Late Track season Results

Thud

Pherekydes wrote: »

When athletics was almost entirely amateur, back in the 60s and 70s, participation rates were just as high, if not higher. No one gets into sport to make money. If that were the case we'd have no Gaelic footballers or hurlers.

It's a different world now to the 60/70's, kids nowadays don't dream of running a 4 minute mile, they want to drive an Aston Martin and have a WAG and maybe playing some football to get that.

Gaelic and Hurling are ingrained in Irish society and there is huge status (and used to be employment/financial perks) if you make it onto your county team.

And yes the media has a part to play but t's chicken and egg, they'll cover it when it's popular but it won't be popular until they start covering it....

Find a Russian billionaire who'd fund an intercounty Diamond league with decent financial rewards to make it a viable career option and you'd see popularity rise pretty quickly


On the mullet topic, maybe there's some sort of downforce benefit from it similar to Mark Spitz's moustache gving him extra air.....that or it feels nice swishing back and forth as you run

myflipflops

Right, back to worlds.

O'Lionairds chances of a final were hampered slightly as Mehdi Baala got put through to the semi finals. He fell when he brushed with someone and went down with about 90 to go in his heat. He got up to finish and was put through on appeal. It means O'Lionaird will have 13 in his semi. He is now ranked 9th of 13 rather than 8th of 12 with 7 spots up for grabs. He does have Daniel Komen though so hopefully he will go out hard like in his heat and drag the others through a quick time.

The athlete that really fascinates me tomorrow is Tugba Karayaka from Turkey in the womens 1500 final. She won her semi final yesterday and goes in to the final as one of the favorites. She is a first year senior athlete who got knocked out of the world junior 1500 heats last year running a PB of 4.17. She finished 15th in the Junior euro cross before Christmas (a good 40 seconds behind Charlotte Perdue) and trailed home last (4.30) in her heat at the Euro indoors this year having ran an indoor PB of 4.19 to qualify for the event.

Since then she has undergone the most amazing advance I think I have ever seen. She has smashed 14 seconds off her outdoor PB without running a race outside of Turkey that I can find. She ran 4.03 in a place called Samsun where the next placed athlete ran outside 4.15. If you are running 4.03 solo, it's fair to say that you can go quicker still. She also did the double at the Turkish champs in Ankara over 800/1500 (2.01 and 4.06). I cannot find any other results for her this summer. She did not even get picked for the Turkish Euro Team Championships team.

If she wins a medal of any colour tomorrow (let alone gold), it will be truly astonishing.

nerraw1111

Highlights of Ortis Deley presenting the Worlds. Cringe central. I feel bad for the guy. "The fastest man on no legs."

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkswky_ortis-deley-presenting-masterclass-youtube

Pisco Sour

nerraw1111 wrote: »

Highlights of Ortis Deley presenting the Worlds. Cringe central. I feel bad for the guy. "The fastest man on no legs."

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkswky_ortis-deley-presenting-masterclass-youtube

That is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. The look on Michael Johnson's face speaks louder than words

C4 have Moscow 2013 also by the way.

Pherekydes

nerraw1111 wrote: »

Highlights of Ortis Deley presenting the Worlds. Cringe central. I feel bad for the guy. "The fastest man on no legs."

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkswky_ortis-deley-presenting-masterclass-youtube

Who's going to complain about Sue Barker or Hazel Irvine now? :pac:

Dan man

Rob Walker losing his voice at the end of a race is beginning to grate on me also. Don't get me wrong, I love it when commentators really get going towards the end of an epic race (George Hamilton-esque) but it is annoying when it happens after any race which is remotely competitive towards the final stages. I'm not saying he's putting it on, i'm only saying it's becoming tired.

Pisco Sour

On the topic of why athletics is not as popular in Ireland as perhaps other European countries I've thought of a theory. I could be completely off the wall with it but I'll give it a go.

I've spent a fair amount of time travelling over the last year and during this time I have met a lot of people travelling on their own (just like myself). However, very few of these people were Irish. Nearly every Irish person I met was travelling with a group of friends, while loads of people I met from places like Switzerland, Germany, UK etc were going solo. Maybe Irish people feel more comfortable in groups. We are a pretty social group of people after all, and certainly among the friendliest in the world, from my experience of travelling. Maybe this fondness for being in groups is the reason we love playing GAA, Soccer, Rugby, while not a lot of people are bothered with individual sports like athletics. While in other countries, like the above I mentioned, this is less of a problem as people are a bit more individualistic.

Again, I could be completely wrong with this but just an observation.

Thud

04072511 wrote: »

On the topic of why athletics is not as popular in Ireland as perhaps other European countries I've thought of a theory. I could be completely off the wall with it but I'll give it a go.

