this team was built up to be the best ever to leave our shores 2 weeks ago i would love to know what is the worst our country has gone??? In overall numbers its disgraceful, no men or women in the 100, 200 or 400m the mens 4 x 400m didnt make the final…
but i guess this is what we are now seeing after previous years of cuts and no funding
So far we have had 3 athletes make finals, I think
Harradine, Mickle and Watts
We have had a couple of athletes do season bests or personal bests
They predicted 5 medals.
Doesn’t augur well for 2012.
Much better than Canada!
Maybe Australia should merge with New Zealand and New Zealand can be the dominant partner as they have 1 gold with Valarie Adams.
Not sure who Canada could merge with
Probably Iceland.
The 5 medals was always going to be a stretch. Not because there is a lack of quality in Australia its just that a couple of key members are off the boil or not in form. Especially when you consider that Steve and Danny have struggled to break top 20 all season and the walkers haven’t been as dominate. This is not the type of form you can go into a major with and be confident. The 4 x 400m ran up to expectations others just went faster. Again when you have no individual 400m qualifiers and team members have been 0.5-1.0s slower than previous seasons it shows you can’t be off your game.
That young athlete Steve Solomon looks like he will be an individual rep next year. But with Ben’s Haradine’s performance and Mitch and Kim today followed by Sally there should be some good results to come.
Thus not surprising the ones showing form this season have been ranked top 10 and are performing at the worlds. This is international track and field and it shows no mercy.
So I am not sure funding is the reason for the current performance especially as I can’t imagine the walks, pole vault and throwers wouldn’t be supported.
With respect to the other events 100s, 200s etc. Australia seemed to have plenty of representatives in a time when funding never even existed so is the issue really money.
In 12 months time we could all be saying wow 5 medals was possibly a conservative target.
You gotta love the world champs!!!
There is plenty of funding and assistance for certain groups and people yet they still seem to fail.
Me and my mates get out of the road. That’s what I heard in the pub the other night.
Huh? And the meaning of this might be?
I was at the brewery at sydney olympic park and overheard a discussion questioning why australia athlete performances were getting weaker, the comment was used as an answer. I no longer care so I finished my drink and left.
I saw at least 20 Athletics Canada staff at worlds in a picture, to accompany the 32 athletes. Did the athletes have to pay to attend this trip? How much are the staff members earning?
What is a normal ratio?
Australia’s performance at the world champs seems to haved finished with a flourish. There are strong signs leading into London. Its exciting to think that even when the 4 x 400, Hooker, Dani and the walkers don’t medal in the 20km the squad is developing some depth across many events. Again the field events have been the leading light with the exception of Sally’s outstanding performance. The relay teams may have not made the finals but fact is the times required to go through to finals were at all time highs…not sure how many countries outside of the USA, Russia and China can boast medallist in such a diverse range of events such as relays, discus, pole vault, hurdles, long jumps and walks across the last few major championships. Great job to all involved and London coudld potentially reap 5-6 medals.
It will be the non targetted events that will win the medals if history is the way of the future.
Aussies did well everywhere except in straight running events on the track and road: Aussies finished something like 8th on the medals table and 12th on the points - with 204 nations competing. Aussies even beat Ethiopia I think (medals?)
Every thrower Aust sent to Daegu made a final. Sally Pearson may have produced the equal most stunning performance on the track with Usain Bolt. Both ran fourth fastest time in history in their 100 hurdles and 200m respectively.
But Aussies were not represented in events from 100m to 800m inclusive - male or female - and then the nine runners who were sent to Daegu failed to make a final. The three relays also failed to reach a final, although the Aussie men ran faster in the 4x400 in Daegu than they did for bronze in Berlin. Go figure.
Maybe the aussies just can’t run fast enough.
The 400 fast track was aimed at London so I ain’t pissing in your direction. I figure Herb has got his way.
How far off was Nanny with the first post.
Eric wanted 5 medals and a top 10 performance. We got 3 medals and came either 8th or 12th depending on which way you look.
““The other basic key performance indicator for us is to be inside the top ten as a nation, so we’ve got to get at least another 10 finalists alongside the five medals we’re looking for to get somewhere around 55 to 60 points.”
If we didn’t get them, is that deemed a pass mark?