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Sprint vs Marathon: Controversy Erupts
Oct 23, 2024 | Edition #41
👋 Hey, Speedsters!
The moment is finally here! World Athletics just dropped their list of top contenders, and soon two champions will be crowned. Of course, we're all pulling for our favorites, right? But hold up—the committee's shocking snub of a few big names has fans in an uproar!
Also, while Monday was all about new NIL deals, in today’s edition we are turning the spotlight on some spectacular grassroots wins, giving collegiate track and field its well-deserved glow-up! Oh, and the latest twist in the ‘sprinter vs marathoner’ debate—it’s sparked some wild, head-turning comparisons between speed and endurance! Excited to explore these thrilling stories?
Let’s dive in!
📜 QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Hard work is something that comes without saying for us to achieve the things we want.”
— Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
In today’s newsletter, we’ll uncover these top stories from Track & Field universe:
😲 Track Royalty: Who’s In, who’s Out?
🏃🏻 LA Olympics: $30M Youth Sports Boost!
🤔 The Great Debate: Sprinters vs Marathoners
🎓 NCAA Track Revolution: College Facilities Get Boost!
🤔Controversy Decoded
World Athletics Great Omission Ignites Fan Uproar
It's time to raise a toast to the track king and king of this season! Well, the World Athletics recently named 12 nominees, divided equally into men and women who qualify for the '2024 Track Athlete of The Year' titles. They justified 6 nominees for each category given the higher number of disciplines on the track. But it would all come down to 2 finalists, per the audience's votes.
Among the women nominated are two 2 American stars—Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas, both of whom racked up multiple Olympic champion titles in Paris. They are joined by Kenyan talents Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon, Saint Lucian 100m gold medalist Julien Alfred, and three-time Olympic medalist Marileidy Paulino. Despite these phenoms representing the Caribbean, fans noticed the noticeable absence of Jamaican athletes, whose performances in Paris didn’t quite meet expectations.
However, what agitated the fans was the exclusion of marathon gold medalist, Sifan Hassan, who reset the Olympic record with a time of 2:22:55 and racked up 2 medals in distance running in Paris. Unfortunately, the Dutch faced the same fate last year, when she was snubbed from the list despite clocking the second-fastest time in marathon history. And so, fans questioned, 'Where's Keely Hodgkinson?' the 800m Paris Olympics champion from Great Britain. Unbeaten this season, Keely is also the European Champion in the event and the world lead timer this year. Given that all 12 nominees are Paris champions, fans are left wondering why these two exceptional athletes were overlooked!
Is social media popularity playing a role in the nominations since fan voting is online? Do nominees also need to be world champions or record holders in addition to winning gold in Paris? With World Athletics not revealing the criteria, fans are only left guessing!
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📊 POLL OF THE DAY
NIL—Name, Image, and Likeness! This allows athletes to profit from their personal brand through endorsements and sponsorships. As track and field athletes are making headlines with their earnings, here’s today’s trivia:
What is the Highest NIL Valuation for a Track and Field Athlete as of 2024? |
Last Poll’s Result: In our latest edition, we posed the question: "What Is the Name of the Technique Used by High Jumpers To Clear the Bar Headfirst and Backwards?" A fantastic 82% of you soared to success with the right answer: the Fosbury Flop! This ground-breaking technique, introduced by Dick Fosbury at the 1968 Olympics, flipped the script on high jumping and allowed athletes to reach new heights—literally!
📈Trending News
Bold $30M Investment Plan for LA Olympics
The LA 2028 plan is set, and one of its top priorities is drawing youth into the world of sports! Thus, ever since 2017, the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee has committed $160 million for such youth sports programs and track and field is front and center in the multi-sport PlayLA initiative. For the upcoming 2024-25 year, the city’s Recreation & Parks is seeking a whopping $30 million—an exciting leap from the $13.22 million and $14.81 million allocated in the past two years. This progressive move aims to accelerate the development of recreation centers and eliminate costs for youth participation in sports.
Track and field is one of the legacy signature programs on this list and is set to receive $256,320 from the funding. This seems justified for it is one of the largest and fastest-growing sports in the USA. In fact, the World Athletics aims to make it the fifth largest sport by the LA 2028 Games, which is very promising for the younger aspirants. But here’s the burning question: are the youth interested? With 1.1 million high school athletes competing in outdoor track and field each year, the answer is a resounding yes!
