The Official Athletics Thread

[CaptainSensible]

Ireland becoming a consistant relay finalist is nothing short of a Cinderella story.

Its about as unlikely a sporting achievement any you would care to mention.

Its Ireland Beating England and Pakistan at cricket.

It's Kerry Winning a munster Hurling final.

It's Leicester winning the Premier League

It's the Rugby Team getting to a world cup semi final.

All of that performance was enabled by Rashidat Adeleke. before the final in Budapest we were saying keying off Leike Klaver would be a good thing. She's a clear level above Klaver this year its not close. And its only May

Adeleke (48.45); the fastest female split of the entire weekend,

Marileidy Paulino managed (48.93);

Femke Bol (49.54)

Shaunae Miller-Uibo (49.54).

Sharlene Mawsdsley went 50.12 i think she can crack 50 this year. She mentioned it as a goal after world indoors. its looking like its within her grasp. Not a sure thing by any means but her rate of improvement is impressive.

The mens 400m national champs will be spiced up nicely too. The likes of Chris O'Donnell will be itching to get onto this squad.

Also the final of the women's 400m is on the evening session after the 4x400m heats so for Ireland to qualify they'll need Cadden or Harrison to deputise for Adeleke (perhaps Mawdsley? not likely but stranger things have happened) Great they got to see the big buildup and rub shoulders and a few elbows with a bunch of them last night

What I find even more amazing is that by a country mile they are the best looking relay team in the world, when did we ever think we could say that about any Irish team.

Adeleke and Healy are good looking but Mawdsley and Becker are out of this world.

The Irish Olympic council are definitely missing a trick here, they should have these girls left, right, and centre of every advertising campaign especially when you think how impressionable young girls are when it comes to good looking girl bands etc, seeing these would make it cool to run for the next generation.

 

[TheOutdoorThreadmill]

What I find even more amazing is that by a country mile they are the best looking relay team in the world, when did we ever think we could say that about any Irish team.

Adeleke and Healy are good looking but Mawdsley and Becker are out of this world.

The Irish Olympic council are definitely missing a trick here, they should have these girls left, right, and centre of every advertising campaign especially when you think how impressionable young girls are when it comes to good looking girl bands etc, seeing these would make it cool to run for the next generation.

And Marion’s arse front and centre

 

[El Guapo]

Yeah, that puts down a marker. Unless Klaver is in the middle of ridiculou v999999vi sly hard training, it's saying, "You're not a direct rival anymore. Now I'm gunning for Femke" Miller Uibo is back in the mix I believe. As we stand, you'd have Adeleke where? Top 3?

i think she's in a group of about 6 who can legitimately go into a final with expectations of winning. i think if they run a final 100 times she wins a medal fifty or 60 times and gold maybe 10 times.

In order from most likely, this is my opinion. may as well throw shit at a wall though as me be right.

Marileidy Paulino is probably still the favourite i reckon. she's posted on insta cryptic stuff about big life decisions and stuff. could be anything really. maybe her last dance

Shaunae Miller-Uibo, back after a maternty leave. is no spring chicken any more. Has been running 49s consistently. Has she still got the eye of the tiger?

Natalia Kaczmarek, hard to split her and Adeleke at this point, she is more experienced and a world medalist. Adeleke has the higher ceiling no doubt but Kaczmarek's floor is fookin up there.

Sydney McLoughlin-Lavrone. has threatened the 400m flat for 2 years now. Is probably the most talented of the bunch but heavy is the head that wears the crown. Kersee had her open in 12.71 over the 100h last week. i don't think she doubles. but who knows.

Rashidat Adeleke is in this group. Can beat them all on her day. Can be beaten by all on their's. Had a bad indoor season really but has been ripping up trees since.

Next are the pretenders. Punchers chances all. Lieke Klaver, Sada Williams, Alexis Holmes. I think after this weekend Adeleke never loses to Klaver again. Williams could arguably be up in the top tier. Holmes is improving fast.

