Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 144, August 2021 Aug 2021 | Page 43

weren ’ t too distracted by their R3.2 million incentive for a gold . In fact , it looked as though the thought of that reward added to their celebrations !
It is entirely possible that SA ’ s athletes were ‘ distracted ,’ but rather by the thought of how they were going to continue or even make ends meet , given the unemployment , rioting and COVID concerns that they , family , friends and supporters face at home . Apart from SA leadership ’ s obvious lack of understanding of professional sport and its challenges , there is a need to take the rewards further down the ladder to pull people up . However , many feel that it will be decades before those top-end rewards are available to SA athletes , and that is perhaps partly the reason we see the ongoing ‘ talent drain ’ from our shores .
“ all competitive athletes want to do better with their next performance , but this challenge for excellence does not just lie with the athlete . The challenge also depends on the system and government policies , starting with education and health ”
Begin with the Basics
Yes , representing one ’ s country is an honour , and in many ways can open doors to sponsorship and reward , but the fact is that without any structure or clearly aligned programmes , the costs of getting to that level are largely being born by individual athletes and their family and friends that can afford to support them . To have the ‘ level playing field ’ that so many talk about will require massive investment , and structures that will take years to construct and put into action . In the meantime , recognition of progression can make a difference , including incentives to get to
Financial incentives should not be reserved only for medallists the next level , not just win medals . Unfortunately , the most essential element to recognising progression has never been put into place … a meaningful measurement system !
About the Author
Norrie represented Scotland and Great Britain in numerous ultra-distance events , then represented South Africa in triathlon . He is a World Athleticsaccredited coach and course measurer , and travels all over the world to work on events , including the Olympics , where he has been part of four Olympic Marathon measurement teams . He has been appointed by World Athletics as Technical Delegate to a number of the world ’ s leading Label events in Africa , Asia and the Middle East . He has authored two books ( Everyman ’ s Guide to Distance Running and Every Beginner ’ s Guide to Walking & Running ), and counts 20 Comrades medals amongst his more than 150 ultra-marathon medals , as well as multiple wins at distances from 100km to 1000km . You can read more from him at www . coachnorrie . co . za . technology , ran a totally unexpected bronze in 2:27:46 . Allowing for heat and humidity , this was probably equivalent to a 2:23:15 , or around a twominute improvement on her 2:25:13 PB .
Pushing the Boundaries
The Mercedes Formula 1 technology clearly brought something extra to the table , which will have had varying degrees of benefit to those athletes wearing PUMA shoes , who collectively garnered 22 gold , 24 silver and 20 bronze medals across the sports in Tokyo . Expect this sort of performance enhancement to continue , and to be extended into other equipment and apparel , as the weightto-strength and aerodynamic knowledge within F1 racing is massive , and will no doubt see the refocus on the sort of technology that prompted sprinter Cathy Freeman into the one-piece aero suit in 2000 . Reducing drag will feature prominently in the PUMA / Mercedes stable as they continue in their quest for “ Stuff that Works ,” and expect other brands to enter similar collaborations with industries that can add benefits . from Mclaughlin , who reduced her 400m hurdles World Record by a further 0.44 seconds to 51.46 as she took gold .
The point is that technological advances are always going to impact on both individual and overall performances , particularly on a four-year cycle , but a substantive measurement / appraisal system will highlight these gains . Measurement , incentive and reward are the keys to progression , and something South Africa lacks . Instead , the powers focus only on those who can make them look good , with medals , without exposing the areas that require attention if we are to progress .
The world ’ s fastest track , according to producer Mondo
Additionally , in Tokyo , track manufacturer Mondo unveiled what it claims is the world ’ s fastest track . The primary difference here is that the benefits were available to all athletes , irrespective of their sponsorship contracts . The addition of ‘ threedimensional rubber ’ grains in a polymer is said to be responsible for the athletes ’ excitement , causing SA ’ s Akani Simbine to state , “ You just feel it , man , you just feel it . You know what fast tracks feel like . And for us , this track is really quick .” American Sydney McLaughlin was more specific : “ Some tracks absorb your motion and force . This one regenerates it and gives it back to you .” That ’ s an important assessment
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