Tilda Johansson.
Photo: VEGARD GRØTT / BILDBYRÅN
Fredrik Samuelsson is carried out on a stretcher after his accident at the SM.
Photo: JOHANNA WALLEN / BILDBYRÅN
Carey McLeod’s accident at the WC in Budapest.
Photo: ASHLEY LANDIS / AP TT NEWS AGENCY
In Budapest’s oppressive heat, national team captain Kajsa Bergqvist shook her head.
– It must change. It ruins people’s careers. They get but for life.
Bergqvist, just like the rest of the athletics world, had witnessed a number of really nasty accidents during the long jump competitions at the WC arena. LaQuan Nairn had stepped over and fallen limply into the sand, so had Carey McLeod.
The culprit in the drama? A new type of plank that was introduced this year. When the long jump and triple jump replaced officials with video judges to check the plank hits, the plank itself was also changed so that it is completely smooth.
– That plank is terrible. Whoever invented that plank should think again. We come with a lot of power and if it is not adapted to that, accidents will happen, said McLeod during the World Cup.
Both Nairn and McLeod coped well under the circumstances. The Swedish all-rounder Fredrik Samuelsson was not so lucky. At the SC competitions in August last year, shortly before the WC in Budapest, he slipped on the plank in the long jump and broke his foot, for which he is still undergoing rehabilitation.
Expressen talks to Samuelsson the day after he was a prize giver for his club Hässelby at a competition in Sätra.
– There was a hitch in my recovery at the beginning of winter, because they were inside and rooted in the foot again. But since Christmas it has been going really well. I have been allowed to start running and can do lighter jumping exercises, he says.
– Now I hope that I can be in good enough shape to compete in the Austrian Götzis and the EC in Rome, so that I have a couple of chances to qualify for the Olympics.
Rebellion in the long jump world – the rage after the pictures
Although Samuelsson is hopeful of being able to be back in full swing by the start of the summer, he is not happy that the long jump is still struggling with the same problems that led to his broken foot. Because despite all the accidents that have been with the new plank, the international athletics federation World Athletics (WA) has not made any changes.
– You get sad that nothing has happened. WA said they would do something about it, but they haven’t. Accidents happen several times at a WC, in front of the eyes of those who decide, but still they haven’t done anything, says Samuelsson.
– I wonder how many more incidents will be required before they do something? Because there will be more.
Samuelsson is not alone in having that opinion. On the contrary, there is a really upset atmosphere in the long jump world right now. Led by the Instagram account Jumpers World, with 650,000 followers, several long jumpers are rebelling.
It started with horror footage at a competition in France where the jumper was fortunately uninjured, but was followed shortly after by Frenchman Jules Pommery injuring himself during a jump at the World Athletics Czech Indoor Meeting.
Pommery has shared a picture of his injured ankle after the race and says Jumpers World that he does not want to compete on the new plank models.
– The planks they use are made of a different material than the old ones and our spiked shoes don’t get stuck in them. This can end a practitioner’s career and I don’t want to jump on these planks anymore.
Jules Pommery’s accident at the World Athletics Czech Indoor Meeting
Photo: Private/Instagram
Jules Pommery’s foot after the accident.
Photo: Private/Instagram
The association’s response – about the criticized plank
Expressen has been in contact with Andreas Trajkovski, the man behind Jumpers World. Trajkosvki says he talks to several practitioners who believe it is “a huge problem” that World Athletics did not fix the new plank model despite recurring problems.
– People are annoyed. I get messages every day from practitioners, managers or agents who don’t want it this way, says Trajkovski.
He stresses that Jumpers World, with its large following, is an important voice on this issue and that they want to put pressure on World Athletics.
– This is a problem that affects everyone. For the jumpers, an accident can be career-ending and if they become afraid to jump, we will see shorter and shorter jumps, which is devastating for viewing.
Swedish long jump star Tilde Johansson competes at the Folksam Indoor GP in Sätra. In one of her attempts, she was close to an incident. She stepped over and slid a bit before she managed to save the situation.
She says she’s not afraid to jump, but doesn’t want anyone to have to feel that way.
– I hope this situation is resolved, because you don’t want anyone to stand on the runway and feel afraid to jump.
The Express has reached out to World Athletics to ask about the rebellion and irritation in the long jump world. They answer emails shortly.
“World Athletics is aware that there have been recent cases of athletes tripping on the planks in long jump events. The health of the athletes is our top priority and although this problem currently affects less than one percent of all jumps, discussions are ongoing with relevant parties to find a good solution”.
An answer that does not satisfy Andreas Trajkovski at Jumpers World. He intends to continue pushing the issue and sighs deeply when he hears what WA said.
– They don’t care…
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2024-02-10 13:43:04
#uprising #scattered #horror #images #Sad
