Yaroslava Mahuchikh breaks women's High Jump World Record
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh broke the Women's High Jump's 37-year World record by jumping 2.10m at the Paris Diamond League on Sunday. She had already won the competition before attempting the world record.
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh broke Stefka Kostadinova's Women's High Jump's 37-year World record by jumping 2.10m at the Paris Diamond League on Sunday. Mahuchikh, the 2022 world indoor and 2023 world outdoor champ had already won the competition with a 2.03m high jump.
After winning the competition, Mahuchikh first looked to break her personal record of 2.07m. which she got on the second attempt before getting the World record on her first attempt.
World Athletics' new shoe rule: how will it impact athletes' performance?
World Athletics will enforce a 20mm sole limit for track shoes from Nov 1, 2024, aiming for fairness but sparking debate over its impact on performance.
World Athletics has earlier announced that athletes should wear shoes with a uniform 20-millimeter sole thickness limit for all events. This rule will come into action on November 1st, 2024, marking a notable change in the actions of the athletes.
This rule has been induced to welcome fairness in the game. However, this has sparked controversies. While many athletes have accepted it, some are still in dilemmas about the rule.
Well, let's look at how the rule will impact the performance. However, for now, let's look at the present thickness.
Current Shoe Sole Thickness Rules in Athletics
Presently, there is no such uniformity of sole thickness. Thickness normally varies according to the events in which the athletes participate.
Suppose, in events where an athlete will have run more than 800 meters, shoes are allowed to have a sole up to 25 mm. However, when it comes to shorter distances, the maximum thickness has been limited to 20 mm.
For field events, including the high jump, athletes have a 20mm limit. But for the triple jump, athletes are allowed to wear shoes with soles up to 25mm.
These rules were implemented in January 2022, based on the technological advancements in shoes. However, from 1st November this year, there will be no distinction in sole thickness in different events.
Point to be noted: the rules for road events like marathons and race walks, which permit a 40mm sole thickness, will remain unchanged.
Why is World Athletics enforcing a 20mm sole limit?
The main motto of World Athletics is to ensure fairness. As a result of this, the federation has decided to apply the rule of a uniform 20mm limit to the sole.
In recent years, advances in shoe technology—particularly with thicker soles and carbon fiberplates—have sparked debates about whether these shoes offer athletes some unfair advantage.
Thus, World Athletics created its own Working Group on Athletic Shoes in 2020. The main task of this group is to analyze the impact of shoe technology on performance. They also draftregulations, ensuring that athletes are focusing more on skills and not technology.
The new rule was announced well in advance to give shoe manufacturers ample time to adapt their designs.
Athletes' Reactions to the 20mm Rule Change
Top athletes have had mixed reactions to the upcoming rule. Joshua Cheptegei, the Olympic and World Champion in the 10,000 meters, supports the change, describing it as "for the benefit of the sport."
He added that the thinner soles won’t necessarily lead to slower times, emphasizing that performance is often influenced by an athlete's mindset. Cheptegei also noted that recent shoe technology has aided recovery between training sessions, which could be impacted by the new regulations.
Meanwhile, Muktar Edris, a former two-time 5,000m World Champion, said that a thicker sole helps the athletes, providing them extra "energy" and "push." A reduced sole may hamper a regular action.
The Controversy Surrounding Shoe Technology
The controversy regarding shoe technology is nothing new. Before 2022, the track spikes had soles with thicknesses up to 30 mm.
During the Tokyo Olympics, legendary sprinter Usain Bolt brought this issue to the public, citing the unfair advantage an athlete may receive due to thicker boots. Not only that, but with the increased use of technologically advanced shoes, world records that looked unbreakable are at stake.
Karsten Warholm, the one who holds the World Record in 400m hurdles, also expressed his concern. After winning the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, he questioned the boots of the runner-up, Rai Benjamin.
Warholm made serious claims that Benjamin used thicker Nike soles that provided the later an unfair advantage. Warholm's remarks not only concerned the federation but drew attention to the fine line between technological innovation and "technological doping."
The Impact of Shoe Technology on Performance
Eliud Kipchoge, the first athlete who broke the two-hour marathon barrier in 2019, sparked controversies at his time as well. He used the Nike Alphafly, which featured thick soles and carbon plates. However, the nature of the event didn't let that record count.
Later, World Athletics introduced a rule. It required the new shoes to be in the open market for at least four months prior to the competition. This rule also aspired to thwart athletes with exclusive shoe deals from gaining an unfair advantage.
Will the 20mm sole limit affect athlete performance?
