Ashton Eaton runs an unbelievable 6.79 60m, with a .277 RT!

Librarivore wrote:

The only weak spots for him are the SP & JV, but those usually develop later with muscle maturity & technique reps. I don't know if he'll break 9000 this year, but I'd give even odds on it within the next 2-3 years.

(oh, and discus too. As with his other throws, his DSC is also coming along.)

Sprintgeezer wrote:

Did I say he was amazing?

Who?!?

What's his 5000m best?

oh wow oh wow oh wow wrote:

You were right, you were right, you were right!!!!

Oh why didn't I listen to you before? I said, you know, that Gregshton guy sucks, but noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo no no no that is NOT the case at all.

YOU WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG!

Reminds me of that buffoon who, for a year or so, couldn't stop saying how he had predicted great things from Ritz. What was that clown's name again?

Just imagine what kind of babies he and Brianne Thiessan will make!

"But after the hurdles these guys he is competing with be helping him out and cheering for him. They know he is the best so they will encourage him."

Absolutely.

Yea no kidding, Ashton and Brianne are both extremely talented athletes. The biggest thing I think, I know especially for Ashton, is the ability to adapt so quickly to changes in technique, or picking up a new event entirely. That kind of body control, and all around physical memory is impeccable.

Will be a great outdoor season in the decathlon and heptathlon for them both I'm sure! Could see them both in the olympics together too, for US and Canada.

Librarivore wrote:

Well, Curtis Beach is one correct answer, but Eaton's 1k / 1500 are both very good for multis. So, yes, Eaton might be the one you're thinking of, since recent word around town is that he's just turned in some monster (PR-ish) 800 workouts lately. As long as he doesn't choke in the PV, he should shatter the WR in impressive fashion.

The only weak spots for him are the SP & JV, but those usually develop later with muscle maturity & technique reps. I don't know if he'll break 9000 this year, but I'd give even odds on it within the next 2-3 years.

Ah yes it was Curtis Beach I was thinking of.

$50,000 bonus for a WR in Istanbul. So 50,000 reasons to run a monster 1k tomorrow.

Ashton Eaton = the best track athlete since Jesse Owens.

He needs a sub 2:39.5 to break his own WR. He crushed the hurdles this morning. 7.68. A bit off of last year in Tallinn but still awesome. He would have advanced to the Semis in the 60mHH!

He came back and vaulted 5.20. He has already run 1:55 this year in princeton. Looks like he should win his first world title and break his own WR.

old coach man wrote:

He needs a sub 2:39.5 to break his own WR. He crushed the hurdles this morning. 7.68. A bit off of last year in Tallinn but still awesome. He would have advanced to the Semis in the 60mHH!

He came back and vaulted 5.20. He has already run 1:55 this year in princeton. Looks like he should win his first world title and break his own WR.

His PR is 2:32.xx (.9?), but given how he's been running mid-distance in practice lately, he is capable of going sub-2:30 today. I hope he goes all out and blows the WR away by a large margin.

I agree with you on both accounts. I think he is certainly capable of the 2:30 range or at least back to his 2:32 fitness and I hope he crushes the WR.

2:32.77 6645 for a new WR. Awesome performance

Here are the splits.

28.73

31.04

31.64

31.20

30.16

If he can just improve his horrible form in the throws, along with upping his PV just a bit, I think he can hit 9,000 in the deca this year, if he stays uninjured.

Guy is seriously consistent, too, so he has a good shot at 9,000 sometime soon.

The question is, will he get good enough to also compete in the individual LJ internationally?

Sprintgeezer wrote:

If he can just improve his horrible form in the throws, along with upping his PV just a bit, I think he can hit 9,000 in the deca this year, if he stays uninjured.

Guy is seriously consistent, too, so he has a good shot at 9,000 sometime soon.

The question is, will he get good enough to also compete in the individual LJ internationally?

Sure, his throws aren't GREAT, but I don't think his form is all that terrible either. He really throws pretty well for someone of his physique - he is still quite lean & svelte for a decathlete, he's really not carrying much muscle mass at all. That he has thrown so much better in the SP & DSC the past year or two while not really bulking up is a testament to his improved throwing technique.

Normally, these next 4-5 years would be a phase were a young decathlete might put on a little more muscle mass, improving the throws, but Eaton is already so great in the 100m, LJ, HJ, 400, 110H, PV, & 1500, I'm not sure bulking up for 2-3 events would be worth the risk of the points he might lose. When Clay put on mass, he really only suffered in the 1500 (a lot!) but he was at a physique & leverage disadvantage that benefited from the additional mass for his sprints & jumps. I'm not sure that's the case with Eaton, whose efficiency looks rather optimized. Even if he doesn't bulk up any more, he should still gain some muscle 'maturation' quality that will improve his throws a tiny bit over the next few years. I'll be curious what he's throwing the Javelin at nowadays.

I think he's capable of putting down a 9030 right now, today, on a day where everything is hitting for him.

Good point. His reaction time in the 60 hurdles was .150 vs the .277 in 60 dash. The .127 difference would have resulted in matching his pr of 6.66 and an additional 49 points (and a total of 6694).

librarivore--agreed on pretty much everything!

But for a guy with his current physique to get more out of the throws, he needs to be able to generate a bit more core speed to compensate for his lack of brute force--and the core speed is what I don't see.

That, of course, is a matter of technique, and this is where your comment is right on base, because it seems as though his program is optimizing his technique not for the athlete he is right now, but for the athlete he will be in, say, 4 years from now.

That is why I have every confidence that he will get the WR; that he is so close now is incredible.

It will be a balance, you are right--and your point about muscle maturation is critical.

In my personal experience, there is nothing like core work for the throws--knees to sternum. This is where he can concentrate, and not put on too much mass, and have the mass that he does put on not in the periphery, so that it doesn't have to be swung around.

The US decathletes are absolutely amazing right now.

As much as improving the throws could help Mr. Eaton, they are the best event to be weak at. Since the multi performances are based off world record marks, the throws are very difficult to score high in. Incredible athletes like Ashton can come relatively close in events like the long jump, hurdles, etc, but the throws (and the extra bulk required) isn't going to do anything but take away from his other events.

The throws are all very un-natural movements, and take a lot of time and reps to get to a high level of muscle memory, while running and jumping is much more natural to the body. This time he must invest is also very difficult while maintaining a high level of physical fitness and also having to practice 7 other events outdoors.

His javelin has made huge strides in distance without complicating technique, which is great compliment to him and his coaches.

Shot and disc will continue to improve, and hopefully, on meet day this August in London, so will the P.R.s

eaton is very much a manufactured athlete

like gatlin .

it just showes you the rise in use of

sarms ,

just like what jamiacans are doping with.

how long before someone bursts the lid open

on their use .

What in particular makes you think that Eaton is on the juice?

I personally saw Mike Smith do amazing things, and he was as clean as clean can get--that's why he was always injured. Well, that and he was just too big.

Like the guy just upthread said, Eaton is basically a runner and a jumper. His weakness in the throws is the best evidence, IMHO, that he is not doping.

Doping can make a HUGE, and quick, difference in the throws--neither of which Eaton has yet exhibited.

Got anything more particular?