EPelle wrote:Christian Olsson may be on that list; he has some very serious consideration to give his immediate future.
According to (in Swedish)
http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=672&a=833453 Christian Olsson has resumed training. The level is currently not what
is required for a world-class athlete, nor has a decision about future
competitions been made; however, we may have a light at the end of the
tunnel.
tandfman wrote:It was illegal, and the difficulty of enforcing the rule was one of the reasons they changed it.
You see: I am right. Just a too young to remember anything but the endless rabbited races of the nineties
I am actually surprised they have not developed tracks with a rabbit-like device on the inside (possibly lights that light up in series reflecting the desired pace) that could be set to a desired pace. Then there would be no drafting issues, or is drafting the reason they want pace makers, not for the actual pace?
tandfman wrote:It was illegal, and the difficulty of enforcing the rule was one of the reasons they changed it.
You see: I am right. Just a too young to remember anything but the endless rabbited races of the nineties
I am actually surprised they have not developed tracks with a rabbit-like device on the inside (possibly lights that light up in series reflecting the desired pace) that could be set to a desired pace. Then there would be no drafting issues, or is drafting the reason they want pace makers, not for the actual pace?
Daisy wrote:I am actually surprised they have not developed tracks with a rabbit-like device on the inside (possibly lights that light up in series reflecting the desired pace) that could be set to a desired pace. Then there would be no drafting issues, or is drafting the reason they want pace makers, not for the actual pace?
That was done 35 years ago by the ill-fated International Track Association, the professional tour that existed for a few years in the '70's when open professionalism was not allowed. They called them pacer lights, and they could be used for any race and set for any pace.
i heard that 2004 olympic marathon champ stefano baldini would retire after the 2008 olympic marathon, but he ran a 10k in scicily, italy yesterday and placed 5th in a race where edwin soi beat sammy wanjiru. so maybe he changed his mind.
This is another one like Bungei. Baldini said he was retiring from international competition, but that he would continue running. In both cases, the seem to feel that they have the only medal they need, but there's never too much money, so why not keep competing on the cash circuit?
Daisy wrote:I am actually surprised they have not developed tracks with a rabbit-like device on the inside (possibly lights that light up in series reflecting the desired pace) that could be set to a desired pace. Then there would be no drafting issues, or is drafting the reason they want pace makers, not for the actual pace?
That was done 35 years ago by the ill-fated International Track Association, the professional tour that existed for a few years in the '70's when open professionalism was not allowed. They called them pacer lights, and they could be used for any race and set for any pace.
As I recall, the problem w/ the ITA lights (nothing like technology that would be available today, of course), was that they were set at a chosen speed when the gun went off and that was it. Rare is the 800 or mile that's run at a metronomic pace, of course, so the lights were rarely any good.
One of my all-time favorite lines in the magazine was penned by John Gillespie in writing about the Portland ITA meet, I'd guess '75. In that meet, the lights malfunctioned, and were just creeping around the track, with the result that (making up the actual events here) the milers lapped the lights. Gillespie wrote (and I paraphrase), "In the men's mile the contenstants lapped the pacer lights, but the lights could be forgiven, doubling back as they were from a hard 880 just 5 minutes earlier."
Francis Obikwelu, he's about 31 years old. I think he said something about his body getting too old. Had a 9.86 behind Gatlin's 9.85 in 2004 Athens. I wish he would stick around like old man Kim Collins.
Anybody know what Leonard Scott's going to be doing in the upcoming season? He crashed to the ground in the 2008 U.S. indoor champs holding his knee in pain, even though he'd already done surgery on it before. Hope that's not it for him, uh, that woud be a sad way to end your career.
DexterDanner wrote:Francis Obikwelu, he's about 31 years old. I think he said something about his body getting too old. Had a 9.86 behind Gatlin's 9.85 in 2004 Athens. I wish he would stick around like old man Kim Collins.....
To clarify, Obi has retired from "big-time" competition, but will continue to run at the club level.
DexterDanner wrote:Francis Obikwelu, he's about 31 years old.
Just turned 30 a couple months ago.
I think he said something about his body getting too old.
Yes, he said his legs have been really beaten up over the years and don't feel like they have much left in them.
Whatever his legs may or may not have left, maybe it's his mind that just isn't in it any more. He figures he's never going to break the world record, and he's not going to do better than the silver he already got if Bolt or Gay are in the race, so maybe he doesn't see the point of continuing to try at the World/OG level anymore.
polevaultpower wrote:Lots of US pole vaulters retiring.
Jeff Hartwig - already moved to St. Charles Nick Hysong Tye Harvey - so I hear
Jillian Schwartz - getting married Mary (Sauer) Vincent - already married Tracy O'Hara - already married Stacy Dragila - getting married Kate (Soma) Conwell (at least retiring from serious training and competition, she'll probably still jump for fun from a shorter run) Erin Asay - getting married and going to nursing school
Considering retiring: Russ and Dana Buller - worn down by injuries Andreé Pickens Toby Stevenson - rumored Tim Mack - rumored
I talked to Jillian at Millrose. She has retired. Doing some coaching at Columbia and is getting into the agenting business.
polevaultpower wrote:Lots of US pole vaulters retiring.
Jeff Hartwig - already moved to St. Charles Nick Hysong Tye Harvey - so I hear
Jillian Schwartz - getting married Mary (Sauer) Vincent - already married Tracy O'Hara - already married Stacy Dragila - getting married Kate (Soma) Conwell (at least retiring from serious training and competition, she'll probably still jump for fun from a shorter run) Erin Asay - getting married and going to nursing school
Considering retiring: Russ and Dana Buller - worn down by injuries Andreé Pickens Toby Stevenson - rumored Tim Mack - rumored
I talked to Jillian at Millrose. She has retired. Doing some coaching at Columbia and is getting into the agenting business.
To update my list, Stacy Dragila, Erin Asay, and Nick Hysong changed their minds about retiring. Andreé Pickens decided to retire, Tim Mack decided to keep vaulting.
Lee Bong Ju retired after last week's Seoul Marathon. I thought he might solider on until the 2011 WCh in Daegu but his form isn't good enough to be competitive.
Takaoka will retire after the Tokyo Marathon (unless he gains qualification for Berlin, which is unlikely) and Tosa and Hiroyama are both retiring from competition too after this marathon.
polevaultpower wrote:To update my list, Stacy Dragila, Erin Asay, and Nick Hysong changed their minds about retiring. Andreé Pickens decided to retire, Tim Mack decided to keep vaulting.
At Arizona State yesterday:
-- Hysong, Nick Unattached NH
4.40 4.55 4.70 4.85 4.95
P P P P XXX