It is not exactly negative, but the athletes will solely depend on their physical abilities and techniques. Yes, a few athletes do consider this to hurt their performance, but just like Cheptegei mentioned, mental resilience and training will play a crucial role in breaking records or achieving personal bests (PB).
Well, a reduced cushion in the sole will demand more energy from the athlete. Thus, athletes need to adjust their training regimes to adapt to the new rules.
World Athletics had mentioned clearly that they want to promote uniformity. They want the athletes to rely on their power and skills, not some technology beneath their feet, that will change and evolve with time.
However, with shoe manufacturers rushing to adapt their designs, the real test will come when athletes compete under the new regulations in 2024.
NEERAJ CHOPRA INJURY: A SAGA OF STRAIN, TECHNIQUE, AND RECOVERY
Neeraj Chopra had his previous groin injury, and has now fractured his hand while practicing, at the Brussels. He took his social media accounts to inform that the Diamond League will be last competition for the year.
The art of javelin throw is a perfect balance of both technique and power. And Neeraj Chopra, who relies mostly on technique, is struggling due to his recurring groin injury With a jam-packed schedule since the last year, he "ignored" the pain, for the sake of participation. However, with a clear window till mid-2025, it is high time for the 2024 Paris Olympics Silver medallist to undergo the required treatment. Additionally, he fractured his hand while practising, during the Brussels Diamond League, thus calling off, for this year, at least.
The Groin Injury: An Unseen Strain Troubling Neeraj Chopra
In 2018, Neeraj Chopra got an inury in his erector muscles which was healed. However, it has resurfaced since last year, at Bhubaneshwar, at the middle of June.
Chopra's physio Ishan Marwah, has been monitoring him closely. he explained the injury in Layman terms- the erector muscles are directly connected to the pelvic bones. Thus the injury is giving strain to the muscles, hampering his normal run up, followed by this throw.
In the most ideal situation, Neeraj would like to increase the speed of his run- up. This needs quicker movement of his right leg and hips. However, the strain is preventing him from doing so, leading to a compromised throwing technique. His block leg, i.e., the left leg, is crucial for delivering power in the final phase of the throw. But with the injury lingering, he’s unable to fully complete that movement. What looks like his signature fall after each throw, is nothing but a visual representation of his technical failures.
Neeraj Chopra crashed on the grown while completeing his first throw, which was a foul, at Paris Olympics Photo Courtesy: Olympics
Technical Hurdles: The Cascade Effect
As mentioned earlier, javelin is a highly technical sport. The body needs to be in motion and in absolute sync. Neeraj Chopra suffering from groin injury has led to a cascading effect on his entire throwing mechanism. As Ishan explained to multiple sources, his right leg is not performing in the required way. Thus, Chopra falls more on his left, bending it slightly, which is, ideally not good for a powerful throw.
The rule books say, the perfect projectile will get the spear fall centrally or slightly to the right. However, in Chopra’s case, the javelin is turning to the left due to him falling leftward at the end of his throw. This is the major flaw he is having due to the injury.
In the last few outings, Chopra hasn’t been in his signature best form. He has an initial season best in the Olympics Qualifier itself with an impressive throw of at 89.34. He sealed the Olympics silver with 89.49 meters in the finals.
Neeraj Chopra sealed the silver medal at Paris Olympics with his season best throw of 89.49 meters
However, his signature "roar" was vividly missing.
The Chicken and Egg Situation: Neeraj Chopra Sandwiched between Injury and Technique
The groin injury has got Neeraj Chopra in a vicious cycle. The injury is hampering his daily practice routine. As per Marwah, Neeraj earlier has to have 2 to 3 sessions of practice each week. Each session has 35 to 40 throws. With the injury becoming a growing concern, Neeraj had to reduce the no of sessions, each having around 20 throws. Lack of practice is affecting his technique, which is directly causing more strain. Again, Ishan clarified that adequate training is the way to cure the strain.
Neeraj, Unlike Arshad Nadeem or the Germans, has depended more on technique and not power. He has his shoulder flexibility as his biggest pros, but with the injury in the scene, things got hampered.
Graphical representation of Neeraj Chopra's winning throw in Tokyo (up) and in Paris (down) Photo Courtesy: Olympics
However, Marwah is optimistic, hoping that proper medical advice and rehabilitation will fully recover Chopra. The latter is having the right shape, and with proper rehabilitation, he can aim to add an extra 3 to 4 meters to his throw. However, that requires adequate rest, and avoiding risks, which calls for skipping certain competitions.
