Recent Commonwealth Games athletics results (1998-2014) indicate to me that Australia’s performance continues to decline.
While England too found it hard to win gold medals in 2014 compared to past Commonwealth Games, table 1 indicates that Australia’s 2014 team won just nine medals (six gold) individual events, far below the 27 medals (10 gold) achieved in 1998.
Table 1: Total top 8 (T8) Individual Athletics finishes and medals (M) won (golds in brackets) Commonwealth Games 1998-2014.
|
98 |
98 |
02 |
02 |
06 |
06 |
10 |
10 |
14 |
14 |
||
|
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
||
|
Total |
Aust |
54 |
27(10) |
47 |
21(5) |
67 |
25(9) |
36 |
11(6) |
41 |
9(6) |
|
Eng |
74 |
26(8) |
80 |
22(10) |
52 |
16(6) |
62 |
18(3) |
65 |
19(2) |
|
|
T- Men |
Aust |
23 |
9(3) |
20 |
7(1) |
33 |
13(4) |
22 |
7(4) |
16 |
2(1) |
|
Eng |
39 |
13(5) |
40 |
12(6) |
24 |
6(3) |
33 |
12(2) |
28 |
7(2) |
|
|
T-Women |
Aust |
31 |
18(7) |
27 |
14(4) |
34 |
12(5) |
14 |
4(2) |
25 |
7(5) |
|
Eng |
35 |
13(3) |
40 |
10(4) |
28 |
10(3) |
29 |
6(1) |
37 |
12(0) |
In terms of running events, Australia’s 2014 team won just 3 medals (2 gold) compared to 10 medals (3 golds) in 1998.
Further, Australia had no male or female finalist in either the 100, 200m or 400m sprints, a feat perhaps unprecedented at the Commonwealth Games level.
Perhaps this explains why Australia’s relay teams performed so poorly time-wise in 2014, amongst the slowest major championship times for many decades. The men’s 4x400m team ran 3:04.19, compared to the Australian record of 2:59.70 (1984). The women’s 4x400m team went 3:30.27, much slower than the Australian best of 3:23.81 (2000). The 1972 women’s 4x400m Olympic team ran 3:28.8.
Table 2: Total top 8 (T8) individual running finishes and medals (M) won (golds in brackets) Commonwealth Games 1998-2014.
|
1998 |
1998 |
2002 |
2002 |
2006 |
2006 |
2010 |
2010 |
2014 |
2014 |
||
|
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
||
|
100m |
Aust m |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Aus w |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
200m |
Aust m |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
2 |
2(1) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1(1) |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
3 |
2(1) |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
400m |
Aust m |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1(1) |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1(1) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
800m |
Aust m |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
1500m |
Aust m |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1(1) |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2(1) |
2 |
1(1) |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
5000m |
Aust m |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
3 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
2 |
1(1) |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1(1) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
10000m |
Aust m |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Marathon |
Aust m |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1(1) |
|
Eng m |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
2 |
2(1) |
3 |
3(1) |
3 |
1(1) |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Eng w |
2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
110/100h |
Aust m |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
2 |
1(1) |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3(1) |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Aus w |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1(1) |
3 |
1(1) |
|
|
Eng w |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
400mH |
Aust m |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1(1) |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1(1) |
2 |
1(1) |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
3000m St |
Aust m |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|||||
|
Eng w |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|||||
|
Total |
Aust |
25 |
10(3) |
21 |
10(2) |
31 |
8(3) |
20 |
4(1) |
16 |
3(2) |
|
Eng |
32 |
11(2) |
35 |
5(4) |
24 |
8(2) |
31 |
7(2) |
31 |
7(0) |
|
|
Total M |
Aust |
10 |
2(0) |
9 |
4(0) |
13 |
3(1) |
14 |
2(0) |
5 |
1(1) |
|
Eng |
18 |
6(2) |
17 |
2(2) |
9 |
2(0) |
16 |
5(2) |
13 |
2 |
|
|
Total W |
Aust |
15 |
8(3) |
12 |
6(2) |
18 |
5(2) |
6 |
2(1) |
11 |
2(1) |
|
Eng |
14 |
5(0) |
18 |
3(2) |
15 |
6(2) |
15 |
2(0) |
18 |
5 |
|
|
1998 |
1998 |
2002 |
2002 |
2006 |
2006 |
2010 |
2010 |
2014 |
2014 |
Australia’s field athletes did reasonably well, but they too have declined in terms of medals won. In 2014, Australia won six medals (four gold), well behind the 1998 result of 17 medals (seven gold).
Table 3: Total top 8 field (T8) and multi-event finishes, and medals (M) won (golds in brackets) Commonwealth Games 1998-2014.
|
1998 |
1998 |
2002 |
2002 |
2006 |
2006 |
2010 |
2010 |
2014 |
2014 |
||
|
Long |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
T8 |
M |
|
|
Aust m |
3 |
2(1) |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1(1) |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Eng m |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1(1) |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1(1) |
|
|
Aus w |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2(1) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
2 |
1(1) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
High |
Aust m |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
3 |
2(1) |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1(1) |
|
|
Eng w |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Triple |
Aust m |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
3 |
1(1) |
3 |
2(1) |
1 |
1(1) |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
NK |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
3 |
2(1) |
3 |
1(1) |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Pole |
Aust m |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
2(1) |
1 |
1(1) |
1 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
3 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2(1) |
|
|
Aus w |
3 |
1(1) |
3 |
3(1) |
3 |
2(1) |
2 |
1(1) |
3 |
1(1) |
|
|
Eng w |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Shot |
Aust m |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1(1) |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
3 |
2(1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
Discus |
Aust m |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1(1) |
2 |
1(1) |
1 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
3 |
1(1) |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1(1) |
|
|
Eng w |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Javelin |
Aust m |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1(1) |
3 |
1 |
|
Eng m |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2(1) |
1 |
1(1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Aus w |
1 |
1(1) |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2(1) |
|
|
Eng w |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Hammer |
Aust m |
1 |
1(1) |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1(1) |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
3 |
1 |
3 |
2(1) |
3 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Aus w |
3 |
1(1) |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1(1) |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1(1) |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Dec/Hep |
Aust m |
3 |
2(1) |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Eng m |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1(1) |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Aus w |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2(1) |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
Eng w |
3 |
1(1) |
3 |
0 |
3 |
2(1) |
2 |
2(1) |
3 |
1 |
|
|
Total |
Aust |
29 |
17(7) |
26 |
11(3) |
36 |
17(6) |
16 |
7(5) |
25 |
6(4) |
|
Eng |
42 |
15(6) |
45 |
17(6) |
28 |
8(4) |
31 |
11(1) |
34 |
12(2) |
|
|
Total Men |
Aust |
13 |
7(3) |
11 |
3(1) |
20 |
10(3) |
8 |
5(4) |
11 |
1(0) |
|
Eng |
21 |
7(3) |
23 |
10(4) |
15 |
4(3) |
17 |
7(0) |
15 |
5(2) |
|
|
Total Wom |
Aust |
16 |
10(4) |
15 |
8(2) |
16 |
7(3) |
8 |
2(1) |
14 |
5(4) |
|
Eng |
21 |
8(3) |
22 |
7(2) |
13 |
4(1) |
14 |
4(1) |
19 |
7(0) |
|
|
1998 |
1998 |
2002 |
2002 |
2006 |
2006 |
2010 |
2010 |
2014 |
2014 |
Australia remains a Commonwealth Games superpower, but presently finds it that much harder to win medals in athletics, despite considerable public funds being allocated.
Let the arguments begin as to why Australia is in serious decline, and what to do. Solutions are not easy given that England has also experienced some decline in terms of medals won, despite substantial funding and perhaps a greater interest by Brits in the sport.
Or should we just enjoy the athletics and celebrate a greater diversity of results?
HarryT
Guest
Nick. These were the figures going around before the London Olympics. It was a common figure in the athletic forums and I remember Jana Pitman said she would get a bit more than that if she was to compete as a Pom through her English husband when they based themselves over there. Money paid to athletes is veiled in secrecy. I have never seen an officially published value of scholarships anywhere, and apparently the wheeling and dealing that goes on with appearance fees would shock seasoned traders at the NY Stock Exchange. I've been out of the loop for 3 years now, so things may have changed.
