UK's Moscow medal hopes • [Eriksson's out, who's in?]

[Daisy]

The answer is – unless you’re the United States – quite a few more..."

That's an interesting study. In defense of the United States, it's hard to win more when you are already winning over a 100. One thing I noticed, especially for Spain, is that the gains reach into the following olympiads too.

[26mi235]

Losing my record to a Plastic Brit has left me devastated
"Angela Thorp is what you might call the collateral damage of Van Commenee’s self-serving recruitment policy: a Yorkshire girl who dedicated her life to athletics, and whose greatest achievement has now been erased by a Plastic Brit passing through our sport for purely selfish reasons."

Ofili-Porter is unlikely to win a medal for Britain, either. At the USA Track and Field Championships last year, four American athletes alone were faster than her. Her best time this year does not put her in the top seven in the world (she is behind six Americans and a Canadian)

Note that only three Americans can run (unless they won the WCs last time), so that would bring her to being behind four runners -- that is, fifth in the world, probably as high as most of Britain's medal hopes. Also, as a young athlete we might expect that she is still improving and will be better over time.

I am not sure about this, but one possible reason that she can compete so soon is because she already has dual citizenship -- hardly a completely 'plastic' Brit. But, I do not know enough about her details, just that a niece and nephew were raised in the UK (actually the Isle of Man) and two nephews and a niece have dual citizenship through their mom (one was actually born in Germany, so he had three choices).

[bushop]

Brits told 'keep your room tidy to win gold'
"Under the five key headings of performance, responsibility, unity, pride and respect, Woodward lays out guidelines such as which he believes will give Team GB the psychological edge against the best the world has to offer next summer.
Those requirements include "keeping your accommodation clean and tidy", "handling Facebook and Tweeting in a responsible fashion" and "out in the public domain (avoid using) any bad language."

Will Britain's lack of home-grown coaching talent limit the sustainability of London 2012's legacy?
"However van Commenee could turn tables and ask whether British sport could actually survive without a little help from abroad, not just on the track and field but in preparing for the Olympics.

For he is just one of over 50 imports whose expertise has become an integral part of the games we play, and how we play them."

Jess is the best
"The track and field star is the World and European heptathlon champion, as well as the world indoor pentathlon champion, and Daley told Sky Sports News HD he had high hopes for the 25-year-old.

"I think at the moment she would be my favourite out of all the people in the athletics team to win gold," said the two-time Olympic champion."

[bushop]

Van Commenee blasts underperformers as Olympic countdown begins
"The head coach of UK Athletics believes they need every one of the 365 days remaining before the opening ceremony to make the necessary improvements if Great Britain are to reach the target of eight medals, including at least one gold.
Van Commenee reckons the British team need at least 15 athletes capable of making the medal podium to hit their target."

The goal is just two more medals than the Aussies?

Six athletics medals the target in London
"By virtue of what he calls "the best core of reliable top-end performers we've ever had", Hollingsworth's claim doesn't seem outlandish even though the four-medal haul at Beijing in 2008 was the best by an Australian Olympic track and field squad in four decades."

[bushop]

Van Commenee attacks Idowu for tweeting GB team pull-out
Saturday, 18 June 2011
"Asked whether he might still be in charge, Van Commenee, whose contract expires after the London Olympics, said: "Absolutely. It is certainly my intention to hit the target at the Games [a tally of eight medals], and then we can talk about me staying. But certainly it is my ambition. A lot of jobs depend on success or failure in 2012, so hopefully if we do well then everybody can carry on."

No relationship with 'liar' Van Commenee - Phillips Idowu
Saturday, 18 June 2011 17:00 UK
But the British triple jumper Phillips Idowu says he informed UK Athletics and Van Commenee's staff before informing his followers on the social networking site.

UK Athletics boss Van Commenee criticises Idowu tweet
Friday, 17 June 2011 19:06 UK
"These things are done personally, there are certain channels you have to follow," said Charles van Commenee. "I expect somebody with such a profile to follow these procedures."

Phillips Idowu wants apology from Charles van Commenee
Thursday, 21 July 2011 18:11 UK
"I haven't spoken to Charles since that incident and I have said that I won't speak to him until he publicly apologises. Until then I don't want anything to do with him."

[mump boy]

Van Commenee attacks Idowu for tweeting GB team pull-out
Saturday, 18 June 2011
"Asked whether he might still be in charge, Van Commenee, whose contract expires after the London Olympics, said: "Absolutely. It is certainly my intention to hit the target at the Games [a tally of eight medals], and then we can talk about me staying. But certainly it is my ambition. A lot of jobs depend on success or failure in 2012, so hopefully if we do well then everybody can carry on."

