2021 multi-event

[Awsi Dooger]

I really (really) hope that 6,600 points will not be enough to medal. With so many women capable of scoring 6,700+ it will be a very sad competition if 6,600 will be enough for Bronze.

It ended up slightly below 6600. Oosterwegel won bronze with 6590.

The javelin again proved pivotal. All three medalists were beyond 51 meters. For reference, Thiam defeated her 4th place teammate Noor Vidts by 220 points. It was all in the javelin. Thiam scored 951 to Vidts at 702.

It was interesting to me that both Dutch heptathlon medalists did well in the javelin. It is an event Netherlands has been prioritizing in recent years, based on a study of which events should play to their physical strengths. Here is a related article:

https://netherlandsnewslive.com/proj...-tokyo/209625/

"A few tables away, Bram Peters (29) watches the scene with satisfaction. It concerns his athletes, and those of his fellow trainer Laurent Meuwly from Switzerland. Together they started ‘Project 400’ two and a half years ago, an ambitious plan to take the 400 meters in the Netherlands to a higher level. It is one of three GAP projects – shorter before close the gap – in which the technical leadership of the Athletics Union in October 2018 designated javelin throw, pole vault and the 400 meters (hurdles) as parts that Dutch athletes, who are above average tall and strong, should be physically well. In Belgium they have had world champions in the 400 meters for years. The men’s relay team, nicknamed Belgian Tornados, took bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Doha. The idea at Papendal was: we should be able to do that too."

[Atticus]

I just now noticed that Talence got cancelled again this year. I assume there are no more multi events planned for the year except perhaps for see some results from down under in December?

I saw that the Multis Challenge this year was won by K Wms and Kazmirek, so they get byes to Eugene.

[tgs3]

I just now noticed that Talence got cancelled again this year. I assume there are no more multi events planned for the year except perhaps for see some results from down under in December?

[dupontred]

"Thanks, Captain Obvious."

As opposed to KJT and Thiam who can put up super numbers in field events.

[Davidokun]

She’ll have to do well in field AND running events to be in the podium.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious."

[Davidokun]

For easy comparison, this is what she achieved at the Trials versus her PBs:

Event	Result	Score	Difference from PB
100H	12.95w (+2.4)	1132	+26
HJ	1.81 (5-11¼)	991	-12
SP	15.73 (51-7¼)	910	-5
200	23.71	1009	0
LJ	6.50 (21-4) (+1.2)	1007	0
JT	45.06 (147-10)	765	0
800	2:15.24	889	-5
	Total	6703	+4

[dupontred]

The good news is that at least one of them should be up to their OT score, and I'm guessing Bougard.
Kunz was simply TOO good in Eugene, so I think KW will be in the medal fight too.
I'll be bummed if none are in contention. Can't believe all 3 will be.

Bougard did the shot at a last second ATL meet in LA last weekend and it wasn’t great, so we’ll see. She’ll have to do well in field AND running events to be in the podium.

[Davidokun]

Did she get a clean sweep of seven PBs then? That tops Avilov, who got what, 8 of 10 in 72?

No, she achieved three PBs at the Trials. Here's the sum of her PBs:

Event	Result	Score	Location	Date
100H	13.12 (+0.3)	1106	Götzis	29 May 2021
HJ	1.82 (5-11½)	1003	Annapolis	8 February 2020
SP	15.80 (51-10)	915	Chula Vista	3 April 2021
200	23.71	1009	Eugene	26 June 2021
LJ	6.50 (21-4) (+1.2)	1007	Eugene	27 June 2021
JT	45.06 (147-10)	765	Eugene	27 June 2021
800	2:14.90	894	Azusa	14 April 2016
	Total	6699

[cigar95]

Did she get a clean sweep of seven PBs then? That tops Avilov, who got what, 8 of 10 in 72?

[Davidokun]

Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but how does that work? Or was that sum of pre-trials PBs?

Her 100 hurdles heat in Eugene was wind-aided: +2.4 m/s.

[Davidokun]

Pieter Braun out:

https://twitter.com/atletieklive/sta...56445088866305

[cigar95]

Kunz was SO good in Eugene she now has a PB (6703) superior to her sum of PBs in all events (6699) ! Hard to believe but still ... not a favorite for the podium, yet I don't rule her out.

Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but how does that work? Or was that sum of pre-trials PBs?

[ZazaShoya]

The good news is that at least one of them should be up to their OT score, and I'm guessing Bougard.
Kunz was simply TOO good in Eugene, so I think KW will be in the medal fight too.
I'll be bummed if none are in contention. Can't believe all 3 will be.

Kunz was SO good in Eugene she now has a PB (6703) superior to her sum of PBs in all events (6699) ! Hard to believe but still ... not a favorite for the podium, yet I don't rule her out.

[Wiederganger]

The World Athletics preview of the heptathlon was quite telling, the first half only talks about Thiam v KJT, the narrative being a repeat of 2018 & 2019, a head to head between these two greats, even after event two, then Thiam pulls ahead after the SP, then KJT comes back after the 200m etc. etc...

The other women do get a mention in the second half of the preview, but does he really think it will play out like this, or is this pro British bias from the English writer and his hopes for KJT? Based off this season, it simply is not going to be a head to head, and I found it funny that he would position it this way. Kat is a HUGE question mark, and the narrative should have included the main contenders and how they may fare after Day 1, not just Thiam & KJT.

I know previews can be hard to write, but still!

[trailrun]

I wouldn't equate KJT's situation this year with the others though, she isn't underperforming per se, it's injury related and she has not competed all year until recently, so is playing catch up. With the others - bar Thiam - they have apparently all been injury free and setting good scores, it's that they are more likely to not match those scores come Tokyo.

It's not surprising when it comes to Gotzis; it's set up for the multievents, there are no other events dictating and influencing the programme and timings, so when they underperform at the majors compared to their Gotzis scores, it's not necessarily about peaking, but the event set-up. I think for the US women though, it's the same old story as other events; it's a cut-throat trials, they have to finish top 3 to Q, so they have to be in form. Hopefully they can carry that form through to Tokyo, but as we agree, it's likely they wont all be able to.

With Thiam herself not having competed in a heptathlon either, there also has to be a (small) question mark over whether she can put 7 good events together. I'm sure she will be fine, but she shouldn't be as dominant as she has and could be pressured. The other wildcard is potentially Carolin Schafer. Again, no individual heptathlon this year, and her individual marks have been mixed due to a niggle, It's more likely she will either DNF or be down the leaderboard, but she obviously has the ability to score over 6600 too

I’m less concerned about Thiam than others, she looked very good during the indoor season, I think she’s been playing it cool and didn’t want to repeat her 2019 season when she peaked far too early. The javelin is a concern, but her elbow was injured in 2016 and she just went through the pain barrier for that gold, if a similar situation arose I don’t doubt we’d see a similar outcome