• Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home European Athletics

“This is the Way the World ends” , musings on 60 meter hurdles and quoting TS Eliot, by Stuart Weir

Stuart Weirby Stuart Weir
March 3, 2017
0
0 0
0
SHARES
6
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

0022_000336-hurdle hell.jpgIsabelle Pedersen and her cold corner of hurdle hell, photo courtesy of European Athletics

So, I asked Stuart Weir to write a column each and every day of the 34th European Indoor Athletics Championships, with focus on key themes and also the British team. As a resident of the former colonies, I am always fascinated by the British team. I am also fascinated about the European experience with 49 of 51 countries in Europe competing in this wonderful championships.

RelatedPosts

Great Britain has named a 44-strong team for the European Athletics U23 Championships in Bergen, Norway from 17-20 July, by Steven Mills for European Athletics

2025 European Athletics U23 Championships: How to watch the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships

Carmoy 227, national records in women 5000 m, Mahuchikh 191 in Liege (Meeting International d’Athletisme de La Province de Liege 2025)

“This is the way the world ends, Not with a bang but a whimper.” (TS Eliot, The Hollow Men)
The 34th European Indoor Athletics Championship in Belgrade, Serbia started not with a bang but with successive false starts in the first heat of the 60H (Pentathlon) – two bangs and several whimpers! To be pedantic it was a faulty start followed by a false start and a DQ but either way it was not the hit-the-ground running launch that we were hoping for.
It didn’t get any better when the individual events got under way – in the second heat of the women’s 60H two false starts saw three athletes disqualified – not to mention a faulty start in the next heat! In the three men’s 60H heats we saw three more DQs.
Then there was the Women’s 60 metres hurdles final. This was the sequence:
1 Isabelle Pedersen (Norway) disqualified
2 Isabelle Pedersen (Norway)reinstated.
3 Faulty start – green card
4 Race run and Cindy Roleder (Germany) won in 7.88
Incidentally, I believe that a green card means that all the athletes may work in the USA unless, of course, they come from one of the countries on the banned list.
The Kombank Arena, more used to hosting Belgrade’s two professional basketball teams, can hold 20,000. Its capacity will hardly be tested today with the seating perhaps 10% full for the first morning but with a decent crowd for the afternoon/evening session. Hopefully the weekend will be better.
With Jess Ennis having retired and Mo Farah having run his last ever indoor competition to concentrate on the roads after a final track season, that the GB team for the championship contained a number of young athletes seemed entirely appropriate.
Team GB won 9 medals in 2015 and 8 in 2013. While Performance Director, Neil Black resolutely refuses to set medal targets, he admitted at the team pre-event press conference that a similar performance in Belgrade seemed realistic. By the end of the first day, the GB haul stood at 1 – a gold for Andy Pozzi in the 60 metres hurdles who beat Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (France) by a hundredth of a second to win the race. Pozzi said afterwards: “I was a bit slow out of the blocks and I knew I would have to fight for it”. But Pozzi, who has come back from terrible injuries is nothing if not a fighter.
Strongest medal hope, Laura Muir, progressed successfully into the final of the 1500 and the 3000, running one heat in the morning and another in the afternoon. She now has a final on each of the two remaining days. Muir was 5th in the 3000 heat and reached the final as what in the UK is called “a fastest loser” – one of the few times that Muir can be called a loser.
The biggest British loser of the day was Eilidh Doyle, a former European Indoor silver medallist, who finished third in her heat by 0.05 of a second and was the fastest non-qualifier. She said of the race that not making the final was gutting, adding: “I knew Hejnova was there and I was trying to beat her so I’d get a good lane. But I’m absolutely gutted to get caught out by the Polish girl [Malgorzata Holub] as well”.
Much of the British media attention has been on the Nielsen twins, Laviai and Lina running against each other in the individual 400 and together in the relay. That they were both kit carriers at London 2012 added to the story. Sadly Lina was injured and had to withdraw: “absolutely heartbroken and gutted … in the best shape of my life. What felt like a small bruise on the side of my leg has turned out to be a Grade 2 stress response on my fibula”. Laviai made it comfortably through.
Overall an interesting and entertaining day but I do think that something needs to be done about the starting farce.

Author

  • Stuart Weir

    Since 2015, Stuart Weir has written for RunBlogRun. He attends about 20 events a year including all most global championships and Diamond Leagues. He enjoys finding the quirky and obscure story.

    View all posts
Previous Post

First session of European Indoors featured Thiam, Maslak and Muir

Next Post

Andy Pozzi wins a tough race, takes first European Indoor Gold in hard fought 60 meter hurdles!

Stuart Weir

Stuart Weir

Since 2015, Stuart Weir has written for RunBlogRun. He attends about 20 events a year including all most global championships and Diamond Leagues. He enjoys finding the quirky and obscure story.

