Sally Pearson wants sprint hurdles to go higher !!

[batonless relay]

Re: Sally Pearson wants sprint hurdles to go higher !!

Again, why in the world you change the event that is widely believed to be the most competitive in track and field and to be the event with the least ducking (by far?). May be the nature of the event is related to the technical specifications and changing them would alter the competitive make up.

Because right now it is not a hurdles race but a 100m with speed bumps

That's not true. Currently it IS a hurdle race, only that the level of difficulty might not be enough; but make no mistake, it's still a skill. And, as someone pointed out earlier in this thread: the top women run over 36" hurdles in practice right now (hell, I've seen some over 39"). The game won't change; you'll just be creating barriers to entry for the same lesser athletes who think their technique over hurdles 3" lower will translate to the 36". It won't. It will be harder for them to maintain what little speed they have, for the ones who aren't fast, to carry them for 3 steps between hurdles.

The issue: is not the hurdles height or that sprinters can run over them, it's that too many countries are not developing their athletes to be competitive on a global stage. If you have a 13.1 hurdler, maybe you need to move her up the 400m hurdles. If you have an 11.4 sprinter maybe you need to convert her to the long jump or the 400m. If you don't have any sub-13's or sub-11.10's why are you not asking why? The sport has a development problem, and it's that unequal development that is leading to a sport where 90% of the countries can barely qualify for globals.

[Tuariki]

Re: Sally Pearson wants sprint hurdles to go higher !!

Again, why in the world you change the event that is widely believed to be the most competitive in track and field and to be the event with the least ducking (by far?). May be the nature of the event is related to the technical specifications and changing them would alter the competitive make up.

Because right now it is not a hurdles race but a 100m with speed bumps

:lol:

Sorta like the steeplechase being a race with a few swimming pools thrown in!!

Something else for Michael Phelps to win

[26mi235]

Re: Sally Pearson wants sprint hurdles to go higher !!

Maybe the nature of the event is related to the technical specifications and changing them would alter the competitive make up.

Isn't that the point?

I do not understand this. Are you saying it would be a good thing to make the womans short hurdles a less competitive and less interesting race where the top runners started avoiding each other?

You are making assumptions with no supporting evidence

It is no assumption to say that it is the most competitive event with the history of having the least ducking.

Do you think it would make the event more competitive? Certainly a larger constraint would remove more people at the top of the performance level than would be added. Casual observation of the mens hurdles will indicate what having the tougher standard does to the very top level. In the mens hurdles, the event is less deep at the top than the womens event and that has probably been the case in virtually every year, whereas in most (almost all?) other events the mens field at the top is deeper in most years. Now explain why changing the hurdles would change this. You guys have spent pages talking about the topic and essentially not a word about this side of it other than to say that my comments are mere assumptions.

[justrunfast]

Re: Sally Pearson wants sprint hurdles to go higher !!

Be interesting to know how many women will leave the event (high hurdling) if/when they change the heights.

Zero. They are hurdlers. There will be no mass exodus. Champions will view this as a way to further distinguish themselves. "I am going to work harder at these higher hurdles than the next lady and get that gold medal I missed last time".

Did pole vaulters quit when the pegs were changed? Did jav throwers quit when knocked down 40' by the redesigned spear? Did 100y dashers quit when they got an extra 9.361 yards to run?

Exactly this, there must be some hurdle coaches on here.....I have seen top class girls and guys go over higher hurdles full flights. Its not as if Technically efficient girls running 12.8-13.0 are going to start ruling the event and kicking people like Pearson, Rollins, Harper-Nelson, Jones, Wells butts it just wont happen.

In terms of the 100H no matter what Speed will ALWAYS win whether it be speed in between the hurdles, speed of the trail leg coming through or speed of the lead leg touching down off the hurdle. Be as technically efficient as you want but if you cant do any of these variables fast you arent winning anything.

Put the hurdles up the girls who aren't doing these things fast will get worse Pearson isn't silly :lol:

[Tuariki]

Re: Sally Pearson wants sprint hurdles to go higher !!

You are making assumptions with no supporting evidence

It is no assumption to say that it is the most competitive event with the history of having the least ducking.

Do you think it would make the event more competitive? Certainly a larger constraint would remove more people at the top of the performance level than would be added. Casual observation of the mens hurdles will indicate what having the tougher standard does to the very top level. In the mens hurdles, the event is less deep at the top than the womens event and that has probably been the case in virtually every year, whereas in most (almost all?) other events the mens field at the top is deeper in most years. Now explain why changing the hurdles would change this. You guys have spent pages talking about the topic and essentially not a word about this side of it other than to say that my comments are mere assumptions.

The reason the top sprinters avoid each other is simply money. The public don't give a toss about hurdles. Their interest is in the fastest man/woman on the planet