Should Bolt compete with ppl his weight (&height)?

[larro_yel]

(who :lol: )?


..In much the same way as there are weight categories in wrestling, boxing and weightlifting?

and why is there no weight categories in shotputting and Javellin throwing?

My 1st thoughts were that today's guardian article was utter rubbish, all about recognition for the scientist and funding ... rather than any kind of appreciation for the sport. what do you think?



''Bejan predicts that the trend for speed records to be dominated by taller, heavier athletes will continue. He warned, however, that the trend could be dangerous, and has called on the Olympic authorities to introduce weight classes in these sports to ensure a level playing field.

"Not doing so is dangerous because it creates an industry for the superhuman. I don't think that's what society really needs. In the communist era, entire governments were farming for gold medals. People were looking for better and better specimens and better individuals."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/ju ... n-athletes

[Powell]

So what competition would Bolt have in the 195cm+ category? :P

[The Atheist]

This is the most retarded shit ever.

[Triplej]

I've read the article and the only obviously debatable point made by Bejan is that speed competitions should be divided into weight categories.

He makes the point that he predicts that the trend is for bigger athletes to dominate speed events and that, at the elite end, performers are growing more quickly than the rest of society.

Michael Afilaka seems to have missed this second point saying that society is getting bigger too (ignoring that elite performers are getting bigger quicker) and then makes an irrelevant point about the fact that Bolt improved because he trained harder rather than him getting bigger - this is true but is not the point - he should be addressing the fact that the current Olympic gold medallist/world record holder is bigger than those previously.

[ross sez]

So you're gonna have Bolt cut weight before his meet so he can run with dudes 10lbs lighter and run a half second faster lol

[The Atheist]

The only events where it would be even remotely sane to have weight classes would be in the weight throwing events (shot put, hammer throw, weight throw, discus)

And the only event where it would be even remotely sane to have height classes would be in the high jump.

And I wouldn't even like it if they did that.

But putting the sprints into weight classes? Are you kidding me? THIS IS STUUUUUPIIIIIIIIIIIIIID!!!

[ndamix]

So you're gonna have Bolt cut weight before his meet so he can run with dudes 10lbs lighter and run a half second faster lol

You meant slower? :lol: :lol:

[Triplej]

But putting the sprints into weight classes? Are you kidding me? THIS IS STUUUUUPIIIIIIIIIIIIIID!!!

We get the message - no-one on this board is suggesting it is going to work but that is only one point in the whole article. What about the theory that it is predicted that in the future speed events will be dominated by people who are even more different to 'normal' people than our current elite sprinters are?

[larro_yel]

Michael Afilaka seems to have missed this second point saying that society is getting bigger too (ignoring that elite performers are getting bigger quicker) and then makes an irrelevant point about the fact that Bolt improved because he trained harder rather than him getting bigger - this is true but is not the point - he should be addressing the fact that the current Olympic gold medallist/world record holder is bigger than those previously.

. ..we shouldnt split hairs but isn't 'bigger quicker' somehow, somewhere related to training regimes.

The entire article is debatable

because Bolt is bigger than those previously, does this say that future record holders will be bigger? Isnt Bolt's sprinting prowess an anomaly anymore? wasnt the scientists, before now, telling us that his physique for eg was a sprinting liability ...

what i dislike about the science is that it presumes the prophetic but actually it simply draws conclusion from current or past information. A shorter version of Kim Collins will arise to break the WR - then there will be scientific analysis - im sure

[TrainerPhil]

Yep, statistics can only be used to GUESS what COULD happen because they are only based on past performances. Nobody really knows what is going to happen, hence the beauty of sport. And even if the stats say one thing, somebody will always come around to show that the stats mean absolutely nothing.

[Powell]

What about the theory that it is predicted that in the future speed events will be dominated by people who are even more different to 'normal' people than our current elite sprinters are?

There is no indication whatsoever that world-class sprinters are getting bigger over time. I mean, just look at SAF, or Tyson Gay for that matter.

[Marlow]

The 5'8" quick-starters will always have a place in our sport. Sometimes they simply can't get caught in the first 100m. If their CRT is such that their turnover is high enough, stride length won't be able to compensate in 100m.

[Marlow]

There is no indication whatsoever that world-class sprinters are getting bigger over time. I mean, just look at SAF, or Tyson Gay for that matter.

EVERYONE is getting bigger, the world over, so sprinters are too. But yes, we measure this in centuries, not decades.

[BisonHurdler]

This is the most retarded shit ever.

Can you please go back to whatever rock you crawled out from beneath? Many of your posts are inflammatory at best, and downright angry at worst.

[Powell]

EVERYONE is getting bigger, the world over, so sprinters are too.

That's only partly true. Due to better nutrition, health care etc. people are getting closer to the height that their genes allow them to reach. Once they do get to that limit, they no longer get bigger. The average height of population in countries like Netherlands or Sweden stopped increasing a few decades ago.