GB Athletics

[Orangehair43 285]

1 hour ago, RussB said:

I would be very surprised if Nuttall and Norman are not selected...

Purchase I'm less confident in.

I would be amazed if they give anyone lean way. 

[Dragon 2,026]

On 7/1/2024 at 3:04 AM, Epic Failure said:

That works in a handful of events where we have strength in depth. But it is an approach that can have a bunch of downsides, some obvious, some less obvious.

 

Firstly, it's worth noting that the WA Q are intended to be difficult to achieve - they want half the field to qualify on time, the other half on ranking. So using the ranking isn't an easy way out.

 

Let's use Anna Purchase as an example. She has neither the WA nor the UKA standard. However, she is ranked 16th in the world. On top of that, she was 8th at the Euros this month. And was 11th in Budapest. She's not going to taken to Paris. Instead less talented athletes from other countries will take that spot.

 

Is that really what we want? If so, why are we taking, say, Amber Anning? After all, she's only 9th on time this year, so she might not make a final, right? Do we only take people we think are going to get medals?

 

Secondly, you never know when an athlete might break out. Let's use the French heptathlete from Rome, Auriana Lazraq-Khlass. She went into that competition with a PB of just over 6200. She then went crazy in Rome, winning a silver medal and setting a PB by 400 points. I mention that because last year Jade O'Dowda missed Budapest by a small margin like that because UKA wanted a higher score, even though she had a WA invite. Who is to say that she could not have had a breakout last year if she was selected? If athletics was so predictable, we wouldn't watch it.

 

Thirdly, there is the argument about experience. Sophie Hitchon went to several World and Olympic meets before she finally broke through for her medal. Likewise Holly Bradshaw. Can it not be said that the experience of the unsuccesful champs might have paid off eventually with the successful ones?

 

Finally, and this one is more subjective, but I firmly believe we should take all those who qualify, especially in events where we don't have strength in depth. What if seeing someone represent your country in, say, the shot were to inspire a young kid? If we stop sending those athletes, we risk the next generation being uninspired.

 

Representing one's country should be something we encourage. This policy does nothing but discourage people. It's a terrible policy in my opinion.

 

O'Dowda has a clear Irish qualification. If they don't pick her I can't see her staying in a GB vest.

[mpjmcevoy 375]

3 hours ago, Dragon said:

O'Dowda has a clear Irish qualification. If they don't pick her I can't see her staying in a GB vest.

Given Ireland already has Newry born Kate O'Connor, there would be a certain irony there.

[Orangehair43 285]

3 hours ago, Dragon said:

O'Dowda has a clear Irish qualification. If they don't pick her I can't see her staying in a GB vest.

She would have to take three years out through. 

[mpjmcevoy 375]

1 hour ago, Orangehair43 said:

She would have to take three years out through. 

That can be waived if both federations agree

 

[Orangehair43 285]

23 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

That can be waived if both federations agree

 

Be amazed if GB would agree.

[Dragon 2,026]

It's happened before and GB and Ireland have always agreed the waiver

[mpjmcevoy 375]

1 hour ago, Orangehair43 said:

Be amazed if GB would agree.

Why? They ALWAYS have in the past. ALWAYS.

[mpjmcevoy 375]

1 hour ago, Dragon said:

It's happened before and GB and Ireland have always agreed the waiver

The only problem I forsee is that IOC may consider the period just too short since Euros, and I suppose GBR may have plans for O'Dowda - but frankly, if they've real plans for her, they'll pick her. They have a number of good young potential heirs to KJT already even without O'Dowda - so it might actually suit everyone. GBR will move forward with Holly Mills and Abi Pawlett, IRL with Kate O'Connor and Jade O'Dowda, nobody loses out, everyone's happy.

[Grassmarket 4,028]

4 hours ago, Orangehair43 said:

She would have to take three years out through. 

I think it is only Cuba now that insist on that.  I remember that Wilson Kepketer was not allowed to run for Denmark because Kenya refused to let him go, but once all that sweet Middle Eastern money started flowing they really abandoned all principles.