Run-Down Forums

Conway · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2002 10:34 am Post subject:

While we are waiting for the season to get under way I have a question .. There have been many discussions as to Athletes of the Year, but I am curious as to who is seen as the most dominating athlete in track and field at the moment .. And that could be a totally separate issue from Athlete of the Year .. I view dominant as not necessarily winning everything, but winning when you want to .. Putting up impressive performances when you oneed to .. An athlete that when it counts, or the “money” is on the line the other athletes are fearful (showing up to compete for second) .. A good example of such an athlete was Sergey Bubka .. He lost here and there, but when it counted he won before he showed up … THAT type of athlete .. Are there any now ?? If so who are they ?? Male or female..

Shaun Fox · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2002 3:10 am Post subject:

i would say Morris Green is pretty dominant in the 100m at the big events he is always the one to beat.

Conway · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2002 9:35 am Post subject:

Greene definitely comes to mind for me .. As dominanat as anyone since Bob Hayes in my opinion . Deena Drossin is another that comes to mind .. I think Ivan Pedroso is there in the men's long jump .. And up to this past season Marion JOnes was that way .. But I think her veil of invincibility has abeen penetrated !!! Smile

Micah Ward · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2002 2:09 pm Post subject:

I would say Stacy Dragilia. For a long time the competition was lacking but now that she is starting to be pressed she still finds a way to win.

Ann Trason!!!! I know...she doesn't run track. But you didn't really think I would let a discussion on dominant performers go by without mentioning the ultra goddess did you?

BTW, pain free training and 4 pounds lost.

Dan · Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2002 1:00 pm Post subject:

Greene and Dragilla are the obvious choices of the current athletes. Internationally, Szabo, Geb, ElG, and maybe Mutola have held that status up until the past year. Other than a few injury/illness periods, Michael Johnson would have to be considered one of the ultimates in this area, as would Edwin Moses and Carl Lewis, going back a bit further.

Interestingly, I would put Ben Johnson in almost the same category, yet he and Carl had to beat each other out in order to both gain such stature (Carl's legend may have been more due to the long jump, though).

Dan

Conway · Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2002 5:49 pm Post subject:

I agree regarding Greene and Dragila .. Although Stacy's event is still in its infancy, so hasn't quite had the time to develop a plethora of stars to compete against yet .. But she has beaten those she has had to face so that must qualify for something ..

Curious that you put ElG in the fading category .. I thought he did much to solidy his claim as one of the most dominant 1500 runners of all time .. I thought he did more to damage his status of invinciblity in Sydney than he did last year ..

Moses was awesome .. Up until his upset loss eveyone always expected him to win .. Not sure the same could be said for Lewis in the sprints .. But most definitely so in the long jump .. Although personally I kept expecting Myricks to beat him in the long jump .. But some how Myricks seemed to lack something mentally when it came to Lewis .. Sad

..

Now Ben post LA was pretty solid .. Although there was always that aura over him that Lewis was "supposed" to win .. Smile

.. But he proved to be as good as they came until after the Seoul 100 Sad

....

Dan · Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2002 11:53 pm Post subject:

Sorry, I used "year" too loosely when lumping ElG in with the others. Definitely a Sydney issue more than anything.

Shaun Fox · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2002 8:48 am Post subject:

Also i would say Jonathan Edwards is pretty dominant in the triple jump even more so in the really big events when the pressures on he always seems to perform.

Conway · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2002 1:00 pm Post subject:

Yeah .. I like Edwards in a big meet situation .. He seems to be able to put it all together in what is a very technical event .. He's definitely proven to be both a worthy champion AND WR holder .. Which doesn't necesssarily go together as there have been many WR holders who were only able to put it together once or twice but not on any kind of consistent basis ..

As a matter of fact too often it has seemed that setting a WR is almost the end of a career .. Lewis never broke 10.00 after running his 9.86 .. Bailey was just another sprinter after his 9.84 .. MJ was never again dominant after his 19.32 nor was his predecessor Mennea after his 19.72 .. Butch Reynolds was never as good after his 43.29 although he has more reason given his unfortunate suspsension ..

Moving up in distance the same could be said for Kipketer hafter his magical season and Morcelli once he claimed the mile / 1500 records .. and 29'4.5" was the end of Mike Powell ..

Perhaps there is something to be said for setting a record .. Greene is the first athlete I can think ofr since Bubka and Moses that set a record and then regulary competed at that same level ..

