Can't take penalties, can't run relays.
- Thread starter joe-90
- Start date
Because the others do it better.
Too much of the money which is spent on our athletes is spent on training them as individuals. We have a bunch of half decent sprinters, four of whom then just get chucked together in the relay. The team managers often don't decide who's going to run in the relay until after the individual sprints halfway through an event - and even change the team between heats and finals.
The sprinters rarely if ever train as a team, so don't practice the relay handovers as much as they need to.
Other countries have dedicated relay training, and even have sprinters who specialise in particular legs of the race as part of a standing relay team.
The sprinters rarely if ever train as a team, so don't practice the relay handovers as much as they need to.
Other countries have dedicated relay training, and even have sprinters who specialise in particular legs of the race as part of a standing relay team.
A standing relay team won't win much.
The Jamaicans have for a while now geared their athletics programme to sprinting. The Americans see the sprints as the events to win so they also put a lot of effort towards that discipline. In this country, we have a mixed athletics programme, without specialising, and still we managed an impressive haul amongst several disciplines. I am surprised we have had the success we have had. Enjoy the medals we have won, don't look at the ones we haven't. You cannot win them all!
I would never have expected the sprinters we have to win a medal in the relays.
I WOULD however have expected them to be able to actually get the baton round - something they've only done ONCE in the Olympics in the past 20 YEARS!
I WOULD however have expected them to be able to actually get the baton round - something they've only done ONCE in the Olympics in the past 20 YEARS!
Only once in 20 years? Didn't know we were that bad! It sounds like we'd be better posting the baton to the end of the race.
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