Speed skating head asks for 5000 and 10,000 to be abolished - is track and field next?

Let's hope so. Hopefully, the 20km and 50km racewalks can be eliminated, abolished and eventually forgotten by future generations.

Replace 10k track with 12k XC.

LetsNotWalk.com wrote:

Let's hope so. Hopefully, the 20km and 50km racewalks can be eliminated, abolished and eventually forgotten by future generations.

I don't know why so many on this site want to see racewalks eliminated when it doesn't affect you. Probably because most are ignorant Americans and don't realize racewalking is an actual common sport outside of America.

Observer of Trends wrote:

LetsNotWalk.com wrote:

Let's hope so. Hopefully, the 20km and 50km racewalks can be eliminated, abolished and eventually forgotten by future generations.

I don't know why so many on this site want to see racewalks eliminated when it doesn't affect you. Probably because most are ignorant Americans and don't realize racewalking is an actual common sport outside of America.

that doesn't change the fact that it's f*cking stupid. "we've already got running but let's have a competition to see who can do a slower bipedal sport the fastest". brilliant. it's in the category of jazzercise, or crossfit.

Most people completely ignore racewalking and could continue to ignore it without actually eliminating.

Same thing with the hammer throw. I've been to dozens of track meets and never even SEEN a hammer throw --- it's held far from the track area if at all -- but, you know...let those folks throw hammers.

As for the 10,000, I think it would be hard to argue after the men's race in the London Olympics that it has to be a boring event.

nbskis wrote:

Observer of Trends wrote:

I don't know why so many on this site want to see racewalks eliminated when it doesn't affect you. Probably because most are ignorant Americans and don't realize racewalking is an actual common sport outside of America.

that doesn't change the fact that it's f*cking stupid. "we've already got running but let's have a competition to see who can do a slower bipedal sport the fastest". brilliant. it's in the category of jazzercise, or crossfit.

Actually racewalking is older than track and field. I don't see how it's any different from breaststroke, but you probably also think swimming strokes should be removed because you're under the false impression that Your opinion matters.

Idiot Who Is Typical wrote:

As for the 10,000, I think it would be hard to argue after the men's race in the London Olympics that it has to be a boring event.

Or Sydney.

There should be a race walking event and 50k isn't bad but the 20k is just too redundant. I think it would be even better if it was longer say 100k or 100 miles.

Ala Stephen King's (Richard Bachman) "Long Walk", they should start the walk during the opening ceremonies. Each Walker must maintain a speed of at least four miles per hour; if he drops below that speed for 30 seconds, he receives a verbal warning. A Walker who slows down again after receiving three warnings is "ticketed." The meaning of this term is intentionally kept vague at first, but it soon becomes clear that "buying a ticket" means to be shot dead by soldiers riding in half-tracks along the roadside.

There are two important differences. The speed skating races last about 1/2 the time of the same distance on the track. Though they run them as a timed final so there are many, many sections to them. Possibly they could start two pairs on opposite sides of the track at the same time? that would cut down 1/2 the sections.

I personally am a fan of other endurance sports and like watching them periodically. It does seem very strange for the speed skating head to be proposing eliminating so many medal positions.

Good call: the shorter the distance, the BUFFer the guys. Viewers want to see who is the fastest/strongest, not who can hold a mediocre pace over long distances.

I would suggest eliminating the following T&F disciplines:

- Marathon

- 10,000

- 5,000

- 3,000m water jump

- 1,500m

- 800m

- 200m

- high jump for men (who wants to see skinny guys jump lol?)

So now you ask, why do I want to get rid of the 200 but not the 400? Easy, having 100/200 or 200/400 gives athletes the chance to dodge each other. This would no longer be possible and the spectators would see who is the fastest (100m) and who has the best strength endurance (400m).

Reservoir Tip wrote:

Swimming strokes should ABSOLUTELY be removed. Who cares how someone swims, the medals should go to whoever can get to the other side of the pool the fastest. And besides, the same swimmer often wins medals in different strokes. It's retarded (and my opinion matters).

It takes different strokes to rule the world.

Believe it or not, track is much more popular than speed skating.

Though, I love the idea of replacing the track 10,000 with a 12K XC event held the last day of competition in the morning before the relays.

Make the 5,000, steeple and the 1500 earlier in the week so they can come back for the XC race.

Speed skating is a different beast.

They don't line the whole field up in one race.

Plus they now have short track speed skating that they didn't have years ago.

Running hasn't added anything like this.

Why introduce cross country, it's not like it's remotely popular?

Even the World Cross is a barely covered minor event nowadays.

I don't watch cross country at all.

But I would if they put it at the end of a championship track meet and we saw the likes of Bekele, Farah, Kiprop and Lagat going for individual and team titles while at the peak of their fitness in the year, coming off of whatever track event they chose and now really going head to head.

I'd watch that over the track 10,000 with a limited field any day.

Reservoir Tip wrote:

Speed skating is lame because it's nothing but a series of time trials. Make everyone line up at the same time. It'll be like short track, except that the competitors might actually try to go fast before the final lap.

My first thought was to run the long speed skating events as mass start races ala short track, but at the speeds they're going drafting is hugely effective. It would invariably wind up being very slow and tactical with a sprint finish. It's the time trial aspect that makes the races fast because everyone is racing against the clock.

might be wejo wrote:

Replace 10k track with 12k XC.

This, except also eliminate the steeplechase and make it an 8k event

The 8K XC event should allow 7 competitors per country with an emphasis on team scoring

Cross-Country should be added BUT (I'd like to see this in the Winter Games- change the charter)

Have two races:

One the first weekend of the games- use this to "pick" teams for the Final, a couple weeks later.

Have "zones" of 15 or so national teams and run multiple races the first weekend.

Have the top 2 or 3 teams plus top 7-10 individuals qualify for the Final on the last weekend of the games.

Countries can be divided like the World Cup in Soccer- more can compete and you find the top teams and individuals in the world.

If it's in the summer games it may lead to XC specialists who don't run track, leaving the track racing to them.

What's the single most memorable Olympic race greater than 100 meters?