– Stop saying female athletes look like men! Stop it. It’s mean, says Hall with tears in his eyes to his followers on TikTok. The USA’s current Diamond League star shot through last season with WC bronze in the heptathlon. Last weekend, she was twelve points away from breaking the magical 7,000-point barrier in Austria, when she became the fifth best female all-around fighter in history. Now she will run the 400 meter hurdles. The best mark is as strong as 54.48 seconds, although she never has time to train specifically for the exercise. The 22-year-old is among the happiest on the athletics track in Florence, the day before the debut in the event series. ATHLETIC: Anna Hall ran to a strong 2.02.97 seconds in the 800 meters during the traditional all-around event Götzis in Austria last weekend. She had to have 2.02.22 to get 7000 points. The 22-year-old ended up with a very strong 6988. Photo: PETER RINDERER / AFP – I’m tired But behind the smile and laughter hides frustration. Hall has put years of training behind him to become the best in the world, but is criticized for his appearance. – I’m sick of it. We, athletes, go through enough on our own around the body. Don’t want muscles, but must have muscles. Too big, too small. That’s enough of that. I don’t need to be told that women who have legs like that look like men… Shut up. I’m tired, says Hall addressed to mobile camera. In front of news, she explains why the reaction came: – I had just finished a really tough session, and saw a message like that. I can’t believe that I train so hard while people say such ugly things, says Hall. HEDGE DRILL: Anna Hall makes the final preparations with athlete representative Robby Hughes in Florence. Photo: Fredrik Tombra / news She has just finished the last preparations before the competition. She speaks willingly about her passion for multi-sport, competition and how she motivates herself for intense competition weekends with seven exercises in two days. The 22-year-old is also open about what has bothered her: – I wasn’t very strong and it was actually quite difficult to put on muscle. I was very small, almost an infant, and then I began to think that I had to take this seriously. I have to build the body of a heptathlete. I put on a lot of muscle, which is exactly what is required in my exercise, says Hall. Receives ugly comments The approach has given her world-class results, but it has also led to unwanted inquiries and messages. – For example, when I dressed in nice dresses, people could say “my God, my shoulders are really wild” or other comments that are not necessarily meant maliciously, but which stick. And especially with girls, says Hall – and points to examples of what is written on social media: – “Is this a boy or a lady”, “she looks like a man”, “girls don’t have arms like that”… That day I was really annoyed, says Hall, referring to the day she posted the TikTok post. She thanks the trainers for their support and openness around the subject. They give her much of the credit for her success, along with the family who are with her to Europe. Her preliminary plan is to run the 400m hurdles in Florence and high jump in Paris next week, before she gets to watch the long hurdles during Bislett Gamer. She then goes back to the USA to qualify for the WC. If she continues her development, it is not inconceivable that she can dethrone Nafi Thiam from the heptathlon throne in two and a half months. PS! You can watch the Diamond League meeting from Florence on news 1 on Friday from 20:00. Lene Retzius is Norway’s only participant and starts the pole competition from 19.43. 400-meter hurdles in Florence The starting field for the 400-meter hurdles, ranked by personal best: Femke Bol, Netherlands, 52.03 seconds Shamier Little, USA, 52.39 Anna Ryzjykova, Ukraine, 52.96 Rushell Clayton, Jamaica, 53.33 Gianna Woodruff, Panama, 53.69 Viktorija Tkatsjuk, Ukraine, 53.76 Ayomide Folorunso, Italy, 54.34 Anna Hall, USA, 54.48 Practice starts at 20.04.
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– Shut up. I’m tired! – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
