He's not a fan of the fact that WA will now follow the NCAA format of running 400m final in two sections - 'Nobody wants it' he says. What do you think? I'm firmly in his camp.
Drie weken voor de WK Indoor in Polen (20–22 maart) krijgt de Nederlandse atletiekploeg op de 400 meter een aantal klappen, waardoor de selectie verzwakt en bondscoach Laurent Meuwly zorgen heeft over een gewijzigde wedstrijd...
He's not a fan of the fact that WA will now follow the NCAA format of running 400m final in two sections - 'Nobody wants it' he says. What do you think? I'm firmly in his camp.
If WA are concerned re the fairness of being assigned lanes 1 -3, the alternative is to have two finals, but an A and B final, where the A final you fight for gold, silver and bronze, and B final you fight for places 4, 5 & 6 (still worth it for prize money)
To Q for the A final you need to finish first in your SF or are the fastest of the second placed athletes in the SF's.
Yes, it's a complete joke. When you stop having a race directly between individuals and instead make it a time trial, you lose the concept of a race entirely.
He's not a fan of the fact that WA will now follow the NCAA format of running 400m final in two sections - 'Nobody wants it' he says. What do you think? I'm firmly in his camp.
Has he ran an indoor 400m? It's the only fair way to run it.
This was the new tentative indoor world record holder Khaleb McRae’s opinion when I asked. So I think it’s interesting the coach said it because athletes like McRae who went through the NCAA are used to it might prefer it. McRae said 6 guys all on the track at the same time is basically asking for a s-show.
This was the new tentative indoor world record holder Khaleb McRae’s opinion when I asked. So I think it’s interesting the coach said it because athletes like McRae who went through the NCAA are used to it might prefer it. McRae said 6 guys all on the track at the same time is basically asking for a s-show.
But the coach's point is about the viewers, not the racers. Let's say for the women's 400m you watch the winner of final B run 49.20 and then you watch the winner of final A run 49.18. The immediate thought is: "Could one of them have broken the WR of they raced each other ?". And of course, with times so close together, wouldn't it have been nice to see them head-to-head ? Also, but more for the racers, as the winner of final B your accomplishment of a time near the WR is probably mostly ignored after final A finishes.
Has he ran an indoor 400m? It's the only fair way to run it.
Don't know if he ran it, but he trains the current women's indoor 400m WR holder and World champion (Femke Bol) and the current women's European champion and World silver medalist (Lieke Klaver). It's not like he doesn't know what he's talking about.
Imagine having both Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Marileidy Paulino in and indoor World championship and NOT have them race each other. That's the kind of excitement and intrigue he thinks could be lost.
Sprints and field are so lame. 400m with a break is the only true head to head competition in the sprints!
If you are in a laned race or field event you are basically time trialing or doing a routine like gymnastics. No one can bother you, you get your own space, you get to do your own thing completely separate from the competition. The only “competition” is o that person went out fast.
Let’s let everyone run one at a time in their preferred lane!!!
Maybe some NCAA athletes prefer, but I've yet to see an elite pro support it. In fact, Olympic & World medalist Natalya Bukowiecka recently spoke out in opposition. World 400mh bronze medalist Emma Zapletalova also said she didn't like it. World U20 Champion Lurdes Gloria Manuel has said she doesn't like it. 2026 Spanish Champion Markel Fernández Soto doesn't like it, as did his compatriot Blanca Hervas.
Meuwly used the recent US results as a good example of why this is naff: If I look at today’s results in US: winner in final 2, second is in final 1, 3rd in final 2 and 4th in final 1. Stupid!
To add; it's been this way (6 in one final) for years, with no serious issues. And in a number of past championships, inner lanes can get a medal.
Broad statistical analysis shows that lanes 1 and 2 are at a huge huge disadvantage. You could argue 'just run faster in semis' to get a better lane draw, sure, true.
I get all the sentiment in the thread, and yeah it'd be nice to have one race for the final, there's a reason the NCAA has done two section finals forever.
It's just a weird unavoidable quirk of the event at the highest level.
I do like the A/B final idea, moreso than 6 in the final, would be fun to see.
Don't know if he ran it, but he trains the current women's indoor 400m WR holder and World champion (Femke Bol) and the current women's European champion and World silver medalist (Lieke Klaver). It's not like he doesn't know what he's talking about.
He clearly doesn't know what he's talking about if he thinks that 6 runners on the track during a indoor 400m is something "nobody wants". Sorry, but I want the races to be fair.
Just because someone is coaching successful athletes doesn't mean they're a good coach and it certainly doesn't mean their opinion on the indoor 400m is valid. This dude needs to take a step back, anyone on the planet could coach Femke to her Mickey Mouse titles.
Maybe some NCAA athletes prefer, but I've yet to see an elite pro support it. In fact, Olympic & World medalist Natalya Bukowiecka recently spoke out in opposition. World 400mh bronze medalist Emma Zapletalova also said she didn't like it. World U20 Champion Lurdes Gloria Manuel has said she doesn't like it. 2026 Spanish Champion Markel Fernández Soto doesn't like it, as did his compatriot Blanca Hervas.
Meuwly used the recent US results as a good example of why this is naff: If I look at today’s results in US: winner in final 2, second is in final 1, 3rd in final 2 and 4th in final 1. Stupid!
Falling a bit short on reading comprehension. I just told you of an elite pro, who literally set to be a world record holder, prefers it in Khaleb McRae.
There is no perfect solution here, but did we just watch a bunch of speedskating in the Olympics where basically they run 2 a heat and anyone can win it's all done on time. Now I prefer racing to that, but I'll take McRae's word on lanes 1/2 being basically more just a chaos agent than actually contributing to a good race on an indoor track.
I can't help but thinking that the reason Femke Bol's coach is making the stink is because Lieke Klaver who he's coaching is so prone to blowing her pacing, and he doesn't like the idea of her getting beaten out by B heat runners who don't screw that up or have to go wide to pass her (when she goes out too fast).
This post was edited 2 minutes after it was posted.
To add; it's been this way (6 in one final) for years, with no serious issues. And in a number of past championships, inner lanes can get a medal.
Broad statistical analysis shows that lanes 1 and 2 are at a huge huge disadvantage.
Does this "broad statistical analysis" take into account slower people are seeded in inside lanes 99% of the time? Of course people in lans 1 and 2 are slower, because they are slower to begin with. Show me a statistical analysis of fast people who have been seeded in 1 or 2, then we can talk.
Does this "broad statistical analysis" take into account slower people are seeded in inside lanes 99% of the time? Of course people in lans 1 and 2 are slower, because they are slower to begin with. Show me a statistical analysis of fast people who have been seeded in 1 or 2, then we can talk.
I'm pretty sure it does, that'd be stats 101. The outer lanes get to run a larger net downhill and the benefit of wider turns (and seeing their competition). There is a lot to overcome from lanes 1 and 2.
Yes, it's a complete joke. When you stop having a race directly between individuals and instead make it a time trial, you lose the concept of a race entirely.
I don't think you lose the concept of a race entirely, but you do change it into a different kind of race and it's foolish to pretend that you don't.
I watched the cycling time trial at the Paris Olympics and it was a lot of fun. I think it would be interesting to run a road race this way and I'd like to see it (marathon might be too brutal, but a 10k could work).
Whatever the solution is (smaller field/suboptimum lanes/whatever) it's still better than dual time trials. A final should always be one actual race where the champion actually races everyone else at the same time.