Tokyo Olympics day 9 - Saturday 7 August

[Christy93]

GB Splits

Pipi - 52.3
Williams - 49.4
Diamond - 50.4
Yeargin - 50.4

Can't knock it tbh.

Poland & Canada ran huge races - 50.2 on lead off for Kaczmarek, followed by 49highs from Baumgart-Witan and Holub-Kowalik. Two 49s in the middle for Canada too.

Mu, Bol & Muhammad the only 48s splits.

[SprintRelayFan]

Yes I’m not sure why people feel she did ok when she was 8th on her leg. Great to see jodies leg after that huge effort in the individual

[MysteryBrick]

Pipi didn't do OK - she cost the team a medal. Has real potential though, just could have done with fluffing lead off somewhere it didn't matter.

[LoveSprints1]

Even if Ama Pipi had equalled her personal best of 51.08, which was highly unlikely on the first leg, GB would still NOT have medalled. They'd have been fourth at the very best.

[trickstat]

In hindsight perhaps Pipi and Diamond should have swapped legs?

[sportsfan]

Again we re watching Australian athletes in the field events excelling while in the UK we do not in particular. They are a small country but outdo us in swimming and definitely in the field events which are technical. Why cant the UK do better. The US sprint relay team have been criticised with comments being viewed that the coaches have become lazy and arrogant hoping that their speed in death will be enough. There is so much scope for improvement

[MysteryBrick]

Definitely some real problems with UK field event coaching. Hope the MD performances can inspire others.

[jjimbojames]

Hopefully Jessie is good to go next year, then Diamond goes back to lead off. I hope Diamond gets into a good race before the end of the season, as she looks to be in PB form

[Occasional Hope]

Just the men's marathon to go and then it's all over!

[Ursus]

Just the men's marathon to go and then it's all over!

At least it’s only 3 years to the next one….

[Croadymeister]

He says as GB ran their 3rd fastest time *ever*... The only GB teams to have run faster featured two of our greatest ever 400 m runners (TBO, Sanders, 2007 World Champs, 3:20.04 NR) and our greatest ever 400 m hurdler (Gunnell, 1991 World Champs, 3:22.04). Only one of those teams managed to win a medal, which just shows just how tough it is to get in amongst the world's best. I wouldn't be too hard on this team.

Worrying we don't seem to be getting closer to Poland in these Women's 4x400m relays in these championships

[MysteryBrick]

The difference between GB and Poland was entirely first leg. In order to be competitive, you need a sub-51 lead off runner, whereas Pipi went 52.3. But this team has just run 3:22, in terms of areas for concern it is waaaaaaay down (and I think the competition there is in GB Women's 400m running, along with Jodie having broken into the World Class level, can only be a good thing).

[Laps]

Poland had an amazing run. Beat their national record by 1.36 secs.

For us Pipi on first leg in Lane 9 turned out to be a bad mistake. Killed any chance.

[Sprintfan]

Think your assessment of Ana Pipi is harsh and an oversimplification. She went out too hard as most runners of her experience would - she's lane 9 - given its the Olympics and there's some serious talent gonna be chasing herr - she tried her best but struggled for the last 100. I'd say she's brave and did her best. Great experience and undoubtedly a learning experience. And the UK team ran their 3rd best time.....so i think you can wind your neck in a bit. Take an objective view - knee jerk reactions are rarely correct

[Croadymeister]

Again we re watching Australian athletes in the field events excelling while in the UK we do not in particular. They are a small country but outdo us in swimming and definitely in the field events which are technical. Why cant the UK do better. The US sprint relay team have been criticised with comments being viewed that the coaches have become lazy and arrogant hoping that their speed in death will be enough. There is so much scope for improvement

Yeah there is a massive issue with our all around field event quality and doesn't seem any sign of it improving at all

[sportsfan]

The BBC pundit alluded to it - certain nations are targeting events and concentrating on them. Poland are all white -you don't see them in 100 or 200m but they do the 400m and field events. Field events require technical input as well as other attributes so it makes sense to address these events. the javelin was not that high a standard for mental but the Czechs seem to win medals with Zelezny there and Uwe Hohn has had a positive effect on javelin in Australia, chain and now India. Surely this is something we should learn from. Our sprinters, esp females are better in depth than we had in say Christie's day but we are commenting in probably the toughest event as USA and Jamaica have been dominant and we were always going for bronze but now other nations are coming through - Who would have the Italians as Olympic champions. We seem to have no male 400m runners where before we had lots. I have read and been told that UKA has no real workable plan and there is too much infighting and they pick wrong coaches to lead events or are parachuted into roles. They have a netball player as CEO having previously having rugby types. I am not sure this is how it should be run. Look at our successful sports - they are run and coaches by people from that sport. Can you imagine a hockey coach running soccer, rugby, swimming,, rowing, sailing or cycling?

[LoveSprints1]

Where can we view the relay splits? Does anyone know? Stew-Coach can you post the link to where you saw those above please?