Nick
Guest
Which British athletes are receiving "scholarships" of $120k? I'd like to know nearly as much as they would. Unlike Oz the Brits don't give financial rewards to their medal winners. Perhaps this money would be better spent in developing rather than rewarding athletes.
Nick
Guest
As you say England were without a whole raft of athletes: Jess Ennis-Hill (Heptathlon) - pregnancy Holly Bleasdale (Pole Vault) - out for season Robbie Grabbarz (High Jump) - out for season Andrew Pozzi (110m Hurdles) - out for season Perri Shakes-Drayton (400m Hurdles) - out for season James Dasaolu (100m) - ran 9.91s last yr but injured during qualification period Chijindu Ujah (100m) - ran 9.96s just after qualification period Christine Ohuruogo (400m) - returning after injury and not fit to run the individual 400m Mo Farah (5000m/10000m) - ill in run-up to games Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Heptathlon) - injured in run-up to games Chris Thompson (10000m) - injured in run-up to games Julia Bleasdale (10000m) - injured in run-up to games Shara Proctor (Long Jump) - injured in first attempt in final Dina Asher-Smith (100m) - sent to junior world champs where she won gold Morgan Lake (Heptathlon) - sent to junior world champs where she won gold Had they been fit and available most of the athletes on this list would have been likely medallists so England's under- performance in track and field - they still had the biggest medal haul - is largely down to a depleted team.
Mark
Guest
From the looks, Gen LaCaze excelled in the new sport of Impromptu Uninvited Freestyle Dancing! Thankfully she also did well in her scheduled event with a 5th and personal best in the 3000m steeplechase.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Is it fair for borderline selections to be judged on age? Maybe not, but we have to inspore promising juniors. Our selection standards for world youths and juniors are tough too. Tougher than the IAAF standards. I think the intention is that we only send people who are legit top 16s.
HarryT
Guest
It all comes down to funding. A few years back Athletics NSW had four internationally ranked full time athletes on the top gold scholarship of $30K. Athletics NSW had a staff of five and I would guess that the girl who answered the phones would be taking home more than the elite athlete's $30K. The equivalent British athlete is getting a scholarship of $120K. Worse still is that if you are an amazing 100m or 200m runner, Athletics Australia is no longer interested in you. As delbeato has explained, funding is connected to medals and therefore sprinters get nothing, while events like 400m, hurdles, throws and middle distance have funded talent identification and development programs. E.g. Melissa Breen, the fastest ever Australian female sprinter lost her $11K scholarship a couple of years back. Also, AA's insistence on setting international benchmarks on our sprinters totally disregards the varying efficacy of other countries' drug testing programs. I read somewhere that every US Olympic sprint medallist of the last 15 years has subsequently tested positive and Jamaica has only recently established a drug testing facility. It's a bit like me competing against Lance Armstrong with just ten cans of Sustagen. We need to get real. If you look at the results in junior world events you can see that we have the talent. It is just that the talent is not too interested in a lifestyle of poverty.
ChrisB
Guest
Yeah well thought out, myopic argument there. Australia doesn't care about them (I don't entirely agree with this statement) so scrap them. Forget that a lot of smaller countries might care. By this argument, as no one watches test cricket outside of Oz and England should tests be scrapped? Seems to me the standard in many sports has risen. To win an athletics medal in the Comms means something as there are good teams there - England, Jamaica, Nigeria, Kenya etc. For some other sports, netball, lawn bowls it is the peak comp, Hockey is decent (though obviously minus Netherlands, Germany and Argentina). Only swimming is a real joke
Percentages
Guest
Funding is an issue. So is marketing of athletics (or the lack of it). The gap in earnings potential for an average athlete v's and average footballer (basketballer, cricketer etc) has widened. How do we make athletics appealing to young people and keep them involved post 13 years of age? I do believe grass roots processes and quantitative performance (relative to Australian records) other than medal tallies are important to focus on. If we do not celebrate being our best rather than just being the best, we miss the point of sport. Competition is getting tougher, developing countries will continue to improve and unearth talented athletes. We should celebrate this while continuing to strive to be our best.
jameswm
Guest
Yep - there are only two global sports, football (soccer) and athletics. One has a stack of money in it, the other struggles, esp in Australia. We're too worried about medal hauls.
