Athletes ducking each other. Harmful to sport

ecoli

Looking back to the excitement generated in the sport during the 80s rivalries were a major factor in generating interest but in recent years the ducking competition mentality has crept in to many athletes

Fans tend to go through the cycle of getting excited when they see a field announced only to see someone has pulled out last min to create disappointment regardless of how the race pans out after that.

Farah is the most recent example in a long line of this, similarly the likes of top sprinters running a 100 and 200 instead of going head to head in the same meet.

How harmful is this to the sport in terms generating interest for the general public

average_runner

Not sure how harmful it is, but not having these big match ups too often, makes the Olympics and World Championships more special.

ecoli

average_runner wrote: »

Not sure how harmful it is, but not having these big match ups too often, makes the Olympics and World Championships more special.

Thats one way to look at it but look to the likes of Carl Lewis v Ben Johnson in build up to 88 (pharmacology aside) or even last year with Blake and Bolt in the Jamaican Championships. This can add to the build up to major championships as the sport can't survive on 2 weeks entertainment a year (and less in non global championship years like next year)

pconn062

I've read a few different theories as to why he dropped down to the 5,000m, he has to do two long haul flights to get from the UK, he has a stomach virus (which you imagine would still make running a 5,000m against a field that stacked very difficult). I wonder if Bekele's mindgames, asking for 13.18 pace for the first 5,000m in the 10,000, might have been the biggest deciding factor! Shame either way.

walshb

Too much meeting can spoil the specialness. Too little can bore the fans.

YFlyer

average_runner wrote: »

Not sure how harmful it is, but not having these big match ups too often, makes the Olympics and World Championships more special.

Like Coe and Ovett before the Moscow Olympics.

tHE vAGGABOND

Yea, did Coe and Ovett not go out of their way to avoid racing each other apart from major champs and once in a blue moon?

mikemcdeedy100

was just thinking the same

coe and ovett either dodged or weren't allowed race each other much

mikemcdeedy100

there's a big talk right now on letsrun about farah dodging the bekeles in the pre 10000m

whether it's true or not i dunno

farah done a lot of travelling lately

but he also said his win streak since daegu is very important
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/22717504

TFBubendorfer

YFlyer wrote: »

Like Coe and Ovett before the Moscow Olympics.

I was starting to think I'm the only one old enough to remember that!

average_runner

Its also a real shame that these meetings aren't on main stream tv, as having it on the red button of bbc is doing it no favors to athletics.

YFlyer

It's what I read :pac:

pconn062

Just having a think about it and the same thing is happening here (and other places I'm sure) with regards to road races. Apart from the few big established races you rarely see a really packed field of good club runners, pulling each other to good times. Instead, and kind of understandably I suppose, these guys seem to be picking the races they are mostly likely to win and pick up some decent prize money. This surely has to be a big factor in the overall drop of standards in road racing times.

ecoli

mikemcdeedy100 wrote: »

was just thinking the same

coe and ovett either dodged or weren't allowed race each other much

I think Andy Norman had a huge influence on this.

I do agree that sometimes the anticipation of a match up can add to the suspense ala Landy and Bannister in the Empire Games or Coe and Ovett but I think there need to be a few match ups throughout the year to add to both the season and the championships

dna_leri

average_runner wrote: »

Its also a real shame that these meetings aren't on main stream tv, as having it on the red button of bbc is doing it no favors to athletics.

Starting from next week, BBC move their coverage to BBC3 then BBC2 and finally BBC1 in run-up to Worlds which are live on 1 or 2. Without the beeb most of us would be hunched around a small screen.

mikehammer67

isn't farah a little bit cynical lookin after the win streak and the $$$$$

i know he matured late(nop lol) but it sucks a little bit