Multi Events - State of Play

[drobbie]

emerson pulled out due to her hamstring flaring up in her thrid long jump attempt , so thankfully it is precationary, shes only had 8 weeks of training so fairly decent results based on that

[Occasional Hope]

So what does that mean for her season? I think her chance for the Commonwealths is gone, selection is on 13 June.

[Rickster]

I believe it was always a big ask with only 8 weeks full training. I think she needs focus on getting full injury free season behind her now and look to improve her PBs. She's nearly there now and we will hopefully see her smashing her Hep PB within next 12 months.

[treadwater1]

KJT has left her coach according to reports

[Occasional Hope]

Oh dear. Agree this is not great news.

[CAML]

Kyprianou said at Gotzis 'When you support a champion, you have to support them through the good, the bad and the ugly. Right now we're between the bad and the ugly'. He might have been right, but I can see a comment like that festering with KJT.

[jjimbojames]

Oh dear! Worst possible timing!

[Ladyloz]

Update from Emerson on her Instagram is that her hamstring injury worse than feared so she won't be doing a Hep again this season but hopes to do some individual events later in the season.

[Occasional Hope]

Oh no, more terrible news. Will she ever be able to fulfil her potential?

[RunUnlimited]

Err, can we talk about the emergence of Jade O'Dowda? With that 6.52 almost PB, and the fact that she is now a more than decent javelin thrower, with a 45m PB from earlier this year, is she the one starting to show out from KJT's shadow, rather than Holly Mills? (Yes, still too early to say, but this has been an impressive contest from O'Dowda so far).

[MysteryBrick]

Completely agreed. She has been under the radar, which may have been no bad thing. She's a rarity for a British heptathlete in that her throws are very decent and it is actually 200m that lets her down. Absolutely the kind who could become a regular at 6300-6400, although I still feel Mills has a higher ceiling due to obvious weaknesses.

[carterhatch]

As I mentioned on another thread, something must explain Holly Mills' below par performance... pressure, injury, niggle, covid, ... She has shown far too much talent to not have a reason. A great LJ by O'Dowda ...

[CAML]

What I like about O'Dowda is her durability. She is methodically developing into a quality heptathlete, with a body that can handle the increasing training load. Her trail leg in the hurdles needs working on though. Mills on the other hand doesn't look as robust, having changed her LJ take off leg, and has been poor here.

[Mikka]

Yes, love the steady improvements O'Dowda has made in the last few years. Even when KJT retires, in the next 3/4 years we should have the best ever depth in the event. O'Dowda, Mills, Pawlett, Rush, Hind, and Emerson could all develop into regular 6200-6600 performers. Emerson has the highest ceiling, I think. No weak events; were it not for her injury curse, she could be contending in the majors already. Hope she gets some better luck.

[RunUnlimited]

On Emerson, before a hamstring injury ended her comeback in Arona earlier this year, she high jumped 1.85m and had some very close attempts at 1.89m, in her first official high jumps in competition in 3 years. That shows how much natural talent she has.

O'Dowda finished a creditable 7th place (5660 points) in the same World U20 heptathlon that Emerson won gold in so memorably in Tampere 2018, and she has quietly developed into a really good all rounder, under the radar. I think things changed for her with how she competed at the Combined Events Champs in May, and especially when she produced that 45m javelin PB. Suddenly, her decent hurdling, solid high jump, improving shot and long jump was given greater weight. Add some more basic speed in you have a pretty darned good multi eventer.

Also include Seren Rodgers as another potential heptathlete to come through, after her efforts in the EU18's last month.

[trickstat]

I think the 2007 Worlds is the only worldwide outdoor champs where we had 2 heptathletes in medal contention throughout the event (Sotherton 3rd, Ennis 4th). There were other Champs where we had 2 people who could be considered contenders. I think 2004 (Lewis defending title DNFs Sotherton surprise medal) and 2016 are examples.

[jjimbojames]

There would have been more in the JEH/KJT overlap, but KJT normally had one event (HJ, LJ) let her down or her throws were truly dire - she’s usually been one or two events away from excellent, and then it comes together and she smashes it!

