| Rio 12:16 - Aug 14 with 11073 views | D_Alien |
A week in, and it barely seems to be registering with a lot of people.
Maybe after the brilliant London games in 2012, the Rio Olympics with its main events happening in the early hours is less of a spectacle; but also the problems that've beset the build up will have put a lot of people off - drugs, viruses, corruption, etc.
I watched till 3am last night, and our athletes are doing us proud, not only in winning but also the sportsmanship shown by the likes of Jessica Ennis-Hill in acknowledging the new kid on the block, taking her crown. Silver is still an achievement after time out to become a mum.
Of the other two who made Super Saturday such an enthralling spectacle four years ago, Mo Farrah remains unbeatable despite what looked like a deliberate trip from his former training partner. Greg Rutherford took bronze this time.
The only disappointing thing was watching our other heptathlete, Katarina Johnson-Thomson, unable to throw a javelin properly after four years of presumably training for it (and being ok at it) with awful body language and a scowl on her face. Someone needs to tell her how lucky she is - privileged to be using Lottery funding for her career.
Usain Bolt tonight. Not bothered if others find it less than enthralling - I love watching people who're the best on the planet beating off allcomers, and enjoying it. |  |
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| Rio on 02:18 - Aug 19 with 2084 views | Daley_Lama |
Top kicking Jade Jones!
#gold |  |
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| Rio on 02:49 - Aug 19 with 2079 views | D_Alien |
Bolt wins, 19.79 and that could well be his last individual title.
He's done everything he set out to do, but in that final straight no longer seemed to have the almost superhuman power in his legs.
What a champion though, a privilege to watch. | |
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| Rio on 09:17 - Aug 19 with 1999 views | DaleiLama |
| Rio on 02:18 - Aug 19 by Daley_Lama |
Top kicking Jade Jones!
#gold |
Love her tagline on Twitter
"i kick people in the head for a living .. and i love it !! :/"
Surely that deserves an MBE upgrade? |  |
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| Rio on 09:37 - Aug 19 with 1973 views | DaleiLama |
| Rio on 02:49 - Aug 19 by D_Alien |
Bolt wins, 19.79 and that could well be his last individual title.
He's done everything he set out to do, but in that final straight no longer seemed to have the almost superhuman power in his legs.
What a champion though, a privilege to watch. |
This made me smile
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| Rio on 11:02 - Aug 19 with 1900 views | SaxonDale |
| Rio on 02:49 - Aug 19 by D_Alien |
Bolt wins, 19.79 and that could well be his last individual title.
He's done everything he set out to do, but in that final straight no longer seemed to have the almost superhuman power in his legs.
What a champion though, a privilege to watch. |
Agree, a privilege to watch. Bolt said after his race that he wanted to be remembered with the greats of sport like Ali and Pele, I think he's already achieved that.
I think it's a shame DeGrasse and Bolt put more into the 200m semi-final than usual due to their friendly 'rivalry', although both got a 1-2 in the final, I thought both looked leggy and both would have been hoping to run considerably quicker in the final. However to moan about his time is nit-picking, regardless of the 4x100m result, Bolt has shown in the individual races that he is a true great, we've been lucky to enjoy the ride with him. |  | | |
| Rio on 12:19 - Aug 19 with 1838 views | ColDale |
| Rio on 11:02 - Aug 19 by SaxonDale |
Agree, a privilege to watch. Bolt said after his race that he wanted to be remembered with the greats of sport like Ali and Pele, I think he's already achieved that.
I think it's a shame DeGrasse and Bolt put more into the 200m semi-final than usual due to their friendly 'rivalry', although both got a 1-2 in the final, I thought both looked leggy and both would have been hoping to run considerably quicker in the final. However to moan about his time is nit-picking, regardless of the 4x100m result, Bolt has shown in the individual races that he is a true great, we've been lucky to enjoy the ride with him. |
I did wonder this morning just what sort of times he'd have achieved if he'd had had genuine competition, as each race is usually just a walk in the park for him.
There was a fantastic stat the other day that he has nine of the best ever 100m times of all time. The other 21 have all been done by people who have tested positive for drugs. Unfortunately, in today's world what should be a fantastic achievement simply adds to suspicion but equally it would suggest that the testing works. |  | | |
| Rio on 12:39 - Aug 19 with 1820 views | D_Alien |
| Rio on 12:19 - Aug 19 by ColDale |
I did wonder this morning just what sort of times he'd have achieved if he'd had had genuine competition, as each race is usually just a walk in the park for him.
