Craig Pickering

[white lightning]

At least Rooney made to team. Don't be suprised if Pickering is only a reserve for the relay squad.

 

[albinosprint]

yeah, I guessing he will only see the track if someone else gets hurt. its bullsh*t

 

[mastermulti]

maybe the selectors have long and unforgiving memories

relay 2008Edited by: mastermulti

 

[StarWars]

Sadly, mastermulti has a point. Craig needs to deal with pressure better. Still, he earned the spot over Ayreety, even if he screwed Beijing up.

 

[white lightning]

Maybe he messed up in 2008 but in 2007 at the World Champs, Craig was on the bronze medal winning 4 x 100 Relay Squad. So why didn't the pressure effect him there? Just trying to get people to be fair to him. He deserves better.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

unless i am remembering things incorrectly, didn't Pickering run the fastest leg of anyone in the relay in '07?

more importantly, Craig is doing things the right way. none of us are on top of our game every time we do anything in our lives, so why should Craig be any different? he's obviously incredibly talented, AND he's running clean. just as importantly, he represents his country with incredible class and humility, never hiding or blaming anyone else when he doesn't perform up to his own very high standards.

i am disappointed that he wasn't chosen for the team, but he's doing his best. that's good enough for me. it should damn well be good enough for everyone else on this board, too.

 

[mastermulti]

Interestingly i just looked at the article I posted... and isn't that Powell just outside Pickering?

That'd be bizarre because Shirvington in the C'wealth Games final 2006 did exactly what Craig did,; went too early while just ahead of Powell.

Looks like both Craig and Matt had the same desire to hold off Asafa which led to the dqs

 

[white lightning]

Yes it is mastermulti. Who can blame him for trying to get going a split second early when you have a guy who has run a 9.72 about to chase you. Anyone could have made the same mistake. I just want him to run a few more races and call it a season. I hope he changes to a new coach or they at least work on a new form. Start from the top and go over every aspect of his race. The armswing and a few other things need to be fixed. He has so much speed! No reason he shouldn't have gone sub 10 already i.m.o. We need to stay behind this kid. He needs all of our support.

I personally cannot wait to see Craig in 2010. He will be back with a vengence. As I've said in previous posts, I still hope he can run another few fast times before this summer is over. Craig will always be the man. We are behind you bro. Hang in there and bounce back next season. Even Tyson Gay struggled when he was younger. Don't get down. Come back stronger than ever!

 

[mastermulti]

hope you're right about 2010 WL. If you're number 5 or 6 in the country
the desire will soon go and retirement will folow

 

[white lightning]

Craig will be racing this Friday in Germany. Mark Jelks, Christian Blum and many others will be in the race. Not sure what to expect. I wish him the best of luck in what has been a very sad year. Keep your head up bro. Things will get better. I'm not going to make any predicitions. His form has been going down hill for the past month. Maybe with the pressure off he will suprise some people. In my opinion, he just raced way too much over the last month or two. He was already burned out by the UK Trials. He had no choice however because he was trying to meet the A Standard Time neccesary for going to Berlin. Good luck Craig.

 

[albinosprint]

white lightning,

have you sniffed out a video link for germany? I would love to watch this race.

 

[white lightning]

I will have one for Sunday but probably no live link for Friday. Let's just fly there albino sprint and watch it live. We can take the whole month of August off, and enjoy the World Champs while getting drunk and chasing ladies. Lol.

 

[white lightning]

This is a link to a live ticker results link for the meet tommorow. It should start in the morning I imagine. They will also have links to interview with the winners. Some of the races will be shown later on tv probably on Saturday. It's the closest thing I could find at the moment to watching it. I hope someone enjoys it. I will have to work so I won't see anything until tommorow night. Here is the link.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.leichtathletik.de/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgerman%2Bathletics%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7ADBF_en&rurl=translate.google.com

Good luck to my boy Pickering. Here is to a fast time tommorow!

Edited by: white lightning

 

[albinosprint]

I would love take the month off and party in Germany. someday will make that happen!

