All is not well with Australian running.
Sure, we can point to global medal success by a few Australian runners since 2000. Since the Olympic Games 400-metre win by Cathy Freeman in 2000, Australia has produced a number of medalists: Jana Pitman (400m hurdles), Steve Mongehetti (marathon), Craig Mottram (5000m) and Sally Pearson (100m hurdles).
But, Table 1 (IAAF data) indicates that the performance of Australian runners has declined substantially since 2000 in terms of the number of top 50 individual performers. Whereas 31 Australians made the top 50 lists in 2000, the figure had declined to 11 by 2013.
In terms of the number of events where Australia had more than one individual among the top 50 world performers, Australia achieved this feat 10 times in 2000 but zero in 2013, thus highlighting a severe lack of depth in Australia’s running stocks at present.
Table 1
|
00 |
GB |
02 |
03 |
04 |
05 |
06 |
07 |
08 |
09 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
GB |
|
|
100m Male |
2 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Female |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
200m Male |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
Female |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
400m Male |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
|
Female |
3 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
800m Male |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Female |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
1500m Male |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Female |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
|
5000m Male |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Female |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
10000m Male |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Female |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Marathon Male |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Female |
ND |
ND |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
100/110m Hurd |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Female |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
400m hurdles M |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
|
Female |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
3000m steepleM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Female |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Total |
31 |
31 |
20 |
20 |
10 |
16 |
24 |
16 |
15 |
24 |
14 |
13 |
13 |
11 |
49 |
|
Year |
00 |
GB |
02 |
03 |
04 |
05 |
06 |
07 |
08 |
09 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
GB |
Table 2, which examines the top 100 world performer lists, also indicates a decline in the number of Australians from 59 in 2000 to 30 in 2013. More dramatic in terms of decline, the number of events per year where Australia has three or more individuals in the top 100 has reduced from 13 to just two in 2013.
Table 2: Number of Australians among top 100 world individuals for running events 2000-2013 (excluding 2001); Number of British athletes for years 2000 and 2013.
|
00 |
GB |
02 |
03 |
04 |
05 |
06 |
07 |
08 |
09 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
GB |
|
|
100m Male |
2 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
|
Female |
3 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
|
200m Male |
4 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
NA |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
|
Female |
5 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
|
400m Male |
3 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
NA |
4 |
7 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
|
Female |
7 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
|
800m Male |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
NA |
2 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Female |
4 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
|
1500m Male |
1 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
|
Female |
5 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
|
5000m Male |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
|
Female |
6 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
|
10000m Male |
2 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
|
Female |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
NA |
0 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
Marathon Male |
1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Female |
ND |
ND |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
100/100m hurd Male |
1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Female |
2 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
400m hurd Male |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
|
Female |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
|
3000m steeple Male |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
Female |
ND |
ND |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
NA |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
Total |
59 |
61 |
41 |
31 |
31 |
34 |
43 |
37 |
38 |
38 |
28 |
32 |
30 |
84 |
|
|
00 |
GB |
02 |
03 |
04 |
05 |
06 |
07 |
08 |
09 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
GB |
So why the decline of Australian running?
Is Australia’s decline the result of a tougher stance by ASADA towards drugs? After all, WADA data indicates that there is still a long way to go before it can be claimed that all national IAAF affiliates have the same stringent level of testing.
Perhaps, but Great Britain has demonstrated that significant running success can still be achieved despite tougher national testing. In 2012, the ASADA conducted 245 drug tests on Australian track and field athletes, and UK Anti-Doping conducted 507 tests.
Great Britain, which had a similar number of top 50 and top 100 performers as Australia in 2000 (see tables 1 and 2), has improved substantially from 31 to 49 between 2000 and 2013 with regard to the top 50, and from 61 to 84 in relation to the top 100.
Further, the number of events per year where Great Britain has more than one individual among the top 50 world performers for a single event increased from 11 to 12, while the number of events where they had three or more individuals in the top 100 rose from 13 to 16.
