Well done Brussels: Some thoughts on Para athletes in the long jump

Stuart Weir has lined Para-athletes for RunBlogRun for years now. That is his ideas on the Van Damme Memorial and the mixed LJ competitors. 

Effectively performed Brussels

Previously, there was some debate about whether or not para-athletes must be allowed to compete in opposition to non-disabled athletes in mainstream occasions. It began with the now disgraced Oscar Pistorius operating within the 400 and 4 by 400m relay within the 2011 World Championships and 2012 Olympics.  From reminiscence, I imagine he was solely allowed to run the primary leg of the relay (in lanes) to keep away from a doable harm by way of contact together with his blades to a different runner.

Paralympic world document holder Alan Davies often participates within the GB “able-bodied” nationwide championships within the shot or discus.

When the German athlete Markus Rehm, an amputee leaping with blades, was reaching distances that will win non-disabled lengthy soar competitions, he made a passionate plea to be allowed to compete in World Athletics-sanctioned competitions. 

In 2014, 2015, and 2016, he competed within the German non-disabled Championships and, on every event, did nicely sufficient to qualify for the European/Worlds/Olympics however was not chosen.  The argument was that his blade gave him an unfair benefit because it was extra springy and longer than his pure leg. Rehm accepted this however argued that his incapacity meant that he couldn’t run as quick or as balanced as an “able-bodied” athlete, that means that the potential benefit of 1 was canceled out by the opposite. He additionally informed me that he felt it unfair that the IAAF (World Athletics) put the onus on him to show that he had no benefit relatively than on them to show that he did.

Rehm wished to compete in Diamond Leagues – even when excluded from DL factors and prize cash, only for the expertise of competing in opposition to folks leaping the identical distance as himself, which he didn’t get in para-athletics occasions.  In Brussels 2023, the meet organizers did simply that, together with Fleur Jong (Netherlands) within the ladies’s lengthy soar subject. Fleur is a double amputee, leaping off blades. She achieved 6.74 and second place.

She mentioned of the expertise: “In June, I already jumped a para WR, however Brussels was a particular competitors for me. We virtually by no means had the prospect to compete as paralympic athletes in the identical subject because the athletes who compete within the Diamond Leagues, so I labored arduous to be at my finest right here. It’s a nice instance for younger athletes and the entire world. We’re undoubtedly able to competing with them. It gave me an unbelievable increase to have 4 world-class athletes round me. That was a giant problem for me. Within the name room, I launched myself to the entire subject as a result of I used to be unsure they might know who I used to be. 6.74 was an enormous soar for me. However I couldn’t be any happier with my season”.

I cherished the best way she had confidence in her skill however was nervous concerning the social points, that nobody would know her. 

Within the third spherical, Fleur jumped 6.74 – to equal Ivana Vuleta’s successful distance. That the competitors was selected second-best jumps and that Fleur completed a transparent second will need to have been very satisfying for her. It additionally raises the query of why different para-athletes are usually not included in Diamond League occasions when they’re adequate.