Summary: <p>Since the last episode in early March, the world as we know it has certainly changed a little. So after a short hiatus, Down the Track is back and what an episode it is. Sean and Tim are joined by Australian running legend Steve Moneghetti to discuss the impact and ramifications of Covid19 – particularly in terms of the sport of athletics.<br> <br> By mid-March, it was obvious that the situation was getting serious and the cascading number of event cancellations started to hit home to the athletics and running fraternity. Sean talks about the cancellation of the Australian Championships while Steve talks about his experience with one of Victoria’s largest running events, the Run for the Kids.<br> <br> And it's not just events in the firing line, training for everyone has now been upended as squads are no longer allowed, social distancing is the thing and the ability to travel to training venues curtailed. So adapting to a new routine is important and Steve talks of his personal experience of adjustment and workarounds.<br> <br> The IOC finally made the call on the Olympics with the decision being made to shift it by almost exactly 12 months to 2021. Sean examines some of the changed qualification processes for Tokyo 2021 and raises the question of who may be benefitting or disadvantaged by the changes. Steve looks at it from the athlete’s perspective and delves into what decisions or thought processes athletes will be making right now.</p> <p>The knock-on effect of the changed Olympic date means that the 2021 World Athletics Championships scheduled for Oregon moves to 2022 and into a similar time slot as the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. What does this mean for the athletes and the selection of the Australian teams? And with the World Indoors in 2021 moving to the same weekend as the World Cross Country Championships to be conducted in Bathurst, will this impact the first major athletics competition in Australia for 20 years?<br> <br> It’s a case of no rest for the wicked as the AV staff transition to working from home and continue to keep the wheels turning in the world of athletics. With no scheduled competition it is a changed dynamic but this hasn’t stopped a flurry of activity. One such activity is the transition of Coach Education to online learning while our Competitions and Community Engagement teams are hard at it preparing for the world post-pandemic.<br> <br> Episode 35 wraps with a shout out to Tori West and her new podcast Athletics Up North. With two episodes already released featuring Jake Doran and Benita Willis, this is certainly another podcast you should add to the playlist.</p> <p>It’s great to be back and we’re sure you’ll find plenty of interesting conversation in the latest episode of Down the Track.<br> <br> <strong>Timeline</strong><br> <strong>0:00:00 to 0:02:20 –</strong> Intro and welcome Sean & Steve Moneghetti to Episode 35<br> <strong>0:02:21 to 0:34:49 –</strong> Sean, Tim and Steve discuss the broader ramifications on training and competition of the current crisis<br> <strong>0:34:50 to 0:54:04 –</strong> What’s happening with the Olympics?<br> <strong>0:54:05 to 1:10:46 –</strong> The impact on the 2021 World Championships and 2022 Commonwealth Games, plus with the World Cross Country in Bathurst now clashing with the World Indoors in China what does this mean?<br> <strong>1:10:47 to 1:23:46 –</strong> What’s happening in the world of AV<br> <strong>1:23:47 to 1:35:10 –</strong> Episode wrap and a shout out to the Athletics Up North podcast hosted by Tori West</p>
