Comparing records - more remarks (2)
Is a decathlete a real athlete? Commentators, world records, decathlon and prejudice!
Part III Comparing records - more remarks
We still have to make some remarks about the so called “easiness” to equal records from the multi events. Another disadvantage!
Normally you would think that because of the disadvantage that combined events athletes are confronted with, they should be given at least the six tries other athletes are given for events affecting a horizontal long distance jump or throw (LJ, SP, DT, JT). That isn’t the way it goes. Still the comparisons are strictly made but are all current world records made in the first three tries? Another list.
|
Long Jump |
7.85 |
8.54 |
8.29 |
x |
8.95 |
x |
|
LJ indoor |
6.77 |
8.21 |
8.19 |
x |
8.30 |
8.79 |
|
Shot Put |
21.89 |
23.12 |
22.55 |
22.44 |
22.34 |
22.76 |
|
SP indoor |
21.37 |
21.42 |
21.15 |
x |
21.43 |
22.66 |
|
Discus |
67.20 |
x |
x |
74.08 |
x |
Pass |
|
Javelin |
87.76 |
92.88 |
98.48 |
91.44 |
x |
87.88 |
As we can see, Mike Powel (long jump) and Jürgen Schult (discus) would never have been world record holder if they were given only three tries. Mike Powel’s second (best ever) jump (legal) is 8m70! So Bob Beamon’s 8m90 (first try) would still be the world record. Schult’s second best throw of his life is 70m46 two years after his world record! For the long jump indoor as well as the shot put indoor, other scores would count as a world record. Of course there’s no problem with the six tries[1] and the current world records but it’s fair to compare only within three tries! Probably difficult but not the problem of the decathlon fan. It’s about considering all things what critics not always do – critics that sometimes not even know that triple jump and hammer throw isn’t part of a decathlon and critics that think it’s about swimming riding a bike and running.
Personal records from world record holders aren’t records done on world championships or the Olympics or any other special occasion. If they are legally done in Timboektoe, the north pole, the dessert or planet mars, its accepted as a world record! On the other hand decathletes or heptathletes have to wait until the right occasion (a multi event) to perform in combined events if they want to make a comparable score? Of course there is a difference between records in decathlon (or heptathlon) and personal records from athletes participating in multi events! To the fan, the scores in combined events are of great value, but because they are not counted to compare, the versatile athletes have another disadvantage. Let us give them the same treatment and count in- but also outside of combined athletic competition[2]. Let’s investigate how multi - e athletes perform at an 89 % total of the decathlon events.
[1] One problem if Decathletes today would be given six tries is that results are not longer comparable with earlier scores.
[2] Sebrle once said “What I can do outside of combined competition I can do in decathlon”.
Next time: Part IV Real Records!?
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Chris Vlamynck & Janek Salmistu for Decathlon 2000