The 150 metre dash

[michael lewis]

Here's an idea to inject some fresh territory into sprinting: An officially recognized world record for a 150 metre event. Without replacing or adding to the usual 100/200 events at major championships, it could nonetheless be an interesting meeting ground for 100 and 200 specialists, and particularly for the women it would carry far less baggage than the standard distances. Maybe the new record would be tainted or suspect from the first time it was run; it would still be a big improvement over the current all-time 100 and 200 lists. (it wouldn't smell as bad)

[6 5.5hjsteve]

Re: The 150 metre dash

one 150 meter race in Canada was enough, thank you !!!

[Guest]

Re: The 150 metre dash

Given the fact that fewer and fewer athletes are choosing to compete at both 100m and 200m, it seems like a stretch to think they would want to compete at 150m. 100m specialists don't want to lose to 200m specialists and 200m specialists don't want to lose to 100m specialists.

But, wave enough $$$ in front of them, and they may bite....

[gh]

Re: The 150 metre dash

There's a practical problem involved with this one. Unlike Skydome, where Bailey and MJ were able to run almost a straight course, this would be an event where the athletes would all be starting deep into the curve. Suspect the injury rate would be disastrous, trying to get up to full speed right away while in a tight bend.

[michael lewis]

Re: The 150 metre dash

Isn't that 200m runners do indoors?

[6 5.5hjsteve]

Re: The 150 metre dash

yes, it is, but as has been discussed elsewhere, it may look good to the unpracticed spectator eye, but to the athletes and the discriminating fan, it is not a fair competition.

[MJD]

Re: The 150 metre dash

>one 150 meter race in Canada was enough, thank
>you !!!

Didn't exactly live up to its billing.

[JRM]

Re: The 150 metre dash

>There's a practical problem involved with this
> one. Unlike Skydome, where Bailey and MJ were
> able to run almost a straight course, this
> would be an event where the athletes would all
> be starting deep into the curve. Suspect the
> injury rate would be disastrous, trying to get
>up to full speed right away while in a tight
>bend.

But the curve is no tighter at the midpoint than any where else along the curve. On all IAAF standard tracks, the curvature is constant in each lane (same radius all the way around). So, whether you run a 200 in lane 3 or a 150 in lane 3, you're accelerating into the same curve. The good thing is that you're on the curve for less time, so you have more left to pour into straight running.

The 150m in Toronto was the equivalent of lane 7 and 8, I believe, so while not a "straight course", it proved the physical advantage of being in the outer lanes.

[MJR]

Re: The 150 metre dash

I think we have enough events and athletes competing in them already. There is no need to tinker with the sport like this. Leave it alone, already. Appreciate the events and the competition that occurs within them. This fantasy "what if" crap doesn't further the sport in any way.

[The Flash]

Re: The 150 metre dash

It might be hard (if not impossible) to incorporate into the track and field world, as we know it, but I think it would be cool--both to watch and to run.

[Guest]

Re: The 150 metre dash

For whatever it's worth, I am pretty sure the "unofficial" world record for 150m is 14.90. I recall reading that in T&FN at some point.

However, Bailey certainly could have broken that in the match race against Johnson; he turned his body all the way around in the last 10 meters to see what had happened to Johnson and still ran 14.99.

[Guest]

Re: The 150 metre dash

Actually, that's a pretty obvious point that I just made; there are probably a number of runners that could crack 14.90. However, not the way they ran this summer.

[michael lewis]

Re: The 150 metre dash

"This fantasy "what if" crap doesn't further the sport in any way."

T&FN March 1998 p.78 LETTERS, contains a letter with the suggestion: "Track needs more exciting events. For starters, why not revive the 200m low hurdles? Think of all the great Hall of Fame runners who competed in that event: Owens, Sime, Dillard, Calhoun, and Davis....it was an event top Americans competed at for 60 years, and a very exciting one."

The Editor replied: "Actually, world 400H champ Stephane Diagana of France is setting up an assault on the all-time best - 22.55 by Laurent Ottoz of Italy in '95 .....World 110 champ Allen Johnson has reportedly expressed interest in competing."

A bunch of fantasy what-if crap, huh? And how does that attitude further the sport?

[Powell]

Re: The 150 metre dash

>"Actually, world 400H
>champ Stephane Diagana of France is setting up
>an assault on the all-time best - 22.55 by
>Laurent Ottoz of Italy in '95 .....World 110
>champ Allen Johnson has reportedly expressed
>interest in competing."

A bunch of fantasy
>what-if crap, huh? And how does that attitude
>further the sport?

That race never happened, did it? So it remained in the fantasy what-if crap category :-p

[Guest]

Re: The 150 metre dash

I seem to recall that there were there were several unique distances run in Gateshead every year (150m, 300m, 600m). Anyone else remember this? Also, I would think that athletes would enjoy these "off" distance competitions in the early season as a great chance to get some competition speed work without the pressure of competing at the more important championship distances.