by Larry EderLausanne Meeting, Why it is such a tremendous night of athletics! by Larry Eder
Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Lausanne Meeting, in year 40, was a lesson in what is great about our sport, and sometimes, memorable.
Note to self: records are nice, but give me competition any day.
Tyson Gay, Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell, photo by PhotoRun.net
The Movenpick Hotel, in Lausanne, Switzerland, located across the street from Lake Geneva, is the meeting place of all for the Athletissima meeting. Coaches, trainers, managers, footwear managers, fans and yes, athletes everywhere.
There was a good crew of Americans in Paris on July 4, but the American hordes were in Lausanne most definitely. For many Americans, the US Champs is more than physically exhausting: it is emotionally difficult.
Why do I love Lausanne?
Let me count the ways:
Building an emotional tie between fan and event (brand) is an art form. The management team at Lausanne gets it.
From the early events, with English Gardner churning up a 10.76 for the 100 meters and LoLo Jones, always popular, winning the B race 100 meter hurdles in 12.69, kept fans interested. The local events, with 800 meters, relays and 1,500 meters, are always supported.
Selina Buchel and Molly Ludlow battled to the finish. But most important for this race, Ms. Buchel is Swiss, and just ran her PB in Paris, with Ludlow right behind her, both running PBs. The race was not as fast here, probably due to the wind, but it was exciting and the crowd loved it.
Selina Buchel, photo by PhotoRun.net
The orchestration of a track meet requires fields with several types of athletes:in middle distance and long distances, you need hungry athletes willing to make a statement. You need the stars and you need local heroes.
The 5000 meters is a case in point. Mo Farah is a global hero in the sport. His recent trials and tribulations only made him more enticing and the fans lined up to see Mo take on fifteen of the best Kenyan and Ethiopians that could be assembled. Mo Farah is a master racer, he also is an entertainer.
In this race, the pace went up and down, and Caleb Ndiku and Thomas Longisiwa paid for it, falling down with Ndiku requiring stitches and a hospital visit.
Yomif Kejelcha, the World Junior Champion and Pre 5000m champ, is young and headstrong. He took on Mo Farah and charged right by Farah at 300 meters to go. Wrong move, at least with Farah in the race. Mo sprinted like mad, took the race with just over 100 meters to go. Over the last 50, while running a 54.44 last lap, Mo Farah showed that he is back.
Mo Farah takes it! photo by PhotoRun.net
The altercation afterwards (alleged), with Mo Farah and Andy Vernon is one of the good things and troubling things about our sport. Because athletics is global and Mo Farah is a big hero in UK, British media is all over him. The allegations regarding his coach (read about them somewhere else) have created a feeding frenzy. If this were European football or American football, it would be of little interest, but in our sport,
there are times when the media frenzy eats its own.
David Storl photo by PhotoRun.net
The men’s shot put! David Storl wants to win another World Champ. Joe Kovacs wants to win his first. David Storl throws 22.20 meters to show who is boss. Joe Kovacs will be back, and those two provided an entertaining shot put. Christian Cantwell is back, Tomas Majewski, two time Olympic champ, is coming around. Big guys throwing 16 pound steel balls is fun.
Allyson Felix is a rock star. She has been racing as a pro since she was 18. Her race on Thursday night was excellent. Dafen Schippers, the Netherland sprint and multi event superstar, took Allyson on and battled her until 170 meters. Then, Allyson Felix took off, and party is over.
Allyson Felix, photo by PhotoRun.net
The men’s 100 meters had Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell and Justin Gatlin. Each has a role to play in the race. Tyson Gay is pretty self deprecating. Asafa Powell, who has run 87 sub ten second 100 meters, is reportedly, the funny one of the bunch. Justin Gatlin is the fastest man in the world, the person many in the media find disappointing, and the fans seem to just want him to run fast.
Having events like this, with the best fields of the year, are required for DL meets to be successful. What makes your meet unique? In Paris, it was the women’s 5000m, Asafa Powell, the men’s steeplechase. It is the events that people talk about for days afterwards.
In Lausanne, the 5000 meters with Mo Farah, started the chatter. The women’s 100 meter hurdles, with Dawn Harper-Nelson taking on the newcomers, Sharika Nelvis and Jasmine Stowers, was fantastic. Harper Nelson is an entertainer and European fans love her. Mo Farah had the crowd on his side the entire race, and then, the men’s 100 meters.
The 100 meters really brought the fans to a new level of excitement.
Tyson Gay, Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell, photo by PhotoRun.net
The race was won by Justin Gatlin, who is the fastest man, around the world in 2015. His 9.75, in a cold and blustery evening, was stupendous. He also beat Asafa Powell, who ran 9.92 and Tyson Gay, who ran 9.92.
Anna Chicherova, photo by PhotoRun.net
The women’s high jump was one of those extremely rewarding surprises. Anna Chicherova, the 2012 London champion, developed a very sore back and took 2014 off. Her healthy back showed its place, as Anna cleared 2.03 meters, the highest jump of the year.
And then, in the finish, give them something to talk about on the way home.
In the women’s 1500 meters, Sifan Hassan had been brooding. She does not like to loose, and so she went after the American, Jenny Simpson, Sifan went very hard. Simpson, the 2011 World Champ and 2013 Silver WC, is a competitor.
Sifan Hassan wins the 1,500m, photo by PhotoRun.net
As Sifan Hassan drove, Jenny Simpson tried to counter, and quite frankly, wore herself out. Faith Chipyegon, the brilliant young Kenyan runner, caught Simpson at the finish.
Then, came the men’s 800 meters. David Rudisha’s fearless front running challenged by Nijel Amos last seconds of race sprint, as he climbs and claws his way down the track. This time, Nijel Amos won!
The final event of the night, the women’s 4x100m relay, featuring the Swiss relay team, is such a great finish to the meet, others should use it! The national pride, the excitement of the event, also must make the sponsor very happy!
On a cold, blustery Swiss evening, the Lausanne Athletissima showed why, for 40 years, it has been and continues to be, one of the greatest meets in the world.
And the year 40, will be discussed for years to come!
