Indian Athletics Thread ...

[PKBasu]

No real medalist hopefuls there, but it's good to see the large number of near-world-class performers in a large variety of track and field events. Standards are steadily improving, and more regular European training (in relatively cheap places like Ukraine and Hungary) should help in the long-term. Perhaps by 2008 we'll have a string of medal hopefuls in athletics; this time, Anju Bobby George appears the only one who is likely to win a medal in athletics.

[mugu]

Hari Shankar Roy sets National record in high jump:
http://www.hindu.com/2004/06/06/stories ... 191600.htm

[mugu]

Harwant Kaur has achieved an `A' standard for the Olympics, meaning all the three women discus throwers have qualified for the Olympics:
http://www.hindu.com/2004/06/08/stories ... 802000.htm

[indiansportsfan]

I think Hindu deserves appreciation for giving us all the news about Olympics qualification. Sadly the other newspapers have failed to pick these stories, focussing instead on some stupid cricket gossip or somehing of that like.

[david]

indiansportsfan
Welcome to the Forum.

Are you talking about online editions? All the papers have carried the qualification news till now.

[mugu]

indiansportsfan
Welcome to the Forum.

Are you talking about online editions? All the papers have carried the qualification news till now.

Sorry to disappoint you David, but there is not a line about yesterday's circuit meet at Chennai in any of the Delhi papers today. And in that meet, two girls, Manjit Kaur and Chitra K. Soman, made the qualification mark in the 400 metres and Seema Antil threw in discus to a National record of 64.64 metres. Manjit Kaur timed a National record of 51.05 and the top four in the 400 metres came under the 52-second mark. The Hindu has reported this and maybe in Bangalore you do have several papers that have reported this. But not in Delhi.

[david]

Yes, Mugu. I thought about it afterwards. If it was cricket all along, now Euro 2004 has taken over. But football is much better any day and this is a big meet.

But here almost all papers had the both the qualifiers and the records. We had a big 4 column item.

[jayakris]

And Bobby equals her career-high at her last chance and qualified for Olympics!! .. Here is an excellent jump by jump account -

http://www.hindu.com/2004/07/19/stories ... 761800.htm

Go Lady Go! Beautiful.

Jay

[mugu]

And Bobby equals her career-high at her last chance and qualified for Olympics!! .. Here is an excellent jump by jump account -

http://www.hindu.com/2004/07/19/stories ... 761800.htm

Go Lady Go! Beautiful.

Jay

Actually, Jay, Bobby goes a centimetre above her career-high. That is she has a new National record of 1.91 which happens to be the qualifying mark for the Olympics as well.

[jayakris]

Thanks Mugu. I just realized that! .. National record. That is cool stuff. Jay

[mugu]

This has been Bobby's dream. Of qualifying for the Olympics. She had worked towards it the past two years. She seemed to lose heart when she did a couple of 1.80 in Europe this season. Then, in the British League second leg she did a 1.88. That gave her the confidence. She said that she was coming home and was very confident of attaining the qualifying mark either at Chennai or at Bangalore (July 23) where there is a circuit meet scheduled to help out Olympic aspirants. For, she wanted the heat and humidity of Chennai rather than the wet and cold England. Athletes like Bobby and Anju Bobby George have always had problems performing in even mildly cold conditions. Now Bobby will be looking forward to entering the final of the Olympics competition.
By the way, Anju had encouraging series of 6.44, 6.49, 6.62 and 6.56 before she fouled her last two attempts in Madrid, while finishing second to Bronwyn Thompson of Australia (6.80). What was encouraging in that series was her ability to avoid fouls early. Still, 6.62 when Marion Jones, Tatyana Lebedeva, Tatyana Kotova and Elva Goulbourne have touched or crossed 7.00 is not very encouraging in the Olympics context. But then big championships are always a different ball game. Let's hope and pray.

[BSharma]

I am proud with the way Bobby Aloysius has worked hard to reach the "B" level qualifying mark. She will be a model for many young Indian athletes who slog day after day without much recognition.

Bobby Aloysius, you are outstanding.

[Kumar]

Recently saw a article regarding the training methods to be used in US.. When would this equipment make its way to India.. Price seems relatively reasonable at $50k..

http://www.hydroworx.com/news_media/PRDanBrowne.doc

cut and paste from the article,

HydroWorx pools play a major role in the Oregon Project whose five year mission is to take American runners to the top of the sport by training harder and smarter, and by taking advantage of modern technology and science.
The program involves sophisticated software that monitors organ function during workouts, vibrating platforms that help build running muscles, high-pressure oxygen chambers that speed muscle healing, and simulated high altitude living conditions that help increase lung capacity.
And of course, they run -- sometimes as many as 120 miles per week. Unfortunately, that‘s not enough. Kenyan runners, who currently dominate the sport, usually run 180 to 200 miles per week.
That’s where HydroWorx comes in.
The heart of the HydroWorx 500 is variable speed underwater treadmill, directional water jets, and adjustable water depth that allow a runner to exactly duplicate dry-land running form at a fraction of their real weight. Runners can tack on about 60 extra miles per week without over-stressing their bodies.
“I feel these pools and the underwater treadmill will help revitalize long distance running in the U.S. We can increase the mileage our guys run without increasing the wear and tear on their joints,” Salazar said.
HydroWorx formed in 1995 in Middletown, Pa. It now serves professional and college sports teams, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and even residential customers in 42 states and three countries.

Amr, heard anything regarding this equipment?

[BSharma]

Interesting stuff, Kumar.

The gap between the US and African marathon runners has been steadily widening and the USOC is desperate to reverse the trend. Let us see how far the technology can help the long distance runners.

The US swimmers train under somewhat similar setup where there is a "swimming treadmill" that is built in a hyperbaric chamber and the altitude can be adjusted from sea level to 8,000 feet above sea level.

[Kumar]

The article says that Kenyans run almost 200 miles a week.. How much miles does a top Indian marathon runner (btw who is it?) run every week?Anybody know?