Gill goes for Olympic qualfier Tonight

ecoli

With Southern Hemisphere countries in there track season many will be looking to secure Olympic qualifying standards over the next two months. One such athlete is Jacko Gill in the Shot.

Unlike many athletes every time that Gill competes he does not have the opportunity to qualify in his event. The reason for this is that Gill is only 16 and his age group throw a lighter shot. The new Zealander won the world youths by more than 4m this year and is looking to push on with attempts at the WJR and Olympic qualifier in the next few weeks

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10770695

Pherekydes

It's the shot.

He has two full years to get the WJR!

ecoli

Pherekydes wrote: »

It's the shot.

He has two full years to get the WJR!

oops mind was wandering after reading the article and his references to wanting to go back to discuss in a few years:o

Pherekydes

Because of the time difference, this meet takes place at about 6 am our time on Monday morning. Could be interesting. His PB is 20.01m (with the heavy shot).

Dan man

Jacko Gill is a huge talent, and it would be great to see him compete at the Olympics next year. I think he has the B-standard already. He will turn 17 on Dec.20th, meaning he just makes the age limitation for throwing events at the Olympics (must be 18 in the year of the competition) If he was born a fortnight later, he would not have been elligible for London.

myflipflops

Jesus, the A standard is 20.30?? Another Irish record required just to get to the Games!

With southern hemisphere qualifiers being discussed, I'm going to the Zatopek:10 this Saturday in Melbourne to watch Mottram (among others) try to run the A standard for the 10000 meters.

Pherekydes

20.38m for a NR, an Olympic Q, and a world age 16 best.

Gill does it.

Pisco Sour

myflipflops wrote: »

Jesus, the A standard is 20.30?? Another Irish record required just to get to the Games!

With southern hemisphere qualifiers being discussed, I'm going to the Zatopek:10 this Saturday in Melbourne to watch Mottram (among others) try to run the A standard for the 10000 meters.

Was half thinking of going myself. Are you going to the 50K Walk Australian Champs on Sunday? Jamie Costin is going for the A-Standard, and Rob Heffernan is pacing him for 25k as a training workout.

Dan man

I thought the A standard was 20.50m?

Pherekydes

Dan man wrote: »

I thought the A standard was 20.50m?

True, but he's not dealing with the dinosaurs in the OCI. A 'B' standard will probably suffice for a 17 year-old with potential in NZ.

downthemiddle

Pherekydes wrote: »

True, but he's not dealing with the dinosaurs in the OCI. A 'B' standard will probably suffice for a 17 year-old with potential in NZ.

Mr Ankrom and the AAI don't believe in sending athletes with IAAF or EAA qualifying times to major games either !

Dan man

He'll probably get the A-standard anyway before the Olympics, just 12cm short of it now.

Pherekydes

downthemiddle wrote: »

Mr Ankrom and the AAI don't believe in sending athletes with IAAF or EAA qualifying times to major games either !

Deirdre Ryan was sent to Daegu with a 'B' standard and finished 6th.

SeanKenny

Pherekydes wrote: »

Deirdre Ryan was sent to Daegu with a 'B' standard and finished 6th.

Take a look at the junior qualifying standards published recently and you'll see what downthemiddle is talking about.

However some athletes are sent with no standards at all!! You see it may be about who you know rather than how fast you can go!!

myflipflops

04072511 wrote: »

Was half thinking of going myself. Are you going to the 50K Walk Australian Champs on Sunday? Jamie Costin is going for the A-Standard, and Rob Heffernan is pacing him for 25k as a training workout.

No, I;m happy to look up race walk results after the fact. Sunday is a scheduled day of being hungover.

downthemiddle

Pherekydes wrote: »

Deirdre Ryan was sent to Daegu with a 'B' standard and finished 6th.

That is exactly my point. An A standard is no guarantee of success and the development of athletes should be considered.
As Sean Kenny has said the qualifying standards adopted by the AAI for the World Juniors are causing a lot of disillusionment amongst our young athletes. Some of their comments on Facebook show that we are alienating some of our finest young talent.
I have looked at the standards and the number of Irish athletes at all levels who achieved these standards this year. It makes for interesting reading.

