Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

[michael lewis]

Women's athletics has been moving toward something closer to parity with the men's side of the sport for a number of years. Evidence of this includes expansion of events on the track up to the longest distances run by males, addition of the 400m hurdles, the creation of the heptathlon and anticipated move to a decathlon, and the addition of the hammer, pole vault, and triple jump on the infield. The height of the women's hurdles was raised in 1969, from a previous 30" height. The previous event was 80m with these very short hurdles placed much closer together. The 100m hurdles was testimony that the IAAF considered women capable of handling a more demanding event, with 2 more hurdles, higher barriers, and barriers placed further apart. My question is this: Has the time come to re-evaluate what women can achieve in their high hurdles event, in light of 2004 standards, not those of 1969?

[Pego]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

The event I would tinker with ahead of 100H is the shot put. Right now the weight of the women shot is below 60% of the men's weight, which is by far the biggest disparity vs. the men's implements. Correct me if I am wrong with my numbers.

[tandfman]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

>The event I would tinker with ahead of 100H is the shot put. Right now the weight of the women shot is below 60% of the men's weight, which is by far the biggest disparity vs. the men's implements. Correct me if I am wrong with my numbers.<


You're right with your numbers, but wrong with your conclusion. They're still not throwing it as far as the men are with theirs. It ain't broke; why fix it?

[gh]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

From the July '98 T&FN

<<Higher Hurdles For Women?
Women hurdlers with shorter legs might not like it, but the U.S. Track Coaches Association (USTCA) has asked USATF to make a recommendation to the IAAF that the height of straightaway hurdles be raised from 33 inches to 36 (0.84m to 0.914m).

USTCA board of directors Jim Barber of Southern Connecticut told Stephen Hagwell of the NCAA News, “The women’s hurdles have become a speed event rather than a technique event, which is really what’s demanded in the men’s 42-inch hurdles. So the discussion has been, shouldn’t we move the hurdles up another 3 inches so that it becomes a hurdle event. A lot of us feel that we should.”

The USTCA delegates approved the proposed change by an overwhelming 108–6 vote. NCAA Div. III coaches, however, have expressed reservations about the ability of their athletes to handle the higher height.>>

Anybody know if USATF ever took it to the IAAF (or if the IAAF has been doing any thinking along this line of late)?

[Guest]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

>Right now the
>weight of the women shot is below 60% of the men's weight, which is by far the
>biggest disparity vs. the men's implements. Correct me if I am wrong with my
>numbers.

The weight ratio is exactly the same (55.1%) for the hammer and it is even less - 50% (1 kg vs 2 kg) - for the discus. So it is actually only the javelin (600g vs 800g, i.e. 75%) that has a smaller disparity!

[michael lewis]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

"The event I would tinker with ahead of 100H is the shot put."

I second-choice that notion. And if I was Lamine Diack for a day, I'd make the women's HH 110 meters, 36" barriers, same spacing as the men. Kluft would be unbeatable, as JJK would have been. The longer we wait to do this, the more wistful wondering on "the things that might have been".

[Guest]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

I agree that the 100m hurdles should be raised to 36 inches. At their present height, it's simply a high-stepping sprint event that isn't a good test of hurdle technique.

[michael lewis]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

Anyone care to hazard what the records would be a year after introducing either (1) a new 100 event with 36" barriers or (2) a new 110 event with 36" barriers and spacing same as men's. ?

I say 12.80/14.00

[MJR]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

Anybody know if USATF ever
>took it to the IAAF (or if the IAAF has been doing any thinking along this line
>of late)?

Batman to Commissioner Hersh......

[Bob H]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

>Anybody know if USATF ever took it to the IAAF (or if the IAAF has been doing any thinking along this line of late)?

Batman to Commissioner Hersh......<<

The IAAF has been looking at this and thinking about changing the women's 100m hurdles event for quite a while (maybe a decade). It's still being looked at and thought about, but I can't tell you that it's going to happen. Any change would need broader and more forceful support that it's had so far.

[stevehj197]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

what do the ATHLETES ( elite female high hurdlers) think or say about this idea ... anyone know ?

[Guest]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

I'd venture a guess that the athletes who are good at the present event probably think it's just perfect.

[michael lewis]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

"I'd venture a guess that the athletes who are good at the present event probably think it's just perfect."

Probably those who don't envisage a change to the event being in their favour, would want to leave well enough alone. Taller athletes might favour a change, shorter ones would likely not. Might be some who would be attracted to the challenge inherent in such a move regardless of their height or current ranking.

[Guest]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

about also changing the 400H to 33"? As it stands the women simply run over the 30" hurdles.

[Guest]

Re: Should the Women's Hurdles Be Higher?

>Women's athletics has been moving toward something closer to parity with the ...
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The problem with Athletics, "Too many armchair administrators who know little of the Sport." Athletics is based on tradition. Womens sports do not need to be compared to anything. You have a very sex biased attitude.