Hey guys, don't you find athletics boring? I enjoyed running cross-country but attending athletic events was a pain. I remember spending a whole afternoon waiting to see Hasely Crawford run ( he won of course ) and thought even then there had to be a better way.
First off, let's get rid of most of the distances competitors run and scrap all the current field events with the exception of one. My competition looks like this;
Foot race
No starting blocks.
50 metres sprint, starting at the 60 metre mark, runners line up in two parallel lines and go head-to-head like top fuel eliminators, winner to the next round, losers to a repechage. The top two times that are also winners in each round face one another in the final ( all losers can only be second or third at best ). The race is a flying 50 metres. No false starts, just are you fast, and the event takes place across two lanes while the field events are taking place.
Middle and longer distance - scratch and handicap
If handicapped the result is first across the line wins. If an event from scratch ( all start at the start and run the same distance ) then points are awarded for race performance.
Scratch 800 metres - first across the line at 400 metres scores a point, then points at the finish.
First - 4 points, Second - 2 points, Third - 1 point, Mid-race 1 point. In a tie mid-race decides.
Like this - a runner wins the race but he was at the back at the end of the first lap = 4 points.
Then the guy who comes second was second from last mid-race = 2 points
The guy who was third won the mid-race = 2 points.
Gold - 4 points
Silver - the person third across the line with the mid-race victory.
Bronze - the guy second across the line and second from last at the end of the first lap.
This structure prevents runners from hanging around the back and sprinting at the end. It rewards those who do well and try during the race.
Scratch 1600 metres - 4 laps - mid-race points scored at lap 2 and 3. This lets the field sort itself out during the first lap; 1 point each mid-race winner, first three across the line at the finish score.
First - 5 points, Second - 3 points, Third - 2 points, Mid-race - 1 point. If a competitor won both mid-race points and came second, he'd win the race as clearly he had done the best.
Scratch 3200 metres - 8 laps - mid-race points scored at 2,3,4,5,6. First across the line at lap 8 - 10 points, Second - 5 points, Third - 3 points.
Once again it is possible for those who make an effort mid-race to achieve a high place.
Finish outside the top 5 though and points wouldn't count. For points to count, the runner must finish in the top 5.
This structure keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, with something always happening.
The event could start with middle distance handicap, then scratch races, culminating in sprint eliminator with field events at the same time as the sprints.
Field events - scrap all current field events apart from the pole vault, which would be changed to jumping through a target window, which must be penetrated without touching the sides.
Basketball shooting - points scored 1, 2, 3, 5, 6; in one minute from pre-determined points.
Soccer kick accuracy - points scored for hitting the target at pre-determined points, more points scored the harder the kick, such as bending the ball around an obstacle.
Rugby passing - hit the target, suits all forms of hand-held ball sports. Once again more points from farther away and around an obstacle.
Standing jump, good for basketball and volleyball players and lineout jumpers, hit the tag with your hand, height raised until there is a winner.
Running jump - same as for standing but allowed a run up.
In all there are 6 field events, and 4 running distances meaning 8 events both scratch and handicap.
Relays could be held, say 50 + 1600 + 20 baskets at 20 feet + 800 metres.
A field event could be added I call a bat and ball biathlon, hitting and throwing a ball like a cricket or baseball, miss and they have to run a set distance - first across the line wins.
What do you think?
Famous races from history, how would they look if my system was used? Obviously races would be run differently, so bear that in mind, but just for arguments sake;
1976 1500 metres Montreal - the result stays the same but the winner John Walker scores 6 points as he won lap 3 and the finish. But the bronze would be in play as Eamon Coughlan came fourth but won a lap, if he'd taken another one he'd displace Wellman for third based on race performance.
1980 800 metres Moscow - the bronze would go to the Brazilian Agberto Guimaraes and not the Soviet runner Kirov. Guimaraes won the mid-race and came fourth ( remember my rule you have to be top five for the points to count ). This is fairer as the Brazilian ran a good race and did better, with the Soviet runner simply cashing in at the end.
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