Athletics

British athletics may have a new star.
19 year old Keely Hodgkinson has stormed to Gold in the European Indoor 800m in Torun.
Brilliant run .

The delayed 2021 London Marathon takes place next Sunday 3rd October.

Stunning performance by Jake Wightman to claim GOLD in the 1500m at the World Athletics Championship in Eugene.

Lauera Muir takes bronze in women's 1500m

first mens podium since 1983...and its a gold

Excellent bronze for Matthew Hudson-Smith in the men's 400m.

However I have just witnessed one of the most staggering performances of all time.
American Sydney McLaughlin has obliterated her own 400m hurdles world record to claim GOLD in an utterly RIDICULOUS 50.68 seconds.
Absolutely off the charts .

That is ridiculous - must be almost Ed Moses territory!! says somethingh about the track too. I like the idea of the athletes getting placeholders at the ceremonies all stemmed from those empty stadium moments in 2016.

I wonder if there is a discussion going on in UK Athletics not only about the performances & medals being won in Oregon and also about TV coverage. something tells me that athletics in UK is reaching something of a crossroads point. I wonder if TV coverage is to blame you see very little on TV, it's not like it was when you had the likes of Daley Thompson, Fatima Whitbread Lord Seb Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram running and have felt that major meetings in UK aren't being covered like they used. I know there was a piece recently either online or in the papers where Daley had expressed his concern at the coverage of athletics was getting.

I just cannot believe that performance by McLaughlin. Utterly staggering.
Regular 400m runners would be happy with 50.68 but for hurdles runners? OMG.
MIND BLOWING!!

(23-07-2022 16:53 )Snooks Wrote:  I just cannot believe that performance by McLaughlin.

You’re not the only one

(23-07-2022 05:36 )lovebabes56 Wrote:  That is ridiculous - must be almost Ed Moses territory!! says somethingh about the track too. I like the idea of the athletes getting placeholders at the ceremonies all stemmed from those empty stadium moments in 2016.

I wonder if there is a discussion going on in UK Athletics not only about the performances & medals being won in Oregon and also about TV coverage. something tells me that athletics in UK is reaching something of a crossroads point. I wonder if TV coverage is to blame you see very little on TV, it's not like it was when you had the likes of Daley Thompson, Fatima Whitbread Lord Seb Coe, Steve Ovett and Steve Cram running and have felt that major meetings in UK aren't being covered like they used. I know there was a piece recently either online or in the papers where Daley had expressed his concern at the coverage of athletics was getting.

Looking at Wikipedia (I know it is not always accurate) it appears that most of the Athletics television coverage rights are held by the BBC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_bro...#Athletics). However, the BBC tend to broadcast these events on their Red Button channel, or on BBC Three or Four, rather than putting them front ant centre on BBC One or BBC Two. The only exemptions being the major championships. However, going forward streaming rather than linear television channels appears to be the future so I don’t know what practical difference it would make to have all the Athletics events that the BBC have the rights to put on BBC One in terms of reaching the largest possible audience?