World Indoors, Portland

pconn062

So this got underway last night (or today, I'm still not sure of these time zones!).

Few medals, Jen Shur wins the women's pole vault, Renaud Lavillenie wins the men's in dominating fashion.

Other notable results: Ireland's team, also known as Rose Anne Galligan finished 9th in the 1500m, placing herself well at the start but fading badly.

Maslak looks sublime in the 400m, Ashton Eaton looking fantastic in the heptathlon. Asafa Powell ran a scandalous 6.44 in the 60m heats, make of that what you will. :rolleyes:

It's a real shame that Mark English is injured as the 800m is very weak and he would have been well in with a shot, 1.52 made the final (albeit in a tactical race).

Coverage starts again around midnight on Eurosport.

El Caballo

Does anyone have a link to the entries? Can't find one anywhere.

Pherekydes

Powell looked ridiculously easy moving to 5th on the all-time list, but he has run 6.39 during an outdoor 100m. He certainly looks as though the indoor record of 6.39 is within his compass.

Eaton is brilliant: 8.08m in the LJ.

Wondering whether to go to bed!?

pconn062

And if that wasn't enough, a photographer got hit by a shot put!

http://www.flotrack.org/article/40432-kendell-williams-nails-photographer-during-shot-put-pentathlon

Pherekydes

El Caballo wrote: »

Does anyone have a link to the entries? Can't find one anywhere.

IAAF have everything on their site.

Timetable and start lists.

Chivito550

Really looking forward to seeing how Brooke Stratton gets on in the long jump final tonight. On serous form of late with that 7.05m Australian record. I saw her progress through the ranks at all those interclub meets I'd be competing in when I was in Melbourne so I'll be cheering her on as much as if she was Irish this eve.

Chivito550

Also, did Kim Collins not tear a hamstring last month? How on earth is he back competing. Must not have been as bad as feared.

RichieRich89

Asafa tried too hard and tightened up. He has to learn to give it the old Bud Winter 'four fifths effort'. I think I've only ever once seen him run quicker in a final than he did in the semi or quarter. How can he not identify and rectify his shortcomings after all this time?

Chivito550

RichieRich89 wrote: »

Asafa tried too hard and tightened up. He has to learn to give it the old Bud Winter 'four fifths effort'. I think I've only ever once seen him run quicker in a final than he did in the semi or quarter. How can he not identify and rectify his shortcomings after all this time?

It's quite astonishing how he bottles it time and time again. He looked unbeatable in the heats and semis and yet he found a way to lose that final. Remarkable accomplishment. Just goes to show how great Derval was at maxing out in championship finals. So many cant do it, but Powell is an extreme example.

That was a great women's long jump battle between Reese and Spanovic, with the lead changing hands throughout until Reese drops a 7.22m in round 6! Good performance by Brooke Stratton in 5th. First time she's ever set foot into an indoor arena I believe.

Caprica

How on earth did Powell mange to lose the Men's 60? He looked so easy in both the heat and semi, I was thinking he was going after Mo Greene's WR but once again he chokes and fails when he has to deliver. It really has become a career of failure and missed opportunities, is the 2006 Commonwealth 100 his only international title? A very poor return for his ability.

Both the Long Jump and Shot Put were exciting. Tom Walsh for New Zealand had a great day. Apart from that I think the quality is poor. Some of the fields are very small, the Men's 1500 had a field of 15 with 8 to the final, the Men's 3k had 18 with 12 to the final. Are the athletes not interested in competing or is Portland to far to travel to in Olympic year?

See Mo Farah in the audience, I guess he is heading to Cardiff shortly.

Myles Splitz

Caprica wrote: »

Are the athletes not interested in competing or is Portland to far to travel to in Olympic year?

See Mo Farah in the audience, I guess he is heading to Cardiff shortly.

IAAF struggled to fill spots big time. Invites were even sent out to some athletes to run (UKA actually turned down invites on behalf of athletes)

I think there are a number of reasons for this

- Indoors popularity is not great
- Olympic year for top athletes
- European's have 3 major championships this year (Indoors, European, Olympics)

Ethiopia and US seem to be the only two nations taking it full serious to be honest.

Powell looked a different runner in the final (as usual) he always looks like he is tightening up and is way too tense in his running, almost trying to run too hard come the final.

