I thought that it was sort of cool and a race like that has its place but certainly not for a Diamond League final. The runners did not like it and I can't blame them. Some mentioned that the times would be faster due to fewer turns but the turns were sharp. Ties would have been faster on a standard track. The athletes also had a difficult time seeing those in front of them and the bell lap really didn't mean a lot. There should have been 2 bells - one on the last lap and one when 400 meters remained.
The atmosphere was kind of neat but the whole concept was weird. It seemed more like a road race than a race on the track. It was more like the 5th Avenue Mile that is taking place this upcoming weekend. I'm hoping that this is not something that we will see again at a meet of this level. It has its place, but not in a track meet. There is a sport called road racing already.
What was cool about the setup last night was the shot put, long jump, and high jump. It seemed like a pretty cool atmosphere but I don't think that all of those contestants, particularly the long jumpers, liked it. I've never been a huge fan of the shot put. I always liked watching the discus, hammer, and javelin more, but watching Ryan Crouser throw is really a cool thing to see. There were a few throwers still using the glide but after watching guys like Crouser, Kovacs, and Walsh, it seems weird. It's hard to believe that Walsh still wears a "space for rent" shirt and does not have a sponsor