Salwa Eid-Naser is a dark horse. has been so so since the drugs ban but some sauce would change that.

After that Talitha Diggs, Vicki Ohurighu yer wan Pippi, Cynthia Boling the Belgian wan etc all behind the top dogs

I think Britton Wilson will stick to the hurdles. She has durability issues and her path to a US vest is much clearer in the hurdles than the flat.

I'm 100% sure I've missed someone but Adeleke is shortening the odds every time she laces up her spikes.

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

Ireland becoming a consistant relay finalist is nothing short of a Cinderella story.

Its about as unlikely a sporting achievement any you would care to mention.

Its Ireland Beating England and Pakistan at cricket.

It's Kerry Winning a munster Hurling final.

It's Leicester winning the Premier League

It's the Rugby Team getting to a world cup semi final.

The prevalence of the GAA here and the low-ambition thinking it engenders means stuff like the relay medal achievement will never really be appropriately noted by most. The media are as bad - every successful athlete is analysed in terms of how much GAA they played "before they switched their current sport" - as if this is somehow the underlying reason for their success. You have GAA players telling you that they are "effectively professional" even though their level of training isn't even in the same ballpark as an international athlete.

So, the height of the weekend achievement, where you have Mawdsley going toe to toe with a real atheltic international superstar and holding her own in the final leg of a truly global top-tier event, doesn't really register. The rowing, the swimming and the gymnastics is the same. We have a female swimmer in Dolphin who won the Lee Swim two years ago - beat all comers, male and female. The first question 96FM asked her in an interview the following Tuesday was "Did you pay Camogie or Gaelic Football when you were younger". I can't remember an Olympic year when Ireland had more medal contenders - but you wouldn't know that from reading / listening to the mainstream sports media.

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

Meanwhile, there's hope for us yet lads - Kipchoge has survivied recent poor form the be selected on the Kenyan Olympic team fror the marathon in Paris

• Kipchoge
• Munyao
• Kipruto

Kiplagat - 1st reserve

Peres Jepchirchir continues her unstoppable run towards the women's title:

• Jepchirchir
• Obiri
• Kosgei

Lokedi - 1st reserve

Can't be easy telling Kplagat or Lokedi they haven't made the team - their records are outstanding. Fair enough, Munyao dazzled in winning Valencia in December but Kiplagat was actually faster than him in winning Tokyo in February. Similarly, Lokedi podiums pretty much every time too. What a pool of high-performers they have.

LOL, the only job harder than getting on the Kenyan marathon team is getting on an Irish relay team

 

[El Guapo]

Meanwhile, there's hope for us yet lads - Kipchoge has survivied recent poor form the be selected on the Kenyan Olympic team fror the marathon in Paris

• Kipchoge
• Munyao
• Kipruto

Kiplagat - 1st reserve

Peres Jepchirchir continues her unstoppable run towards the women's title:

• Jepchirchir
• Obiri
• Kosgei

Lokedi - 1st reserve

Can't be easy telling Kplagat or Lokedi they haven't made the team - their records are outstanding. Fair enough, Munyao dazzled in winning Valencia in December but Kiplagat was actually faster than him in winning Tokyo in February. Similarly, Lokedi podiums pretty much every time too. What a pool of high-performers they have.

LOL, the only job harder than getting on the Kenyan marathon team is getting on an Irish relay team

The inevitable Bekele v Kipchoge showdown inches ever closer

 

[El Guapo]

From Justin Gatlin's podcast

https://twitter.com/x/status/1787969302089658438

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

The inevitable Bekele v Kipchoge showdown inches ever closer

For sure - we;ll have to do a similar article previewing the Ethiopian selection

 

[El Guapo]

I don't know what to make of this

https://twitter.com/x/status/1787814039550136551

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

I don't know what to make of this

https://twitter.com/x/status/1787814039550136551

Yeah I read that yesterday - it's all a bit strange. He doesn't seem 100% credible or something.