Neeraj Chopra signs off for 2024, with hand injury
Soon after the Brussels Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra took to his social media handle to inform about his hand injury. He informed, that he had fractured the fourth metacarpal in his left hand during practice. He thus, is calling off his professional participation, for this year. Despite this, Chopra sealed a second position, that too by missing the 24-carat Diamond, by just a centimetre (87.86 m).
As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned through the year - about improvement, setbacks, mentality and more.
On Monday, I injured myself in practice and x-rays showed that I had fractured the fourth metacarpal in my left hand. It was another painful… pic.twitter.com/H8nRkUkaNM
A gold in the Tokyo Olympics has raised the expectations bar to such a level, that whiskers feel like major losses. The present air is more concerned about him touching the magic 90 m Mark, more than him recovering.
With the groin injury being a major issue, the fracture has gotten Neeraj Chopra an “added advantage” to pull off the curtain for now. As the javelin world awaits to see what comes next for him, one thing is certain: his determination, resilience, and unmatched focus will continue to push him forward. At days, it should be recovery, more than crossing 90 meters on the court.
India "and" Pakistan: Instances when sport promoted peace
Pakistan showed two sides in the last month-waving China's flag in the Asian Champions Trophy final and posing with the Indian contingent and flag at the chess Olympiad. Here are four instances when the neighbor showed respect to the Indian flag.
The Pakistan team was heavily trolled when they waved the Chinese flag in the India versus China match in Asian Champions Trophy final match in China. But then, a totally different picture came in front when pakistani chess players chose to appreciate the Indian Contingents. India, standing out as the winner in both male and female and male chess Olympiads, got a heartwarming but not unusual gesture from the Pakistani contingent.
Pakistan players chose to pose with the Indian players, holding the flag. The photo stands out as an utmost flagbearer of peace.
For a long time, critics and enthusiasts have been trying to promote sports as a mode of friendship. and why not! Seeing the two neighbours excelling simultaneously should be a matter of pride! But whenever situations favoured, trolls took the internet.
Pakistani fans donning Virat Kohli's jersey to Indian fans appreciating rookies like Shaheen Shah. the 90s kids have been idolizing both Sachin Tendulkar and Wasim Akram at its peak! Yet the tag "big-arc' rival got stuck to these countries due to geopolitical unrest!
A fan who has always wanted to shed off the hate every time a Mohammed Amir hugs a Virat Kohli is presenting four such instances when the GAME PROMOTED PEACE AND NOT HATERED!
Shahid Afridi
A household name, may be for his excellence or for him coming back from retirements, had shown his respect for his neighbour in 2018.
2018 St. Moritz Cricket Tournament in Switzerland, a tournament was played on frozen lake in sub-zero temperature. A matting wicket was made on the ice to play. A charity match where not just Afridi but legends like Shoaib Akhter, Virender Shehwag, Zaheer Khan, Graeme Smith, Andrew Symonds, and many others attended.
A handful of Indian and Pakistani fans were there, who urged Afridi to pose with them. One had an Indian flag that crumbled when Afridi requested "flag seeda rakho apna (straighten your flag).
This broke the internet with love. Not only that, he acknowledged fans from both countries for showering the bulk of love he got.
Even in a Legends' League match, he was seen giving an autograph to an Indian fan on his flag.
Amidst trolls for mimicking KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's departure to him, there's another side to this young left arm fast bowler.
During the Asia Cup, when the suspended match at Colombo frowned the fans, Shaheen brought a gift to his contemporary best Jasprit Bumrah, and definitely some awe moment to the fans.
Shaheen congratulated Bumrah for his baby boy and gifted him stuffs for his son Angad. Burmah's wife, the sports presenter Sanjana Ganseshan too appreciated Shaheen's gesture.
An introduction to Shaheen's kindness is now leading to gate where he showed respect to Bumrah's country. In the 2022 World Cup match at Sydney, Shaheen was seen sighing an Indian flag offered by a fan.
Arshad Nadeem
The bromance between Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra is not unknown to the athletics fan. The amount of respect each one has for the other has reached to their own residence, with their mothers claiming the other athlete as like their own son.
However, the competition here is not exactly "fierce," as in cricket. The mutual respect has restricted it to "entertaining" competitions. A proof? Definitely!
The Budapest World Championships got the first ever medallist for Pakistan. It was their Arshad Nadeem winning the silver with a throw of 87.82 metres. Neeraj Chopra got the gold with 88.17 m.
However, Nadeem felt short of Pakistan's flag while posing. When Neeraj offering his own flag, Nadeem accepted to stand holding it and pose, showing respect not just to his mate but to India as well.
