The Olympics

What I don't understand is how exactly it's an advantage if the Chinese gymnasts are younger than 16? Wouldn't less training put them at a severe disadvantage versus others who have trained longer? I'm so confused.

QUOTE (jenelope @ August 10, 2008 07:41 am)

QUOTE (The Glen @ August 09, 2008 10:20 pm)

Has anyone heard whether the Samoan boxer who was stretchered off is alright? He looked as if he got a nasty blow to the head.

They sent him to the hospital for -*test*-('")s and observation. SI article. Knockouts are fairly uncommon in amateur boxing because the goal is to get as many points for clean blows as you can in eight minutes. The commentators seemed surprised by this bout and not exactly impressed. I generally prefer the middleweight and lower divisions (especially flyweight, those guys are wee!).

Thanks, jenelope. The commentators here were also talking about the fact that, say, European or U.S. boxers have to go through a lot more competition to get through to the Olympics than boxers from smaller nations.

I'm hoping the Irish boxers will do well, we certainly don't have much talent in many other disciplines.

QUOTE (Valancy @ August 10, 2008 08:11 pm)

When you're younger, you're far more flexible and more of a daredevil (eta: also smaller and lighter, so you fly higher). You're also more likely to live and die for your coach and do whatever they say without regard for yourself. Of course, you're more likely to retire by the time you're 18, but what does that matter when you can be replaced like a cog in a machine?

Thanks Crackie, that makes sense. I wonder why they just don't lower the age limit then, instead of leaving this tiny window where girls try to look pre-pubescent for as long as possible. The Chinese gymnasts don't look 16, but the Americans don't have the bodies of typical 16 year olds either (far shorter, far lighter). Strange sport!

Yea, swimming is next!

Yeah, Shawn Johnson doesn't look 16 herself. I think they really should just remove the age limit. I mean if these girls are good enough to compete just let them all compete.

Question: Why does it matter what lane a swimmer is in during a race? I don't usually follow swimming so I don't know why it makes a difference.

I think the reason the age limit was instituted was to level the playing field (ie younger girls having an advantage due to their flexibility and being physically smaller). Also, I believe there were concerns about the damage to bodies that young performing at that level.

ETA: I don't think the lane matters too much, but being in the middle is good because you can see everyone else better. If you're on one end, you probably can't tell what people 4 lanes over are doing.

It doesn't really matter except that you can't see lanes 1 and 2 very well if you are in lane 7 or 8. If you are in the center, you can see your competition better.

QUOTE (nikita @ August 10, 2008 09:40 pm)

Question: Why does it matter what lane a swimmer is in during a race? I don't usually follow swimming so I don't know why it makes a difference.

When you swim closer to the outside of a pool, you get more splashback from the sides (which means that you have more resistance to swim against). So the center lanes are the preferred lanes. The faster you are, the higher your seed and you'll be put in the center lanes (4/5). The slower people are seeded on alternate sides, with the slowest going into the heat in lanes 1/8. So it's kind of not terribly common for someone in lanes 1/8 to win a heat.

The same etiquette basically applies in a lap pool, fyi. If you're slower and have a choice, stick to the outer lanes. Faster, go for the center. I'm a 1/8 or 2/7 myself.

ETA: HOLY CRAP THAT RELAY OMGBBQWTFRELAY!!!

Thanks for the explanations, everyone.

On that note: WOOOO MEN'S RELAY TEAM!!

Wow, Eamon Sullivan is good. I'm so happy we got the bronze, at least!

That was a CRAZY relay. I can't believe the US pulled it out in the end. Jason Lezak is such a stud. He swam the fas-*test*-('") relay split EVER to win that race. DUDE.

THAT WAS SO AWESOME! That last stretch was amazing! All the US dudes were so fantastic.

Kinda makes me want to go out and swim. And earlier today, watching crew, I wanted to start rowing. Stupid Olympics... Putting delusions into my head.

And this is why you don't tell the world you're going to "smash the Americans," Mr. French Swimmer dude. Because it will only make Jason Lezak so angry he'll swim so fast he broke the time/space continuum.

That relay was awesome! I do wish the American media had talked more about the other 3 men on it besides Phelps, like the second black American male gold medalist swimmer ever. They didn't just win it so Phelps could have all 8 Golds.

QUOTE (Binky @ August 10, 2008 11:27 pm)

That relay was awesome! I do wish the American media had talked more about the other 3 men on it besides Phelps, like the second black American male gold medalist ever. They didn't just win it so Phelps could have all 8 Golds.

I agree. It would have been nice if they had talked about ALL the guys on that relay team. Jason Lezak is the OLDEST guy on the US swim team, and he just went out there and swam is ass off. The guy who swam the second leg: that was his FIRST race at the Olympics this year! And of course, Cullen Jones' accomplishment is huge too.

The US did a great job, but that race was so crazy, all of the top five teams were under the previous world record time. I'm still totally blown away by Lezak's time though: 46 seconds flat is INSANE.