• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Click here to download the  free ebook of Alberto Juantorena’s  detailed training workouts leading up to the 1976 Montreal Olympics

SpeedEndurance.com

Success in Track & Field ... and Life

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Track & Field
    • 400 meters
    • 800m & Mile
    • 1/2 & Full Marathons
    • Long & Triple Jump
    • Hurdles
  • Training
    • Weight Training
    • Abs & Core
    • Injury Prevention
    • Shoes & Spikes
    • Masters
  • Coaching
    • Freelap Friday Five
    • Interviews
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Sport Psychology
  • Archives
  • Shop
    • My account
    • Checkout
    • Basket

Women’s Track and Field – Underpaid and No Respect

You are here: Home / Track & Field / Women’s Track and Field – Underpaid and No Respect
8
SHARES
FacebookTwitter

August 19, 2010 by Jimson Lee 3 Comments

Women’s Track and Field is the Rodney Dangerfield of Track and Field.  They get no respect.

There isn’t a new Miss Usain Bolt that has the potential of setting a new WR every time she steps on the track.  The last person I can remember was Marita Koch and the 400 meters.  For men events, there’s always a possibility of a WR.  For women’s, there’s not a hope in hell.  Not even Carmelita Jeter.

Take for example Lolo Jones in the 100m hurdles. Her 12.43 PB is way off the WR of 12.21.

When you look at the speed, power and strength events (and I’m including the multi events, as well as the 800m) the only WR that were broken since the 1980’s was the 400mH.  (I kid you not.. the 400mH is a very technical event)The PV, HT, and TJ are relatively new events which explains the excitement whenever Yelena Isinbaeva shows up and has a chance of breaking a WR.  The Javelin was shortened so that doesn’t count.

I’m talking about the eighties…you know, Duran Duran, Boy George, and all the African Feed-the-World Relief songs.

Conversely, for Men’s events, it is only the Discus and Hammer that are still untouched from the 1980’s.

As well, the men’s events have created rivalries from different countries, like Ben and Carl.  Or Usain, Asafa and Tyson.  Donovan and MJ.

So, what are the drawbacks?

For one, fan interest.  Men’s events will always be the A-card.  For the female athletes, it’s less appearance fees and sponsorship dollars.

So unless they wipe out the old records, change the distances (like bring back the 500 meters), or a teenage mutant female Usain Bolt comes along, women’s track and field will always suffer compared to the men.

See also  Sanya Richards-Ross 7 x 200m Workout

There are lies, damn lies, and statistics.

World Records

Category iconTrack & Field

About Jimson Lee

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Fred says

    August 20, 2010 at 8:16 am

    Coincidence or not but most of the above female records were last set in 1988. Isn’t that the year that Ben Johnson won the 100m gold medal in the ’88 Olympics and prompted the now famous headline: “Why, Ben?” in the Toronto Sun on September 26, 1988? They easily could have asked the same question from the hundreds that competed at that level but I guess someone has to be the scapegoat and major corporations and organizations have to pretend that their particular actions, values and industries are virtuous and above board. But for the athlete, the microscope is never too far away and the lens neatly polished as the individual participants are almost always painted as the root cause for indiscretions.

    I think the women’s records need to be given a clean slate and certified records should begin anew. Can we imagine the excitement that would be created for at least the next decade and the interest it would attract for the coming generations of female athletes? I would still keep the old records as sanctioned but “case closed.” Until then, you are correct, “For women’s, there’s not a hope in hell.”

    Reply
  2. Jimson Lee says

    August 24, 2010 at 9:36 am

    @Fred – yes, the IAAF should review this “coincidence” if they want better marketing for 2011. Sadly, the Caster affair probably took more time and money than they hoped.

    And sadly, it appears the women’s 800m may be the next record to fall. And then what?

    Ironically, 2 days after I posed this, the men’s 800m WR was broken.

    Reply
  3. Jimson Lee says

    March 3, 2012 at 3:01 am

    Sally Pearson’s 100 meter hurdles in 12.28 is the closest any women have come to break the WR.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Recommended

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbs-aWxyLk

Shop Our Store

  • Bud Winter (9)
  • Championship Productions (6)
  • Clyde Hart (2)
  • Derek Hansen (1)
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation (2)
  • Jim Hiserman (6)
  • Jimson Lee (4)
  • Uncategorised (0)

Articles by Category

Products

  • Jim Hiserman - Developing 800m Runners: Identifying, Categorizing and Developing 400m-800m Type Athletes $42.99 $39.99
  • Private Coaching - Monthly Plan $600.00 $525.00
  • Jim Hiserman - Developing Distance Runners Volume 2 Jim Hiserman - Developing Distance Runners Volume 2: A Systematic Approach to Developing Individual Success within a Dynamic Team Culture $34.95 $29.95
  • Feed-the-Cats-Clinic-3-Pack-701 'Feed the Cats' Clinic 3-Pack $64.99
  • Tony Holler's Feed the Cats": A Complete Sprint Training Program Tony Holler's "Feed the Cats" Complete Sprint Training Program $49.99
  • Bud Winter and Speed City presents Arthur Lydiard 509x716 Bud Winter & Arthur Lydiard MP3 [Download only] $9.99

RECENT POSTS

  • Here is our 400m Discussion Recording… over 2 Hours Long
  • The Best Free Coaching Book – post Beijing 2022 Olympics
  • The Ultimate 400m Track Webinar for Coaches & Athletes
  • NACAC Athletics Coaching Science Series 2022
  • Top Six 400m Predictor Workouts (Number 4 is my Favourite)
  • Best 6 Podcasts for 2021 (and Beyond)
  • Why Karsten Warholm’s 45.94 400mH WR is my Highlight of 2021
  • Sprinting: 10 Research Articles for Effective Sprint Training [Part 23]
  • Pressure in Sports – Reflections from Tokyo 2020 Olympics
  • 2021 International Festival of Athletics Coaching [Nov 5-7]

Copyright © 2022. SpeedEndurance.com is owned and operated by Aryta Ltd. Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy