by Stuart Weir
Italian joy at Women’s 4x400m, photo by Krzysztof WesoÅ‚owski / World Athletics Relays Silesia 2021
In story 1, Stuart Weir introduces the World Relays in Silesia.
World relays intro
I am a fan of the World Relays. I attended the last two – in the Bahamas and in Yokohama. I had planned to attend in 2021 until Covid made that unwise if not impossible. Should the event have been canceled? That is a good question. I tend to think so. The USA did not send a team – likewise Canada and Australia. GB and Jamaica sent a limited team. The 4 by 100s were greatly diminished by the absence of USA, Jamaica, and GB – winners of all the women’s sprint relay medals in the last 2 world championships and Olympics and 4 of the 6 men’s medals in the last two world championships.
Ghana, photo by Krzysztof Wesołowski / World Athletics Relays Silesia 2021
Poland is brilliant at hosting athletics meets but it has recently been in lockdown because of a new wave of Covid. Was it wise to bring athletes from Africa, Asia, Latin America as well as Europe when the pandemic is still serious in many countries as well as Poland? At the time it seemed that Poland had done well in hosting the 2021 European Indoors – until 40+ athletes caught Covid and loads had to quarantine when they got home. Was it worth holding the event if it had to be in an empty arena?
World Athletics Relays Silesia 2021, photo by Krzysztof Wesołowski / World Athletics Relays Silesia 2021
There were qualification places for the Olympics and 2022 World Championships at stake. But this year that can look like a reward for turning up. The program this year consisted of just 9 events, spread over 2 days. The shuttle hurdle was scheduled for heats and finals but in the end, there were only three entrants.
The weather did not help. On Sunday one saw athletes running in tracksuit pants and those waiting to run their legs wrapped in blankets as they waited. Laviai Nielsen said, “I don’t think I’ve ever run a 400m in such chilly weather”. Fellow British athlete, Lee Thompson said: “It was freezing cold out there”.
I also feel that the World Relays should be an end-of-year, fun event. If it is held in May in an Olympic year, there is no surprise that top athletes choose to skip it to concentrate on preparing for the bigger prize.
The absence of the dominant US team certainly made for more open competition with six countries winning. The look on the winning Cubans’ faces said it all. That Poland won twice pleased the home crowd – oops, silly me, there wasn’t one!
Shuttle Relay, World Athletics Relays Silesia 2021
There were high-quality races, exciting races, fun events and high drama, fallers, and baton-droppers. And of course, the odd disqualification including one which deprived Ghana of a medal. But it was a very watchable event.
Perhaps I have seen too many negatives. Let me give the last word to the respected coach, Stephen Maguire: “Yes some of the major powers were missed, yes the weather didn’t help performance but look at the joy, Italy, Ireland, South Africa, and Cuba, etc brought the smiles back. We need competition”.
Photos
© Krzysztof Wesołowski / World Athletics Relays Silesia 21
© Dan Vernon for World Athletics
