Birmingham CWG - Day 1 (Tuesday August 2nd)

[CAML]

I'm actually looking forward to KJT having to run the 800 in 2.10 to win. She's been ducking and diving all year out of putting a shift in over 2 laps.

[jjimbojames]

KJT’s lead = 109 points. 6.50m and 40m = 1674 / 6.00m and 51m = 1730.

I’d like to think Kat could find a bit more in the JT (and of course the LJ, but hey…) I’m not sure 6m is on for KOC but 51 looks very doable. KJT will have to actually make an effort in the 800m for the first time this season, but I’d suspect she has enough fitness to run 2.12.

In Eugene, Backley was commenting on small bits that could add another 10m to KJT’s jav…perhaps he’d like to pop over and let her know at some point, so she could add 200 points to her score!

[fchd]

Just got in and catching up on the evening session, great to see Livvy Breen win the T38 100m. I don't think there's another athlete who seems to enjoy what she does as much as Breen.

Also a silver medal for Cornwall in the shape of Molly Caudrey!

[PotterHoppo96]

First Day thoughts:

- a very enjoyable day of athletics, big crowds especially for a morning session. Alexander Stadium looks brilliant and hopefully hosts the Europeans in 2026 (even without that temporary seating).

- some very good events

- Nice silver for Molly Caudery, our number one female pole vaulter atm?

- disappointing from Holly Mills in the heptathlon, I had her winning gold and I can't see it now. Great competition again despite the limited numbers.

- Sophie Hahn did not like settling for silver at all...

[ozjohn]

Great day 1 of the athletics although dare I say the night session was surpassed by the blockbuster morning session. But all round a wonderful start.

[paul]

A bit disappointing from Holly Mills so far. But for some reason I am absolutely loving this HEP. Maybe it is the search for signs that a slumbering giant might finally be waking? Maybe it is the possibility that someone might yet steal the giant's magic beans before she wakes up?
(I may be over-thinking this.)

And yes, a great day of athletics overall. Birmingham frankly magnificent.


And if we could just inject the Tottenham squad with Sophie Hahn's hatred of losing, it could finally be 1960/61 again.

[paul]

Oh dear. Apologies all for the following accidental spams! The [unapproved] trap really got me!

[paul]

A bit disappointing from Holly Mills so far. But for some reason I am absolutely loving this HEP. Maybe it is the search for signs that a slumbering giant might finally be waking? Maybe it is the possibility that someone might yet steal the giant's magic beans before she wakes up?
(I may be over-thinking this.)

And yes, a great day of athletics overall. Birmingham frankly magnificent.


And if we could just inject the Tottenham squad with Sophie Hahn's hatred of losing, it could finally be 1960/61 again. 

[paul]

A bit disappointing from Holly Mills so far. But for some reason I am absolutely loving this HEP. Maybe it is the search for signs that a slumbering giant might finally be waking? Maybe it is the possibility that someone might yet steal the giant's magic beans before she wakes up?
(I may be over-thinking this.)

And yes, a great day of athletics overall. Birmingham frankly magnificent.


And if we could just inject the Tottenham squad with Sophie Hahn's hatred of losing, it could finally be 1960/61 again.

[paul]

A bit disappointing from Holly Mills so far. But for some reason I am absolutely loving this HEP. Maybe it is the search for signs that a slumbering giant might finally be waking? Maybe it is the possibility that someone might yet steal the giant's magic beans before she wakes up?
(I may be over-thinking this.)

And yes, a great day of athletics overall. Birmingham frankly magnificent.

[alfie]

Indeed an excellent first day. Terrific 10000 race despite (or because of ?) the small field. Some field events fair to say lacking a bit of quality but still entertaining contests ; w800 heats were good , as you'd expect with several runners high on the world pecking order ; and the sprints produced some remarkably rapid times - and not just from the favourites.

The Heptathlon may not be going top produce high scores but it is shaping as a fascinating contest on day two. KJT really needs to maximise her assumed advantage in the long jump as she is surely going to lose ground massively to O'Connor in the javelin. Could we end up with basically a match race for the gold over 800 ? Better assume nothing : strange things happen in multi events under second day pressure...

Big upset in the para sprint. No love lost between Hahn and Breen I think , after all that brouha over classification. But will be interesting to see where their rivalry goes from here.

[paul]

A bit disappointing from Holly Mills so far. But for some reason I am absolutely loving this HEP. Maybe it is the search for signs that a slumbering giant might finally be waking? Maybe it is the possibility that someone might yet steal the giant's magic beans before she wakes up?
(I may be over-thinking this.)

[paul]

Agreed. (I have tried repeatedly to post a comment here, but all posts are apparently rejected as [unapproved]. Grrr.)

[paul]

A bit disappointing from Holly Mills so far. But for some reason I am absolutely loving this HEP. Maybe it is the search for signs that a slumbering giant might finally be waking? Maybe it is the possibility that someone might yet steal the giant's magic beans before she wakes up?
(I may be over-thinking this.)

And yes, a great day of athletics overall. Birmingham frankly magnificent.


And if we could just inject the Tottenham squad with Sophie Hahn's hatred of losing, it could finally be 1960/61 again.

^this is what I tried to post last night. LOL

[paul]

A bit disappointing from Holly Mills so far. But for some reason I am absolutely loving this HEP. Maybe it is the search for signs that a slumbering giant might finally be waking? Maybe it is the possibility that someone might yet steal the giant's magic beans before she wakes up?
(I may be over-thinking this.)

And yes, a great day of athletics overall. Birmingham frankly magnificent.

And if we could just inject the Tottenham squad with Sophie Hahn's hatred of losing, it could finally be 1960/61 again.

^this is part of what I tried to post last night.

[Ursus]

Few random thoughts.

British crowds doing us proud. We really do turn up to the opening of a sporting envelope.

But that doesn’t hide the paucity of many athletics fields. This may be an exceptional year but that needs rectifying or the event dies. They already have trouble finding hosts.

In the hep it’s great to see KJT. We all know she’s nowhere near her peak but at least she’s there and scrapping. Good on her. I think we should have measured expectations on Mills and O’Dowda though - the very best heptathletes are solid at most events, maybe have one Achilles heel but tend to have a couple of stellar events - I don’t really see either having those huge events and as such they may well have very good careers but I’m not seeing obvious successors to JEH / KJT etc - a very high bar admittedly!

Genuine question - Is that Hahn’s normal demeanour? If so, fair enough. If not, she could have made a bit of an effort. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a bit of genuine rivalry and rancour but wow did she not look happy.

Apparently Lally is a really good indoor rower - multiple British record holder and at one point a joint WR holder. Not surprised, she’s definitely got the build for it.

[paul]

...
And yes, a great day of athletics overall. Birmingham frankly magnificent.


And if we could just inject the Tottenham squad with Sophie Hahn's hatred of losing, it could finally be 1960/61 again.

^this is part of what I tried to post last night.