I've spent a fair amount of time travelling over the last year and during this time I have met a lot of people travelling on their own (just like myself). However, very few of these people were Irish. Nearly every Irish person I met was travelling with a group of friends, while loads of people I met from places like Switzerland, Germany, UK etc were going solo. Maybe Irish people feel more comfortable in groups. We are a pretty social group of people after all, and certainly among the friendliest in the world, from my experience of travelling. Maybe this fondness for being in groups is the reason we love playing GAA, Soccer, Rugby, while not a lot of people are bothered with individual sports like athletics. While in other countries, like the above I mentioned, this is less of a problem as people are a bit more individualistic.

Again, I could be completely wrong with this but just an observation.

Relays are the way forward so

robinph

nerraw1111 wrote: »

Highlights of Ortis Deley presenting the Worlds. Cringe central. I feel bad for the guy. "The fastest man on no legs."

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkswky_ortis-deley-presenting-masterclass-youtube

Was just trying to watch that, but it's far too painful to have to experience it all again.

markie29

robinph wrote: »

Was just trying to watch that, but it's far too painful to have to experience it all again.

he should stick to the gadget show

TheRoadRunner

robinph wrote: »

Was just trying to watch that, but it's far too painful to have to experience it all again.

+1 I could only manage 30 seconds. What's the new guy like? seemed fine on highlights package but pressure of live link may prove a little more difficult.

myflipflops

Good morning so far. Cragg through automatically by running aggressively in the 5k heats and Deirdre Ryan just over 1.92 at the 3rd attempt. She will need an Irish record at 1.95 to make the final.

myflipflops

1.95 from Deirdre Ryan at the second attempt for a National Record to qualify for the final!!!

Cannot ask more than that at this level. Superb stuff.

Larry Brent

myflipflops wrote: »

1.95 from Deirdre Ryan at the second attempt for a National Record to qualify for the final!!!

Cannot ask more than that at this level. Superb stuff.

Brilliant. I presume she didn't get a chance to go higher once she hit the qualifying mark? Just when it's a good day when high jumping it might have been nice to keep going. Could be frustrating not knowing if you could have gone higher on the day, but I suppose the bigger picture is obviously the final. fingers crossed she'll maintain the form then.

myflipflops

Larry Brent wrote: »

Brilliant. I presume she didn't get a chance to go higher once she hit the qualifying mark? Just when it's a good day when high jumping it might have been nice to keep going. Could be frustrating not knowing if you could have gone higher on the day, but I suppose the bigger picture is obviously the final. fingers crossed she'll maintain the form then.

1.95 was the automatic qualifying mark for the final so once she hit that, no option to try to go higher.

Dan man

1.95m is also the A-standard for the Olympics so it's been a fantastic morning for Deirdre Ryan. Also, Cragg's performance deserves a mention. He ran a gutsy race and kicked strong at the end to reach a deserved place in the final. Fantastic!

Pisco Sour

Super morning for Ireland. Great to see Alistair Cragg qualify so comfortably and finishing strong. Best I've seen him in a championship in a long while. Last year he only qualified for the European final as a fastest loser, now he is qualifying for a world final as an automatic qualifier. Fingers crossed he can show everyone in the final what he can do, and hopefully get up into the top 10.

Deirdre Ryan qualifying for the high jump final is the performance of the championships so far from an Irish perspective. Can't ask for any more than jumping a lifetime best at a major championships. Top 12 in the world at the very least now.

This also is another reason why sending athletes on B-Standards works. Deirdre was obviously in good form, jumping a national record of 1.93 recently so it made sense to send her. It's different if she had jumped the B-Standard a year before the championships and hadn't approached it since. It doesn't matter how old an athlete is, if they are on form, and have achieved a standard they should be sent. Hopefully, the OCI will apply such sensible criteria next year.

Not that Deirdre needs to worry now as she has her A-Standard for London!

Was sitting beside a guy from Belgium today, who is part of the government and is partly responsible for athlete funding in the country. When Deirdre went clear at 1.95m he asked me how will her achievement be received back in Ireland. He seemed genieunely amazed when I said that most people in Ireland won't care, and probably won't even know it happened. He told me in Belgium, that the Vuelta Espana (cycling is huge in Belgium) has been only getting delayed coverage so that the athletics could be shown live. Different countries, different attitudes.

Gringo78

04072511 wrote: »

Was sitting beside a guy from Belgium today, who is part of the government and is partly responsible for athlete funding in the country. When Deirdre went clear at 1.95m he asked me how will her achievement be received back in Ireland. He seemed genieunely amazed when I said that most people in Ireland won't care, and probably won't even know it happened. He told me in Belgium, that the Vuelta Espana (cycling is huge in Belgium) has been only getting delayed coverage so that the athletics could be shown live. Different countries, different attitudes.

