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Interesting. That’s her level last year, but she’s already improved her hurdles and shot yesterday - which events do you see going backwards to keep her overall score the same? philipo
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You stated 6600 plus. Totally unjustified for meComment
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Her hurdles and shot were according to what I read indifferent to say the least
Be brave and give me your prediction for her best performance this year.
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She’s showing some small signs of progress- 13.13 is the furthest she’s thrown in a season opener in a long time, 2019 included.
But marginal gains in the SP won’t offset what I suspect is a permanent loss of top speed. It’s not unexpected, serious Achilles problems in both tendons (and it is both, at last year’s Worlds and Commonwealths she could not push through her right foot in a way entirely consistent with Achilles injuries and I was surprised no journalist there noticed or thought to ask her) are not the sorts of injuries where athletes recover 100% of their previous form.
I think she can get to 6480 and this year’s qualifying standard provided she doesn’t jog the 800, but beyond that I’m not anticipating any miracles. I don’t see how she’s getting to 6600+ in a week, I’m with philipo on that.Comment
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Well she was close to 6400 in Birmingham last year, and she was far from her best form. I think she could get over 6500 next week and reach 6600 by the worlds, as long as things continue to improve.Comment
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Even fairly conservative predictions gives her 6600+ this year (e.g. 13.30 in the hurdles, which isn't unrealistic by Budapest, given that the noises from her training group are that she's in better shape this year; 1.85 HJ, similar to last year; 13.30 SP, similar to Loughborough; 23.30 200m, slightly better than last season, again, assuming she's in better shape now; 6.50m LJ, again, assuming a slight gain on last season; 43m JT; 2.09 800). That would be 6628. She's had bad injuries, but I think it's too early to write her off as a contender. If she gets to Budapest without any mishaps, I could see 6650-6750 as possible. A big 'if'. But she could shock people and surpass even that range. It will be fun/exciting/tense/agonising to watch, anyway.Comment
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Plus she’s now 30 and history says that’s a few years past most heptathletes’ peaks. Demands of the event I guess.
Top 5 Brits: Kat set her NR at 26 the same age at which Jess set her PB. Lewis’ best was at 27, Sotherton’s at 28 and Simpson’s at 25.
Top 5 all time: Braun 26, Nikitina 24, Thiam 22, Kluft 24 and JJK 26.
Kat and Thiam still active but I suspect we’ve long since seen their highest scores.
Kluft is one of my all time favourites in any event.
Kat should still be able to turn in a decent performance but it feels like she’s now on that path that no athlete wants to be on, but comes to all. How far down it remains to be seen.Comment
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Since Kat’s stellar 2019 her hep record is:
DNF, DNF, DNF, 6174, 6222 & 6377. Of course there are reasons - injuries, pandemics etc - but that record is what it is and it’s a pretty big leap of faith to see her adding the hundreds of points that will be needed for medal contention.Comment
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Kate Axford, namechecked by me as one to watch after only a few races in her athletics career reboot got selected to run in the 3000M at Loughborough yesterday and duly won the race in 9:06:02. That's her debut at the distance. Innes Fitzgerrald was third in 9:09.Comment
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Interesting comments regarding Thiam. She’s had moments in the last few years where she looked slightly like a declining force - 6791 in Tokyo was well down by her standards. But she’s looked much better in the last 12 months, WR indoors, PBs in the 800 indoors and out, PBs in 60 and 100 hurdles. Outright PB in the shot in Istanbul. Her chances of breaking Klufts ER and reasonably good IMOComment
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Just seen KJT's hurdles from yesterday, I thought technically she looked proficient and for her first race in nearly 9 months really sharp. She had a big warm up put in the shot and could surprise in Gotzis.Comment
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Holly Mills still recovering from injury set back last year; https://twitter.com/AthleticsWeekly/...125313?s=20Comment
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KJT certainly sounds fit and ready to go according to her athletics weekly interview. This is in stark contrast to the past 3 years where she has looked depressed and frustrated every time she has competed. It's certainly nice to be optimistic about her prospects for a change.
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Zharnel ran 20.18 in Jamaica the other day.Comment
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