A friend ludicrously suggested that S. McLaughlin could medal in the steeple in LA 2028 if she trained with Sifan Hassan or joined NB Boston or Team Boss. Madness aside, how realistic is it for a top 400H sprinter to become an elite steepler? Specific training required? Time frame? Have any HS/college coaches had success with an athlete attempting this transformation? Historical examples?
I would say not. Sydney McLaughlin is a sprinter. She has run 100m at 11.07 and 200 at 22.39. If she were going to move up to anything it would be the 800 but she probably would not transition well to that, either. Some 400m hurdlers would make great 800 runners but I don't believe McLaughlin would just because her lineage is more similar to that of a sprinter and not a mid-distance runner.
I don't know why a world class hurdler would bother switching to 3k steeple. The current best person to consider would be Patryk DOBEK who went from running 48.40 in the 400mh in 2015 to running 1:43.73 in the 800m last year.
The challenge of a steeplechase is 35 surges into & out of barriers/water off of an aerobic threshold pace.
Good form over barriers can help, but looking at many world class Kenyans should indicate that it pales in comparison to running a strong pace and handling surge after surge.
To me, saying a 400h may be a good steeple candidate is like saying that I am a good free throw shooter in my driveway, am I ready for the NBA?
No, but I think there are some steeplers with good form and natural footspeed that could shake things up at high levels. Maybe not diamond league levels but still semi-elite
No, but I think there are some steeplers with good form and natural footspeed that could shake things up at high levels. Maybe not diamond league levels but still semi-elite
The question was asked if Sydney McLaughlin or other top 400 hurdlers could win an Olympic medal in a race 7-8 times longer? That's absurd.
Maybe you did not write what you meant to. You think there are "steeplers" with good form and natural footspeed that might be good high level steeplers?
And if you meant world level "400 hurdlers," not a chance!
For four to five years, we debated if S. McLaughlin could race elite 800m times. I am very impressed by her as 400m & 400mH athlete. I always said no to her racing well at 800m. My statements then were based on her awful high school XC performances and S. McLaughlin's unwillingness to race 600m indoors as a collegiate athlete and as a pro. Since we know S. McLaughlin was awful at 3000m high school XC, of course she would be awful at 3000mSC. Poster, do your homework next time.
A friend ludicrously suggested that S. McLaughlin could medal in the steeple in LA 2028 if she trained with Sifan Hassan or joined NB Boston or Team Boss. Madness aside, how realistic is it for a top 400H sprinter to become an elite steepler? Specific training required? Time frame? Have any HS/college coaches had success with an athlete attempting this transformation? Historical examples?
I think the only way this could happen is if Sydney had some sort of come-to-jesus moment and became absolutely obsessed with the steeple AND was doped to the absolute gills with some sort of undetectable oxygen-vector drug/substance.
Lose 10% of body weight, jack hematocrit to about 60% for competitions (50-55% in training), train with a distance team for a few years.
I mean yeah it's possible, but we are talking science fiction novel here.
Given their size, Dalilah M. has the better shot, but still same sci-fi scenario for it to have any chance.
A friend ludicrously suggested that S. McLaughlin could medal in the steeple in LA 2028 if she trained with Sifan Hassan or joined NB Boston or Team Boss. Madness aside, how realistic is it for a top 400H sprinter to become an elite steepler? Specific training required? Time frame? Have any HS/college coaches had success with an athlete attempting this transformation? Historical examples?
Not realistic at all. The move up to being an elite 800 runner is conceivable though.
I think the only way this could happen is if Sydney had some sort of come-to-jesus moment
That actually happened last year and she is even more religious than before. Not sure that will help her with the steeplechase though.
i didn't mean actually come-to-jesus like religious, but interesting to hear this.
other alternative i hadn't thought of is the most likely at this point: world-class 400m male hurdler transitions and ends up running the women's steeple.
That actually happened last year and she is even more religious than before. Not sure that will help her with the steeplechase though.
i didn't mean actually come-to-jesus like religious, but interesting to hear this.
other alternative i hadn't thought of is the most likely at this point: world-class 400m male hurdler transitions and ends up running the women's steeple.
They have no experience hurdling, but Niyonsaba and Semenya are both eligible to run the women's steeplechase.
The steeple is where you go when you fail other events . You will see Current USA steeple chase runners doing other events to confirm that they should stay in the steeple