No relationship with 'liar' Van Commenee - Phillips Idowu
Saturday, 18 June 2011 17:00 UK
But the British triple jumper Phillips Idowu says he informed UK Athletics and Van Commenee's staff before informing his followers on the social networking site.

UK Athletics boss Van Commenee criticises Idowu tweet
Friday, 17 June 2011 19:06 UK
"These things are done personally, there are certain channels you have to follow," said Charles van Commenee. "I expect somebody with such a profile to follow these procedures."

Phillips Idowu wants apology from Charles van Commenee
Thursday, 21 July 2011 18:11 UK
"I haven't spoken to Charles since that incident and I have said that I won't speak to him until he publicly apologises. Until then I don't want anything to do with him."

GROW UP

[26mi235]

GROW UP

Which one? One is paid to produce, one is paid to manage things. It seems like the one who is supposed to manage things is the one not doing his job.

[7-sided]

GROW UP

Which one? One is paid to produce, one is paid to manage things. It seems like the one who is supposed to manage things is the one not doing his job.

Agreed! I would have fired CVC by now. Some of his comments are just unnecessary. He needs to go find more athletes for that depth that he recognizes the UK doesn't have rather than piss off his gold medal prospects.

[Daisy]

I would have fired CVC by now.

Agreed, many of his comments really grate. He seems to have the approach that pissing people off will make up their game. Possibly this is true but to air the dirty laundry does not seem to be the way to do it.

[GDAWG]

Tiffany Ofili-Porter will not medal in London. She'll probably make it to the finals, but with Kellie Wells, Danielle Carruthers, Dawn Harper, Sally Pearson, Perdita Felicien and the soon to be returning Priscilla Lopes Schliep likely to be in the finals (if all of them make it to the finals or even on their national teams next year, which seems likely) it'll be hard for Ofili-Porter to medal.

[mump boy]

GROW UP

Which one? One is paid to produce, one is paid to manage things. It seems like the one who is supposed to manage things is the one not doing his job.

both of them, who cares they both have better things to worry about than squabbling like teenage girls over who said what in Twitter of all things

Like OMG

[mump boy]

Tiffany Ofili-Porter will not medal in London. She'll probably make it to the finals, but with Kellie Wells, Danielle Carruthers, Dawn Harper, Sally Pearson, Perdita Felicien and the soon to be returning Priscilla Lopes Schliep likely to be in the finals (if all of them make it to the finals or even on their national teams next year, which seems likely) it'll be hard for Ofili-Porter to medal.

is this the same TOP who just ran 12.60 and beat most of the above ?

[GDAWG]

Tiffany Ofili-Porter will not medal in London. She'll probably make it to the finals, but with Kellie Wells, Danielle Carruthers, Dawn Harper, Sally Pearson, Perdita Felicien and the soon to be returning Priscilla Lopes Schliep likely to be in the finals (if all of them make it to the finals or even on their national teams next year, which seems likely) it'll be hard for Ofili-Porter to medal.

is this the same TOP who just ran 12.60 and beat most of the above ?

When did she run a 12:60? If so, that's impressive.

As for Christine O, I think she'll make it to the finals in London in an attempt to defend her gold medal, but I don't think she can beat Montsho for the gold medal, especially with the way that the African has been running this year (I'd expect her to run like that next year too, barring injury). It could be a very competitive race though if O can return to the form that made her a World and Olympic Champion. I think she'll medal, but it probably won't be gold.

[mump boy]

Tiffany Ofili-Porter will not medal in London. She'll probably make it to the finals, but with Kellie Wells, Danielle Carruthers, Dawn Harper, Sally Pearson, Perdita Felicien and the soon to be returning Priscilla Lopes Schliep likely to be in the finals (if all of them make it to the finals or even on their national teams next year, which seems likely) it'll be hard for Ofili-Porter to medal.

is this the same TOP who just ran 12.60 and beat most of the above ?

When did she run a 12:60? If so, that's impressive.

As for Christine O, I think she'll make it to the finals in London in an attempt to defend her gold medal, but I don't think she can beat Montsho for the gold medal, especially with the way that the African has been running this year (I'd expect her to run like that next year too, barring injury). It could be a very competitive race though if O can return to the form that made her a World and Olympic Champion. I think she'll medal, but it probably won't be gold.

about 20 mins ago in Monaco

TBO ran 51.49 tonight in Barcelona, NEVER write her off in a month she will be sub 50

[GDAWG]

Tiffany Ofili-Porter will not medal in London. She'll probably make it to the finals, but with Kellie Wells, Danielle Carruthers, Dawn Harper, Sally Pearson, Perdita Felicien and the soon to be returning Priscilla Lopes Schliep likely to be in the finals (if all of them make it to the finals or even on their national teams next year, which seems likely) it'll be hard for Ofili-Porter to medal.

is this the same TOP who just ran 12.60 and beat most of the above ?

