Zürich DL 2021

[hipNrip]

The problem there is Crouser also gets six throws. His odds of getting one good throw long enough to win are much greater than anyone else throwing 1 or 2 feet longer than their previous best.

This is why I purposely posted the historical facts about the shot. Andrei, Timmerman, and Oldfield threw over 75...thirty and forty years ago. Even drug busted Barnes never hit 75. Kovacs and Walsh have barely gone past 75 and haven't done it in 2 years.

That's how rare it is to break 75, let alone throw 76 which RC has done essentially 3 times. There are no guys out there who can hit a huge throw that even gets them near 75 except Kovacs and Walsh which I already addressed. If there are, they're somewhere 8 years away from elite status. No junior is throwing near 70 feet.

Whomever beats Crouser will certainly be someone who is throwing consistently within a foot of him to begin with. Thinking some 70 footer will unleash a 74 footer is fantasy.

This has been a special year for Crouser. He's throwing on another level. I found myself disappointed in his performance yesterday, but that just tells you what he has done this year. He makes throwing over 74 feet look pedestrian, which of course it isn't. The only throwers with a legit shot at him this year were Kovacs and Walsh, but in most cases it would have taken near lifetime bests to get Crouser on his off-days.

[JMysterio]

They don't need any consistency to beat Crouser once out of many competitions. They just need one huge throw on the right day when Crouser isn't at his best.

The problem there is Crouser also gets six throws. His odds of getting one good throw long enough to win are much greater than anyone else throwing 1 or 2 feet longer than their previous best.

This is why I purposely posted the historical facts about the shot. Andrei, Timmerman, and Oldfield threw over 75...thirty and forty years ago. Even drug busted Barnes never hit 75. Kovacs and Walsh have barely gone past 75 and haven't done it in 2 years.

That's how rare it is to break 75, let alone throw 76 which RC has done essentially 3 times. There are no guys out there who can hit a huge throw that even gets them near 75 except Kovacs and Walsh which I already addressed. If there are, they're somewhere 8 years away from elite status. No junior is throwing near 70 feet.

Whomever beats Crouser will certainly be someone who is throwing consistently within a foot of him to begin with. Thinking some 70 footer will unleash a 74 footer is fantasy.

[JMysterio]

He needs lucky breaks to stay healthy. Elite shot putters are regularly heaving 500-900 lbs in the gym, which isn't kind to the spine and joints.

But in competition with 6 chances to get it right he needs fewer lucky breaks than a hurdler who has 10 chances for things to go wrong.

Addressed in my original post.

"In the shot, you of course can have injury, also likely in training but the event itself often does not lead to injury. Of the throws, it's likely the least stressful on the body. Also, a thrower can last a long time, Al Oerter won 4 Golds in the Discus."

[JMysterio]

I think you just provided the corroboration for my point.

What was your point exactly? Other than re-stating what I had already addressed in my original post?

[Awsi Dooger]

I received a notice that my post summarizing the press conference was flagged as potential spam. They are legitimate summaries. I'm not sure I'm allowed to post a link to the presser. It can be found by Googling the term, "Zurich 2021 Press Conference (Day Two) - Wanda Diamond League"

[Awsi Dooger]

My favorite moments from today's meet was NOT the competitions!
It was the outside-the-ring interactions of the Shot Putters--both male and female.
They were all in the same area waiting their turn to throw, and several times I saw them "in a zone", but walking past another Putter--especially of a different gender!
You don't normally see them mixing like that!
Also loved seeing Walsh and Crouser talking at length and laughing!
More, please!

That stuff was very good. I also enjoyed the press conference for athletes who will compete on Thursday. Considerably more entertaining than normal:

* When Jakob was asked why he picked the 1500 over the 5000, he got a bit stuffy and said, "Why do long jumpers chose the long jump over the high jump?"

* Warholm indicated he's looking for new challenges, after achieving everything he had sought for 5 years. He mentioned he might tinker around with the triple jump and the 800. He also talked about the flat 400 and long jump.

* Kipyegon seemed to hint toward the marathon. She said she was excited about what's ahead including following in the footsteps of Eliud Kipchoge. Unbelievably there was not a followup question.

* Hassan was in a playful mood. She said she took a training break after Tokyo and that's why she is concentrating on shorter distances. She said she hasn't had fun since Tokyo and wants to have fun in this race. She said Kipyegon and herself always push each other but this time she hopes Kipyegon can't push and will fall off

* Femke Bol and Lea Springer agreed they enjoy the 400 hurdles more than 400 flat because the hurdles present a new test every 35 meters. Bol said she breaks the hurdles race easily into segments while 400 flat is just running and she doesn't know how to handle the first 100. She favors 400 indoors above 400 outdoors because indoors you run 150 meters then break together. The decisions become more obvious than outdoors.

