Athletics EAA Team European Championships 2019

[Dennis 712]

12 hours ago, OlympicsFan said:

I think Poland will win this, Germany is just missing too many of their top athletes (the best german athletes in women's 100/200/400/1500/3000/5000 m, women's 400 m hurdles, women's high jump, women's javelin/discus throw, men's 400 m, men's 400 m hurdles, men's 3000 m SC, men's triple/long jump, men's pole vault and men's javelin throw won't compete)

After today, I have to agree with you.  is doing what they can without any bad results apart from maybe finishing last in the men's 200m. On the other hand,  is performing worse than I expected, mainly in the women's events. The men are performing as can be expected from them.  has some good events coming up tomorrow, but the gap might be too big to close.

 

Some general thoughts after today:

 

The southern European countries (   ) are performing better than I anticipated, whereas   and  are underperforming so far in my eyes.

 

Based on today, I'd say  will keep that 7th spot, right before  and .

[OlympicsFan 858]

1 hour ago, Monzanator said:

 

Besides Swoboda the rest of our girls are nobodies. Plus we had the worst exchange by a mile in that heat.

Still on paper this should be your best relay while it isn't even Germany's B team.

[OlympicIRL 5,532]

Standings after Event 22 / 40

 

Rk	Nation	Pts
1	Poland	193
2	France	181.5
3	Italy	171
4	Great Britain	162.5
5	Germany	160
6	Spain	158
7	Czech Republic	129
8	Ukraine	129
9	Greece	114
10	Switzerland	106
11	Finland	103.5
12	Sweden	102.5

[Monzanator 4,503]

1 hour ago, OlympicsFan said:

Still on paper this should be your best relay while it isn't even Germany's B team.

 

Anna Kielbasinska would have been an upgrade over any of the other three (esp. on the bend) but she's quit running 100m to focus on 400m these days.

[Vojthas 949]

Just now, Monzanator said:

 

Anna Kielbasinska would have been an upgrade over any of the other three (esp. on the bend) but she's quit running 100m to focus on 400m these days.

Kotwiła-Stefanowicz-Skrzyszowska-Swoboda (whatever the order will be) seems to me a team for Paris 2024 final. And I would surely not call Stefanowicz "nobody" - some consider her talent at least on the Swoboda's level, some even higher. Kiełbasińska is now one of the "angels" and let it be this way.

[Monzanator 4,503]

Just now, Vojthas said:

Kotwiła-Stefanowicz-Skrzyszowska-Swoboda (whatever the order will be) seems to me a team for Paris 2024 final. And I would surely not call Stefanowicz "nobody" - some consider her talent at least on the Swoboda's level, some even higher. Kiełbasińska is now one of the "angels" and let it be this way.

 

I'm gonna hold back on Stefanowicz being the "next Swoboda". Our 100m sprinting has gone backwards this decade in general and Swoboda would be a bigger threat at 60m anyway. It's no coincidence Stefanowicz blew the bend leg here as she still has very little experience.

[OlympicsFan 858]

14 hours ago, Monzanator said:

 

Anna Kielbasinska would have been an upgrade over any of the other three (esp. on the bend) but she's quit running 100m to focus on 400m these days.

Maybe that is the case, but in the end this isn't the discipline where you are supposed to win medals and your federation is smart enough to know that. If Jozwik and your female high jumper (i forgot her name) would still be at their best, then one could even argue that Poland is the best european nation in athletics. Right now you have somewhat of a golden generation with Lewandowski, Kszczot, Fajdek, Nowicki, Haratyk, Bukowiecki, Lisek, Wojciechowski, Wlodarczyk and Fiodorow + you have some good talents in women's 100 m hurdles, women's javelin throw and men's javelin throw. I hope for you that you don't make the same mistake that Germany made a couple of years ago that lead to Germany losing its "safe" medals in the throwing events by focusing on other disciplines. I don't really see any talents right now that could take the place of Fajdek/Nowicki/Wlodarczyk/Kszczot/Lewandowski/Lisek/Wojciechowski in a couple of years and then your only realistic gold medal contender might be Bukowiecki.

[Monzanator 4,503]

Just now, OlympicsFan said:

Maybe that is the case, but in the end this isn't the discipline where you are supposed to win medals and your federation is smart enough to know that. If Jozwik and your female high jumper (i forgot her name) would still be at their best, then one could even argue that Poland is the best european nation in athletics. Right now you have somewhat of a golden generation with Lewandowski, Kszczot, Fajdek, Nowicki, Haratyk, Bukowiecki, Lisek, Wojciechowski, Wlodarczyk and Fiodorow + you have some good talents in women's 100 m hurdles, women's javelin throw and men's javelin throw. I hope for you that you don't make the same mistake that Germany made a couple of years ago that lead to Germany losing its "safe" medals in the throwing events by focusing on other disciplines. I don't really see any talents right now that could take the place of Fajdek/Nowicki/Wlodarczyk/Kszczot/Lewandowski/Lisek/Wojciechowski in a couple of years and then your only realistic gold medal contender might be Bukowiecki.

 

It has to be said the sprints 100/200m have been our weakest events for years - even on European level - but this decade it's reached the bottom (regardless of Swoboda who is better suited to 60m anyway). Men's 100/200 is uber trash in particular. Field events have been our strong suit for years instead (with the exception of long jump/triple jump).

 

Bukowiecki has rocketed in the juniors and everyone thought he will be the heir to Majewski but Haratyk has passed him and is light years ahead now so he will be our top gold contender esp. if the Americans choke at the big events which was kinda frequent in the shot put for a while. I mean Cantwell was supposed to be the safest pick in London and Majewski still beat them which was a mild upset. Moreover Bukowiecki has a destructive personality, it's clear he hates losing to Haratyk is particular and implodes time and time again now. His biggest rival from the juniors Jacko Gill seems to have similar issues as his senior career didn't quite match the early hype IMO.

[Wumo 3,002]

 Benjamin Williams with an Olympic Standard in men's triple jump with 17.14m  A 40cm improvement of his PB! 

https://www.european-athletics.org/competitions/european-team-championships/2019/athletics/event/mens-triple-jump/phase=atm062100/index.html?intcmp=[#]-schline-calltoaction

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by wumo26

[Monzanator 4,503]

Wins for Kszczot & Ennaoui and Poland leads France by 28,5 pts with 13 events left.