[marilyn1]

i suspect emerson will reemerge at gotzis this year, mills is emerging as a strong 3rd option too, hope kat can haqve an injury free year and pick up a couple of golds in the summer, at her best, she is better than thiam and has been for the last couple of years

Nonsense. Thiam is a double OG champion. She was injured in Doha. In addition, she scores in shot and jav where KJT is dreadful.. your memory seems to have slipped and has forgotten KJTs drama of LJ misery.

[SprintRelayFan]

I think Thiam was also injured or coming back from injury in eugene no? To me Kat is a great athlete, but Thiam is one of the top 5 or better all time.

[MysteryBrick]

So, when it comes to best of best, remember that KJT's PB has only been bettered by Thiam once.

But as to how often they are at their best, Thiam is ahead by a country mile, and KJT was only definitively better for one year (2019).

[marilyn1]

As to your remarks as to the last couple of years, ,what has KJT done in Covid time and she was injured badly in the last year.

[marilyn1]

The sad thing I see here we have this fan worship which has no rational ba
sis. If KJT wins tonight it means little at such a small total.
When did she last jump in the high and long jumps the sort of performances of some years ago... six years ago she jumped 1.98. That's a while ago.The CG has very poor athletes in the Hep at the moment.There seems to be a view that she will compete at 6900 level next year. No evidence yet. Too many coaches maybe

[SprintRelayFan]

I don't entirely agree it'll mean nothing - it'll show she's more robust mentally than previously but agree it doesn't necessarily indicate that 6900 or 6.70/1.98 are on the cards.

[MR_ME]

All I would add is that KJT produced a very similar score to take gold in 2018, and then went on to have the best two seasons of her career. I think she will hit the 6700s again in much the same way that Jessica E did towards the end of her career. That should be enough for an olympic medal.

[Walsh7]

As I have said on many occasions, KJT is a confidence athlete. She relies on good results in practice and in competitions, to give her the confidence to build more successes. Her 2019 season is the perfect example. She led that season from start to finish. There is no doubt that KJT is near the end when it comes to winning medals at
major competitions. She's had zero successes in 2022. Winning the CG with a score of 6,377 could give her the confidence that she needs during the final few years of her career. KJT needs victories like this one in order to keep that tiny flicker of hope alive.

[jjimbojames]

JOD - lovely girl, has quietly worked her way through the ranks over the age groups
HM - I suspect we will hear there has been an issue this time round, but let’s not forget how new she is to this - most learn their trade through the schools CE ranks and the EA champs etc - she’s not had those opportunities to learn by struggling. This is good experience and a reminder that raw talent does not often translate straight into a CE’er
KJT - this year is all about can she cope mentally. I agree the score will not be great and the coaching situation needs sorting - but it was hopeful to think she’d come out fighting for WC/EC gold. Shy of he who shall not be named (still no update on him??), we don’t have many pure CE coaches in the UK. I’d love for her to be back in France, but failing that, I actually think Kat should be looking at input from several coaches - I would hope Aston would reach out to eg Backley and ask him to come and give the tips he mentioned

[Ladyloz]

I thought the link up with Aston Moore was permanent. He has a jumps background so hopefully can get her back towards a really good level there. I am not expecting 1.98/6.95 again but getting back over 1.90 and 6.50 regularly would be great.

Agree some additional input would be good, whilst Moore got some excellent results with Sotherton her javelin actually got worse.

[trickstat]

Good point about Holly Mills - until 2019 she only really dabbled in the Combined Events. Until then she was basically a long jumper who was a decent hurdler and high jumper.

[carterhatch]

Noted in the '2023 OUTdoors' thread

KJT, Emerson, O’Dowda and Mills announced for Gotzis, it’s a de facto British champs. Emerson must have wintered well

As Occasional Hope notes, 'If she manages it it will be the first heptathlon Niamh has completed since her world junior title in 2018.'

i really hope that each of the UK ladies turns up fit, healthy and happy and able to perform well and finish the two days. I suspect that is asking too much LOL.

I invite RunUnlimited to give one of his great summaries for the cohort of youngsters who hope to make an impression in the coming months for 'age groups' and more...

[Occasional Hope]

Jack Turner. mentioned in the first post, and still only 21, has now gone over the 8000 point barrier!

[Runner88]

PBs of 7761 for Ollie Thorner and 7545 for Jami Schlueter in the US. Great weekend for GB decathletes

[treadwater1]

Thorner over the Euro U23 qualifying mark, a good weekend in the decathlon for us