There was a fantastic stat the other day that he has nine of the best ever 100m times of all time. The other 21 have all been done by people who have tested positive for drugs. Unfortunately, in today's world what should be a fantastic achievement simply adds to suspicion but equally it would suggest that the testing works. |
You've referred to suspicion around Bolt using drugs more than once. There has been only the merest reference to it in the media, and only then in the context of 'thank goodness there's nothing to suggest any involvement'. To keep referencing it only creates a shadow that needn't exist. Suspected by whom?
His medical team would have to be more world class than he is, to get away with anything, given the testing he must have undergone. | |
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| Rio on 12:48 - Aug 19 with 1801 views | ColDale |
| Rio on 12:39 - Aug 19 by D_Alien |
You've referred to suspicion around Bolt using drugs more than once. There has been only the merest reference to it in the media, and only then in the context of 'thank goodness there's nothing to suggest any involvement'. To keep referencing it only creates a shadow that needn't exist. Suspected by whom?
His medical team would have to be more world class than he is, to get away with anything, given the testing he must have undergone. |
I think there is always that suspicion whenever anyone produces superlative performances, and I don't think that I am anyway more cynical than your average Joe. I say that having grown up with the 1988 100m Olympic final where all but one eventually tested positive for drugs and seeing sports like cycling where for a long, long time, it was almost a given that people take drugs to improve performance. Athletics is a sport where performance enhancing drugs are prevalent, and I agree that it is wrong that everyone is questioned but I think the cheats within the sport have brought that suspicion rather than suspicious sods like myself. | | | |
| Rio on 13:02 - Aug 19 with 1772 views | D_Alien |
| Rio on 12:48 - Aug 19 by ColDale |
I think there is always that suspicion whenever anyone produces superlative performances, and I don't think that I am anyway more cynical than your average Joe. I say that having grown up with the 1988 100m Olympic final where all but one eventually tested positive for drugs and seeing sports like cycling where for a long, long time, it was almost a given that people take drugs to improve performance. Athletics is a sport where performance enhancing drugs are prevalent, and I agree that it is wrong that everyone is questioned but I think the cheats within the sport have brought that suspicion rather than suspicious sods like myself. |
Athletes take drugs to gain an advantage over rivals who might deprive them of victory, or a medal. Who are those rivals, in Bolt's case? You yourself pondered if he might've gone even faster with a serious rival. Why would anyone with such dominance, via his natural physique which has been analysed by experts in the field, seek to gain a victory by other means?
His performances in Rio have shown him to be still way ahead of any potential rivals, though his body no longer allows him to threaten the records he set whilst in his prime. That's all there is to say. | |
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| Rio on 13:13 - Aug 19 with 1744 views | dalestats |
| Rio on 12:48 - Aug 19 by ColDale |
I think there is always that suspicion whenever anyone produces superlative performances, and I don't think that I am anyway more cynical than your average Joe. I say that having grown up with the 1988 100m Olympic final where all but one eventually tested positive for drugs and seeing sports like cycling where for a long, long time, it was almost a given that people take drugs to improve performance. Athletics is a sport where performance enhancing drugs are prevalent, and I agree that it is wrong that everyone is questioned but I think the cheats within the sport have brought that suspicion rather than suspicious sods like myself. |
It's a sad reflection that there is an air of suspicion over fantastic achievements like those of mo Farah. It doesn't help that Flo-Jo is still holder of the 100m/200m world records and she allegedly retired when random testing came in. Despite the fact she never failed a test it is suggested that drugs were involved. Athletics like cycling is tainted by the few. |  |
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| Rio on 15:07 - Aug 19 with 1695 views | D_Alien |
A really interesting case is Caster Semenya. She's an example of a natural outlier in terms of the production of testosterone, at the extreme limits for being identified as female - but we're all on a spectrum.
I hope she breaks the long-standing world record of Jarmila Kratochvilova in the 800 metres, a Czech athlete who almost certainly would've these days fallen foul of the extensive doping programme that existed in Eastern Europe back in the 1980's (and may still do, in certain parts).
Is Semenya "clean"? Almost certainly. She underwent treatment to reduce levels of testosterone and her performance levels fell off a cliff. She then stopped the treatment (there's a whole story behind this) and is now returning to former dominance in women's middle distance running. I personally think she should simply be allowed to dominate, otherwise the human spectrum of male/female identity becomes tarnished. Why, for instance, should naturally-occuring testosterone be a problem when no-one thinks Usain Bolt should have his legs reduced or his fast-twitch muscle fibres destroyed?
It's unfortunate for other athletes around at the same time, but without the intensive training and determination that goes with competing at world level, no amount of natural advantage would be enough. She's acted throughout in a dignified way, and she'd deserve the accolades.
