Nor did it hurt Mark Garner - more internationally successful (and drug-free) than any of the males you named. I’m not anti-pros or anti-grass. We do usually train three days out of five on grass. But not 100% velocity. As I said, I just think it’s not worth the risk taking it to top gear on a less than perfect surface. I ran a pro meet once and tore both hammies hitting a slight rise and fall on a grass track that was said to be “perfect”. I was way past it anyway, but it has cost me more in physio bills than I won for racing on grass.
As I said, others can do whatever they please. Not my problem. But I don’t like taking risks and the bigger the purse at the finishline the greater the risks some of these sprinters will take. I’m old enough by the way to remember when most races in Oz were held on grass or cinders tracks, but even those athletes of that era ran their best when they raced on rubberised tracks overseas (and eventually at home).
By the way, so far as I can recall I’ve never called Burnie, Bay Sheffield or Stawell “cow paddocks”. Don’t misquote me.