Start lists coming up

[tafnut]

The first start lists are up at
http://www.iaaf.org/WCH03/results/byEvent.html
I understand they are only available 24-48 hours in advance?

[RM]

Re: Start lists coming up

Noticed a couple of things here:
1) Letitia Vriesde is listed as starting in heat 5 of the womens's 800. I thought the 5-gallons of coffee scandal would have kept her out.

2) Merlene Ottey doesn't get to ease into anything here. With only the first 3 in each heat guaranteed to advance, she'll have her hands full with Kelli White, Sevetheda Fynes and Kim Gevaert in heat 3.

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

Shouldn't the WC's have only the best athletes in the world. I noticed there is a runner in the 1500 with a PB of more than 4 min and a runner in the 400 whose PB is 50+. I realize that this is probably the one athlete per nation rule, but this is wrong!

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

It's the way it's always been. Who are you to contest that?

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

"It's the way it's always been. Who are you to contest that?"

He can question that if he wants to. I question it as well.

These are supposed to be elite races contested by the best athletes in the world. If a country doesn't have any athletes among the world's best, they shouldn't be included.

What I am saying is that all athletes should have to meet a minimum qualifying standard.

There was one oreliminary heat of the 100m in the 2000 Olympics in which the last place runner ran 11.47. You can't win most U.S. high school races with a time like that.

The one athlete rule is silly. If a country doesn't have any athletes who can compete, it shouldn't be represented.

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

Establish a standard that all athletes in an event must reach to compete -- it could be the A standard, 1/2 way between A and B, etc -- that only the best are going to meet. Set the standard to levels thatb will produce at least some minimum number (20ish?) but no more than a maximum (40ish?) Then, allow any athlete who meets the standard to participate in the WC, regardless of whether or not he is one of the best 3 in his country.

What does this accomplish? First, it guarantees that the best athletes are competing. If the Kenyans have 5 or 6 of the best runners in the 1500, then they should all be there. Second, with fewer athletes, fewer heats will be needed. This should allow for more flexibility for the meet organizers and athletes. Third, it will distinguish WC's from the OG's. The olympics seem to be more about nations competing against one another and overall medal counts -- plus, there the whole peace and harmony thing. The WC's should be about athletes compteting against other athletes.

Anyway, these are just a few ideas. Think what you will of them. Will they become reality? Probably not in any of our life times.

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

"There was one oreliminary
heat of the 100m in the 2000 Olympics in which
the last place runner ran 11.47. You can't win
most U.S. high school races with a time like
that."

The one athlete rule is silly. If a
country doesn't have any athletes who can
compete, it shouldn't be represented."

It's nearly obscene to think that any average high school runner (say 11.0 100m) would not finish in last place at the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS of track and field.

One other thing... How many of these athletes (there are two women in the first head of the 100m with PB's of 13.1) are legitmate track and field athletes? My guess is that many of them are sons or daughters of high ranking officials in goverment -- selected to compete for political reasons only.

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

Why are you so bothered by it? They are not replacing anyone on the start list, are they? They are representing their country and regardless of time/place, that is an honor for them.

Countries without proper resources for training etc will never be able to take part in any of the global championships. Should it be available to only a select few?

Sometimes, winning is not the only thing!

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

"Why are you so bothered by it? They are not replacing anyone on the start list, are they? They are representing their country and regardless of time/place, that is an honor for them.

Countries without proper resources for training etc will never be able to take part in any of the global championships. Should it be available to only a select few?

Sometimes, winning is not the only thing!"

It should be "available" to the people who deserve to be there. You're right, it is an honor to compete at the World Championships; it is a huge honor. And it should be reserved for those who qualify on merit. By merit I mean running fast.

Is the world a better place because a tiny country with no real athletes gets to send a runner to the World Championships, where he/she is promptly beaten out of sight?

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

If a woman athlete from Afganistan or Iraq, represents their country in the WC and runs 14.0 - I think it is a MUCH BIGGER accomplishment than a US athlete winning the gold.

Imagine a woman from that kind of background making it to the WC- But people born with a silver spoon in their mouth wouldn't understand!!

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

>>Is the world a better place because a tiny country with no real athletes gets to send a runner to the World Championships, where he/she is promptly beaten out of sight?<<

It most definitely will be a better place. If these global events can do 'anything' towards giving the down-trodden a break (like a woman representing AFG), then that is big step for the people living there.

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

>>Is the world a better place because a tiny country with no real athletes gets to send a runner to the World Championships, where he/she is promptly beaten out of sight?<<

It most definitely will be a better place. If these global events can do 'anything' towards giving the down-trodden a break (like a woman representing AFG), then that is big step for the people living there.

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

"If a woman athlete from Afganistan or Iraq, represents their country in the WC and runs 14.0 - I think it is a MUCH BIGGER accomplishment than a US athlete winning the gold.

Imagine a woman from that kind of background making it to the WC- But people born with a silver spoon in their mouth wouldn't understand!!"

First, the people of Afghanistan and Iraq really have much bigger issues to worry about than an athletic competition.

Second, how would the situation you describe represent a big accomplishment? All you have to do is put someone on the plane, drive them to the stadium and let them run. This is basically what the countries that benefit from the "one athlete" rule do (like the man who ran an 11.47 100 in the 2000 Olympics). Just because Iraq and Afghanistan have recently emerged from (or are still in) military conflict, the princple remains the same. If Iraq and Afghanistan are able to turn themselves into stable democracies, THAT will be an accomplishment.

Third, I'm not really sure what motivated the personal nastiness on your part ("people born with a silver spoon..."). All I can say is that this is an annonymous message board and you don't really know me or anyone else who posts here; so you should try to stick to the subject in the future.

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

"It most definitely will be a better place. If these global events can do 'anything' towards giving the down-trodden a break (like a woman representing AFG), then that is big step for the people living there."

Wow, you're quick with the posts.

Please explain how an Iraqi woman in the women's 100m represents "giving the Iraqi people a break."
Why don't you go to Bagdhad and tell the residents that their entrant in the women's 100 is "giving them a break."

[Guest]

Re: Start lists coming up

Women in some cultures are not allowed to participate in sports (or not even be seen without a burkha covering them up)- It is a HUGE accomplishment for a woman from that country to step up and run in a world-championship. Maybe other people from that region will take her lead and improve.

Do you think it was a big accomplishment when Rosa parks refused to give up her seat? People travel on buses all the time, so why was it such a big deal! She was the first one to do it and opened doors for others.

My point is this-- We in the US take a lot of things for granted because this is a rich country(hence the silver spoon comment); sometimes getting there is big deal for less fortunate people.

You don't have agree with this- It is just another point of view.