Great session tonight. The 100m final was obviously a fantastic contest but the other highlights were the Women's Pole Vault and the Men's 800m semis.
I can't believe the results in the latter - Korir and Rotich out, Amos struggling to eventually finish second and Langford qualifying from seemingly nowhere after appearing to fade around 600m. The final should be a cracking double-header with the men's 400m final on Tuesday.
Toni Minicello as BBC co-commentator and occasional studio analyser is adding an interesting coach's perspective at these championships. Even though some of the others do a bit of coaching, he's giving great insight on the technical aspects of field events and physiology observations.
I'm going on Thursday with the family. Block 233, very excited after having devoured the coverage since returning home from holiday on Sunday. Popular in our house has been Yarisley Silva's magnificent bottom, Wang Cheng's consistency throughout her six hammer throws for silver, and all the 400m hurdles races seemingly turning into the 2001 Grand National.
The Semenya debate on BBC tonight was pretty low though.
With regard to the last two posts, one of the best things about going to the sessions is not having to hear the BBC's presentation of the event.
Anyway, I started this evening saying "Oh, the Triple Jump is the one event I can't get with" and ended it exclaiming "What a shootout between the two South American hotshots!".
Loved McLeod's 110m Hurdles win (they certainly should stick him in the relay team on current form, as I've seen suggested elsewhere) and the Women's 1500m was a bloody great race.
Organisers of International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships have confirmed a number of athletes have contracted gastroenteritis within one of the official hotels for the event here.
This includes Botswana's Isaac Makwala, forced to withdraw from the 200 metres heats before they took place tonight.
Others affected include Irish 400m hurdler Thomas Barr, who was due to compete in the semi-finals but pulled out this morning.
"Tons of cases" of the sickness bug in the Canadian team which is participating at the Championships have been reported.
Though they are still better than NBC. I'm thinking of trying Eurosport, but the stream quality isn't at all close to that of the Beeb.
BBC commentary is ridiculous. Building up the nation's hopes by overhyping the athlete's chances, then deconstructing all the faults when they perform to their realistic level. It's bullshit jingoism to the nth degree, and it's having an effect on my ability to watch.
For clear analysis, including the Semenya debate, you can't beat a bit of Ross Tucker on his website. http://sportsscientists.com/. From his research on hyperandrogenic females, he reasons that nearly all throwing athletes are on a course of steroids before big events (it's from the data collected on testosterone levels), and that it is a reasonable supposition that between 30-40% of any field at any one time are doping.
Afternoon all. Agreed with VT about much of the BBC exaggerated hysteria. They presented Johnson-Thompson's performance as disastrous, maybe even career-threatening. Until she arrived for interview and sounded relaxed and positive. Ditto Laura Muir. All that said, it's worth the rubbish for Michael Johnson and his new analysis colleague Tony Minichello. I'm developing a man-crush
Afternoon all. Agreed with VT about much of the BBC exaggerated hysteria. They presented Johnson-Thompson's performance as disastrous, maybe even career-threatening. Until she arrived for interview and sounded relaxed and positive. Ditto Laura Muir. All that said, it's worth the rubbish for Michael Johnson and his new analysis colleague Tony Minichello. I'm developing a man-crush
The Laura Muir thing was ridiculous. Imagine working your way up to being fourth best in the world at something and then being asked to explain where it had 'gone wrong'.
The BBC continue to provide sport for people who don't like sport. Reggie Yates (I think) outside interviewing and interacting with the public like it's a Radio 1 roadshow. Multiple musical montages, clumsy debates on doping and Caster Semanya, far too much Paula Radcliffe, etc.
The athletics is good though. The triple jump last night was a real highlight, those South American women had some sass.
'No official confirmation'
Makwala turned away
Posted at 20:32
Falcon Sedimo, representative of the Botswana athletics federation: "Isaac has been taken back to the hotel. We don't have any official communication from the IAAF.
"I haven't gone through the rules but we have a right to appeal.
"There has been no formal communication other than the medical communication.
"I met with Isaac this morning and this afternoon and he was ready for his race. He only has one symptom of the norovirus.
"Whether they are legally binding or not, we have not had any formal communication from the IAAF.
"He has been waiting for years to perform here.
"He has not been asked to be quarantined from other athletes in the hotel but he is not able to enter the stadium tonight."
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