[Post edited 19 Aug 2016 15:16]
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| Rio on 16:02 - Aug 19 with 1640 views | DaleiLama |
| Rio on 15:07 - Aug 19 by D_Alien |
A really interesting case is Caster Semenya. She's an example of a natural outlier in terms of the production of testosterone, at the extreme limits for being identified as female - but we're all on a spectrum.
I hope she breaks the long-standing world record of Jarmila Kratochvilova in the 800 metres, a Czech athlete who almost certainly would've these days fallen foul of the extensive doping programme that existed in Eastern Europe back in the 1980's (and may still do, in certain parts).
Is Semenya "clean"? Almost certainly. She underwent treatment to reduce levels of testosterone and her performance levels fell off a cliff. She then stopped the treatment (there's a whole story behind this) and is now returning to former dominance in women's middle distance running. I personally think she should simply be allowed to dominate, otherwise the human spectrum of male/female identity becomes tarnished. Why, for instance, should naturally-occuring testosterone be a problem when no-one thinks Usain Bolt should have his legs reduced or his fast-twitch muscle fibres destroyed?
It's unfortunate for other athletes around at the same time, but without the intensive training and determination that goes with competing at world level, no amount of natural advantage would be enough. She's acted throughout in a dignified way, and she'd deserve the accolades.
[Post edited 19 Aug 2016 15:16]
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Frankly, she deserves a medal just for turning up after all the adverse and often cruel publicity she's received.
As for bad timing being an athlete, that's just tough titties. I'm sure Henman would have preferred to play in a different era, but then so would Murray and he rose to the top. Imagine swimming against Phelps, another athletic freak? Competition is what it is. Get on with it.
Saw the piece Michael Johnson did in his gravelly Morgan Freeman-like tones about Jessie Owens. Poignant reminder that had Adolf had his way, Bolt, Semenya and most of the other competitors may not have even been born.
And finally, the last word on the Olympics goes to the Times when profiling commentators. "In a competition that relies heavily on converting nouns into verbs, Rebecca Addlington must surely podium and medal in Rio"
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| Rio on 19:23 - Aug 19 with 1542 views | DaleiLama |
Outstanding
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| Rio on 03:12 - Aug 20 with 1398 views | Daley_Lama |
The silver medal in mens kicking has to be seen to be believed.
Rio has been very kind to team GB, this however was as cruel as sport can be.
Fairwell Usain, good as ever.
Relays are far too complex, you used to only get DNQ if you dropped the baton | |
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| Rio on 09:07 - Aug 20 with 1347 views | D_Alien |
| Rio on 03:12 - Aug 20 by Daley_Lama |
The silver medal in mens kicking has to be seen to be believed.
Rio has been very kind to team GB, this however was as cruel as sport can be.
Fairwell Usain, good as ever.
Relays are far too complex, you used to only get DNQ if you dropped the baton |
Cruel indeed, Muhammed's split second loss of concentration that'll haunt him for a very long time.
I could be wrong but we've been so good in so many different sports, it's almost.like neutrals seem relieved we didn't win yet again - a strange feeling to have about British sportmen & women! Still mystified as to why our 4x400 men were disqualified. The studio panel looked at every aspect and could find nothing wrong, including our position at the final handover. Odd that it's Brazil's team that benefits from that decision. Perhaps the stadium will be more than half full tonight as a result, though... | |
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| Rio on 11:54 - Aug 20 with 1273 views | DaleiLama |
| Rio on 09:07 - Aug 20 by D_Alien |
Cruel indeed, Muhammed's split second loss of concentration that'll haunt him for a very long time.
I could be wrong but we've been so good in so many different sports, it's almost.like neutrals seem relieved we didn't win yet again - a strange feeling to have about British sportmen & women! Still mystified as to why our 4x400 men were disqualified. The studio panel looked at every aspect and could find nothing wrong, including our position at the final handover. Odd that it's Brazil's team that benefits from that decision. Perhaps the stadium will be more than half full tonight as a result, though... |
The cruellest bit was that he could (and should with a little more experience) have just backed away and off the mat. He would've conceded a 1 pt penalty, used up the 1 second and won Gold. Heart-breaking listening to his interview.
Team GB have been amazing. Such a contrast to the over-paid, pampered, over-hyped England footy team.
#watchandlearnEngland | |
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| Rio on 00:18 - Aug 21 with 1191 views | D_Alien |
Redemption for Brazil in the Maracana
Pleased for them, beating the Germans in a penalty shootout after their World Cup humiliation two years ago
That's what they'll remember about Rio 2016 in twenty years time, and probably the highlight of Neymar's career | |
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| Rio on 02:27 - Aug 21 with 1166 views | D_Alien |
With Mo completing his gold set and our women's 4x400m bronze, we've surpassed our London record medals haul.
66 now, a fantastic achievement and it'll be a great celebration in Manchester | |
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