# Athletics World Championships 2019



## Skibird (30 Sep 2019)

As an avid sports fan I love any kind of Athletics competition, and it has been great watching people working their way up through the ranks. One of the best for me over recent years has been Dina Asher Smith, who last night broke her own British record to take her first medal on the world stage, who are you watching?


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## Mo1959 (30 Sep 2019)

Skibird said:


> As an avid sports fan I love any kind of Athletics competition, and it has been great watching people working their way up through the ranks. One of the best for me over recent years has been Dina Asher Smith, who last night broke her own British record to take her first medal on the world stage, who are you watching?


I love athletics too and was also impressed with her. Given her age, barring injury, she should have more success. Holly Bradshaw didn’t quite have it for a medal in the pole vault, but I enjoyed watching. 

Not sure about the mixed relays though?


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## Skibird (30 Sep 2019)

Mo1959 said:


> I love athletics too and was also impressed with her. Given her age, barring injury, she should have more success. Holly Bradshaw didn’t quite have it for a medal in the pole vault, but I enjoyed watching.
> 
> Not sure about the mixed relays though?


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## Spiderweb (30 Sep 2019)

I’ve been watching, love athletics. Dina Asher Smith was fantastic, fingers crossed she’ll win a Gold in the 200m. I’m also hoping Adam Gemili manages to get a medal in the men’s 200m, I think he has an outside chance.
I’ve also been watching Laura Muir since her very first competitive races, she should do very well in the 1500m.
Katrina Johnson-Thompson should be good for at least a silver in the Heptathlon. 
Fingers crossed also for our runners in the sprint relays.

What is really disappointing in Doha is the empty stadium, very few people watching these fantastic athletes. Dina Asher Smith did a lap of honour last night to thousands of empty seats! I hope it didn’t spoil her moment.


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## Skibird (30 Sep 2019)

Yes, shame for Holly but unfortunately she was beaten by the best people in the world at the moment, so she can take something from that. I really enjoyed the mixed relays, and hope that they actually end up mixing it up a bit by making the order of runners to come out of a bag or something, rather than all teams using the same order, probably won't happen though.


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## Beebo (30 Sep 2019)

Spiderweb said:


> I’ve been watching, love athletics. Dina Asher Smith was fantastic, fingers crossed she’ll win a Gold in the 200m. I’m also hoping Adam Gemili manages to get a medal in the men’s 200m.
> What is really disappointing in Doha is the empty stadium, very few people watching these fantastic athletes. Dina Asher Smith did a lap of honour last night to thousands of empty seats! I hope it didn’t spoil her moment.


The lack of fans is a shambles, as is the heat for the long distance runners. 
Qatar shouldn’t host major events, the FIFA World Cup will be a shambles at this rate.


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## Skibird (30 Sep 2019)

Spiderweb said:


> I’ve been watching, love athletics. Dina Asher Smith was fantastic, fingers crossed she’ll win a Gold in the 200m. I’m also hoping Adam Gemili manages to get a medal in the men’s 200m, I think he has an outside chance. Fingers crossed also for our runners in the sprint relays.
> What is really disappointing in Doha is the empty stadium, very few people watching these fantastic athletes. Dina Asher Smith did a lap of honour last night to thousands of empty seats! I hope it didn’t spoil her moment.


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## Skibird (30 Sep 2019)

Yes, that was really disappointing, as one of the best parts of winning has to be that lap of honour. I actually thought it was appalling. I also hope Adam Gemili manages to get a medal, and like you think he definitely has a chance. I'll be keeping everything crossed for him, Dina and the runners in the sprint relays.


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## MichaelW2 (30 Sep 2019)

A great night for British yogourt.


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## AndyRM (1 Oct 2019)

Beebo said:


> The lack of fans is a shambles, as is the heat for the long distance runners.
> Qatar shouldn’t host major events, the FIFA World Cup will be a shambles at this rate.



FIFA will hand out enough corporate seats that it probably won't make much of a difference. In the unlikely event that Scotland manage to qualify, I worked out that all in I wouldn't have much change left from £10k, so no thanks.

Watched bits and pieces of the athletics as I usually do when it's on TV and it's good to see the Brits doing well. Personally I just don't enjoy watching on TV, I'm more into the field side of things but the focus often seems to be on track.


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## vickster (1 Oct 2019)

MichaelW2 said:


> A great night for British yogourt.


??


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## Spiderweb (2 Oct 2019)

Get in there!, Dina Asher Smith GOLD Medal!!!!


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## Mo1959 (2 Oct 2019)

That was good wasn’t it! Convincing win.


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## Reynard (2 Oct 2019)

Yup, absolutely brill and well deserved.


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## Beebo (2 Oct 2019)

Seb Coe is being a bit of a dick about the crowd criticism. 
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...oe-bbc-gabby-logan-doha-stadium-a9133486.html


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## AndyRM (2 Oct 2019)

Beebo said:


> Seb Coe is being a bit of a dick about the crowd criticism.
> https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...oe-bbc-gabby-logan-doha-stadium-a9133486.html



He's a bit of a dick in general.


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## Spiderweb (3 Oct 2019)

I’m glued to the Heptathlon right now, Katarina Johnson Thompson looks in top form and favourite I think now for the gold medal.


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## Reynard (3 Oct 2019)

Yep, hope KJT can hold it together. She's been performing out of her skin these last two days - PBs in hurdles, shot and javelin. Thiam looks rattled...

Edited to add that it looks like Thiam is not going to take her 3rd throw in the javelin.


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## Mo1959 (3 Oct 2019)

Shouldn’t jinx her, but barring falling over in the 800 metres, it looks like she’s got gold.


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## Mo1959 (3 Oct 2019)

Ooo, that was good. Convincing win in the end.


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## Chromatic (5 Oct 2019)

What's the significance of the coloured name plates the athletes wear? I worked out that the current and defending champion has a red name plate but what do the yellow, blue and green ones I've noticed signify, anyone know? European champion, Olympic champion, something else?


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## Supersuperleeds (6 Oct 2019)

Watched the womens 4x400 and called the Jamaicans where in the wrong position for a changeover


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## vickster (7 Oct 2019)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Watched the womens 4x400 and called the Jamaicans where in the wrong position for a changeover



Except the decision was reversed so no GB medal

World Athletics Championships: Great Britain finish with five medals
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/49954926


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## nickyboy (7 Oct 2019)

AndyRM said:


> He's a bit of a dick in general.


But he does have a point; trying to expand global athletics' footprint beyond the traditional venues is a good thing. I would also comment that the event organisers being forced into putting the best events on at 11pm in Doha by the television companies meant that half full stadiums were inevitable. I wonder what a British stadium would be like at that time of night?


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## Reynard (7 Oct 2019)

nickyboy said:


> I would also comment that the event organisers being forced into putting the best events on at 11pm in Doha by the television companies meant that half full stadiums were inevitable. I wonder what a British stadium would be like at that time of night?



No - the timing of the events were down to the weather conditions, even allowing for the air conditioned stadium. Doha is only two hours ahead of UK time.

Same problems will apply to the footy World Cup in 2022.

It's all very well taking sports to "new" countries in order to expand the fanbase, but that puts the athletes at serious risk. The marathons and walks were held in the wee hours of the morning Qatar time, and it was still absolute carnage, especially in the women's marathons and both 50k walks.


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