What Does Britain Need To Do To Improve On Track And Field For 2012?

Question

We've had a great olympics but its fair to say our track and field team as been rather disapointing.

Answer 1

I'd say get more people competing! Train them up properly, with a decent coach and money, and make sure they are ready! This years t&f team have been ok I thought, it was dissapointing that we slipped so late in the games, but we have been up against ferocious competition. The jamacians were lightning fast, as were the USA. Very low chance of beating either of those teams, unless some serious serious dedication is put in. As it is I think that with a little more training our current team is up for the job next olympics, but we still have to few people! Get out of your boats people, we need you a runnin! :P

Answer 2

To try not to get disqualified in the ralay...

I was so annoyed, it was a silly error.

Answer 3

1) Buy Usain Bolt

2) Buy a couple of Jamiacan Atheltes (also maybe a few Kenyans)

3) Now watch your toys perform!

Answer 4

If you take a look at the Team GB cycle crew you can see your answer.  There was a state-of-the-art velodrome built in Manchester and that was where the team came together to train and work together to improve, and they did, the awesome results speak for themselves.

This is basically what the track and field atheletes need, a 'central' place where they can come together to train etc, instead of having small groups of talented atheletes scattered around the country/countries being coached by different means and in different ways.

And yes, basic grass roots atheletics needs to be readdressed in the schools of the UK, for goodness sake, most high schools over here don't even have a track on their playing fields any more, let alone the fact that not many of them are even allowed to throw javelins, discus, shotputs etc because its "too dangerous" !!  

Answer 5

get young people interested in athletics, because that must be the really hard part, then getting the best coaches, and enough money for proper facilities and dedicated mentors, people who have been top of their field in athletics.  Michael Johnson said it so well that many of the reasons why the Americans don't do quite as well as they used to because many youngsters if talented go into high profile sports like Basketball, baseball. So there has to be an incentive for them to take up athletics. We used to produce fantastic distance runners, but now many seem second best to the Kenyans, and Ethiopians.  They in effect pick the very best and train them as hard as you can, and the results are there for all to see.

Answer 6

Your best track athletes of the past have been immigrants, e.g. Lynford Christie. But you guys are closing your doors to immigrants. So good luck with that.

Answer 7

* upgrade track facilities. tracks are not open sometimes when you need to train and i have been escorted off the track by the police for training on one when its closed. Sunday 2pm that was!!

* a lot of athletes ouside the uk and a few within take drugs. However as the uk are very tough on drugs and testing it is more of a deterrant for athletes not to take drugs, where as in other countrys they can pile up with drugs knowing the chance of getting in trouble is more limited.

Answer 8

We need to ensure that we have more athletes representing Britain in more events.  I remember not so long ago when we used to have two British men competing in the Olympic Javelin final and the high jump, where as now we have no one.  We have to keep producing athletes to compete at the top level.

British athletes used to complain about a lack of funding for their sport, but this is no longer the case now that lottery funding is being given to these athletes.  Therefore, with more athletes not having to hold down 9-5 jobs while training, we should be seeing better performances.

What our athletes need to improve is their training and preparation going into the Olympics.  So many of them haven't produced the performances or peaked at the right time despite setting personal bests earlier in the year.

We also need to improve the facilities for elite athletes.  At present they are forced to use public facilities.  This can disrupt their training schedules if they go to train at a track that's being used for a school sports day for example.

I felt that the British track and field men were especially disappointing with many missing out on finals.  The ladies have faired much better, winning the 400M and getting a British athlete into the women's 100M final.  Overall, though this has been a successful Olympics for us in terms of medals so we can't criticise too much.

Answer 9

encourage it more in schools to determine the best athletes

Answer 10

We need to have a whole lot more grass roots clubs which kids are encouraged to just go to and try things. As an activity, not as somewhere to train seriously.

I mean, loads of kids take swimming lessons, or karate, or play on a football team. But even most kids who are good at athletics never join an athletics club, they just do a bit at school.