commonwombat
Guest
Comm Games is a very unreliable measuring stick to use. The strength/depth of fields will vary from event to event so some medals would be truly "championship standards" and others "fool's gold". Will certain "power nations" (Jamaica in sprints, Kenya in distance) always send their top athletes or will these athletes bother to go to CG ? Did ENG send a full strength team to Delhi whereas Glasgow was essentially a "home Games". With regards to Aus performance; realistically it was on par with AUS performances at championship level of the last 20+ years. We'll generally have a couple of legit medal homes/possibly Gold and another couple/maybe a handful who could conceivably medal. Maybe an additional half dozen who are "finals prospects". Pearson is AUS current "standard bearer" as were Hooker & Freeman in the past. Mickle and Samuels have actually progressed post London to be in the top couple in their events and legit medal contenders at "Championship" meets. We sometimes have events where we have a couple (sometimes more) intl class performers in the same event; men's LJ has been one but seems to have gone "off" but women's javelin currently have 3 throwers who are "finals country" with one real contender. Maybe there IS some potential in W HJ. There WERE a few old faces who performed as per their usual (they didn't) but there were some promising signs from some who didn't medal but had significant PBs. As for selection policy, should there be a situation where "career non performers" have "their cards marked" (ie never to be selected again) ? Yes, but may open up some legal issues should they run a QT. Having even harder qualification standards WOULD weed out the bulk of the "has beens and never was" but also runs the risk of giving the opportunities to the young talent who may actually step up in the big time. Should AA concentrate more resources to specific areas that are currently successful or show potential to be rather than a wider spread ?
Shouts Chen
Guest
Australia's worst performance at the Commonwealth Games was a big factor from the London 2012 Summer Olympics. The Australians had only seven gold medals in 2012. In Glasgow, Australia finished second on the medal tally with a total of 49 gold medals behind England's 58 gold medals.
Colin N
Guest
As said above the talent is far greater among the Commonwealth nations in athletics than it ever used to be. You mentioned the comparisons with England and our decline in the number of golds in the Commonwealth Games, but Britain have actually improved on the world stage.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Thanks for the clarification. AFL have worked out that there is a lot of indigenous talent around ath's could find out the same if they looked
delbeato
Roar Guru
the reason we suck in athletics has to do with the national funding system, which is based on medal haulage. essentially, the sports and athletes that win the most medals, get the most funding. as athletics is generally harder to win medals in than smaller sports like swimming, our funding is diverted away from it and towards those niche sports. which makes our medal haul a bit cynical.
MichaelJ.
Guest
You misunderstand. I'm not suggesting social conscription or anything of that sort. Athletics Australia should be providing scholarships for promising indigenous kids. It's the same as they would do for any school children. Patrick Johnson himself suggested Aborginal kids should be provided with more opportunities.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
wow, are you pauline hanson?
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
jameswm - you read David Lord articles? you may be the only one....
MichaelJ.
Guest
Aboriginal, Patrick Johnson is the only Australian to break 10 seconds for the 100 meters. Maybe we should invest in the untapped talent pool of indigenous athletes instead of letting them waste away on welfare.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
James, i will seek to balance ledger in the future with my opinion of aths. I am really a qualitative sort of person, and data is always flawed in many ways. i just put the data (1998-2014 games) out there, so apologise if any aths or fans are offended. Was not really my intention. I wrote a piece in 2012 attacking the emphasis on elite performance. http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/07/18/is-australias-emphasis-on-elite-running-performance-justified/ cheers.
Buster
Guest
In 1998 we did have a lot more depth but still should have done better - we are perennial under achievers in big meets aside from a few exceptions. I think we need to start looking at medals in Junior championships and seeing whats happening to these kids. Poor old athletics cant cop a break with competing with these other professional sports though. Since Shirvo and Johnson were in their peak Australia has struggled to produce decent male sprinters (atleast ones who could perform when it counted). In the women I believe we have lacked depth for a long long time. I see so many kids producing outstanding performances from young ages but their is a huge whole in their development with them falling through. Hopefully this Hayne/Knowles thing pays off so we can maybe use that as a formula for teh future