The commercial version of the Dragonfly spike (which Valby appears to be wearing some version of) doesn’t have a carbon plate, but the new Victory with air-bags that Bell seemed to be wearing does.
Nonetheless, neither of them is a heel striker in the classic sense. The following clip shows Valby’s heel appears to not even touch the ground at any time during foot-strike:
I have been convinced that GB is on something ever since her 1:56 at the London DL. 12 months ago she looked like a respectable domestic athlete but nothing special, winning a local meet at Iffley Road. Right now she looks like she is on track to break the women's WR in the next year.
Watching the women's olympic 1500m I was not even surprised, it just reaffirmed what I had already strongly suspected. Let's be honest, we've all pointed the finger for less (see Katir) and often been proven correct (at times not "definitively", e.g. Makhloufi, but come on...). This level of improvement in such a small time scale is an order of magnitude above anything those guys did.
The only redeeming factor for me is that she is coached by Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows - a husband and wife setup that I have never believed would be complicit in any foul play. I really hope for their sake and Keely Hodgkinson's sake that if/when the GB story comes out they are somehow not responsible, although I struggle to see how that could plausibly occur.
Yes, you can. A better stride has better efficiency.
Not necessarily. A "better stride" is not always the prettiest stride.
You've introduced an irrelevant term. It isn't about "pretty" - whatever that means. But when you see athletes like Rudisha, Bekele, and El G you see incredibly smooth energy-efficient - and powerful - strides. It is part of the reason they were so good (but not the only reason). Bell, on the other hand, does not run like that. Her motion is relatively awkward and poorly balanced. She doesn't glide - she hauls herself down the track. That isn't a naturally talented athlete.
Not necessarily. A "better stride" is not always the prettiest stride.
You've introduced an irrelevant term. It isn't about "pretty" - whatever that means. But when you see athletes like Rudisha, Bekele, and El G you see incredibly smooth energy-efficient - and powerful - strides. It is part of the reason they were so good (but not the only reason). Bell, on the other hand, does not run like that. Her motion is relatively awkward and poorly balanced. She doesn't glide - she hauls herself down the track. That isn't a naturally talented athlete.
I’m suspicious of her vast improvement but her stride is a powerful, efficient one. Not awkwardly leaning back and “deceptive” like Bell’s.
Track athletics is not an aesthetic sport. If it was, Kipyegon and Hill would be far more suspicious than Bell.
Kipyegon has short legs (although she has thankfully covered up her saggy stomach this year) and Hull has chunky legs. Bell on the other hands looks graceful as a gazelle and is naturally lean whilst retaining strength compared to the other two. Physically, she looks like a thoroughbred who will out perform the other two.
She only leans back a little when she is tiring in a finish and trying to use her sprint. She sprints by lengthening her stride and retaining her knee lift, rather than from sheer power like more muscular, chunky athletes. A bit like the way Michael Johnson sprinted over much shorter distances.
Top junior athlete who suffered stress fractures in the intense collegiate system who then allow d her body to recover and then moved to an endurance sport (duathlon). Georgia Bell absolutely obliterated the rest of the women while racing as an amateur in the world duathlon championships last year. It's like some kind of ideal formula for producing a top track athlete at age 30 without destroying them in their twenties. Faith Kipyegon on the other hand? Still improving despite years in the sport and major injuries a couple of months before championships?
Your description of Bell only fits when she isn't running. When running - and especially with effort - her action is nowhere as smooth, economical and efficient as the best. Whatever you say about Kipyegon's physique she is a far more efficient runner than most of her competitors and that includes Bell. Her stride is without significant effort, neither too long or too short, her torso is evenly balanced - she doesn't lean forward or backwards - and she has very little upward movement - she could be riding a bike - and the arms only move enough to achieve balance. Bell is nothing like that and is comparatively awkward. It is a running action that requires more energy.
I have been convinced that GB is on something ever since her 1:56 at the London DL. 12 months ago she looked like a respectable domestic athlete but nothing special, winning a local meet at Iffley Road. Right now she looks like she is on track to break the women's WR in the next year.
Watching the women's olympic 1500m I was not even surprised, it just reaffirmed what I had already strongly suspected. Let's be honest, we've all pointed the finger for less (see Katir) and often been proven correct (at times not "definitively", e.g. Makhloufi, but come on...). This level of improvement in such a small time scale is an order of magnitude above anything those guys did.
The only redeeming factor for me is that she is coached by Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows - a husband and wife setup that I have never believed would be complicit in any foul play. I really hope for their sake and Keely Hodgkinson's sake that if/when the GB story comes out they are somehow not responsible, although I struggle to see how that could plausibly occur.
One thing that is different with GB is that she is a little separated from the rest of that group. She lives in London and rarely travels to Manchester. They have a lot less oversight of her day-to-day that the other women in that group. I don't think that group is doing anything, every other athlete has normal progression. GB on the other hand is a ridiculous. This is like Lukas Verzbicas making a comeback and running 3.27 in Tokyo next September. "Oh but he was always talented"...
From collegiate also-ran (4:12) to Olympic bronze medalist (3:52) in 1 year, finishing just behind sus Jess Hull who did NOT take a 5-year break from running, it clearly must be one or the other.
Discus
Georgia Bell: most talented mid distance runner or most obvious doper at the Olympics. Which is it?
I've read half the book in one sitting and feel like I need a shower. I was competing at some of the meetings mentioned and had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. Wow. It kind of gives me closure on a lot of stuff too. A great read.
I have been convinced that GB is on something ever since her 1:56 at the London DL. 12 months ago she looked like a respectable domestic athlete but nothing special, winning a local meet at Iffley Road. Right now she looks like she is on track to break the women's WR in the next year.
Watching the women's olympic 1500m I was not even surprised, it just reaffirmed what I had already strongly suspected. Let's be honest, we've all pointed the finger for less (see Katir) and often been proven correct (at times not "definitively", e.g. Makhloufi, but come on...). This level of improvement in such a small time scale is an order of magnitude above anything those guys did.
The only redeeming factor for me is that she is coached by Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows - a husband and wife setup that I have never believed would be complicit in any foul play. I really hope for their sake and Keely Hodgkinson's sake that if/when the GB story comes out they are somehow not responsible, although I struggle to see how that could plausibly occur.
I completely agree with you. Georgia Bell’s rate of progression is surely unprecedented in the history of our sport. If she really has this level of super talent, it has been well hidden throughout her career prior to 2024. As you say, last year she was a respectable domestic athlete; now, she is apparently one of the fastest 1500m runners of all time (and sharing company with a number of accepted dopers).
My heart sank when I saw that she had broken Laura Muir’s British record in the Olympic final. No wonder Laura has ended her season prematurely. It must be thoroughly disheartening.
Georgia Bell’s performances in 2024 have thrown up multiple red flags. The AIU must surely be coming.
Bell and Hull both clearly doped but they did it smart. They targeted the Olympics, knowing that an Olympic medal overrides anything else in the sport. And they stayed under the radar. Did AIU ever test them ooc in the lead up to the games?
