The Official Athletics Thread

[El Guapo]

Just catching up on races I missed from Paris.

800m well worth a watch.

Benjamin Robert gets DQ'd 10 times out of 10 in any championship if he tried this stunt but it was great to see

Mr consistency Peter Bol with an ozzie record too

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

Just catching up on races I missed from Paris.

800m well worth a watch.

Benjamin Robert gets DQ'd 10 times out of 10 in any championship if he tried this stunt but it was great to see

Mr consistency Peter Bol with an ozzie record too

10.66 for Shelly-Ann Frazer-Price at the same meet. She's in full "she hasn't gonme away you know" mode. Looks like she's aiming for Paris 2024

 

[El Guapo]

Its the biggest weekend of the year for Athletics YouTube Jockeys - Nationals weekend

Ireland, US, UK, France. Action all over. Some big shocks overnight.

Sha'Carri crashed out of the 100m in 11.31. She is done for the worlds.

Cole Hocker the heir apparent to Centro in US 1500m racing, Olympic finalist shat the bed too and is gone. 3.39.

From an Irish perspective. Nationals are the last shot at worlds for Athletes on the bubble. Sunday is the Auto deadline.

There is a ranking bonus for being national champ so there is a lot to play for. The permutations are overly complex but run fast and you have a shot.

Some like Fay and McEllhenny might try to AutoQ, which is rare in a championship. We saw DTC try it last year and fall short.

Probably the womens 4x100m and mixed 4x400m have the most at stake. Both teams AutoQ but not selected yet so 123 at nationals and you go to worlds. Probably.

UK 1500m may be the race of the weekend. Whiteman, Gourley, Hayward and Kerr all have the standard. Would be finalists and would make any other team. Top 2 selected and 1 discretionary. Someone will miss out

 

[Carmona]

Heads up lads, catch the National 5000 on Youtube if ye weren't watching it live. Great battle. Winner has some speed.

 

[El Guapo]

Heads up lads, catch the National 5000 on Youtube if ye weren't watching it live. Great battle. Winner has some speed.

Yeah. I didn't see the womens but McElhinney is a class act. He was significantly stronger them Hiko today. A nice title for him

I only saw bits and pieces otherwise. On first watch I thought Molly Scott had pulled off a major ambush but Adeleke had her on the lean. It was a poor enough day for sprinting with massive headwind all day.

Sophie Becker got a nice one against Phil too. The mixed relay is taking shape. With those 2, Adeleke and Chris O'Donnell. Hopefully a stronger squad than the bare 4 we had at Tokyo

The 1500s were poor enough quality.

The brits 1500 was good after. Tokyo silver medalist Josh Kerr only managed 3rd. I'd say any of him Whiteman (the winner), Gourley (2nd) and Hayward (4th) would have won the US trials. They have a weak team this year led by Cooper Teare.

Syd McLoughlan broke the WR again. She is amazing. 3rd time in her last 4 races.

 

[El Guapo]

A few random bits from the weekend having done a bit of boning up on selection criteria

We have 10 athletes AutoQ for Eugene. Plus the 2 relays 4x100m W and 4x400m mixed. The standards are set deliberately hard so that only about 50% of the fields have them the rest being made up on world ranking. Race quota differ a bit but normally if you're top 45 or so you'll get an invite.

But athletics ireland introduced an additional B standard for some reason (Money?) So we'll have a bunch of Athletes who will get invited but won't be allowed to travel even if they pay their own way

So for Ireland that'll be

Lavan 100mh, Coscoran 1500m, Wright in the 20k walk, O'Donnell 400m with the B standard so will go.

Michelle Finn Steeple, Robert Fitzsimmons 200m, Luke McCann 1500m, Elisih Flanagan are all likely to be invited but they won't get picked. Its desperate for the athletes.

McCann just signed a pro contract with OAC Europe so you're really talking about people's livelihoods on top of it all to save a few euros

 

[El Guapo]

Another few random bits

Emily Infeld made the us 5k team. Delighted for her she had about 3 years training wiped after a stalker threatened to murder her and moved within 2 miles of her house to get at her. Crazy stuff

Olympian Emily Infeld started receiving strange messages online. Then, her life changed forever

For three years, elite distance runner Emily Infeld lived in fear of a stalker. This is the story of how the prime years of her career were interrupted -- and what happened to the man who threatened her life.

www.espn.com

The US had a 2 time world 400m finalist TeeJay Holmes in the prelims. He didn't advance but afterwards revealed he has been living in his car for the last 7 months. What a county

https://twitter.com/x/status/1540727699563368448

 

[Carmona]

And that women's 800 in the US trials!

 

[El Guapo]

And that women's 800 in the US trials!

Unreal. I thought Ajee Wilson had her. Whats going to happen with Keeley in the mix at worlds

Wilson has had her issues with tainted Beef in the past but she seems to be back at her best this year. Mu is phenomenal but is undercooked and not as dominant as she was.

Wilson has been hammering away in an event with 2 DSD athletes for years and now is the elder lemon behind Mu. Overall I as happy for her and hopes she has a good worlds

 

[El Guapo]

Meanwhile in France

400m hurdler Wilfried Happio is warming up before his race some fella approaches from the stand. Confirms his identity by name and starts pucking the head off him.

Happio was coughing blood and had to wear an eye patch before running an 48.57s PB and winning the French national title.

French 400m Hurdler Wilfried Happio wins title after being assaulted during warm-up

mybestruns.com

Nuts