You might be surprised to hear that TodayFM led off their sports bulletin with Deirdre Ryan & Cragg very enthusiastically rather than the transfer deadline day news

Pisco Sour

Gringo78 wrote: »

You might be surprised to hear that TodayFM led off their sports bulletin with Deirdre Ryan & Cragg very enthusiastically rather than the transfer deadline day news

That's good to hear. Hopefully it will continue.

myflipflops

Brief Cragg interview after his semi. Seems reluctant to say too much but pretty upbeat in his own unique way.

Whatever about what happened in Boston, the marathon training has been good for Cragg. It would be great to see the guy have a great run in the final.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlQEOW_Ur7M&feature=related

thirtyfoot

Gringo78 wrote: »

You might be surprised to hear that TodayFM led off their sports bulletin with Deirdre Ryan & Cragg very enthusiastically rather than the transfer deadline day news

Headline story on Radio 1 too with an interview from the woman herself.

04072511 - your perception of where the sport is in Ireland is wrong. You seem to constantly harp on about it. If you keep telling people the way you think it is actually is the way it is then people will believe this. That Belgian lad may now be going to his buddies on boards.be that Ireland don't give a toss about athletics. Try painting a good picture for once when talking of the sport on a wider level. When it's a good story here it gets the coverage.

As much of your evidence is anecdotal, I'll give mine. Guy I work with is a top GAA player, high profile, regularly in media. Loves athletics. Chatting to him yesterday knows all the Irish athletes, following them all, says athletics after GAA is favourite sport. On your logic and based on this anecdote Irish people love athletics.

Maybe next time when conversing on the topic, work a positive angle or if working a negative angle endeavour to try and fix what you perceive to be the negative item.

thirtyfoot

Ryan is an example of perserverance and belief. Regarded by some as a major championships tourist, she has now delivered. One tough lady, she really is.

myflipflops

thirtyfoot wrote: »

Ryan is an example of perserverance and belief. Regarded by some as a major championships tourist, she has now delivered. One tough lady, she really is.

Yes.

Ryans performance today has put some of the views expressed on B athletes and people perceived as 'championship tourists' (great phrase!) into perspective. The fact is, there is no way an athlete would have cleared 1.92 on the last attempt under that pressure unless they had experienced the situation before. She has been to plenty of major champs previously and it stood to her today.

Pisco Sour

thirtyfoot wrote: »

Headline story on Radio 1 too with an interview from the woman herself.

04072511 - your perception of where the sport is in Ireland is wrong. You seem to constantly harp on about it. If you keep telling people the way you think it is actually is the way it is then people will believe this. That Belgian lad may now be going to his buddies on boards.be that Ireland don't give a toss about athletics. Try painting a good picture for once when talking of the sport on a wider level. When it's a good story here it gets the coverage.

As much of your evidence is anecdotal, I'll give mine. Guy I work with is a top GAA player, high profile, regularly in media. Loves athletics. Chatting to him yesterday knows all the Irish athletes, following them all, says athletics after GAA is favourite sport. On your logic and based on this anecdote Irish people love athletics.

Maybe next time when conversing on the topic, work a positive angle or if working a negative angle endeavour to try and fix what you perceive to be the negative item.

I accept what you say there. But I can't be completely wide of the mark if our national broadcaster would rather show a greek team versus a spanish team play football ahead of Derval, Hesh and Gillick run in world championship semi finals.

If the fact is true that Ireland are the only European country without its national broadcaster at the championships then there are concerns. Is it a case that the Irish people don't want to watch so it is not shown on TV, or is it a case that the media are telling the public what to watch? It's hard to know really.

Anyway, that's the last I'll speak on this subject. Too much other great stuff going on out here.:) The Korean qualifying for the Long Jump final is fantastic news. Gives the locals somebody to cheer during an evening session. They deserve it after how they have attended both morning and evening sessions here.

Thud

thirtyfoot wrote: »

Headline story on Radio 1 too with an interview from the woman herself.

04072511 - your perception of where the sport is in Ireland is wrong. You seem to constantly harp on about it. If you keep telling people the way you think it is actually is the way it is then people will believe this. That Belgian lad may now be going to his buddies on boards.be that Ireland don't give a toss about athletics. Try painting a good picture for once when talking of the sport on a wider level. When it's a good story here it gets the coverage.

As much of your evidence is anecdotal, I'll give mine. Guy I work with is a top GAA player, high profile, regularly in media. Loves athletics. Chatting to him yesterday knows all the Irish athletes, following them all, says athletics after GAA is favourite sport. On your logic and based on this anecdote Irish people love athletics.

Maybe next time when conversing on the topic, work a positive angle or if working a negative angle endeavour to try and fix what you perceive to be the negative item.

yes but how many Irish people would recognise Deirdre Ryan before today?

myflipflops

Thud wrote: »

yes but how many Irish people would recognise Deirdre Ryan before today?