[MysteryBrick]

Women:

https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/ATH/OG2020-_ATH_C73E_ATHW4X400M------------FNL-000100--.pdf

Men:

https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/resOG2020-/pdf/OG2020-/ATH/OG2020-_ATH_C73E_ATHM4X400M------------FNL-000100--.pdf

[MysteryBrick]

Two 49.9s from Canada is damn impressive.

[LoveSprints1]

Many thanks Isaac Makwala's 43.8 opening leg for Botswana is mindblowing.

[jjimbojames]

Just seen on Twitter Hassan’s last 100m in the 10k was 13.6s - quicker than Mu and Kipyegon both ran in their finals, respectively. That is some coffee she’s drinking!

[trickstat]

Also must have been quicker than her own last 100 in the 1500!

[LoveSprints1]

Not sure Jakob is that likeable, but sure he doesn't give a toss! What a mindset behind the talent. Great, short film shared on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EuroAthletics/st...503768579?s=20

[LoveSprints1]

The BBC pundit alluded to it - certain nations are targeting events and concentrating on them. Poland are all white -you don't see them in 100 or 200m but they do the 400m and field events. Field events require technical input as well as other attributes so it makes sense to address these events. the javelin was not that high a standard for mental but the Czechs seem to win medals with Zelezny there and Uwe Hohn has had a positive effect on javelin in Australia, chain and now India. Surely this is something we should learn from. Our sprinters, esp females are better in depth than we had in say Christie's day but we are commenting in probably the toughest event as USA and Jamaica have been dominant and we were always going for bronze but now other nations are coming through - Who would have the Italians as Olympic champions. We seem to have no male 400m runners where before we had lots. I have read and been told that UKA has no real workable plan and there is too much infighting and they pick wrong coaches to lead events or are parachuted into roles. They have a netball player as CEO having previously having rugby types. I am not sure this is how it should be run. Look at our successful sports - they are run and coaches by people from that sport. Can you imagine a hockey coach running soccer, rugby, swimming,, rowing, sailing or cycling?

I am reposting this as made an edit and it was flagged as spam:

@sportsfan some of what you have said above seems loaded, "Poland are all white -you don't see them in 100 or 200m but they do the 400m and field events. Field events require technical input as well as other attributes so it makes sense to address these events"

Firstly you are forgetting European indoor 60m Champion Ewa Swoboda World Ranking of 18 over 100m and European team and Euro U23 hurdles Champ Pia Skrzyszowska, a specialist in 100m and 100mH.

I am trying to understand why you have brought colour into the discussion at all, particularly when you bear in mind the number of Black/ Mixed Race British athletes who are no. 1-2 on the All-Time lists in our "technical" field or track events. I list a few below

Discus: Lawrence Okoye
High Jump Dalton Grant
TJ Phillips Idowu
Hammer Taylor Campbell
Dec Daley Thompson
Hep KJT, Jessica Ennis Hill,
100mH Tiffany Porter
400mH Perri Shakes-Drayton
Long Jump Shara Proctor
TJ Ashia Hansen
110mH: Colin Jackson
400mH: Kriss Akabusi

Tessa Sanderson was the Olympic Champion in javelin!


IMO, we need systems, like they have throughout Europe where governing bodies, have many talent hubs and are very proactive with their Talent id camps (as in rowing over here) and they also train, develop and pay coaches. Build up a pool of talented coaches from all backgrounds, across all disciplines, and they can tap into a wider pool of prospective athletes. Others on this forum have mentioned linking with other sports genres governing bodies to bring athletes through (gymnastics and pole vault or triple jump seem obvious).

The UK’s coaching backbone is made up of volunteers for whom athletics is a hobby/ passion. That does not mean they are ALL good coaches or want to develop to be better coaches. We have no real checks and balances in place to assess the standard of coaching across the UK. The only way you don’t become a coach in athletics is if you fail the initial course!

Finally, please take into consideration that many young black/ mixed/ Asian athletes are stereotyped as being good at particular events - sprints - jumps - thus unable sometimes to show their potential and move into other areas where they could shine. Forty years ago, gymnastics was not a sport you saw many, if any, top-level competitors who were not Eastern European or Chinese.

Access and Opportunity are necessary for talent to rise, whatever your background.

[carterhatch]

i am one of those advocates for cross sport talent identification, and surely now, with Holly Bradshaw's success, a few well chosen tasters to allow gymnasts to try PV would go down a treat.

[Occasional Hope]

106 men go in the marathon. I wonder how many will finish.

[LuckySpikes]

I'll take a guess at 88.

[fchd]

At least 20 DNFs with still about 10K to go.

[SprintRelayFan]

Feeling slightly more sanguine about the 4 now. We always thought bronze would be A push against the poles and possibly the Dutch, so on that sense 5th not so awful. Think I just had raised expectations

[Occasional Hope]

It's always disappointing at the time, even when you fully expect it.