How long are we going to pretend the women’s hurdles aren’t to short?

Hurdles are 6 inches shorter than the mens. 6 inches.

And women have been getting taller since hurdling was introduced.

Here is a quote I found online from German coach Norbert Stein:

Many athletic commentators and officials have often brought up the idea of lifting the height of the women's 400 m hurdles to incorporate a greater requirement of hurdling skill. This is a view held by German athletic coach Norbert Stein, "All this means that the women's hurdles for specialists, who are the target group to be dealt with in this discussion, is considerably depreciated in skill demands when compared to the men's hurdles. It should not be possible in the women's hurdles that the winner is an athlete whose performance in the flat sprint is demonstrably excellent but whose technique of hurdling is only moderate and whose anthropometric characteristics are not optimal.

I wonder what the lads could run over women's hurdles.

I would love to see the women run over the men's hurdles.

To? To where?

It's the same debate as raising the basketball rim above ten feet.

Still to early four that discussion

Just until September. After this summer, we’ll collectively stop pretending the hurdles aren’t too short.

I'm sure it won't too long until we find out.

What is a woman?

I'm not a biologist.

There used not to be any question:

Maybe, but they're the same for every woman, so I'm not sure why it matters.

I don't think we're "pretending." I'm sure many track observers have made the point. But, I'd imagine it's a lot of hoops with various opinions if the IAAF actually wanted to make the change.

What are we thinking - 2 inches higher?

Raising the height of the women's hurdles is the DUMBEST IDEA EVER.

What about Sydney's run wasn't exciting to you? There is absolutely no need to change it. It's more exciting to see if someone can break 50 for the 400h than if we raised them and they go back to running 54s.

For your average high schooler, 30 inches is extremely challenging. If you raise the intermediate you have to raise the high hurdles too. Raise the heights and nobody will run the hurdles in high school. Are you willing to ruin high school and college hurdling just to see 6 feet tall pro women jumping over higher hurdles?

Yes. But it wouldn't ruin it.

One average, U.S. does not have the tallest women. Women from Netherlands and Central European women are taller. Is this your Femke Bol rule? Find a hurdle height which would slow down 5'9" Sydney McLaughlin but not slow down 6' Femke Bol?

Should be same height as men's. I want to see women running 1 minute times. Very exciting.

There just doesn't seem to be a whole lot of difference between a woman running 400 hurdles and the 400 dash.

The hurdles just seem to be a minor inconvenience along the way, like jumping over a water puddle.

it just seems silly.

Is anyone still pretending? There is literally a thread like this after ever womens 400H race of any note.