How many irish people would have recognised Kevin O'Brien or John Mooney before the win against England in the cricket world cup??

In fact, how many would recognise them now, only a few months after the fact? Mooney was on the same flight as me recently flying from Dublin and I was clearly the only one who recognised him.

What about Nicholas Roche or Grainne Murphy or Eoin Rheinisch?

It's not just athletes/athletics that have this. This is simply the lot of minority sportsmen in this (and most other) countries. You are a good news story once every few years and that's it.

walshb

No time to check, but was yesterday a rest day? I saw no C4 highlight programme listed.

rainbow kirby

It was only the womens 20k walk yesterday.

Pherekydes

walshb wrote: »

No time to check, but was yesterday a rest day? I saw no C4 highlight programme listed.

There was one event, the women's 20k walk, so effectively a rest day for athletes and spectators alike. :pac:

walshb

robinph wrote: »

Was just trying to watch that, but it's far too painful to have to experience it all again.

Where did they get him from? MJ was so embarrassed for the guy. Unreal. And, as you say, difficult to watch. Feel sorry for the guy.

Caprica

Well done to Deirdre Ryan on reaching the High Jump final and also hitting the Olympic A standard. A great performance. Eurosport didn't show the 5k's but hopefully Cragg can give a good performance in the final, it sounds like he is in good shape.

Nice to see the Koreans get a finalist in the long jump, they seem to have put athletes into nearly every event. Was expecting a bit more from the british guys but only Tomlinson got through.

shels4ever

Caprica wrote: »

Well done to Deirdre Ryan on reaching the High Jump final and also hitting the Olympic A standard. A great performance. Eurosport didn't show the 5k's but hopefully Cragg can give a good performance in the final, it sounds like he is in good shape.

Nice to see the Koreans get a finalist in the long jump, they seem to have put athletes into nearly every event. Was expecting a bit more from the british guys but only Tomlinson got through.

You get see the 5k's here if you need
http://athletics.channel4.com/

Cragg never looked in trouble at all, and when the pace got hot he was still in control. Best cc run from him in a long while. Nice to see him in good form after a race again.

Pisco Sour

Another thing about Cragg's run is that he is one of only 4 Europeans to make the final, and one of only 2 Europeans to qualify automatically. A shame he wasn't in that sort of form last year. At his best there's little doubt he'd medal at Europeans.

Have managed to get hold of a press pass for tomorrow nights evening session. Will have access to the press conferences and the mixed zone. Increased chance of tracking down Allyson Felix :-)

Mumontherun

Does anyone know a website where I could watch the mens 1500m semi final live which is on shortly ??

myflipflops

This is the stream i have been using for the whole champs.

http://linkupvideos.com/watch/ed29e840b47ed72777c8/IAAF-World-Track-and-Field-Championships-Live-Stream

BobMac104

what time is it starting. ?

scaryfairy

mumontherun wrote: »

Does anyone know a website where I could watch the mens 1500m semi final live which is on shortly ??

hi

this has been working very well for me (image + sound):
http://www.sportlemon.tv/v-2/8/174/v-297413.html

It's Eurosport.

Other options available from here:
http://www.sportlemon.tv/c-11.html

myflipflops

BobMac104 wrote: »

what time is it starting. ?

Mens 1500 semis start at 11.55am irish time.

Womens 200 on track now.

G-Money

Channel 4 are losing the plot with the number of ad breaks. It's disgraceful. I know some ads are inevitable but theyre going completely overboard

Mumontherun

scaryfairy wrote: »

hi

this has been working very well for me (image + sound):
http://www.sportlemon.tv/v-2/8/174/v-297413.html

It's Eurosport.

Other options available from here:
http://www.sportlemon.tv/c-11.html

Thanks the Eurosportlink worked easiest for me!!

myflipflops

Heat 1 is jogging around. Literally jogging. Great for O Lionaird.

Larry Brent

Baala the Master.

myflipflops

Laalou out!

Couldn't have picked it better for O'Lionaird. Hopefully Komen does some nice pacemaking now.

Larry Brent

You little beauty. Brilliant!

Well done Ciaran.

Pherekydes

Super run, O'Lionaird!

Good man. What a great day for the Irish.

Larry Brent

Did Willis have to dip to qualify? Surprised by that.

shels4ever

great race again

myflipflops

Superb. Absolutely perfect race. Cannot say enough good things about that run.

Wow. What a day for Irish athletics.

Jerry - go on Off the Ball tonight!!!!

BobMac104

brilliant run!! was it me or did he look like he still had a bit in reserve?

Pherekydes

Larry Brent wrote: »

Did Willis have to dip to qualify? Surprised by that.

Yes, he just scraped into 7th. Komen is also out!