Is the 200m chopped liver?

[rabalac]

Hello everyone, first time on this board.

I've been a big track fan over the years, and perhaps someone on this board can shed some light on this question . Why is the 200m so seldom(ly) run at meets overseas. I do not see it advertised for any of the 6 grand-prix meets. Yes I do understand that the 100m will always remain THE marquee event for any track meet, but for my money I love to watch the 200m, which is the longest "sprint" event and deserves more coverage.

Thoughts anyone?

[tafnut]

The IAAF dictates which events are 'Grand Prix' events and those events are the focus for many meets because they accrue points towards prize money. The 200 is not on this year's agenda, so it's not run very often. The other reason it's a relatively rare event is for the reason YOU give, people want the 100 (and this year the 400), so it would be hard to run the 200 when those events are on the schedule, because the 200 draws from the same talent pool as those. But you are right; the 200 is hot this year and we'd all like to see more 200s.

[eldrick]

actually

i'm trying to recall if the 200 has ever been a jackpot event

i don't think it ever has ?!?!?!

[midnightsun]

Never a jackpot event for sure, but if you remember the old grand prix scheme, there were years in which the 100m was the GL event, while the 200m was the GP event (basically this was in the era when the final would be held on a single day (pre-2003))

[James Fields]

Rabalac wrote,
". . . I love to watch the 200m, which is the longest "sprint" event and deserves more coverage."
--------
Agreed -- and it has an honored place as the first footrace in our sport's history when its equivalent, the stade, was part of the ancient Olympics.

I recall an earlier part of our modern era when the 220-yards "furlong" was run on a straightaway without speculation about the effect of different curved lanes. Spectators rose to their feet to watch and cheer those in the long sprint (double the pleasure of a 100m dash).

[SQUACKEE]

And the most impressive mark in all of track is the 200m worldrecord.

[tafnut]

And the most impressive mark in all of track is the 200m worldrecord.

I was always enamored with Tommie Smith's World Record (still standing!) in the 'straightway' 220 yard dash: 19.5. That boggled my 15-year-old mind (almost as much as 'girls' did back then!)

[Infama]

Welcome Mr Calabar!