When did she run a 12:60? If so, that's impressive.

As for Christine O, I think she'll make it to the finals in London in an attempt to defend her gold medal, but I don't think she can beat Montsho for the gold medal, especially with the way that the African has been running this year (I'd expect her to run like that next year too, barring injury). It could be a very competitive race though if O can return to the form that made her a World and Olympic Champion. I think she'll medal, but it probably won't be gold.

about 20 mins ago in Monaco

TBO ran 51.49 tonight in Barcelona, NEVER write her off in a month she will be sub 50

Got to see that tonight. If Ofili Porter can run like that next year she can medal, easily.

I would like to see Chrissy O return to her 2007-2008 form going up against Montsho, who just won again today. That would be a very competitive race. However, except for American Allyson Felix, nobody has been able to beat Montsho. We'll see what happens there.

[mump boy]

Monsho is running too many races for my liking and while she's dominating it's more because everyone else is running poorly rather than her running extremely well

I would love her to win in Daegu but i'm not so sure right now

[Flumpy]

I agree. I'd love her to win at the WC's but she seems to have run in every single meet I've watched this year.

Anyway as long as it's not Kapachinskaya I'll be happy with any winner.

[72]

In a month CO will run sub 50.00
So says the AW cheerleader. Thats one problem solved then.

[jjimbojames]

I agree. I'd love her to win at the WC's but she seems to have run in every single meet I've watched this year.

Anyway as long as it's not Kapachinskaya I'll be happy with any winner.

She's only competed seven times - she's only doing the DL races, so is high profile, but not that race-heavy

[Flumpy]

Only 7 in total this year?

[jjimbojames]

Only 7 in total this year?

Yes - second to last para
http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/dlm/ne ... 60949.html

[Flumpy]

WOW!!!

That's so strange as I've heard quite a few people comment on how much she's been running. Must just be that we've managed to see them all.

That makes me

I deffo want her to win in Daegu (Assuming TBO won't).

[tandfman]

Only 7 in total this year?

Yes - second to last para
http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/dlm/ne ... 60949.html

She may have said it, but it's not quite right. She's competed at 400m seven times, but she's also run 200m twice.

[72]

We now read from AW fans in the UK who,sadly, have a touch of the sun, about our possible 12 plus medals in London 2012 and our rising standards in the UK .

What standards? ... oh I see, we have a 100% increase in our women pole vaulters this year who have jumped 4.60m, 2 in lieu of 1; we have 1 world class short hurdler , but half a dozen 400m hurdlers under 50 secs...break open the champers.!
We have drop off in standards in the sprints,400m,800m this year,1500m definitely...Baddeley and Lancashire ??; one great 5K/10K runner,Farah, and appalling general standards in those events.High Jumpers are worse than the last 2 years; our lonely Pole Vaulter is utterly inconsistent and the standards are no better than last year from Cutts and Eaves; oops, our Discus has improved...break open the champers again.! Our javelin standard???Our shot improving?? Our Triple Jump athletes were better than this year... must not forget the injuries,old chap. 3K worse than ever!!!



One could show the drop off or at least "going nowhere" standard in the womens events right across the board, but too much typing.

Brainwashed, so called optimism is the order of the day, otherwise Jon decides that AW dont need a touch of reality and certainly not Facts.

The great Cheerleader, mump, tells us of great things in a handful of events, and conveniently forgets poor, stationary or deteriorating standards in over 30 events....

[mump boy]

I haven't forgotten anything, we're crap at loads of events but that doesn't mean we have to stop celebrating those that we're improving in

i don't have this strange notion that if we a god given right to have world beaters in every event We never have, no matter the nostalgic, rose tinted glasses you insist on wearing

[mump boy]

there are certainly 12 or more medal 'chances' in Daegu and London

Mo x2
Dai
Chris or Greg
Phillips
Relays x2

TBO
Jenny
a 1500 girl
Tiffany
Holly
Jess
4x4 (on a very good day)

[26mi235]

Winning medals requires more than just good people. Having the likes of Badderly go back rather than forward did not affect the odds much (expected value of medals from him was maybe 0.1 or less) but Mo has gone from a possible contender to and expected value that might be greater than 1 (since he has two events with good prospects). The w1500 has seen a big decline in the number of 3:5x times and so remains a possibility, but the gals have been not moving into the 'breach'.

[Powell]

72, could you please say what level of performance would you expect from British T&F team and be satisfied by? From my perspective, it looks like the UK is doing just fine versus other comparable European countries.

[72]

Serious medal chances:

Farah 5K and a poss of medal if he runs the 10K assuming he doubles, in that steam heat of Daegu

Idowu
Ennis
Greene

outside medal chance
Tomlinson or Rutherford
Totally off the wall.... Bleasdale, but its probably a little unfair to expect a medal as she is inexperienced at the WC level.

