Athletics - Diamond League 2021

[gerblod]

World athletics has had a stupendous summer - world records in two events,  the mens 400m hurdles and the women's triple-jump.

The second of those, by Yulimar Rojas, broke the existing record made by Inessa Kravets in 1995. 

Most gratifying of the performances though was that of Elaine Thompson-Herah, who posted the second-fastest 100m time in history at the Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon this weekend.

Also gratifying was the commentary of the BBC people - who strongly hinted what all those athletics aficionados know - that Florence Griffith Joyner's existing world record was achieved by her use of steroids. 

Thompson-Herah's time was 10.53 - only 0.05 seconds behind Griffith Joyner. Maybe this season, on a fast track, we'll see that infamous record finally slung out.

Kravets was both banned and suspended for drug use (stimulants and steroids) so another dubious world record has been binned.

 

'Bad' world records still to be broken - Griffith Joyner's 200 metre time (1988), Marita Koch's 400 metre (1985) and the 800 metre record of Jarmila Kratochvilova (1983). The latter has been described as having an "atypical" physique. Only two athletes have ever approached her time and one of those is Caster Semenya.

 

[Guest ttfn]

I watched a video of the Marita Koch 400m world record the other day, it’s genuinely laugh out loud funny. She catches the runner on her outside after about 15 metres and the runner two lanes over after about 40.

 

The sooner somebody beats these records the better, they’re a stain on the sport.

Edited 22 August 2021 by ttfn