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World Athletics is planning to test out a different style for the long jump in an effort to decrease the amount of fouls during competitions. However, the decision to alter this traditional event has been met with a lot of disapproval.
Last year’s World Championships in Budapest showed that 33% of jumps were unsuccessful, as athletes push the boundaries of the board. This is something that World Athletics believes detracts from the excitement of the event.
According to World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon, the revised format will permit all jumps as long as they originate from a designated “jump zone.” The distance will then be determined from the point of take-off.
The suggestion could potentially result in increased distances, however, it may also lead to criticism that the sport is lowering its standards as athletes would no longer need to master their approach timing.
Ridgeon explained that the distance between the athlete’s takeoff point and landing spot in the pit will be measured. This means that every jump will be considered and contribute to the excitement and tension of the competition.
“This year, we will conduct tests with highly skilled athletes in real-life situations to determine the effectiveness of our product. If it does not meet our standards during testing, we will not proceed with its launch. Additionally, we are also exploring methods to provide immediate results, eliminating the need to wait 20-30 seconds for the results to appear.”
American long jump icon turned coach, Carl Lewis, expressed disapproval of the proposed plans on social media. In a tweet, he joked, “April Fools jokes should wait until April 1st.”
He stated, “I believe this supports my previous statement that the long jump is the most challenging event in track and field. This would essentially remove the most difficult aspect of the event. Perhaps we should enlarge the basket for free throws since many struggle to make them. What are your thoughts?”
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“Prepared take-off boards may soon become obsolete.”
The proposal is a component of a larger effort by World Athletics to modernize the athletic industry and increase declining viewership.
Ridgeon acknowledged that there may be criticism of the plan. He stated, “It is inevitable that there will be some backlash when trying to make changes in a sport that has been around for 150 years.” He also recognized that those who have devoted themselves to perfecting the take-off board may resist the switch to a take-off zone.
“We plan to conduct tests this year with highly skilled athletes in real-life situations. If the tests are unsuccessful, we will not implement the idea. We are not haphazardly introducing new things; rather, we are dedicated to thoroughly testing and refining them over the next two years. Our goal is not just to focus on the upcoming year, but to ensure that our sport remains suitable and relevant for the next 150 years.”
Social media comments indicated that most athletics enthusiasts agreed with Lewis regarding the issues with the proposed changes, which would diminish a vital skill in jumping events.
“@charlie_pearce tweeted his disapproval of the idea, stating that it completely alters the essence of the competition. He also questioned if this change would lead to further alterations such as adding clearance margins to high jump and pole vault heights, or measuring javelin throws from the release point. He also raised concerns about the feasibility of implementing this at smaller meets.”
@ConlansDad posed the question: “Is it fair to allow shot putters to step out of the ring? Should baton exchanges have no specific passing zone, similar to long jumping where precision is a factor?”
The given source is “The Independent” website.