Is Australia’s running decline the result of a lack of participants? Perhaps. Although Athletic Australia’s 2012-13 annual report suggests that 22,149 athletes were registered in 2012-13, numbers have hovered mostly between 14,000 and 16,000 for the period from 1999-2000 to 2010-11 after being around 25,000 during the 1970s.
The ABS also indicates that there were 45,900 boys and 42,700 girls (aged 5 to 14) registered in track and field during 2012, although it is suggested that a lack of cooperation between Little Athletics and Athletics Australia results in a high proportion of youngsters leaving the sport each year.
Australian athletics also still receives substantial public resources, not far behind the UK when per capita spending is considered. While UK Sport indicates that athletics got £25,148,000 for the 2009-2013 period, and will receive £26,824,206 for the next period to Rio (2016) and beyond, Athletics Australia was given $6,570,000 for its high-performance program for 2013-14 alone, although just $296,400 for boosting participation.
In terms of direct payments to top athletes, while UK Sport provides a maximum award payment of £27,737 for a global athletics championship medallist and £20,804 for a top eight finish, Australia provides $40,000 for its small number of similar level athletes.
There are no excuses for Australia’s declining running performance beyond the nation doing more to encourage track and field participation. After all, Australia is blessed with good weather and an abundance of all-weather running tracks that are easily accessible to interested individuals.
In an era where regular global IAAF competition is more frequent, with a major global championship held three of every four years, along with a lucrative annual Diamond League circuit (14 meetings in 2014), Australian running has failed despite receiving substantial public resources towards its elite program.
mark b
Guest
Compare how many Olympic pools we have, compared to 400 metre running Tracks . In Perth , we have two 400 metre running tracks to 20 or more Olympic pools . In London, they have more than twenty 400 metre running tracks . I think they're a correlation between lack of tracks & lack of success on the track . Get councils to construct more public 400-metre running tracks .
mal
Guest
go back to the 60's and 70s we had even more talent. Don't forget Doubell, Ron Clarke, Peter Norman. Herb Elliot. We had Olympic finalists all over the place. They were comepting becasue they loved to compete and win. Money was secondary, but did come to some. You can't put in what's not there. MOney is not always the driver. Its nice, but if you aren't personally driven it won't get you there.
twodogs
Guest
I'm sure we'd cough up a fair amount of talent if there was known dollars available for a potential world class athlete to forgo other wordly activities. Look back to the years when nearly everyone had f***all and still get by. We had some good ones. $'s are the prime objective these days. After my 3 kids doing little A's '98-'07 I found it well, a little condescending to the child and also parent. It certainly put my eldest off who was a very good hurdler. My league friend in the '70s (at 14yo) he was the fastest dude I'd ever seen. 11.1 for 100m. I was 12 + and I thought I was quick. Anyway, he declined many offers to go further. He smoked pot instead. 37 years on, he still is... The talent is around but, how do we make it bloom?
peter robinson
Guest
Check out our current relay teams. On times they are totally uncompetitive with Aussie relay teams from the 70's onwards.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
David, I will complete athletics tables in next week or so as part of a wider academic article study. Will present tables in further Aust aths article on Roar.
David Culbert
Guest
Nice work Chris. Would love to see the same analysis on field events to get a total picture... but well done on compiling these.
Johnno
Guest
Australia in the 1990's-2000 was a golden time for Australian athletics, producing alot of talent Men Matt Shirvington, Patrick Johnson Daniel Batman Kyle vander kuyp Craig Mottram Women Cathy Freeman Melinda Gainsford Kerry Saxby Jane Saville Jana Pittman Tamsin Lewis Nova-Peris Tania Van Heer But some World class athletes there who also were good at promoting the sport.
BenG
Guest
"It’s tough to compete when some of your top juniors are offered Aussie Rules or rugby league contracts aged 15. " Agreed, the increasing professionalism of junior football codes in the last 10 years or so is probably why we don't see as many world-class athletes coming through the ranks. A case in point being Jarryd Hayne, he was a top level sprinter yet turned to league. For the men at least how many of our potential 100m runners are in league/union backlines or on the wing for soccer and AFL, throwers in the front row forwards, distance runners who can go all day in the AFL midfield or soccer? In a more limited population like ours people will go where the money and opportunities are and it's a lot easier to make a footy team of which there are many than be one of 8 people worldwide in a Diamond League finals event! For the girls I'm not sure, maybe a general (and I am being very general here!) trend of it's not cool to be seen as sporty from mid-teens onwards? And overall kids probably aren't being as active as in the past anyway, a good athletic base is built doing multiple sports when young.
Joel Clarke
Roar Pro
I went to school and know of one of the countries best sprinters and he quit due to the lack of funding and that to make a living is extremely difficult unless you have significant financial backing. Also if you are not successful, there is no payment.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
yes, numbers alone don't always tell story. We may also see an improvement in coming years. However, in contrast to GB where athletics is one of most popular sports to watch, I think we need much more interest in the sport if we are to boost future performance. Solomon proves we still have talented runners, but the numbers since 2000 do suggest a lack of depth by world standards.
jameswm
Roar Guru
There are a number of reasons for the decline on those lists: - if you look at middle/long distance, our numbers are down. I don't know if our actual performances are though. I think this is mainly because the Africans, and particularly Kenya and Ethiopia, now have an absolute production line of runners. I'm not sure if our performances are down, but competition is tough - looking at 2013, we had no Steve Solomon, I think Pearson was injured, no Hooker, and others were injured There are however a lot of reasons for hope: - Athletics Australia and Little Athletics are much closer than they were. For example, in NSW (and I assume all states) if you register for LAs, you can register for Seniors for free. And vice versa; - a lot of Little As clubs are starting their own senior clubs. Off the top of my head, big Sydney clubs like Cherrybrook, Hills and Balmain have both LAs and seniors. Others have links with senior clubs, like Randwick Botany/South Sydney, Southeastern/RBH. - there are some really strong schools programs that go year round. In Sydney Trinity sit at the top of the tree with fantastic facilities and coaches and their own athletics club. They even have top female juniors, and boys from other schools, who train there after hours and run for the club as well. Other schools like Westfield Sports, St Josephs and Scots have their own senior athletic clubs as well, with Barker and Knox following suit or about to. Other private schools are getting in on the act, letting kids do athletics as their summer sport - Little Athletics have just started (2-3 years ago) a transition camp for their top U14s. These kids, from all Little As state associations, spend 3-4 days at the AIS, to meet others, train, learn, and generally get excited about the sport. This gives them exposure and a springboard for seniors, because 12-14 is about the age where the transition has to be made. This is a great way to keep the top juniors in the sport, though at that age the top performers tend to just be the most developed kids (it's usually evened out by 15-16). - at last year's world Youth champs, Australia won 3 gold (all by comfortable margins) and 2 bronze. They finished 4th on the medal table, behind only Jamica, Kenya and Ethiopia. Yes - they beat the USA on that table, China, Russia and Germany. Yes those others got more overall medals (we got more gold which puts us higher), but we were still 8th on overall medals - the year before at world juniors, we were =6th on medals won (though down the table as none were gold). - we have just sent our largest ever team to the World Juniors in Oregon later this month. To be selected, you need to meet tough selection criteria, being in the top 16-20 in the world (as a junior) based on performances the year before. This year 61 made it, and a couple more for the multi events I think were added to that. I do agree that our level dropped, but it is starting to pick up again. Athletics Australia, the state Associations and Little As are putting a lot of effort in and have started working together. It's tough to compete when some of your top juniors are offered Aussie Rules or rugby league contracts aged 15. This will probably all take 10 years or so to bear fruit. Let's see where we are in 2024.
mal
Guest
Institutes of sport do little for local athletics. Elite coaching and benefits sound great, but at the end of the day its large numbers and tough competition that improves results.