Athletes' arena.

Dondilion · #1 09-18-2023, 07:36 PM

The athletic season came to an end with Prefontaine Classics in Oregon. Two world records were reported: Male pole vault and women 5000 meters.

I enjoyed the 4-hour sessions that NBC provided for the two-day meet. Props to NBC athletics are not as prominent as they were in the Carl Lewis era.

https://www.letsrun.com/news/2023/09...taine-classic/

bobabode · #2 09-18-2023, 07:45 PM

This old joint needs a like button.

Sheesh, we don't even have smilies anymore... (rolls eyes)

donquixote99 · #3 09-18-2023, 08:02 PM

Dang! Who was messin' with the smilies? Even the ascii versions go blank.

bobabode · #4 09-18-2023, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Dang! Who was messin' with the smilies? Even the ascii versions go blank.

Last upgrade at AK left them turned off. I think we're the proverbial red headed step child down here at PoChat. (grin)

Dondilion · #5 09-18-2023, 08:27 PM

Talking about smile. It was heartwarming to see Athing Mu smiling again. I don't know what had happened but she had developed that uncharacteristic sad look.

Dondilion · #6 10-04-2023, 12:49 PM

I988 was an amazing year for women sprinting. It was the year of the outstanding performance of the phenom named Florence Griffith-Joyner.

1988 Olympics 100-meter women's final.
Noticed how far she finished ahead of one of my favorite sprinters - Evelyn Ashford.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxR_BcqLYs8

Dondilion · #7 10-04-2023, 01:27 PM

Florence Griffith Joyner's world record for 100 meters still stands.

Women's 100-meter World Record at the 1988 US Track and Field Trials - 10.49secs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CMM2lQDMDI

Pio1980 · #8 10-05-2023, 08:52 AM

I had to web search since I haven't heard his name since my younger bro was a competitive runner during the Fix/Prefontaine era and ran in some of the same events with them.
Good times, less commercialized then.

Dondilion · #9 10-05-2023, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pio1980

I had to web search since I haven't heard his name since my younger bro was a competitive runner during the Fix/Prefontaine era and ran in some of the same events with them.
Good times, less commercialized then.

As you might guess I am a fan of Track and Field.
The public in those times were more informed about the athletes and the athletes were required to exhibit certain degree of professionalism.
I am now shocked to hear athletes using the words "shit and f#@k" in interviews.

Dondilion · #10 10-05-2023, 08:08 PM

When I was a youngster the big noise in athletics was the 4 Minute Mile. To run the mile in under 4 minutes seems like an impossibility.

The Brits set out to break this barrier. They built a team around Roger Bannister a medical student-athlete and made a systematic effort to help him achieve that.

On the 6th of May, 1954 Roger Bannister broke the barrier: His time - 3.59.4

The news was huge around the world.

Here is a BBC recording of the iconic event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb5AtK08gPM