Similar Post

Brits in Monaco
European Athletics

Great Britain has named a 44-strong team for the European Athletics U23 Championships in Bergen, Norway from 17-20 July, by Steven Mills for European Athletics

July 17, 2025
2025 European Athletics U23 Championships: How to watch the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships
European Athletics

2025 European Athletics U23 Championships: How to watch the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships

July 17, 2025
Carmoy 227, national records in women 5000 m, Mahuchikh 191 in Liege (Meeting International d’Athletisme de La Province de Liege 2025)
European Athletics

Carmoy 227, national records in women 5000 m, Mahuchikh 191 in Liege (Meeting International d’Athletisme de La Province de Liege 2025)

July 17, 2025
Henriette Jaeger to race 200m, 400m an 4x400m in Bergen 2025 (European U23, July 17-20)
European Athletics

Henriette Jaeger to race 200m, 400m an 4x400m in Bergen 2025 (European U23, July 17-20)

July 16, 2025
Eleven Takeaways from the 50th NIKE Pre Classic, July 5, 2025
2024 Diamond League

Eleven Takeaways from the 50th NIKE Pre Classic, July 5, 2025

July 16, 2025
2022 USATF Outdoor Champs, Sinclaire Johnson takes the Women’s 1,500m: What a difference a year makes!
Cross Country

2025 Summer Mileage Program, July 16, 2025, Week Two , Day Three, Sinclaire Johnson prepares for the US Champs.

July 17, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to RunBlogRun's Global News Feed

Wake up to RunBlogRun’s news in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll keep you informed about the Sport you love.

*we hate spam as much as you do

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

April 5, 2023
2023 Nike Pre Classic: Two Amazing Days of Track & Field!

Noah Lyles, The Clock Doesn’t Lie

March 7, 2024
Grand Slam Track’s Kingston Slam Comes to a Close with 12 Slam Champions

2025 Spring Racing/Training Program, April 11, 2025, week 4, day 5, fourth week of year, Friday is an easy day!

April 12, 2025
USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

February 6, 2025
Mondo Duplantis and the Jump that made him the greatest of all time

Mondo Duplantis and the Jump that made him the greatest of all time

8
What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

7
My Five Biggest Takeaways from the Men’s Olympic Trials Marathon, by Oliver Hinson

My Five Biggest Takeaways from the Men’s Olympic Trials Marathon, by Oliver Hinson

7
Asafa Powell, Considering Longevity in Sprinting

The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell

5
Brits in Monaco

Great Britain has named a 44-strong team for the European Athletics U23 Championships in Bergen, Norway from 17-20 July, by Steven Mills for European Athletics

July 17, 2025
2025 European Athletics U23 Championships: How to watch the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships

2025 European Athletics U23 Championships: How to watch the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships

July 17, 2025
Carmoy 227, national records in women 5000 m, Mahuchikh 191 in Liege (Meeting International d’Athletisme de La Province de Liege 2025)

Carmoy 227, national records in women 5000 m, Mahuchikh 191 in Liege (Meeting International d’Athletisme de La Province de Liege 2025)

July 17, 2025
Henriette Jaeger to race 200m, 400m an 4x400m in Bergen 2025 (European U23, July 17-20)

Henriette Jaeger to race 200m, 400m an 4x400m in Bergen 2025 (European U23, July 17-20)

July 16, 2025

Popular Stories

  • Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

    Clyde Hart’s Guide to 400 meter training (from 1996 Super Clinic Notes/World Coaches Notes)

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Noah Lyles, The Clock Doesn’t Lie

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 2025 Spring Racing/Training Program, April 11, 2025, week 4, day 5, fourth week of year, Friday is an easy day!

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • An epic pole vault competition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Brits in Monaco
European Athletics

Great Britain has named a 44-strong team for the European Athletics U23 Championships in Bergen, Norway from 17-20 July, by Steven Mills for European Athletics

July 17, 2025
2025 European Athletics U23 Championships: How to watch the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships
European Athletics

2025 European Athletics U23 Championships: How to watch the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships

July 17, 2025
Carmoy 227, national records in women 5000 m, Mahuchikh 191 in Liege (Meeting International d’Athletisme de La Province de Liege 2025)
European Athletics

Carmoy 227, national records in women 5000 m, Mahuchikh 191 in Liege (Meeting International d’Athletisme de La Province de Liege 2025)

July 17, 2025
Henriette Jaeger to race 200m, 400m an 4x400m in Bergen 2025 (European U23, July 17-20)
European Athletics

Henriette Jaeger to race 200m, 400m an 4x400m in Bergen 2025 (European U23, July 17-20)

July 16, 2025

Recent Tweets

Next Post

Andy Pozzi wins a tough race, takes first European Indoor Gold in hard fought 60 meter hurdles!

runblogrun

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. @runblogrun

Browse by Category

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Select a password for yourself. (minimum length of 8)

Paste here the user biography.

Provide here the twitter screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the instagram screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the facebook profile URL. i.e. http://www.facebook.com/RunBlogRun

Provide here the linkedin profile URL. i.e. https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-eder-5497253

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved