hurdles question...

[avaulteriam]

I actually have one main question and that concerns the hurdle heights. Are the heights measured metrically or imperially in official IAAF competition, and, if not, why not?

Also, when was the last time that someone has been as dominant as Sanchez in the 400h without coming close to running sub-47, much less barely near the sub 48 mark?

[tafnut]

Re: hurdles question...

"when was the last time that someone has been as dominant as Sanchez in the 400h without coming close to running sub-47"

I know! I know! At least I know the running sub-47 part.

[highjumpsteve]

Re: hurdles question...

I am quite sure that the heights are listed in the IAF rulebook are listed as metric, but those "official" metric heights themselves were derived from Imperial measurements.

For example: men's HH

42 inches, but I bet is listed in rulebook at 106.68 m.

[gh]

Re: hurdles question...

The IAAF rule book lists all weights and measures in metric units only. English/imperial measure does not exist.

[Jon]

Re: hurdles question...

>Also, when was the last time that someone has been as
>dominant as Sanchez in the 400h without coming close to running sub-47, much
>less barely near the sub 48 mark?



Not sure, but if there were more sub-48 guys about, then Sanchez would run 47's more regularly. Sanchez always does just enough to win. If he's up against 49.0 guys, then he'll run 48.5. As we saw in Rome, if he's against 48.8 guys, then he'll run 48.4. And, as we saw tonight, if he's against 48.0 guys then he'll run in the 47's.

I hope someone in Athens will run sub-48 and fast enough to push Sanchez to the 47.0 time of which he is capable.

[Jon]

Re: hurdles question...

>English/imperial measure does not exist.



Weird that people still call imperial measurements "English" when nowadays England are more metric than America!

[avaulteriam]

Re: hurdles question...

Thanks, I just got to thinking this weekend about how awkward the heights of hurdles would come out. Also, I think that is probably the one thing I don't like about Sanchez, he never really seems to just have fun, more of a "must win" mentallity. I think it would be more exciting if he would just go out and see what he can run. Oh well...

[Half Miler]

Re: hurdles question...

Matete was dominant a decade ago. He did run 47.10, but other than that was always high-47 low-48.

[Jon]

Re: hurdles question...

>he never really seems to just have fun, more of a "must
>win" mentallity.

So his ear-cupping actions in Rome didn't seem in the slight bit playful? His mentality isn't quite so 'must win' - he pretty much knows that he will win every time he steps on the track. He likes to win, yes, and he likes to keep his winning streak in tact. But he said even if someone does break his winning streak, he has bigger fish to fry (eg, the Olympics).




I think it would be more exciting if he would just go out and
>see what he can run. Oh well...

If he tries to blast low 47's every time he races, then he'll have nothing left for the majors each year. In Paris he showed us what he is capable of, and showed that he can pull it off when it counts. No doubt he will peak well for the OG this year, and I hope we're in for a spectacular performance.

[avaulteriam]

Re: hurdles question...

No, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying he has no fun, I just look at someone like Mo Greene and see fun every time he steps onto the track (and I'm not a huge Mo Greene fan) I do realize teh 400h is not the 100, but it would be cool to see him light it up ever so often outside of majors, you know?

[Jon]

Re: hurdles question...

>No, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying he has no fun, I just look at someone
>like Mo Greene and see fun every time he steps onto the track (and I'm not a
>huge Mo Greene fan) I do realize teh 400h is not the 100, but it would be cool
>to see him light it up ever so often outside of majors, you know?



Yep, I can see where you're coming from and I too would like to see what he is capable of when running at 100% consistently. However, there is a different between him and Mo. Mo NEEDS to run at 100% in all of his races to ensure the win - heck, sometimes at 100% he still loses! Sanchez, however, can run at 90-95% and still assure himself the win. Why risk injuries and mistakes (which are more likely to happen when going all-out) when you can 'stroll' to victory, maintain a winning streak, and earn a good few $$$ in the process?

[avaulteriam]

Re: hurdles question...

yeah, I know, I guess I just live in a bit of a dreamworld :-p

[tafnut]

Re: hurdles question...

" just look at someone like Mo Greene and see fun every time he steps onto the track "

you realize, of course, that we have had huge threads about how stupid, boorish and unprofessional Mo and his sprinter compadres look when they are 'having fun'. I love it, but the American sprinters have been roundly chastised by 'some' Europeans, who see the shoes ablaze and the muscle posing as demeaning our oh-so-formal sport.

[ycn]

Re: hurdles question...

>The IAAF rule book lists all weights and measures in metric units only.
>English/imperial measure does not exist.

The 42 inch high hurdle is 1.0668 meters high. The 36 inch low hurdle is 0.9144 meters high.

The IAAF standards for the 42 and 36 inch hurdles are 1.067 meters and .914 meters respectively.

The English equivalents of those metric heights are approximately 42.008 and 35.984 inches, respectively. In both cases the standardized heights are within roughly the thickness of a credit card of the orignal English heights.

English measure does not exist in track and field, except on the wrong side of tapes used to measure heights and distances in field event, and in residual measure in some other events as the closest metric equivalents.

)

The English system of measurement is exactly as accurate as the metric system when it involves distance, because the inch is defined as exactly 2.54 centimeters. They are just described differently, like when in the binary number system the number 10 is represented as 1010.

In track and field, in the field events, the minimum official increment between marks was increased from one quarter inch to one centimeter when the metric distances were adopted. The centimeter is equal to roughly 0.4 inches.

And English measure preceded imperial; the imperial and English systems used identical measures for inches and feet; and the United States, which still commonly uses those measures in some ways, has never used the imperial system of measurement. Imperial measure was used previously in Great Britain and the nations of the British Empire. I have no idea if it has been purged from common usage in all aspects of those societies or not.

[macncc]

Re: hurdles question...

In regards to Sanchez breaking 47, I immediately think Joey Woody. This guy has a gas tank, but not the world class speed. Don't get me wrong, he did take a medal at the last WC's (can't remember if it was silever or bronze) but he is just stuck in that 48 and change range. I know Sanchez is on another level, but Woody always pops a 48.? in April and then that is it. I don't why that popped in my head but...