 

[jacknyc]

Craig took 1/100th off his season best time at a low-level meet in Germany - 10.22.
My opinion is that Craig runs better when the pressure is off, and when he is at the front end of the pack at 30m or 40m. When he's behind (and at high level meets, he usually is), he presses, and his bad form gets worse, and he runs poorly.
It's nice that he ran a SB, but he has to work on his starts and form for next season, or else he will continue to struggle.

 

[albinosprint]

mark my words when I say that next year Pick will have a great season. it will be a low pressure season and he will have time to reflect on what went wrong this season, and will be able to focus on what needs to be changed. next year will be his confidence building year.Edited by: albinosprint

 

[swampfox]

Read somewhere Pickering was running a late season meet in Scotland representing English national team. Just blitzed through the article. It's a late season meet.Vibe I was getting is that it was a meet of also-rans.Has he already been relegated to a second rate status by UKA? Anybody got any info?

 

[white lightning]

It is a meet of England vs Ireland vs Scottland. It is to promote athletics among the young people in all of the countries. It is not for any scrub to run in. Craig still has 2010 and 2011 to get it together. If by 2012, he is not running sub 10's, I doubt he will continue to compete. England wants winners. That being said, I guarantee this kid will be back. Craig is a winner in everything he does. No one, I repeat no one takes these losses harder than him. Even at his worst form with bad starts and alot of mental/emotional turmoil, he still consistantly runs in the 10.20's range. Not too bad if you ask me. He is not far away with a few minor changes to being in the elite status again!

We are behind Craig rooting him on all the way to the London Olympics! So I'm not too worried. He has 3 full summers to get his form right before he runs in front of his home country. He also will only be 26 when he competes in London!

 

[white lightning]

Here is the race for those interested. Craig fought him all the way to the finish. You can see how dejected he was afterwards. What a tough season.

http://www.leichtathletik.tv/index.php/index/view/id/360Edited by: white lightning

 

[mastermulti]

he ran better here, Yep, it's the pressure thing (I know,I do it myself).
Some people seem to be able to squeeze out a little more, while some of us tie up and the form goes to pieces!

 

[charlie180]

Interesting reading here about Pickering. I had my suspicions about why he always seemed to be out of the relay teams, epsecially considering he regulary beats Aryteey and had noticed in interviews previously that the relay team of Edgar, Williamson, Devonish stood together and then almost off camera was Pickering. I had assumed it was his apparent moodiness and general disappointment in himself. It is crazy that the coaches don't do anything about this, but then again not surprising in this country.

I don't think that there is any chance of seeing Pickering in the relay team in Berlin, unless there are a couple of injuries. He also messed up at Crystal Palace with his handover to Rikki Fifton I think it was in the B Team. A real shame really as he was the only one that actually tried in Beijing, Edgar and Williamson were a massive disappointment.

Sadly I also think that this may be the last high profile season for Craig Pickering, it's his worse season for 3 years, and if I remember rightly, the first time he's been outside the top 4 for 3 years too. He doesn't seem to handle it very well when things go wrong, and if he continues this downward spiral, well, it would be a real shame.

 

[albinosprint]

I really feel most of his race is mental. I know I was terrible under pressure, so I feel for Pick. the boy has had a long season with allot of hard spots. I hope he goes to the WC for the relay and gets a chance to redeem himself. and charlie180, not to get on you, but I believe it was Rikki Fifton that f**ked up at crystal Palace.

 

[charlie180]

I really feel most of his race is mental. I know I was terrible under pressure, so I feel for Pick. the boy has had a long season with allot of hard spots. I hope he goes to the WC for the relay and gets a chance to redeem himself. and charlie180, not to get on you, but I believe it was Rikki Fifton that f**ked up at crystal Palace.

Yes it was, Rikki went too soon and Pickering couldn't reach him, but I did wonder whether the selectors and others, would use that as justification for not choosing Pickering, as it is one of several mistakes on Pickering's changeovers. He may have not been responsible but Pickering's name is becoming synonymous with relay mistakes.

 

[albinosprint]

Pick is listed as running the 100m in Berlin, is that a mistake?

 

[StarWars]

Maybe as reparation for not being on the relay team?