Male Standards
100m 10.60 (2 athletes) fastest junior 10.88
200m 21.20 (5) 21.58
400m 46.95 (3) 48.02
800m 1.48.35 (5) 1.47.09*
1500m 3.46.30 (13) 3.45.93*
3000m 8.09.00 (13) 8.15.20
5000m 14.00.00 (8) no time available
10000m 29.40.00 (5) 31.20
3000 s/c 8.51.00 (0) 9.54.34
110h 14.23 (2) 15.60
400h 51.40 (3) 50.06*
10k walk 43.05 (1) 47.08
Decathlon 7160 (1) no junior score
HJ 2.17 (1) 1.95
PV 5.10 (0) 4.45
LJ 7.60 (1) 6.85
TJ 15.80 (0) 14.05
Shot 17.10 (0) 16.02
Discus 53.00 (1) 42.70
Hammer 63.95 (0) 59.05
Javelin 69.00 (0) 52.14

Women's Standards
100m 11.74 (3) 11.86
200m 23.95 (3) 24.46
400m 53.75 (4) 53.89
800m 2.06.25 ( 4 two of which in mixed race) 2.06.57 (mixed)
1500m 4.19.85 (10) 4.07.45*
3000m 9.25.00 (3) 10.15.10
5000m 16.28 (4) 18.39.24
3000 s/c 10.15 (3) 12.14.68
100h 13.80 (2) 14.04
400h 58.60 (2) 60.44
10k walk 48.00 (2) 46.32*
Heptathlon 5350 no mark registered
HJ 1.85 (1) 1.76
LJ 6.17 (1) 5.86
TJ 13.10 (0) 12.63
Shot 15.10 (0) 12.67
Discus 49.00 (1) 40.62
Hammer 56.30 (1) 58.26*
Javelin 50.00 (0) 40.96

Based on these standards 6 athletes would have qualified this year. Thomas Barr,Mark English,Liam Markham,Ciara Mageean,Kate Veale and Cara Kennedy. An elite squad but with many promising athletes left behind and disillusioned.
I wonder will the NZ federation send Gill to London if he only has the B standard?

SeanKenny

Some of the leading Junior marks identified by Downthemiddle are weak and should not be anywhere near the world standards. However, the B standards, which were the previous entry standards were fair.

Nobody will argue that 10.15 is good enough for selection in the 3000m for girls or the 12.14 for the steeplechase. The real issue is the fact that now there will be the exceptional few per year going to these championships. Some of those will have chased times all season and may go on multiple B standards. This reduces any chance of a good performance at the championships! How can a 10000m athlete produce the standard multiple times and then perform at a championships? Was Liam Brady not worthy of going to the Euro Juniors this year?? He finished 7th!!!!

downthemiddle

I wonder if Jacko has the dedication required to make it to the top

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgRphH_Yuzc

Pherekydes

Jasus, for a 17 stone 16 year old he's seriously explosive and athletic.

That vid should give the lie to people who think shot putters are not athletes.

I like the punishment he inflicts on the 38kg bag.

downthemiddle

I see that our fastest junior over 100m this year is in the Irish U18 rugby squad. Hopefully not another Curtis Woods.

a_non_a_mouse

Pherekydes wrote: »

Jasus, for a 17 stone 16 year old he's seriously explosive and athletic.

That vid should give the lie to people who think shot putters are not athletes.

I like the punishment he inflicts on the 38kg bag.

I'd like to see him look after his hands a bit better......gloves would be good...or was he so fast I just didn't see them.
Also...should have a spotter for bench press, especially if he's throwing the bar!
But yeah....animal.....hugely athletic guy....looking forward to seeing him in Shot Putt in London 2012

SeanKenny

downthemiddle wrote: »

I see that our fastest junior over 100m this year is in the Irish U18 rugby squad. Hopefully not another Curtis Woods.

It would be a pity if he followed the same road but depending on his rugby ability, it may be the choice he'll make. It may be the correct one for him if it allows him to become a professional sportsperson. The choice is throw your hat in the rugby ring or be at the mercy of constantly moving qualification standards, lack of transparency in selection policy and insecure funding.

It'll be interesting to see if he is a regular starter.

Woods was the real loss though. A far greater talant even than Brian Gregan. I believe he is at Ballymena United these days.

Pherekydes

Pherekydes wrote: »

20.38m for a NR, an Olympic Q, and a world age 16 best.

Gill does it.

Incidentally, at the same meet he threw the junior shot 22.31m, which moves him to #2 on the all-time list. Storl's WJR looks a formality.