What the hell is Kelly Holmes talking about?

I presume she means that as a top female athlete it's difficult to find training partners. There isn't the same depth as there is among men and men of a similar standard to her don't always want to train with a woman.

Kelly is a lovely person and possibly the most underrated athlete in Britain. I don't think Kelly has got the recognition her achievements warrant, certainly in comparison to Paula (of whom I am a huge fan).

I didn't realise Kelly was such a 'lovely person' I'd heard she was a bit of a bitch, thats why she gets dumped by her sponsor every year and has managed to go

asics

nike

view from

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reebok

all in 5 years, apparently she demands the earth from her sponsors, she's a good athlete but I don't like her attitude, she's hardly gracious in defeat. To be honest i think she gets a hell of a lot of publicity, she is always on athletics focus and when she is injured she always finds a spot commentating. I think there are a lot more needy cases out there, that is the problem with British Athletics, there is a hierarchy of stars, many of whom are past it who seem to reap all of the rewards, I mean last week on athletics focus, who the hell wants to watch Ashia Hansen shopping for jeans at the license payers expense. Why not show coverage from a BMC meeting or a British League match.

The sooner

Jamie Baulch

Katherine Merry

Jonathon Edwards

Kelly Holmes

Iwan Thomas

Darren Campbell

Mark Richardson

and co. move on the better, its bad for our sport, there have been some huge breakthroughs so far this year by young up and coming athletes as there was last year but they never get a feature, its the same old faces time and time again, the viewers are disilusioned with the sport because its dull, they are sick of hearing about the same old people, I'd like to see them do a feature on Sam Haughian, Chris Thompson, Charlotte Moore, Chris Davies, Susan Scott. The bbc coverage is an insult to out intelligence. Get rid of Roger Black and Sally Gunnell and Regi is a joke!

Waz - I'll reword slightly then. Having met Kelly a couple of times I found her very personable - I also know a couple of guys who have interviewed her who have said the same, however, I can't admit to knowing her that well so perhaps I'm wrong. I stil think she is an underrated athlete.

Overall Ithink the BBC do a good job covering athletics. I'd certainly like to see of the up and coming athletes you metioned featured on Athletics Focus - though I suppose the show is better than nothing. Black is okay, Gunnell is just about bearable and Regis was usless, but I don't think he's part of the team anymore anyway. The biggest problem for the BBC IMHO is Brendan Foster. Brilliant athlete, crap commentator and summariser. He's also a bit too powerful for my liking. Apart from the big meets the only athletics shown (GNR, Great Manchester 10K, Durham X/C, Balmoral Road Races etc) are all organised by Nova International (Foster's company). I agree it would be great to see some coverage of the BMC or British League stuff - and I cant believe the National X/C isn't worth showing.

I agree completely on the Nova International business, he has too much of a vested interest, after all how else would third rate events like those given prime time coverage which he organises be shown. The New Year cross country being a prime example, that has gone from being a very deep very good quality event to being absoloute dross, all of his events feature 1/2 nig stars, a few third rate and no doubt cheap eastern Europeans/ Kenyans and thena bunch of brits who are by no mennas our best and who never get on the coverage. Novas treatment of athletes is something which has been criticised a lot in the past. I heard that the profit from the GNR was incredible, no doubt because of the huge TV rights deals Foster ties up with his bosses! You are right, fantastic runner, poor commentator, ruthless business man who does not sufer fools gladly. I actually know him very well, known him over 20 years infact, used to come to our house to train when I was a kid and my dad was running very well!

waz makes a post about running? who'da thunk it?

Please be thankful that you don't have the pitiful coverage in the US and of course Carol Lewis. NO ONE can be as bad as her!!

If you read the parts of the quote that you omitted you might have the answer to your question! PS 'lonely' is not the same as 'alone'.

Poor professional athletes! It's too bad tht guns are pointed at their heads, forcing them to run for their jobs when the next best thing they could be doing is probably so much better and contributes so much more to society. Grow up and get a job if you are going to gripe about the hardships of professional athletics. The water will close up over your head quickly and your won't be missed. Get on your knees and be thankful for having so much talent that professional athletics is even an option for you.

Waz is dead right, that group of UK athletes he listed really need to take a side step and the UK promoters need to start letting some new blood in as the public don't want to hear about has beens and their continual hard luck stories on how they are always injured and disadvantaged compared to other countries. Edwards is a champion, but Holmes and Campbell have done nothing since their Olympic medals and the rest are just pretenders.

Theres a lot of second rate finished athleets making a good living from past glories, Iwan thomas, Jamie Baulch, Mark Richardson, Darren Campbell, Ben Challenger, Katherine Merry, Tony Whiteman, John Mayock they are creaming off the money which should be being made available to youngsters on the up, how many time sdo we have to see them on Question of sport, Athletics Focus, fact is they would argue that nobody is challenging them but that is a double edged sword, they are getting all of the benefits, trips to South Africa, health cover, kit, I don't believe the talent isn't there, theres justa lack of support, and the focus is always on teh sprinters, 400 runners in the UK. mark Hudspith has asilver mdal in the commonwealth games marathon, he was potentially a world class marathon runner but he has been troubled with a heart problem for the last 5 years and he has had no help whatsoever from the BAF, he has had to do it all himself.

I have to say that Mayock is the biggest waste of space ever - but somehow he'll still be to run in the European Cup when he's 50. It was depressing to see him in the 3K yet agin last weekend. Thought Graffin did well though - he has the potential to go sub-13:20.

probably one of the most sensible threads I have seen. Congratulations ... One certainly has to wade through a lot of BS before finding one thread to carries some credence.

Keep it up and thank you

It's funny you guys raised the question of the BBC's chocies for 'athletics focus' and the fact that not many up and coming athletes are getting the pr they need- but i have just read that james Thie has just done some fliming for a 'athletics focus' program to be shown soon. I think this is a good thing as he is not anything special but had a good story to tell after his indoor season.

http://jamesthie.tripod.com

Anyone know much about the UK's Chris Davies-3-5km? I heard he's doing some good front running at the moment?

Chris Davies is fourth in the UK list for this year - saw him run at Wythenshawe and he ran bravely from the front, but was caught and passed by Chris Thompson, who really looked a class apart from the field. Thompson should record some good times in the next few years - but then again, how many other young British runners have looked like they're going to be good?

Bit harsh to include Katherine Merry in the list of has beens, she's just been hampered by injuries and could very well come back to the world stage. Spot on about most of the others though - saw Iwan Thomas and Jamie Baulch run at Loughborough a few weeks ago and they were awful. Most exciting runner for me is Ricky Soos, still in his teens, good pb last night and hopefully will make world championships and then Olympics. New generation of middle distance runners in Britain really needs to set some markers and start showing they deserve to be in the national teams ahead of the likes of Mayock and Whiteman.