Aussie Results/News 2023

[El Toro]

Shirvo is the new Kochie on the Sunrise program.

His PB of 10.03 ( -0.1) in finishing 4th in the 1998 CWG makes him still the "2nd fastest Australian" according to the article. I'll have to give the TV writer a pass because that's what the AUS Olympic Committee says. The reality is 3rd after Browning's 10.01 in Tokyo OG heats.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/sunrise-announces-david-koch-s-replacement-20230605-p5ddwd.html

[Vault-emort]

How this affects individuals depends substantially on how good athletes are. At the very top end, they can turn up to major domestic competitions in heavy training and still win or place high

I can remember Linford Christie saying something like this /in the 90s when he ran fast in Australia in Jan/Feb. "Top athletes should be able to perform at near their best every week of the year."

I think it's tougher for sprinters to do that but distance runners and field eventers should have a 'training session' standard that would place well in most domestic level meets.

[Vault-emort]

Thanks ET, as a multis fan it seem even more difficult if one is on the bubble for WC/OG in a multi.... only 'positive' I can think of is your weather : ) I traveled to Brisbane in July 2001 for world masters meet, winter 'weather' was perfect multis weather that week.

For an Aussie multi-eventer, these days the schedule should be something like December comp (Brisbane), Nationals comp (around March) and then maybe Gotzis before preparing for Worlds/Olympics later in the season. And pray for no injuries.

[DET59]

This depends on a lot of variables because the Australian domestic season is not like a northern indoor season which is optional for athletes.

The Australian season needs to be a showcase of the sport for Athletics Australia, so it requires "support for the domestic season" as a precondition for selection to international teams, otherwise our best athletes would hardly compete in Australia.

How this affects individuals depends substantially on how good athletes are. At the very top end, they can turn up to major domestic competitions in heavy training and still win or place high, supporting the sport while still planning everything towards the northern season as their peaking goal.

The not so good athletes have to peak domestically in order to try and hit Q times, beat other contenders, build up ranking points or be considered worthy of an OS start somewhere. Ideally, they would then go back into heavier training before a second peak later in the year but if they get offered OS races in April/May, right after AUS champs, they miss that option and have to try and extend their domestic peak.

Of coures, if they then improve, they might get offered more competitions, so they can end up on the "one more comp and I'll get the Q" treadmill, and even if they do make a team, they are at high risk of dropping off the performance cliff at the critical part of the season.

Thanks ET, as a multis fan it seem even more difficult if one is on the bubble for WC/OG in a multi.... only 'positive' I can think of is your weather : ) I traveled to Brisbane in July 2001 for world masters meet, winter 'weather' was perfect multis weather that week.

[El Toro]

El Toro, enjoy your Aussie posts! I'm very curious how the Aussue 'elite of the elite' deal with a year like '23 with an August WC and Sept DL final.... do they just have one long 10+ month track season?

This depends on a lot of variables because the Australian domestic season is not like a northern indoor season which is optional for athletes.

The Australian season needs to be a showcase of the sport for Athletics Australia, so it requires "support for the domestic season" as a precondition for selection to international teams, otherwise our best athletes would hardly compete in Australia.

How this affects individuals depends substantially on how good athletes are. At the very top end, they can turn up to major domestic competitions in heavy training and still win or place high, supporting the sport while still planning everything towards the northern season as their peaking goal.

The not so good athletes have to peak domestically in order to try and hit Q times, beat other contenders, build up ranking points or be considered worthy of an OS start somewhere. Ideally, they would then go back into heavier training before a second peak later in the year but if they get offered OS races in April/May, right after AUS champs, they miss that option and have to try and extend their domestic peak.

Of coures, if they then improve, they might get offered more competitions, so they can end up on the "one more comp and I'll get the Q" treadmill, and even if they do make a team, they are at high risk of dropping off the performance cliff at the critical part of the season.