AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

[Guest]

Am I missing something here? Ok, I just got my subscription via snail mail, but was shocked to see Felix as the 2003 AOY. I'm reading here in the defense for the pick that he has dominated his event for some time (I'll grant that) and this has brought "stability to the top fo the event"(?) Whoooppeee! What it should read is that he has dominated because noone else has run close to what he is capable of, in fact, noone else ran under 48 seconds this year, so he is a huge .75s ahead of the next guy. So what if he dominates against weak competition and thus wins the Worlds and everything else in sight? Is he anywhere close to the World Record in his event? Not really.

How could you possibly not think that El G is not deserving of a third AOY after going undefeated in the 1500 and 3000, plus almost taking the WC 5000? As usual, he remained a threat to lower his own world record. I can't imagine what everyone was thinking...

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

I agree. El G was unstoppable this year and would have won the 5k at worlds if he hadn't run the 1500

[michael lewis]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

"So what if he dominates against weak competition and thus wins the Worlds and everything else in sight? Is he anywhere close to the World Record in his event? Not really."

Sort of sums up my sentiments on Mutola too.

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

If El G hadn't run the 15 and won the 5K at Worlds, he wouldn't have won the 15. If Bekele hadn't run the 10K at Worlds he would've won the 5K, even if El G hadn't won the 15. If Stephen Cherono...

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

Look at the list of previous Athletes of the Year. Middle distance runners dominate. They have an unfair advantage, since there are several events in which they can set records and run fast (800, 1000, 1500, Mile, 2000, 3000, 5000).

Sanchez can run the 400 flat too, but he's never going to be able to match his hurdle success on the flat.

I'd say kudos to the voting panel for NOT giving the award to yet another middle distance/distance runner.

I'd argue that Colin Jackson and Jonathan Edwards would've won in previous years had voters not been so crazy about El G and Morceli.

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

>I agree. El G was unstoppable this year and would have won the 5k at worlds if
>he hadn't run the 1500




Not very unstoppable then. He lost. He was stopped. Think before you post please. Does mommy know you're using the computer?

[trackhead]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

Sánchez was in a class of his own this year. He dominated the 400mIH better than el G the 1500m (there were guys pushing him at several races). Not the case with Felix. He also posted 3 fine 400m's and a 1:50 800m to his credit.

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

I think T&FN has favored distance runners for years in its AOY voting, but I can't imagine how Sanchez possibly beat El Guerrouj, Bekele or Cherono. Sanchez only broke 48 seconds four times, and his second best time was 47.80. He's competing against a bunch of plowhorses.

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

"and a 1:50 800m to his credit."

You aren't helping his case any with that stat.

[Smoke]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

You guys are sickening! El G has been athlete of the year in years where he had no competition whatsoever, so for you to even mention Felix's competition is myopic at best! I do not recall any of you being in a uproar when Maurice went undefeated in the 100 and El G was voted AOY! Save your crying for people who do not follow the sport.
El G has had one runner even attempt to keep pace with him over the past 7 years and that would be Lagat, and that has only been the last 3 or 4 years at best. You want to talk running against inferior competition??? El G had to step up to the 5K to remember what it was to race again.
Yes, El G is a tremendous athlete, and I am a huge fan. But he did not deserve the AOY over Felix if for no other reason than for Felix not winning it last year when he not only ran fast, but dominated races he was supposed to and won the tight, fast ones also.

[trackhead]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

that's top notch for a 400m hurdler.

There were 4 performances all year under 48s and Felix ran them all. He was Pan-American Champion, world champion becoming the 6th fastest performer of all time. He was completely dominated the 400mIH. Youcould say that el G was in a more competitive event, but on the same note Felix was absolute master of his.

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

El G may have won AOY in years where he had no competition, however, he came close to his own world records in those years. Sanchez wouldn't have even led his own event if it was as tough as back in the Moses, Harris, era. Even if El G wasn't the AOY, there were far more deserving possibilities such as Cherono(Sanchez didn't dominate his event more than Cherono did in the steeple), Bekele. No wonder Garry didn't want to say who was the AOY when I asked him the question, he was too embarrassed by the pick.

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

You do realize that the criteria for AOY are more than likely similar to criteria for the Rankings??


Times mean little here. Honors won and head to head titles are what matter most.


And clearly Sanchez dominated there.


Grow up whiners.

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

So, just how many more awards did Sanchez win versus how many El G won? Gosh, El G has a gold and a silver from the WC's, I forgot what did Sanchez have??? Oh yeah, one gold, and Bekele, one gold, one bronze, two golds from world XC championships, Cherono, one gold. Somehow it must be you Mr. Idiot that is indeed the idiot.

[Guest]

Re: AOY Sanchez? You must be joking!

Sanchez won the Pan-Am Games too.


El G won the 1500 WC and was second in the 5k. Know how to count? That equals ONE win.