Jackie Robinson

[gh]

Eldrick obviously never dreisprunged.... difference between dirt/ashphalt and synthetic is indescribable. (this from one who practiced the event--albeit at a feeble level--in the era where one bounced between surfaces from meet to meet)

[eldrick]

Eldrick obviously never dreisprunged....

is that anything like the dreikaiserbund ? :P

giving szmidt ~ 17.70 on synthetic looks fair value, seeing as he set it in '60 & no one jumped this far at low-altitude until willie in mid-'80's ( someone actually look up low-altitude progression ), albeit posters say joao had nonsensical fouls in 17.60/17.70 range called against him in moscow

holding the "true" wr for 20 - 25y is pretty good going & gut feeling is he probably didn't have the basic speed to be considered an 18m+ guy ( i think 10.2/10.3 speed ( synthetic track ) is pre-requiste for 18+m )

[paulthefan]

Nothing scientific about it but artificial surface tracks definitely make a huge difference.
Personal experience: I was never a world class athlete but circa 1949-52, age 18-21, I was chasing Thane Baker on cinders running 9.7y.
In 1972, age 40-41 and five pounds heavier, I was still chasing Thane in Masters competion running 10.1y on tartan.
Gotta believe, all things being equal, I had to have slowed down more than that in twenty years.

You sir are my new hero.

[rhymans]

Jozef Schmidt ran 10.4 (on cinders - Poznan 300661) so may have run 10.2 on a good synthetic surface