As far as Relays are concerned , I don't think we have any chances in the womens relays.No evidence this year to justify such expectations.

If our 4x100m guys get it round OK, I see no better than 4th Our sprinters are indifferent this year anyway, but Jamaica,USA, and a Caribbean country for me.

In the 4x400m men I see USA,Jamaica, and either Belgium, Trinidad or Bahamas. Our best 400m guy has not done better this year so far than 45.4 and a some middling 45s.

Turner a possible/probable finalist; I do not think that the 800m will gain us a medal with Meadows; the top 20 800m women this year have some formidable finishers, and she is not for me a Medal contender. Tiffany Ofili Porter for a finalist place.
There are always a few surprises for finalists, so we may have a 1500m woman.

[26mi235]

Farah 5K and a poss of medal if he runs the 10K assuming he doubles, in that steam heat of Daegu

The WCs are at the end of August and beginning of September for a reason, to diminish the heat. It is three weeks later than when the Olympics began in Beijing, which can be a crucial difference, and Beijing was not quite the problem people anticipated (e.g. destroying the Olympic record in the marathon). By the time that they run the 10,000 the temperature will have dropped from its peak, and at that time of year the peak is only just above 30C and the dew point is just below 20C and the lower the dew point the faster it will cool off. Warm and humid, probably but steamy, not so likely.

[7-sided]

72, could you please say what level of performance would you expect from British T&F team and be satisfied by? From my perspective, it looks like the UK is doing just fine versus other comparable European countries.

I'm with 72 on this... If Europe as a whole is underperforming (Russians not included) why should the UK take solace in that type of company?

[Powell]

72, could you please say what level of performance would you expect from British T&F team and be satisfied by? From my perspective, it looks like the UK is doing just fine versus other comparable European countries.

I'm with 72 on this... If Europe as a whole is underperforming (Russians not included) why should the UK take solace in that type of company?

Underperforming compared to what? Europe accounts for just 11% of world's population, but it regularly wins around 40% of all medals at global championships.

Anyway, 72 has not yet answered my question. You say you see things the same way, so maybe you can give me a number: how many medals by the UK would it take at a WC or OG to call their performance a good one?

[72]

An impossible question,Powell< and totally subject to ones interpretation of the words " a good performance"

Based on population ...one answer; based upon the population and the traditions and sporting culture and number of practitioners of Track and Field, you get another another answer( lets not forget that we have achieved more medals in WC/OG track and field than ,say, Pakistan and India combined, 1.5 billion, or even more than China, because the latter countries don't really seriously do all-over track and field).

Then again a "good performance to" many fans I converse with, via MBs, suggests that value for public money is a criteria for a "good performance"; in UK we have spent a frigging fortune over the last 15 years and especially recently to achieve a good performance, so I predict

not less than 3 or more than 5 medals in daegu. Not talking London 2012,yet

[7-sided]

72, could you please say what level of performance would you expect from British T&F team and be satisfied by? From my perspective, it looks like the UK is doing just fine versus other comparable European countries.

I'm with 72 on this... If Europe as a whole is underperforming (Russians not included) why should the UK take solace in that type of company?

Underperforming compared to what? Europe accounts for just 11% of world's population, but it regularly wins around 40% of all medals at global championships.

Anyway, 72 has not yet answered my question. You say you see things the same way, so maybe you can give me a number: how many medals by the UK would it take at a WC or OG to call their performance a good one?

Powell, you know better than that! Europe may have 11% of the world's population but in terms of track facilities and participation it would be near or over 50%.

I don't see success necessarily in terms of medals, let me explain. Exhibit A: Jamaica. They are getting better in the field events and their sprints have no equal currently. But, they are also sending multiple athletes to finals. That to me is success. The UK on the other hand MAY send ONE athlete to any final in which they have a legitimate medal contender, othewise they have athletes who may not make finals. That should not be considered success. Since 2004 (chosen arbitrarily to denote "recent" and to show decline), only two European records have been set not counting the walks (sorry, MJR). One by Mo Farah, the other by Boubdellah Tahri. Two on the mens' side, 7 on the women's side (includes w3000st and wPV). NACAC region has 10 womens records since 2004 and 11 on the Men's side. That means in the whole intra-region citius altius fortius thing, Europe is not progressing as well as NACAC and definitely not progressing when judged against Europeans prior to 2005.

If UK put two athletes in each race final and won no medals I would consider it more of a "success" than if Idowu, Ennis, and Farah struck gold and they won two other medals with no other prospects in sight. The entire medals as a barometer of success is a political construct, not a performance development one.

[72]

like the last paragraph,7 sided.