Athletics Weekly

jeremy1 wrote:soviet
Glad you feel better now.

Best not to keep these things bottled up. By the way, Jeremy, have we ever discussed the true meaning of the word "integrity"?

(Contrary to how I may appear in print, I'm actually a very engaging conversationalist .. .. . ..)

One of the reasons for Nike NOT sponsoring him could be down to GR's UKA/Lottery contract which requires him to do some advertising in Addidas kit I think that applies to a lot of the GB team, Kermit. I don't think any of the other high profile GB team members have lost their Nike contracts (PSD &a...

I think Jeremy is right in that people played into Mo's hands in the 5000. I know I should let this go but my inner pedant is winning. Jeremy did not write that they played into Mo's hands (I did!). Jez wrote that "they handed him the golds on a plate". That is a common idiom with a clear...

What's happened to Greg R's sponsorship deal with Nike? Perhaps he rated his gold more than they did. Wonder who is agent is. The Chinese guy was impressive. They had 10 jumpers in the World's top 100 last year, including 2 Youths, so I suspect we may be seeing more reach world class before Rio. Hi...

Actually what you misinterpreted as a member of the touchy feely generation taking affront, was actually a cantankerous middle-aged man who can't resist disagreeing with you. I loved how you said others should study the London 5k and yet you yourself had mixed up two of the main protagonists. Pricel...

What's happened to Greg R's sponsorship deal with Nike? Perhaps he rated his gold more than they did. Wonder who is agent is.

The Chinese guy was impressive. They had 10 jumpers in the World's top 100 last year, including 2 Youths, so I suspect we may be seeing more reach world class before Rio.

You've mixed up Gebrmeskel and Gebrhiwet. It was Gebrmeskel who messed up. I expect him to beat Mo this year over 5. I suspect we actually agree over the 5k in London. The Ethiopians tactics played into Mo's hands but I took exception to the phrase about handing it to him on a plate. It devalues the...

I'd just like to endorse Steve's comments about Mo. I disagree with Jeremy's belief that deep down Mo is focussed on the roads. He trains harder than anyone we've ever had other than Paula. (None of the Britisih distance legends we endlessly carp on about from the 70/s and 80s came close to Mo inter...

Interesting interview in this weeks Athletics Weekly on Maz; it appears Maz has long had a torn Piriformis muscle as the source of her problems, giving her back and hamstring problems for the past 5 years and part of the reason she loses power in the latter stages of races (though she doesn't deny ...

I saw the earlier comments about that perennial topic: the poor tactics of our female middle distance runners. I don't see this as a Brit-only issue. The lack of non-rabbitted races has reduced the general levels of tactical nous. Where are the great racers? I can think of Savinova and Tomashova but...

Note the top 8 in the 100/200m in the World Juniors in 2010: Williams,Pinckney,Samuel,Purvis,Gunther Pinto,Laaman, Silas, in the 100m and Kendrick, Williams,Samuel,Selvon,,Purvis,Diamond(GB), Peter, Ichikawa in the 200m. None of the above have set the world of young sprinting alight and probably wi...

Thats it in a nutshell. Partly the USA has so many talented youngsters that some inevitably come through and, in addition, there is a strong culture of intense competition over there, obsession with winning is all, which attitudes and culture, I believe, is not the same here. In this country when s...

Glad to note the usual NO comments on what was a fine first DL meet. God forbid the great British fans some of whom write copiously on another site can only mention Green, CO and f**k all else on this thread, with the feeble exuse that this is a British site. No reference of course to some fantasti...

As long as she's fit, that's all that matters Mump, Did you and your brother ever get to do an interview with Jodie. I've lost the link to the website where you posted the interviews with Cathy F et al. Has Jodie started at University anywhere? It's frustrating to see the US sprinters who were her ...

It just goes to show that you can't please all of the people all of the time. I think Cram is the best sports braodcaster we have ever had and his commentary at the Olympics, particularly Mo's 5k, was the finest piece I've ever heard. I actually enjoy the Wladorf and Statler (sp?) double act wheneve...

So do I Steve! It was a great programme. The most moving part though was listening to those East German athletes. Mike Costello said his initial idea was about a programme on Brits robbed of medals (as they most certainly were). In the end however he was left feeling that the likes of Smallwood and ...

so right, Steve. Let us hope that we hear no more about inadequate people cheating being considered as anything else but nasty excrescences on the backside of a great sport. I imagine therefore Jeremy, that you wouldn't have liked Hayley Tullett's comments last night. She showed a disturbing degree...

Yawn Can't do better than that,Trackstyles. that figures. You belong to those that believe that the new fashion of trotting off to the States must be beneficial to our athletes. Where is your evidence.. Great elitism but what have we got for all the money spent on expensive coaches and warm weather...

Yawn the new fashion of trotting off to the States. You cannot tell me why the previous generations of greats did not all feel the need to run off to the USA on a regular basis . But they did! Daley Thompson used to train for several months in the winter in the US. Black, Akabusi and Regis used to ...

By no means is this proof, but Crawford gesture can only be regarded as evidence in favour of him being clean, but certain not definitive and nor would I claim it to be. Other possible explanations for his actions: 1) He may have had a firm belief that athletes shouldn't be penalised for minor lane...

So, according to the comments earlier of Sovietvest, an athlete who considers that others are cheating and starts to cheat him/herself is not getting an unfair advantage and therefore as a committed, consistent cheat like all the rest as he /she believes the situation to be, that athlete has integr...

[ The flaw in your theory is that if Crawford doped because he believed his competitors doped than he wouldn't have given away his medal to somebody he thought was on the juice. Don't get me wrong but in the vast majority of doping cases there is a clear "must win at all costs" mentality,...

HAA was huge at the age of 16 before he lifted a weight in training. There is no comparison to an athlete like Crawford with a physique that has changed considerably through his career (first bulking up, then losing it). Clearly he gained his 2004 physique in the gym; the suspicion of many is that ...

By the way, I have no idea if Crawford is suspicious or dirty. Bigness isn't a smoking gun IMO as our very own Harry Akines Aryeetey is frigging HUGE to a ridiculous degree and his performances almost certainly indicate he isn't doping. The fact that would suggest to me he isn't (and it's no eviden...

Salazar's attitude to PEDs is fascinating. Over 10 years ago he wrote what is in my opinion a very intelligent and highly nuanced paper on the line between acceptable performance enhancement and cheating: http://law.duke.edu/sportscenter/salazar.pdf I like this because he recognises just what a grey...

I agree. Before anyone starts making throwaway comments about Thyroxine as a PED they should read this: http://www.sportsscientists.com/2013/04/the-thyroid-medication-debate-is-it.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FcJKs+%28The+Science+of+Sport%29 FW...

£500K plus prize money - all tax free - for a few seconds work, a bit of corporate glad handing, and a few insightless interviews. The world's gone mad. Bolt is a brilliant brilliant athlete but whoever agreed that deal needs carting off by the men in white coats. There is no other word than obscen...

I would rather watch a race with Shelly Anne Fraser, VCB, Jeter who do take to the circuit and race each other regularly. I don't think Bolt and Blake do the sport any favours by dodging each other, just their egos and pride. No athlete is bigger than the sport. I think you reflect the general feel...

I find it really funny that there are roars of approval whenever somoene says young Brits don't train hard enough and they are cossetted but then when a coach has success with his athletes he gets labelled an over-trainer! (OK - it may be that the comments come from completely different quarters bu...

I find it really funny that there are roars of approval whenever somoene says young Brits don't train hard enough and they are cossetted but then when a coach has success with his athletes he gets labelled an over-trainer! (OK - it may be that the comments come from completely different quarters but...