[ This Message was edited by: Conway on 2002-01-22 11:14 ]

Dan · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2002 3:39 pm Post subject:

Very interesting observation. I can think of two big reasons that could lead to that:

1) the mental and physical strain to build up to WR level

2) lack of tangible goals once "arriving"

Remember the reason why Michael Jordan retired? He and Phil Jackson couldn't think of anything left for him to prove. Competing at that level takes a lot of motivation, and I imagine it's somewhat lonely at the top.

Maybe FloJo had the right idea, leaving before she had a chance to suffer the jinx...

So, what is it about someone like Edwards, Bubka, or Greene that allows them to stay so consistent and focused?

Dan

Conway · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2002 8:25 am Post subject:

I think in the case of Bubka and Moses (as well as Greene currently) the idea that they can do better .. That the record they just set is not all that they had in them .. As a result Bubka and Moses were mulitple record setters ..

Another thing that they had in common was that they were "pioneers" .. By that I mean they were doing things tehcnically that hadn't been done before .. As a result I think they kept looking to "push the envelope" .. I thnk Greene is in that categoroy as well .. What he has done in the 100 is mind boggling when you stop and think about it .. With his consistency in the 9.8x range he has to feel that if he hits one just right he is going to blow the record out of the water ..

If you figure that most 100 record holders have run roughly .1 better than what they run on an average basis, then Greene could well run near 9.70 !!

Regarding Jonathon Edwards, I am not sure what makes him so consistent in big meets other than heart .. He competes well all the time but no where near his record level of 60 feet .. I kind of look at him like Beamon and Powell (set a mark for the ages) ... Yet he has not let it overwhelm him .. (although I don't think it overwhelmed Powell either).. But somehow he has kept it together physically and mentally .. Powell still had trouble believing he was better than Lewis I believe .. And therein lies the difference ..

Shaun Fox · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2002 2:30 am Post subject:

I saw an interview with Jonathon Edwards and he is a very religious person and he stated he sees his ability in the triple jump as a gift given to him which is not to be wasted and that on its own motivates him. Imagine if one day you could run and the next you couldnt just think how much you would miss it.

Conway · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2002 8:42 am Post subject:

I very much agree with that attitude .. Which is why I often wonder how so many athletes seem to be able to "squander" their gifts .. Even at the elite level there seems to be only a handful of athletes that truly work at becoming/being the best .. And now there is little excuse when one can earn a living by doing what supposedly they love to do ... Sad

Micah Ward · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2002 3:46 pm Post subject:

Have we hit on something here? Prefontaine said, "Each time you do less than your best your sacrifice the gift." Could that be the type of attitude that makes Edwards great, but is absent in so much of American distance running these days?

Just wondering.

Conway · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2002 4:24 pm Post subject:

In my opinion ... Absolutely .. Look at El G for example .. Some people complain because he uses rabbits and is often out after records .. SO WHAT !!! Isn't that the name of the game ?? To run fast !! As fast as you can !!

I look at US distance runners like high school kids from small out of the way schools .. They run to beat the local competition .. Are happy when they get to the "big dance" .. And then put off poor performance in said competition as the other guys are from a bigger school and have better competition and so they are supposed to beat them ... They're satisfied winning what races they do win .. And justify all else as they are doing the best they can under the circumstances ....

Bull **** !!!

Pre was great because he put it all on the line ... On a regular basis .. And as a result kept getting better and better ..

Ironically the rest of the world has gotten better because they wanted to show up the "cocky Americans" .. I've read all the reports (genetic and otherwise) and heard all the excuses .. Sorry, but I se no reason why we shouldn't have more guys under 13:00 (aside from Kennedy) or guys breaking 27:00 ... We have the population, the technology, the coaching, the facilities .. But apparently not the motivation Sad

...

If we can be dominant in the sprints and hurdles, we can do the same in the middle and long distances .. And I don't want to hear about the "sociological" factors either .. Bottom line is ya gotta want it .. Whatever your motivation is .. Moses, Greene, Bubka, Edwards all have different sources for motivation ... But all want/wanted it ... And just like in high school track , all the winners are not from the big schools .. Kids from the small schools win too .. Victory goes to he/she who wants it the most !!!!!

[ This Message was edited by: Conway on 2002-01-24 15:47 ]

Discussion Forum

Share the Love!

What's New