2024-08-01 09:10:47
Paris: Due to a new rule in the Olympic track competition, hurdle and sprint runners will get another chance to advance to the next round and win an Olympic medal in these sports through the repechage round even after falling behind in the initial stages. In this Olympic sport, repechage round will be introduced in all individual track events from 200 meters to 1500 meters including hurdles. Now the players who are on top in each heat will get direct entry into the semi-finals while other players will get a chance to reach here through repechage. However, for many players participating in the Olympics, this will be the first time when they will have to go through the repechage round. Most players would like to avoid being a part of it and qualify by being on top in their heat. Many players have never heard about it in athletics, while there are some players who are not able to pronounce it correctly.
What did Masai Russell say about this rule?
Masai Russell, the 100m hurdles champion at the US Olympic trials, said, “It is like a make-up quiz (second chance).” He said, “If you don’t get it right in the first attempt, then you will have another chance. This is really good because anything can happen in a race.” He said with a smile, “I would like to avoid using it though.” Repechage has been used in sailing, wrestling and martial arts. But now it will be used in track events as well.
What is repechage?
Repechage is based on a French word which means ‘second chance’. Earlier, apart from being at the top in their respective heats, only those selected runners who completed the race in the shortest time apart from the heat winners got a chance to qualify for the next round. In this, the runners who were in second place in some heats missed out on advancing. Now, after the change in rules, the runners who are in second place in every heat will be able to make it to the semi-finals through the repechage round.
When the repechage rule was passed in 2022, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe called it a change that would “make these events much simpler to run for the athletes. It will also make things clearer for fans and broadcasters.” The repechage round, however, will be challenging for athletes as they will have to make an extra effort. “I haven’t really thought about it too much. But, honestly, in this heat, I would rather avoid it,” said American 400m hurdler and medal favourite Roy Benjamin.