Are athletes on the right track? The effect of availability of an all-weather athletics track on athletics performance

Type of content
Journal Article
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
Date
2017
Authors
Watt R
Hogan S
Abstract

In February of 2011, an earthquake destroyed the only all-weather athletics track in the city of Christchurch (New Zealand). The track has yet to be replaced, and so since the loss of the track, local Christchurch athletes have only had a grass track for training and preparation for championship events. This paper considers what effect the loss of the training facility has had on the performance of athletes from Christchurch at national championship events. Not surprisingly, the paper finds that there has been a deterioration in the performance in events that are heavily dependent upon the all-weather surface. However, somewhat more surprisingly, the loss of the track appears to have caused a significant improvement in the performance of Christchurch athletes in events that, while on the standard athletics program, are not heavily track dependent.

Description
Citation
Watt R, Hogan S (2017). Are athletes on the right track? The effect of availability of an all-weather athletics track on athletics performance. Sport in Society. 1-12.
Keywords
sports economics, athletics facilities
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Field of Research::11 - Medical and Health Sciences::1106 - Human Movement and Sports Science::110699 - Human Movement and Sports Science not elsewhere classified
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