Not so common name for the common fans, but the Salman Khan fan and a Karate champion Shahzaib Rindh held both Pakistan and India's flags promoting peace.
In a Karate combat event, the Pak rising star defeated the Indian opponent Rana Singh by 2-1 contest. However, emerging victorious, he waved both the flags and voiced his urge to promote peace.
“This fight was for peace. We are not enemies, we are together. Together we can do anything. This fight is for Pakistan and India’s friendship and being closer,” Shahzaib stated after the fight.
His words resonated deeply with fans, transcending the realm of sports and entering the realm of diplomacy. Shahzaib’s act was a reminder that sports can also inspire unity, not just rivalry.
Here are just four instances when an athlete kept rivalry aside, by respecting the flag. But there are a good number of off-field stories that promotes love and respect between players and fands of two countries.
Amidst all the hate and political dipolitics that have poisoned the air, isn't it high time to promote sports as a torchbearer of peace and brotherhood?
A lot of instances have seen cricket being differentiated from other sports. Especially, in South Asian countries, where cricket rules a fraternity, "sports" look doomed. An established "Cricket versus Sports" league is not a 2-month long tournament. It's an age-long duel with apparent results. But, is cricket guilty?
If we look back, Cricket was not as big as it is now. Restricted within the allies of a colonized country, cricket was just a time pass. 36 years to Independence, but a famous singer (Lata Mangeshkar) had to arrange a charity musical show to gather prize money for the 1983 World Cup Winners.
The image of Kapil lifting the World Cup trophy from the iconic Lord's balcony. Photo Collcted.
India gained some confidence since then. the biggest boost came after the win in the inaugurating T20 World Cup Win. 2007, 24the September, exactly 20 years back, the seed of the cash-rich league got sown.
Indian Premier League, started in 2008, is the biggest source of money earning for BCCI. Keeping aside BCCI, the neighbouring cricketing nations have their cricket board more powerful than the other boards. But is this a fault of Cricket?
"Athletes" ignites the fire of "Cricket versus Sport" League
India won its second T20I World Cup after ending its 11 years of drought. The fans who were frustrated for a decade finally got one thing to celebrate. The Marine Drive got flooded with people. The Wankahde Stadium showed all its suppresed love to the team.
The Indian team received a grand welcome at the Mumbai's Marine Drive that was followed by a felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium. AP
But this has triggered athletes from different sports. Names like Chirag Shetty and Saina Nehwal came into the limelight criticizing the sport. When Shetty wanted equal recognition for India's win in the last Uber Cup, Saina went a step ahead. Her view was simple- people wouldn't even hate cricket even if she did so. But, why would someone hate cricket?
This is not a once or twice-told story. This widespread competition with cricket is not new. But is cricket a foe to other sports? Here are a few stories of "influence" and "idolization" in the recent past, not only from India but from neighbors too.
Sri Lanka Cricket funded CWG participating athletes.
Palitha Bandara recorded a distance of 44.20 meters and won the silver medal for Sri Lanka. Photo collected
The pre-2022 Commonwealth Games has seen an economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Not just economic, but the life on the island was distressed. The then Prime Minister Rajadhakshya fled from the country. Sri Lanka since its independence faced their record crisis.
The country fell short of food and fuel. The pandemic had already hit the Sports authorities. The crisis increased the hardships. They ran out of money. The situation was so pathetic that the boards couldn't manage transport to send the accessories to the athletes
At a point, the country thought of withdrawing its name from the Birmingham CWG. But at that very moment, Sri Lanka Cricket stepped in.
The board contributed 22 million Sri Lankan Rupees to the athletes participating. They hosted Australia and gathered the amount, despite the fears of the crowd ruining it.
Cricket Sri Lanka tried to cover all the funds. However, the athletes still had limited athleisure. CWG authorities too came in help for the athletes. Sri Lanka finished the CWG Campaign with four medals (one silver and three bronze).
Pakistan Cricket Board- the unsung sponsor for Arshad Nadeem
Arshad Nadeem Won the gold medal for Pakistan, at Paris Olympics. Photo coutesy: Olympics
The Paris Olympics Gold medallist Arshad Nadeem was initially an age-group cricket player, His focus later shifted to javelin through which Pakistan got its first medal after 1992.
Arshad Nadeem registered a monstrous throw of 92.97 metres sealing the gold for his country. Earlier he won the silver at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Budapest, with a throw of 87.82 meters. He gave Pakistan’s first-ever medal at the World Athletics Championships.
