Athletics in 2009

[gingergenius]

well the indoor season's got up and running, what's everyone's predictions/ hopes for 2009?

Hopefully I'm seeing a resurgence in British sprinting because Dwain Chambers and Simeon Williamson have started the season impressively. Tyrone Edgar has potential.. but imo Craig Pickering can gtfo. He's never going to run a sub 10 100m so I can't be bothered with him.

There seem to be other areas where Britain is bulding a decent talent pool... the high-jump for example we have Bernard, Mason and Oni all performing well this season. Triple Jump we've got 2 potentially world class jumpers, Long Jump Greg Rutherford is performing well...

There's a lot of talented women out there too, and hopefully we can have some more to equal Christine Ohurogu.. Marilyn Okoro looks good and Perri Shakes-Drayton looks a big talent over 400m hurdles.

But my biggest thrill so far this year comes from Mo Farah, who's running beautifully, setting British records left right and centre. Running on form he looks absolutely wonderful... distance running is, after all, what humans are best designed to do and its lovely to see Britain have someone who can regain our reputation as a good distance running country.

 

[An Tarbh]

yeah the European Indoors usually throw up a couple of medal prospects for Ireland, Gillick has the 3rd fastest time going into Turin at the moment so he's got a chance to be there or there abouts, not sure about Hession though, he seems to be a bit off the form which saw him get to the final 2 years ago but no doubt he's got the class to make it through. Derval O'Rourke has been off the boil as well since winning the world indoor gold and would need to find some improvement to even get back to those times she ran in Moscow.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Dwain Chambers, what a man B)

third fastest man ever over 60 metres.

 

[An Tarbh]

he'll always be tainted.

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Mar 8 2009, 12:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

he'll always be tainted.[/b]

True. I reckon Jonathan Edwards got it right... he said that Chambers cannot be blamed for the failings of the sport as a whole.

Basically, Chambers made a huge mistake. He got a 2 year ban and other forfeits, such as not being able to compete in the Olympics.

Most people, including me, feel drugs cheats need longer bans... at least 4 years.

However, it is not Dwain Chambers' fault that he received the punishment he got. He's only trying to deal with his situation in the best way he can. So I don't think people can criticise him for competing or winning or anything other than his initial offence. It is purely the IAAF's responsibility for his continued involvement.

Also, I can't help but have a huge amount of respect for Chambers for his strength and resilience. Since 2003 he's had everything thrown at him and he's come out still the only British sprinter who you might call world class. Now all we need is him to transfer the indoor form into some 9.8s in the summer.

I've still got big hopes for Simeon Williamson too.

 

[An Tarbh]

you're right it is the fault of the system but again the statement he's always going to be tainted stands, despite the fact that he's a victim of the system.

Regardless of how well he performed and that's not an issue here, you see Chambers or Yegorova or Ceplak, whoever else failed a drugs test for performance enhancing substances, coming back and winning and there's always going to be a nagging doubt there. By the way where's Paula Radcliffe and her protest now, she's still running right, or does she have different standards for British athletes?

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Incredible that Chambers is getting better at 30, im confident he can break his 9.87 pb this year. A bit off topic but i remember when he took the drugs he actually performed worse than he had been, not an excuse as he was clearly guilty but food for thought on the actual advantages of drugs..

 

[An Tarbh]

he was on drugs when he ran 9.87 at the Europeans in Munich.

 

[An Tarbh]

alright so having checked this again he ran 9.96 to win the European ***le but he did get his pb in the grand prix meeting in Paris later that year when still on THG.