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World Athletics will trial a new format for the long jump this year in a bid to reduce the number of fouls in competition, but the idea of changing the long-standing event has been met with much criticism.
Data from last year’s World Championships in Budapest revealed that a third of attempts ended in no-jumps as competitors tried to push the limits of their boards. World Athletics believes this detracts from the entertainment value of the event.
John Ridgeon, CEO of World Athletics, said: Something other than football The podcast said that under the new format, all jumps will be legal as long as they take off from a new “jump zone.” After that, the distance from the place where takeoff took place is measured.
While the proposal is likely to result in longer distances being achieved, it also removes the need for athletes to perfectly time their run-up, which the sporting world says could lead to a reduction in the level of skill required. They will also be criticized.
“We measure from where the athlete takes off to where they land in the pit,” Ridgeon said. “That means every single jump matters. It adds even more danger and drama to the competition.
“We’ll spend this year testing it in real-world conditions with some very good athletes. If it doesn’t pass the test, we’ll never deploy it. At the same time, it will take 20 to 30 minutes before we see results. We’re looking at ways to get instant results so you don’t have to wait seconds.”
Carl Lewis, the legendary American long jumper turned coach, criticized the plan on social media, tweeting: “April Fool’s jokes should wait until April 1st.”
He added, “I think it confirms what I’ve been saying all along, that the long jump is the most difficult event in track and field. It just removes the most difficult skill from the event. Free throws. Make the free throw basket bigger because so many people miss. What do you think?”
The days of carefully prepared takeoff boards may soon be a thing of the past
(Getty Images)
The plan is part of a broader push by World Athletics to modernize the sport and increase its dwindling audience.
Ridgeon accepted that the plan was likely to face negative feedback. “You can’t change a sport that was basically invented 150 years ago without some controversy,” he said. “If you’ve dedicated your life to hitting the takeoff board perfectly, and then suddenly you translate that to the takeoff zone, we understand that there may be some resistance at first.
“We’re going to spend this year testing it in real-world situations with some very good athletes. If it doesn’t pass the test, we’ll never introduce it. We’re not going to introduce it on a whim. We’ll spend the next two years testing it in real-world situations. This is not just about next year, it’s about making sure we have a sport that is fit for purpose for the next 150 years.”
Comments on social media suggested that track and field fans generally agree with Lewis on the problem with the proposal, which would take away a key skill from jumping.
“Terrible idea,” tweeted @charlie_pearce. “It fundamentally changes the nature of the competition. Next, will the HJ/PV clearance margin be added to the height? Will the javelin be measured from the release point? And will that be the case in lower level competition? How is it done?”
And @ConlansDad tweeted: “Historically, the long jump has been about precision in hitting the board in addition to distance. Should we let shot putters leave the hoop? Shouldn’t we put the baton pass where the team wants it and create a passing zone? ?”