But what did Pakistan give him? ignorance! The Commonwealth champion earlier expressed that he has been using a javelin for the last 8 years. His bosom friend and admirer Neeraj Chopra from India tweeted, urging the Pakistan Government to buy Nadeem news javelins.
Nadeem hails from Punjab's Miyan Channu village. Struggling themselves, the villagers funded him for his Olympic campaign. Added, that it was the Pakistan Cricket Bard who sponsored him.
PCB also financed Nadeem and his coach Salman Fayyaz Butt's air tickets.
Earlier BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced financial aid for the Olympians.BCCI granted Rs. 8.5 Crores (approximately $1.03 million) to the Indian Olympic Association for their Olympics campaign.
Recently a new NCA (National Cricket Academy) is near completion. The old existing facilities at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in the city center will be upgraded to a multi-sport training facility.
Apart from the cricketers, it will open doors for the Olympians too. NCA will have new facilities that will let them train there.
The new facilities will have World-Class Playing Grounds will have:
45 Practice Pitches: A variety of pitches to cater to different training needs.
Indoor Cricket Facilities: For year-round practice and skill development.
Olympic-Sized Swimming Pool: To aid in recovery and cross-training for athletes.
State-of-the-Art Training and Recovery Facilities: Equipped with the latest sports science technology to help athletes maintain peak physical condition and recover efficiently from injuries.
Cricketer- "athlete" collaboration
When one section came forward criticizing the fame, the other one took it handy to make their own.
Mahi's influence
Speaking about Swapnil Kusale, he himself mentioned that he doesn't follow any other sport apart from shooting. But he follows Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Kusale, who is an Indian Railways employee is a ticket checker like Dhoni. It took him 12 years to feature in the Olympics. And take India's first ever 10m Rifle position 3 medal. The Asian Games Champion accepted that MS's calm personality helps him to stay calm in chaos.
One of the biggest heartbreak for any badminton fan was Lakshya Sen's exit from the Olympics without a medal. The Chinese Lee Zii Jia shattered Sen's bronze medal dream.
But Sen's popularity is still unmatched in the sports arena. Even though he is "big," he still wants to "be the Virat Kohli of Indian badminton in coming years." In "The Ranveer Show" podcast he expressed his admiration for Kohli.
The other name that comes in the list is Nitesh Kumar. The Olympic Champion in the Men's Singles SL3 category is a Kohli fan. His winning celebration had some glimpses of Kohli's aggression.
But Nitesh's love for Kohli is not limited to celebrations. After succumbing to a deadly injury in Vizag, he started upgrading his badminton skills. Not only that, he delved himself into fitness, inspired by the 2013 version of Kohli.
P.R Sreejesh celebrated in his unique style after winning the bronze medal at paris. (Reuters Photo)
Soon after retirement, Indian Men's Hockey team goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh was assigned to train the junior hockey team. The two-time Olympic Bronze medallist was delighted to get this role. he not only talked about the future prospects but did mentioned about Rahul Dravid.
"The Wall" of Indian Hockey looked upon "The Wall" of Indian Cricket when it came to coaching. The way Dravid devoted himself to training the cricketing juniors, Seejesh is looking forward to doing the same for his sports.
The 2028 Olympics will feature Cricket after 128 years. The brand value of Virat Kohli played a pivotal role in the addition of cricket. But as Sunil Chhetri, the Indian former captain of Indian Football once said, Cricket excelling is great for that country. Then, how does that justify other sports not getting the "love" cricket gets?
How does that justify Chirag Shetty repeatedly slipping down on the court, in the Olympics quarterfinal, having his partner Sattwikraj Rankireddy as the lone warrior?
How does that justify the associations not getting enough funds and definitely investing to find talent?
How does that justify archers failing to read the wind in bigger stages?
It's an open-ended question. Is it cricket the enemy, or the system? Is cricket actually an enemy or a friend in need?
India At Paris Olympics 2024 Day 12 (7th August) Highlights | Antim Panghal's campaign ends; India's challenge ended in women’s table tennis team event; Vinesh Phogat disqualified from Women's 50kg Wrestling final; Mirabai Chanu finishes fourth, misses to win India's 4th medal
Catch all the LIVE updates of Day 12 of India At Paris Olympics 2024 as Mirabai Chanu is ready to start her campaign while Antim Panghal will be in action in the Women's Freestyle 53kg 1/8 Final.
Hello and welcome to Sportz Point's coverage of India AtParis Olympics 2024Day 12 (7th August) as Indian athletes look for more medals at the Olympics.
So far, India's three medals have come from shooting, and with the shooting event getting over, our focus has shifted to athletics.
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