British Sprinters lazy!

[slinger]

This week Asafa powell - the second fastest man in history has suggested that British sprinters are lazy.....are they?

[GJenson]

I did read the whole article mate and who knows? Without following them and checking up on them we will never know if they are. Not running well under 10.00 may just be a lack of talent (although getting below even 10.20 suggests a certain amount !!!)

I do understand where he comes from though when he says about making it in sport is sometimes their only option of making it in anything out there. A bit like the Africans and long distance running but how do you explain the Finns and throwing and the Kiwi's and Rugby. Small nations big results.

Sometimes the legacy of past champions is enough to drive people on without the need to perform for monetary reasons.

Just my thoughts

[pj]

Interestingly Asafa based this on Simeon training in Jamaica sometime during last winter. The Jamaicans regularly trained from 5.30am until about 8.00am and then two hours in the late afternoon.

Not the norm for a funded British sprinter I would hazard a guess. But obviously to fit in with the coolest parts of the daytime in the Caribbean.

[slinger]

Good points Gary. Something that Asafa said was that them [Jamaicans] have to put the work in and get out and compete to earn a living, as opposed I guess our top guys and gals who get funding and may not feel the need to go out and do the circuit to earn a living. I have always wondered why our athletes on the whole - even our best don't do the circuit.

I have limited experience of sprinters, but I have seen some being guilty of it - instances of being very good youngsters - too young to have done serious training and have performed soley on talent and possibly some early physical developments over their peers, to then believe that success will come as they get older and of course it rarely does. Other cases I have seen some sprinters working incredibly hard.

So tbh I think it's a bit harsh to suggest ALL our sprinters are lazy, but for sure there will be some - just like there probably are in Jamaica!