Is the Tokyo track short? ... Update: Track designed admits it's juiced

Could the track be short? Two 400 m hurdle races, two world records by half a second. Or is it the shoes? LRC Note. The Guardian has an interesting article out on the track being fast.

The Telegraph wrote:

"In the lower layer of the track is this hexagonal design that creates these small pockets of air. They not only provide shock absorption but give some energy return; at the same time a trampoline effect. We have improved this combination and this is why we are seeing the track has improved performance.,,,

To protect the health of the athletes, to avoid trauma, but it should also give them a push. In lab testing we can see the improvement. It is difficult to say exactly but maybe a 1-2% advantage."

Today's 400h runners admit it feels different.

The nifty Japanese installed microscopic air blowers in the hurdles.

No more so than Eugene

Yes, Sir Thinks-a-lot. The track for the Olympics is short. Next.

This track is definitely fast, I'd say .3 secs faster than most over 400m. This is a sprint track though. If the distance times are crazy that's probably the athletes not the track.

In alot of these events it's only the top athletes running crazy times, but I predicted Mu, Rai and Sydney would run the fast. Elaine, warholm and Jacobs shocked me.

It is a fu*kin trampoline. You could say it is actually 4 world records were run in just 2 events as the second place finishers in the 400 hurdles also broke the existing records.

Not short but it might be super fast https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/03/tokyo-track-designer-reveals-boost-from-new-surface-as-records-fall-at-olympics

Some evidence against the track being “juiced”

The women’s 800 was fast, but nothing we would think is unbelievable before the race.

The rest of the men’s 100 final did not run out of the ordinary times.

Toilet Poster wrote:

Some evidence against the track being “juiced”

The women’s 800 was fast, but nothing we would think is unbelievable before the race.

The rest of the men’s 100 final did not run out of the ordinary times.

I should follow up by saying that since the track is new (I think?), it is reasonable to assume there is some benefit, but I do not think that the track is “juiced” implying some sort of illegal advantage (like it being short)

Toilet Poster wrote:

Some evidence against the track being “juiced”

The women’s 800 was fast, but nothing we would think is unbelievable before the race..

What are you talking about? 6 of the 8 women in the 800 ran a PB by about 1 second each, and another 1 ran an SB. 2 teens ran 1:55 to set national records. That race was FAST!

It is actually a conveyor belt like you see in airports. The track surface itself is perfectly clear like glass and the markings are underneath it so when the track moves the marking do not. Pretty ingenious design by Japanese engineers.

Maybe the athletes are juiced? Lol

First Warholm, then Mclaughin. Dopers!

It might be a combination of the track , the stadium, the temperature and the depth of the 400mh going into the event being the best ever . With such a tall stadium you don't get the huge winds in any direction which make it perfect for 400mh runs. Tracks with full length grand strands along both sides and open ends seem to produce amazing 100m times provided they are built with the prevailing wind. On tracks like that its like you are in a wind tunnel and the wind at the gauge seems to be the wind in every lane. Other tracks it seems like the wind varies a tone based on which lane you are in and how far you are up the track.

science at work wrote:

It is actually a conveyor belt like you see in airports. The track surface itself is perfectly clear like glass and the markings are underneath it so when the track moves the marking do not. Pretty ingenious design by Japanese engineers.

I like the way you think. When I'm king of the world I want you on my side.

Yikes That's Fast wrote:

Toilet Poster wrote:

Some evidence against the track being “juiced”

The women’s 800 was fast, but nothing we would think is unbelievable before the race..

What are you talking about? 6 of the 8 women in the 800 ran a PB by about 1 second each, and another 1 ran an SB. 2 teens ran 1:55 to set national records. That race was FAST!

A FAST race can be believable, like if someone told you the result of the race beforehand you wouldn't be astounded like Jacobs winning the 100 or Warholm running 45.94. I saw multiple people on here legitimately predicting that Mu would run a 1:54 to crush the field. The results of the women's 800m would sound reasonable to someone before the race. If someone predicted a 45.94 before the men's 400mH everyone would call them crazy.

The result of the women's 800 was amazing but not 45.94/46.17/46.72 holy sh!t what the f*ck happened?

Nike built the track with PEBAX, air pouches and carbon fiber support strategically arranged.

World records and PBs galore on multiple events.

Bolt, Koch and Kratochvilova more impressive imo.

Sceptic chap wrote:

World records and PBs galore on multiple events.

Bolt, Koch and Kratochvilova more impressive imo.

I don’t understand why people like you even watch the sport anymore. It’s either shoes drugs the track is short the track is too bouncy you don’t like the coach etc go find something else to follow

Toilet Poster wrote:

Yikes That's Fast wrote:

What are you talking about? 6 of the 8 women in the 800 ran a PB by about 1 second each, and another 1 ran an SB. 2 teens ran 1:55 to set national records. That race was FAST!

A FAST race can be believable, like if someone told you the result of the race beforehand you wouldn't be astounded like Jacobs winning the 100 or Warholm running 45.94. I saw multiple people on here legitimately predicting that Mu would run a 1:54 to crush the field. The results of the women's 800m would sound reasonable to someone before the race. If someone predicted a 45.94 before the men's 400mH everyone would call them crazy.

The result of the women's 800 was amazing but not 45.94/46.17/46.72 holy sh!t what the f*ck happened?

Silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson and her "What the f##k!?!?" would disagree.

No, the women's 800 wasn't as incredible as the men's 400h. But the point is that there are too many really fast times on this track for it to be a coincidence.