And we’re witnessing a surge of talent among young athletes! Take Quincy Wilson, for instance—he just became the youngest male track athlete from the U.S. to reach the Olympic stage, clinching his first Olympic gold as a teenager! Then there’s 18-year-old Christian Miller, who’s already secured sponsorships from major brands like Oakley and Puma. And let’s not forget Sam Hurley, whose recent Red Bull deal adds to his existing contracts, bringing his total earnings to $1 million at just 21!
📽️ Video Vault
Christian Miller's Daring Race to Greatness!
Christian Miller's call to go pro was audacious! His big PUMA deal sure hints at his credibility as a sprinter. But Miller's Olympic Trials heartbreak showed he still has some big shoes to fill and not to forget, trust to earn. Thus, the question remains: can he match up to the elites of USATF? Here's some of the biggest threats he might face in that process. Watch the video to know!
🗣️Debate of the Day
Marathon Or Sprinting? Debate Settled!
Can Eliud Kipchoge sprint 100m in under 10 seconds? Or could Noah Lyles run a marathon (42km+) at record-breaking speed? It sounds far-fetched when you consider the stark contrasts between sprinters and marathoners. Sprinting is all about raw speed and explosive power, while marathon running relies on endurance and energy management. It’s no surprise that their body types differ dramatically: sprinters pack on muscle, while marathoners shed body fat to maximize performance. Fair. Right? But this hot topic sparked a heated debate when one fan boldly claimed sprinters look like "the fittest people in the world," while marathon runners resemble "cancer patients"!
An expert, Steve Magness who is a track coach and writer jumped in to clarify that data shows Olympic distance runners actually have a longer lifespan than sprinters. That's because marathoners have more longevity when measured against sprinters or power athletes. And well, his final line was the ultimate reality check, "Maybe our perception of what's health is off?" Some associate it with external fitness, while others weigh it by internal functioning. But, a few fans do point out that although sprinters may have 'aesthetically pleasing' body types, their lower life expectancy threat cannot be ruled out as sprinters have more cases of using Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDS), or living recklessly post-retirement (most sprinters stop training).
Indeed, per the BMS Sports study dated 2017, it was revealed that expected survival was highest for high jumpers, decent for marathoners, and lowest for sprinters.So, what’s behind these numbers? Sprinting, with its intense bursts of effort, can lead to cortisol spikes that might harm health. Meanwhile, endurance training has also faced scrutiny for potential heart risks. Thus, one of the fans points, "correlation is not causation." There are many external factors like diet, biology, regional differences, and environmental factors that need to be considered for a better comparison.
🎓NCAA News
Collegiate Track and Field Gets Major Upgrades
Elite-level track and field is buzzing with transformation, from new leagues to increased prize money—but guess what? The collegiate scene is stepping up too! Recently, a whopping $250k was funded to the West Virginia State University by the American Rescue Plan to build a home track and field facility! Eliminating the need for students to travel far and wide for training, this will provide, 'championship-level resources' to their budding phenoms, and also attract large meets to the region thanks to the state-of-the-art facility.
But this isn't just a one-off event! Across America, similar initiatives are popping up. Take the Bronx Community College in New York, for example. They’ve secured $4 million in city and state funding to renovate their track and field facilities. While they already have an NCAA-sized outdoor athletic space, they’re aiming to enhance it with digital scoreboards, night lights, sound systems, and more. This shows that officials recognize the importance of providing world-class facilities early to help collegiate athletes train effectively and attract top talent. And why is that important?
There’s a significant shift happening in NCAA track and field! Starting in the 2025–2026 season, NCAA scholarships for track and field are set to soar from 12.5 and 18 to nearly 45 for both men’s and women’s athletes. This is quite significant since the NCAA’s NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) rule change in 2021 has been a smashing success. We’re seeing mega brands scoop up collegiate talent—like 800m phenom Sam Whitmarsh signing with Brooks Running and Shannon Flockhart teaming up with New Balance.
Not just them, a decent NIL history gets one off to a flying start when they turn pro like Puma signing Christian Miller or New Balance onboarding Parker Valby. And this is just going to increase as by 2025, NIL market projections can reach $2.55 billion! Universities are fully aware of these trends, creating a connected cycle where colleges, athletes, and NIL come together to spark a new revolution in American track and field.
📝 Highlighted Stories!
Quincy Wilson Celebrates Biggest Track and Field Achievement- Full Story
Usain Bolt Showers Praise on Track and Field Legend’s Young Family Member- Full Story
High Heels Chicago Marathon Runner Gets Support From Luxurious Sneaker Brand - Full Story
Gabby Thomas’ Biggest Challenger Identified as Track and Field Legends Make Massive Prediction - Full Story
That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!
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