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Post by raliverpool on Aug 9, 2017 18:48:07 GMT 1
Isaac Makwala through to the 200m semi finals in that solo time trial.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Aug 10, 2017 18:27:21 GMT 1
Great night last night despite the disappointments from a GB perspective. What struck me is how much the stadium experience is set up to be like watching on TV - Iwan Thomas as MC, Rob Walker and John Rawling doing commentary and bizarrely, money-saving expert Martin Lewis as a "superfan" roving reporter. The atmosphere was great and the roar as Laura Muir was coming down the home straight in the 1500m was incredible. Interesting, is there commentary played out over the tannoy then or something? (Might be being thick, it's been a long day).
Disappointing for Laura Muir, with 100/200m to go I thought she was guaranteed a medal, and at one point thought silver might be possible.
Also, does it take a long time to get in? I think they said to allow an hour and a half? Assuming it's like airport security?
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Aug 10, 2017 18:43:02 GMT 1
Quick thoughts on the last couple of nights.
Not sure what to make of the whole Makwala situation. Great run by Kyle Langford to go from 8th at the start of the finish straight to finish 4th. From what I've seen that's been my highlight so far.
Thought Talbot was unlucky in his 200m semi final last night. His heat seemed pretty loaded and he didn't have the strong wind behind him that Mitchell-Blake had...
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Post by Shireblogger on Aug 10, 2017 21:05:44 GMT 1
Yes, very informative in-stadium commentary, plus a few interviews with competitors after they've finished.
Entry typically 15 minutes, plus the 15 minute walk from the station to the stadium.
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Post by Panda on Aug 11, 2017 20:39:13 GMT 1
We actually arrived late to the stadium so we got straight in. Took a long time to get from the stadium back to the station but the movement of spectators was very well organised.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2017 13:50:34 GMT 1
For me Coburn's gold finish is the most impressive thing in the last 10 years in major athletics competitions.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Aug 13, 2017 18:25:04 GMT 1
I've been lucky enough to attend 4 sessions, with 1 to come. I think the atmosphere was better than when I was in the same stadium for the Olympics (albeit I wasn't there for any of the British medals). The din for Laura Muir on Monday night, and Kyle Langford last night, was phenomenal. A brilliant adrenalin rush. The crowd has also responded very well to many of the unknown foreign athletes who've shown their understandable joy at winning medals. Hammer throwers, pole vaulters and triple jumpers have been accorded rapturous standing ovations whenever they've gone wild at winning bronze medals (or better), which is wonderful. I think I've enjoyed some of the field events more than the straight races. The mounting tension and escalating skill level in the pole vault has been especially thrilling. From a spectator perspective it has been brilliantly organised. Desperate shame that the IAAF is still an organisation that makes indefensible and stupidly self-interested decisions. BIB - on a similar note to this, I was struck by the support the foreign athletes got. Obviously the Brits (and Bolt) got more but the others were commiserated if they failed or applauded when they succeeded, whether that be decathlon hurdlers after hitting hurdles and not finishing or Maher after his crucial clearance at 5.10m in decathlon pole vault when he celebrated like he'd won the gold medal. It did catch me by surprise a bit, it's not like the athletes were generally well known outside of the relays. I doubt the BBC showed much of the decathlon live, their coverage must have finished by the time the decathlon pole vault started (though I assume Eurosport would have covered it). We actually arrived late to the stadium so we got straight in. Took a long time to get from the stadium back to the station but the movement of spectators was very well organised. We hardly took any time at all to get in, but then we got to the check-in point well over an hour before the session started when it was quiet around the park. We were just about to go into the stadium and then they announced they were doing an evacuation because of some emergency within the stadium. It seems like it was a hoax but we arrived at a good time as they stopped people going in through the checkin area at this point and there were seemed to be quite a queue forming in the other checkin area. Had a great day anyway, couldn't have asked for better seats, just behind the 100m start a few rows back from the covered seats. I didn't recognise him myself but it seems the drummer from Biffy Clyro was directly behind us. Different stadium team there, Iwan Thomas and John Rawling were in their roles but it was Geoff Weightman doing commentary (someone I've not heard of before) and none of the others were there. Hero the mascot was amusing. Obviously the highlight was the relays which set up the evening finals nicely (more on that in a bit) but also saw most of the first group in the decathlon pole vault which was enjoyable and given the lack of BBC coverage felt like a bonus to see. The decision to leave when the 2nd group got going was definitely the right decision as it meant we managed to catch an earlier train, but also when I discovered that Ashley Bryant only cleared 4.30m...The discus in the decathlon was rather a dead loss as it was down the far end and couldn't really see it, but it gave the ideal opportunity to go outside and have some lunch. As for the evening, disappointing for Mo Farah, though I called it on the last lap that he wasn't going to win. Was hoping the sprint relays would make up for that despite the increased expectation (expected silver in both after the heats) and they did and more! Was absolutely delighted with the men and the women got what they came for (they said to Iwan Thomas they were aiming to beat the bronze in Rio). Hoping for a bronze in the women's 4x400 tonight, don't really fancy the men's chances of a medal, there was something about Rooney on the final leg that didn't leave me feeling confident and they only just squeezed in as a fastest loser, he looked gone at the finish.
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