Chivito550

Caprica wrote: »

How on earth did Powell mange to lose the Men's 60? He looked so easy in both the heat and semi, I was thinking he was going after Mo Greene's WR but once again he chokes and fails when he has to deliver. It really has become a career of failure and missed opportunities, is the 2006 Commonwealth 100 his only international title? A very poor return for his ability.

Both the Long Jump and Shot Put were exciting. Tom Walsh for New Zealand had a great day. Apart from that I think the quality is poor. Some of the fields are very small, the Men's 1500 had a field of 15 with 8 to the final, the Men's 3k had 18 with 12 to the final. Are the athletes not interested in competing or is Portland to far to travel to in Olympic year?

See Mo Farah in the audience, I guess he is heading to Cardiff shortly.

The 1500 was ridiculous. 15 athletes with 9 to the final. Having 3 fastest loser spots was ridiculous as it was obvious 6 were going to qualify from the second heat. Ironically they had no fastest loser spots in the 400m semi finals, an event where there should have been, as 2 women qualified with 53, while two athletes who ran 52 missed out. They have it all arseways.

El Caballo

Myles Splitz wrote: »

Powell looked a different runner in the final (as usual) he always looks like he is tightening up and is way too tense in his running, almost trying to run too hard come the final.

I'm not sure he was guilty of that this time though, I've watched it back a few times today and he came home strong but I thought he blew the start which is normally his strength, Bromell was out like a rocket and Asafa seemed to lag out the back so he was chasing early.

Myles Splitz

El Caballo wrote: »

I'm not sure he was guilty of that this time though, I've watched it back a few times today and he came home strong but I thought he blew the start which is normally his strength, Bromell was out like a rocket and Asafa seemed to lag out the back so he was chasing early.

I agree that the start was poor for me though where he looks weakest is between 30-40m just after the drive phase (though admittedly this is probably as a result of the start) he did become more relaxed in his stride from there. Hats off to Bromell following up from his performances in Beijing last year.

rodge68

Athletics now on BBC Red Button..

Myles Splitz

Great battle in the Mens Masters 800m helped by having one of our own (Joe Gough) involved in the medal hunt being narrowly beat after throwing himself towards the line to try and retain his world title.

Chivito550

Tim Hutchins having the craic about the Italian high jumper's beard, which is bearded on half his face, clean shaven on the other side:

"It's all well and good in this type of environment where it's all high pressure, fun and entertainment, but what about the other 23 hours a day where you have to go around looking like that?"

KielyUnusual

You have to love the middle distance indoor races. It really is racing at its finest. Loved the 1500m final. Souleiman was really trying to control it and looked to have everything in order but then, bang, Nick Willis goes flying by with two laps to go and has a couple of metres gap in no time. All of a sudden Souleiman is gone and it looks like Willis might hold on for the win but Centrowitz covered the move well and took him in the straight. Holusa finishing like a train too to pip Willis for second. Such exciting stuff.

Caprica

Yes, it was a great Men's 1500 final. Would loved to have seen Willis get the gold but Centrowitz just sat back and took in the final meters. Holusa came from nowhere coming of the bend to get silver, 10 more metres and it could have been gold. Not sure what happened Souleiman, once he was passed he seemed to give up.

That Women's 4*400 was very poor, the USA won at a canter. On the whole a poor quality and subdued event. It's like the IAAF aren't even trying, small fields, silly qualifying standards, having to invite athletes to get numbers up. The sports had a rough time in the last few months, this event hasn't done much for it's image either.

El Caballo

It's been said a million times before but Centro really is a tactical maestro, of course he's got serious forum this year to back it up too but he's always in the right spot.

Chivito550

Caprica wrote: »

Yes, it was a great Men's 1500 final. Would loved to have seen Willis get the gold but Centrowitz just sat back and took in the final meters. Holusa came from nowhere coming of the bend to get silver, 10 more metres and it could have been gold. Not sure what happened Souleiman, once he was passed he seemed to give up.

That Women's 4*400 was very poor, the USA won at a canter. On the whole a poor quality and subdued event. It's like the IAAF aren't even trying, small fields, silly qualifying standards, having to invite athletes to get numbers up. The sports had a rough time in the last few months, this event hasn't done much for it's image either.

I enjoyed the championships to be honest. There were some poor fields for sure but a lot of great stuff too. I think these championships will always struggle to a degree in an Olympic year.

Some Kind of Wizard

Willis is such a great competitor, he made that race!