 5000m doesn't seem to be doing her justice in my view anyway.

Common Sense

I agree with all of the above regarding the performances of the Irish athletes. With the exception of Cragg, I regard the rest as works in progress who can only benefit from exposure to this level of competition. At this stage, I see no reason why McGettigan, Hession, O'Keeffe, Cuddihy, O'Rourke are not good enough to make next year's olympic final. If Cragg gets his act together, I'd include him also. Gillick may be just a little off, but a definite semi-finalist. What these athletes need now is plenty of Sports Council support and encouragement. Eamonn Coghlan made the very good suggestion tonight that if O'Keeffe was to go abroad and coached by a specialist Hammer coach she could even ease on to the podium at the olympics. But to do this she is going to need to be supported financially.

Domer

Since we are talking about athletes changing events...

Campbell - Move to 1500

And the one I think may be less obvious:
Carey to move to 800. If she can run the hurdles in 57, she has basic speed, and since she can run that over hurdles, she has strength!! Two ingredients that make a good half miler!!

Not sure I agree with Cullen moving to the chase... but I cant see her win a medal over 5k anytime soon... I hope I am wrong

Rineanna

Domer wrote:

Carey to move to 800. If she can run the hurdles in 57, she has basic speed, and since she can run that over hurdles, she has strength!! Two ingredients that make a good half miler!!

That's an interesting one, allright. Jenny Meadows made the move up from the 400 flat too.

Domer wrote:

Not sure I agree with Cullen moving to the chase...

Ya, I was just floating the idea and was just wondering would a change in events improve her chances on teh World and Euro stage. I saw her in action in the 3000m at the Cork city sports and she was v. impressive' I'd just love to see her do the same on world stage.

Pherekydes

Domer wrote:

Since we are talking about athletes changing events...

Campbell - Move to 1500

Campbell is already the national champion. I reckon it'll be his best event, but he'd be well advised to continue with the eights, also. I think he'll have a biggish breakthrough in the 15 next year, so long as he stays with Mottram's group.

Casei11

very disappointing by cragg

thirtyfoot

Domer wrote:

And the one I think may be less obvious:
Carey to move to 800. If she can run the hurdles in 57, she has basic speed, and since she can run that over hurdles, she has strength!! Two ingredients that make a good half miler!!

If only it was that simple, the move from 400 to 800 is not as easy as people think. She is a low 56 hurdler which is a 'b' standard and the 'a' is 55.60. The 'a' in the 800 is 2 flat which is quick. She should stay where she is and has a much better chance of getting the 4H standard for next year. She is coached by Nick Dakin I believe so I don't think he'll be pushing her up. Its the Gerry Kiernan philosophy and if at first you don't succeed, move up a distance:)
Gillick stuck at 4's and is thriving and I'm convinced will go sub 45 (if he can get his 200m time down of course). Dave McCarthy has tried the move and so far the jury is out after one season.

Pherekydes

Tingle wrote:

Dave McCarthy has tried the move and so far the jury is out after one season.

Big Dave's PB are 46.53 and 1:47.71, yes?

IAAF pts: 1079 and 1090 respectively! So based on the points, he is already better at the 800m. Surprise, isn't it? Another winter of 800m training and who knows how good he could get?

thirtyfoot

Slow coach wrote:

Big Dave's PB are 46.53 and 1:47.71, yes?

IAAF pts: 1079 and 1090 respectively! So based on the points, he is already better at the 800m. Surprise, isn't it? Another winter of 800m training and who knows how good he could get?

Still 12 months in and no dramatic progress then. In Carey's case a move to 800 would also involve at least 12 months settling down in the event at which time Beijing will be gone. Thats my point referencing McCarthy. She should stay at 4H. Carey has a 52.6 flat time from last year and she admits herself she can cut her differential as its too high. When she does and when she gets her 4 flat time down she will be in the 55's.

On McCarthy I reckon he could have potential when he totally gets to grips with the event. The difference between his performances and Chamneys in the champs this year as been interesting in that McCarthy has outperformed Chamney even with a slower PB. This is probably due to McCarthy superior speed and Chamneys lack of so I'm not dissing McCarthy's 800 performances, I think he can do well at it.

thirtyfoot

I missed the live action yesterday and only saw the highlights of the long jump. What a performance by Saladino. Its surely the ultimate sign of a champion to get a PB in the last jump of the competition to win it. He looked so cool and in control. Compare him to Alan Webb. Flying all season, running amazing times and when the crunch comes he folds. What Saladino did is similar to Wilkinson's drop goal in 2003 or Maurice Fitzgerald against the dubs in Thurles few years back. Balls of steel!