World athletics championships - Tokyo 2025

I really expected this thread to run and run

It’s a shame that Athletics over the last decade or so has faded into the background . I used to know loads of stars but now I can count on one hand those I can name or is that just me ? 

Well done to those who did get medals or got PB's in their events. Anyone on here any the wiser as  to why George Mills ran so badly in the 5k, not that he was our only athlete to have a shocker. 

Absolutely p### poor performance as a team. Take out Amy Hunt's breakthrough and the women's 800m and we didn't really even even look close to pushing for a podium in most events.

Our field events are particularly miserable for the most part, (excepting Molly Caudery was unlucky with her injury). Our throwing is non-existent, our jumpers across the board are well off the required standard and we've not had a half decent men's multi eventer in decades.

I don’t know if it's funding, lack of facilities, poor coaching or something else, but when we're getting our arse kicked in the medal tables by Botswana and Ecuador I don't think it's unreasonable for UK Athletics to have some questions put to it. 

Not a single medal in the relays for the first time in 22 years.  Particularly gutting after bringing home 5 medals from Paris 12 months ago.

(Women's 4x100m and 4x400m, Men's 4x100m and 4x400m, and the Mixed team 4x400 relay)

AFKABartram said:

Bedsaddick said:

It’s a shame that Athletics over the last decade or so has faded into the background . I used to know loads of stars but now I can count on one hand those I can name or is that just me ? 

I think the BBC should shoulder a fair amount of blame for this. Over the last 10 years their coverage has been abysmal. Diamond League meets and UK Champs pretty much hidden on the red button or on IPlayer, and when it comes round to major champs then too much of it is 3 or 4 women in the studio chatting for an hour before a race is even shown. 

I think Cram is a great commentator but Athletics has steadily been removed as a major sport so it’s no surprise the pipeline is now thinning. Bar the Meadows training camp with Keely & GHB, pretty much the only way of progress is getting into the US system early. 

Not sure the BBC are anything to do with the poor training on offer. And those 3/4 women on the coverage over the last few years have been Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill, Olympic champion Denise Lewis, presented by Olympic sprinter Jeanette Kwakye and this championships Jenny Meadows who you have praised for her training. They've also had multiple Olympic champion Michael Johnson (who tanked his reputation this year) and Olympic silver medalist Colin Jackson on the coverage for over a decade.  Can you think of better people to have on the coverage? 

I agree that the sideline of regular meets is a shame, although lots of Diamond League seems to have been on BBC 2 this summer. But in terms of the major Championships, with the Worlds etc. they're stuck by the schedule and in the Olympics they're stuck because of the rubbish broadcast deal. 

Sure the BBC isn't perfect but the fact it has women in the studio and can't show everything isn't why the coaching pathways aren't available or why so many of the athletes lack personality beyond their undeniable talents

PrincessFiona said:

swordfish said:

Well done to those who did get medals or got PB's in their events. Anyone on here any the wiser as  to why George Mills ran so badly in the 5k, not that he was our only athlete to have a shocker. 

I'd be interested to know as was clearly more than out of sorts

Probably had something else he wanted to be doing instead, just like his old man.

Think it's a tricky balance between showing us the personalities so we can remember them and showing the actual action, not saying they have it right but it isn't easy

carly burn said:

Has to be funding doesn't it?

We threw a shit tonne of cash at it in 2012 and the results were remarkable.
I know that also included cycling and the like but the cash tap for track & field does appear to have been turned off.

Not sure it's totally down to funding but it may be part of the issue. Estonia had two decathletes in the top 15, (Germany 2 in the top 4), are we not matching the funding provided to them? Or Botswana, New Zealand, Ecuador, etc.?

We can consistently produce high quality athletes in cycling, swimming, triathlon, etc. yet, for example, we've not yet really  replaced the likes of Mo or Paula Radcliffe in the distance races. I get the argument that they are once in a generation athletes perhaps, but where's this generation's Daley Thompson, Geoff Capes, Tessa Sanderson, Jonathan Edwards?