* DeGrasse said he's had trouble with energy level without a crowd. In Tokyo he was looking everywhere at people who were there, including the press box. He's convinced races would have been faster with a big crowd. He doesn't believe he's peaked yet because he got a late start at 17

* Tamberi joked that he has put on 5 kilograms since Tokyo. When Mondo was describing the problems of competing without his father present, Tamberi interjected that Mondo could use his father. Tamberi said the shared medal and experience with Barshim was just like the Olympics adding the word "together" to its motto

* Rojas said she doesn't have any specific pre jump thoughts. She repeats certain short positive phrases to herself. When asked about strengths and weaknesses, she emphasized that 1 and 3 were good but she needs to improve the step. World record holder Jonathan Edwards was the host and asked the question. He nodded in agreement

* Mondo had an interesting description of how factors like a few pounds of body weight can really impact how each pole reacts, and therefore performance. He said as a college kid at LSU he was basically doing everything wrong with his diet. Then after turning pro just a few changes to his diet led the way to world record level

[TrackFanSUI]

Austria has never been a T&F powerhouse. How about comparison with Czechia or Sweden, countries with comparable population? Norway has a significantly smaller population and while they may not have the depth, they've got two huge stars in the form of Warholm and J. Ingebrigtsen.

Switzerland has never been a powerhouse either. I mean our last Track and Field olympic medal is from Seoul 1988 in Shot Put!!! Before 2010, The sport Athletics was almost non existing here. Its just now we‘re reaping the reward of the work over the last 10 years in promotion of the young. And this promotion can happen at city events like the yesterdays. Young kids discover the sports and want to do and practise it themselves.

Czechia has a long throwing tradition. Warholm is a prodigy combined with hard work.
And i‘ve never said that they aren‘t performing well. They are indeed.

[Steele]

McSweyn has to have set some kind of modern-day record for most races in a year by a mid-distance runner. And now he's running the Great North Run this weekend? Sheesh!

[gh]

Day 2 Peacock

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[TN1965]

As long as they don't keep that stupid 3 final format, he can foul on 5 of 6 attempts but if he gets one out near 75 feet he'll win. No one has shown that they can even get near 75 consistently. Kovacs is 3 years older and neither he nor Walsh has hit 75 feet in two years.

They don't need any consistency to beat Crouser once out of many competitions. They just need one huge throw on the right day when Crouser isn't at his best.

[aaronk]

My favorite moments from today's meet was NOT the competitions!
It was the outside-the-ring interactions of the Shot Putters--both male and female.
They were all in the same area waiting their turn to throw, and several times I saw them "in a zone", but walking past another Putter--especially of a different gender!
You don't normally see them mixing like that!
Also loved seeing Walsh and Crouser talking at length and laughing!
More, please!

[18.99s]

Not only do I think Crouser is as dominant right now as Moses ever was, I don't believe he needs as many lucky breaks as Moses did other than staying healthy which I previously addressed.

He needs lucky breaks to stay healthy. Elite shot putters are regularly heaving 500-900 lbs in the gym, which isn't kind to the spine and joints.

But in competition with 6 chances to get it right he needs fewer lucky breaks than a hurdler who has 10 chances for things to go wrong.

[Atticus]

Not only do I think Crouser is as dominant right now as Moses ever was, I don't believe he needs as many lucky breaks as Moses did other than staying healthy which I previously addressed. . . . Valerie Adams had a 56 meet streak which likely would still be going today had she not had multiple upper body and leg surgeries.

I think you just provided the corroboration for my point.

[JMysterio]

Moses's streak is to T&F what DiMaggio's 56-game-hitting-streak is to baseball - an unbreakable record.
You not only have to be the very best, by far, but you need a lot of lucky breaks along the way.
RC is that good, but he'll also need to be very lucky.

Not only do I think Crouser is as dominant right now as Moses ever was, I don't believe he needs as many lucky breaks as Moses did other than staying healthy which I previously addressed.

As long as they don't keep that stupid 3 final format, he can foul on 5 of 6 attempts but if he gets one out near 75 feet he'll win. No one has shown that they can even get near 75 consistently. Kovacs is 3 years older and neither he nor Walsh has hit 75 feet in two years. There are no juniors throwing any where near 70 feet right now. Who is going to beat Crouser even in the near future unless he starts throwing left handed? If there is someone out there, he's likely in middle school right now.

Valerie Adams had a 56 meet streak which likely would still be going today had she not had multiple upper body and leg surgeries.

[Powell]

As you might know. Track and Field is a relative big thing in Switzerland. Probably the biggest sport here after Football (Soccer) or skiing. Thats why we‘re performing quite well for a small european country with 8 Mio population. Compared to other similar countries like Austria. (In relation, Germany is 10x bigger, UK is 7-8x bigger).

Austria has never been a T&F powerhouse. How about comparison with Czechia or Sweden, countries with comparable population? Norway has a significantly smaller population and while they may not have the depth, they've got two huge stars in the form of Warholm and J. Ingebrigtsen.