Athletics EAA Under 23 European Championships 2021

[SalamAkhi 320]

6 hours ago, maestro said:

He is 20 years old, maybe he will focus on pole vault in 1-2 years.  There have been examples of athletes starting from combined events and then specialising in one specific event. He will need to improve in throwing events if he wants to continue with decathlon.

He's already the current Youth Olympic champion in the PV. Has been focusing on the combined events recently at higher level though he almost only takes part to PV competitions throughout the year.

[OlympicsFan 860]

5 minutes ago, Belle said:

If the best aren’t there what’s the point? 

In most events the best athletes competed. Also it is a very nice chance and a Great experience for all athletes who are present. Many of them will never have a chance to medal at senior level. I think it is a good idea to give athletes a chance to compete internationally as long as they aren’t good enough yet to compete at senior competitions.   
 

I think only the following medal contenders decided not to compete:

Bol, Schwab, Miller, Healy, Vicente, Patta, Schulte, Ansah-Peprah, Dustin, Miron, Ingebrigtsen, Heyward, Baehre, Duplantis

 

Others like Knoroz, Kienast or Benfares didn’t compete for other reasons like injuries.

[Belle 977]

46 minutes ago, OlympicsFan said:

In most events the best athletes competed. Also it is a very nice chance and a Great experience for all athletes who are present. Many of them will never have a chance to medal at senior level. I think it is a good idea to give athletes a chance to compete internationally as long as they aren’t good enough yet to compete at senior competitions.   
 

I think only the following medal contenders decided not to compete:

Bol, Schwab, Miller, Healy, Vicente, Patta, Schulte, Ansah-Peprah, Dustin, Miron, Ingebrigtsen, Heyward, Baehre, Duplantis

 

Others like Knoroz, Kienast or Benfares didn’t compete for other reasons like injuries.

But in men’s pole vault how can you be happy with your medal when you know you wouldn’t have won it if the two best were competing? 

[SalamAkhi 320]

31 minutes ago, Belle said:

But in men’s pole vault how can you be happy with your medal when you know you wouldn’t have won it if the two best were competing? 

Lita Baehre was far from being a lock. As for Duplantis I think not many, including the athletes, even consider him as a U23 European Champs contender. Even so, that is not the first time favorites didn't show up at a meet, and it has been the case at World or Olympic level, who cares in the end ?

[Belle 977]

31 minutes ago, SalamAkhi said:

Lita Baehre was far from being a lock. As for Duplantis I think not many, including the athletes, even consider him as a U23 European Champs contender. Even so, that is not the first time favorites didn't show up at a meet, and it has been the case at World or Olympic level, who cares in the end ?

Maybe I misunderstood you. But what do you mean with Duplantis is not a U23 European Champs contender? As for Lita Baehre he is easily a medal contender in these championships. 
 

Duplantis represent Sweden and is qualified for these championships. He would DESTROYED the others! 
 

 

[dodge 1,026]

It’s a development competition. There’s always lots of stars missing

 

As for ‘what’s the point?’ 
 

The point is competition. Why have regional events? Why have national events? Why have under 18 or under 20? Why have european?  Why go to the Olympics if you’re not going to medal

 

Duplantis has bigger goals than this but some athletes don’t. For others it’s a stepping stone. It doesn’t matter who’s not there. The athletes have their own goals and congrats if they achieve them 

[Makedonas 2,165]

3 hours ago, Belle said:

If the best aren’t there what’s the point? 

No one was preventing Duplantis from going there if he really wanted to 

[OlympicsFan 860]

8 hours ago, SalamAkhi said:

Lita Baehre was far from being a lock. As for Duplantis I think not many, including the athletes, even consider him as a U23 European Champs contender. Even so, that is not the first time favorites didn't show up at a meet, and it has been the case at World or Olympic level, who cares in the end ?

If you exclude his first competition of the season, Baehre jumped at least 5.70 m in 4 out of 5 competitions this year. On Saturday it took 5.60 m to medal.

[SalamAkhi 320]

3 hours ago, OlympicsFan said:

If you exclude his first competition of the season, Baehre jumped at least 5.70 m in 4 out of 5 competitions this year. On Saturday it took 5.60 m to medal.

You lock an athlete for the podium before the competition. Looking at it retrospectively is a bit easy, more so if the athlete wasn't even there. Sure he would have been a strong contender but I wouldn't rank him as a clear favorite with (or behind) Duplantis. 

 

11 hours ago, Belle said:

Maybe I misunderstood you. But what do you mean with Duplantis is not a U23 European Champs contender? As for Lita Baehre he is easily a medal contender in these championships. 
 

Duplantis represent Sweden and is qualified for these championships. He would DESTROYED the others! 
 

 

But he was not in Tallinn and, indeed, no one prevented him from going there.

[prso1000 667]

14 hours ago, Belle said:

But in men’s pole vault how can you be happy with your medal when you know you wouldn’t have won it if the two best were competing? 

Sorry but what a stupid statement. 
It was their decision not to compete.