The Olympics

QUOTE (Coneycat @ August 20, 2008 10:06 am)

QUOTE (Royale @ August 20, 2008 09:59 am)

I really love Bolt. For some reason I don't care when he showboats and poses for the cameras. He is as awesome as he thinks he is.

To me it comes across as playful exuberance more than arrogance, which makes it endearing to me. I watch him and I laugh and cheer for him.

And, of course, he really is that awesome...

I totally agree - he seems like a goofy kid who just happens to be able to run faster than anybody else on earth. And yeah, if anybody can justify a bit of showboating, it's that guy.

QUOTE (epudom @ August 20, 2008 12:49 am)

I can't believe some of the shenanigans people were getting up to in the race - grabbing opponent's ankles or elbowing each other.

This reminds me of something that shocked me during the women's marathon the other night. They were showing the pursuing group that was quite a ways behind the eventual winner, near the end of the race. One of the runners - I believe it was one of the Kenyan women - was drinking from a bottle of water. She was slightly in front of the others, and up against the stripe on the right side of the road, the other runners were mainly behind her a few steps, and to her left.

When she finished drinking, she flung the bottle onto the road right at the feet of the other runners, a couple of whom had to dodge around the bouncing bottle. I thought that was incredibly unsportsmanlike, as well as dangerous. She sure had every opportunity to toss the thing to her right, which would have been out of the path of her competitors.

Makes me wonder if that's just business as usual in marathons like that.

Re: Ian Miller, yeah he and his wife were together forever, he and his children are like Canadian royalty when it comes to show jumping so I was very happy for him.

One thing I've noticed is that Bolt is always pretty modest when speaking to the press - here's his interview with the BBC after the 200m, so I don't really mind the showboating.

QUOTE

"This is more than I can handle really, I'm a bit overwhelmed. I didn't think a 200m record was on because I felt tired after the heats. But I told everyone I was going to come out here and leave everything on the track and I did just that. I've proved I'm a true champion and that you can do anything you want with hard work. Am I ready for the attention that will follow? I'm getting there!"

When they interviewed Wallace Spearmon after the semifinals, he was so cute about Bolt. They showed footage that caught him goofing around with Bolt as they were coming out of the lockerroom, and Spearmon was like, "When am I not messing with Bolt?" They both seem like really sweet, fun guys. And I have to say that not all sprinters come across that way. In this case, the top athletes seem to have a lot of respect and affection for one another, which speaks highly of all of them.

I weep for Wallace Spearmon. He had the bronze and then it got taken away from him for running out of his lane at some point. I was really pulling for him to win in Beijing, too...

The guy who came second was disqualified, too. It must be awful, thinking you've got a medal, then realising you've been disqualified.

QUOTE (epudom @ August 20, 2008 08:49 am)

I had a bit of broken tooth related insomnia, so was awake to listen to the radio commentary for the women's 10k open water race. I can't believe some of the shenanigans people were getting up to in the race - grabbing opponent's ankles or elbowing each other.

Fair play to the Brits though - silver and bronze after swimming for just under two hours.

I've just watched the highlights of that - it's unbelievable seeing them all swimming in a pack and kicking each other. And then there was practically a photo-finish. But it was cool seeing all the other British swimmers walking the course waving flags and cheering.

QUOTE (Carmine @ August 20, 2008 01:48 pm)

The guy who came second was disqualified, too. It must be awful, thinking you've got a medal, then realising you've been disqualified.

Poor sods. I wonder if they were distracted by the freakish Bolt streaking away from them?

That's what I thought, kindred. Either that, or they were so hyped-up/unnerved by the thought they had to race against him that it shot their concentration - too busy worrying about how fast they were going to think about where they were putting their feet.

QUOTE (mrinsouciance @ August 20, 2008 04:14 pm)

QUOTE (epudom @ August 20, 2008 12:49 am)

I can't believe some of the shenanigans people were getting up to in the race - grabbing opponent's ankles or elbowing each other.

This reminds me of something that shocked me during the women's marathon the other night. They were showing the pursuing group that was quite a ways behind the eventual winner, near the end of the race. One of the runners - I believe it was one of the Kenyan women - was drinking from a bottle of water. She was slightly in front of the others, and up against the stripe on the right side of the road, the other runners were mainly behind her a few steps, and to her left.

When she finished drinking, she flung the bottle onto the road right at the feet of the other runners, a couple of whom had to dodge around the bouncing bottle. I thought that was incredibly unsportsmanlike, as well as dangerous. She sure had every opportunity to toss the thing to her right, which would have been out of the path of her competitors.

Makes me wonder if that's just business as usual in marathons like that.

True piece of Olympic history - at the 1924 Paris Olympics (the Chariots of Fire ones), the stalls at the side of the Marathon had wine as well as water, something which most of the athletes hadn't been told about. I've seen film which clearly shows that some of them are drunk, or at least tipsy (presumably you can gulp half a pint before realising what you're drinking)

Heh - back in the olden days the Tour de France riders used to do it half drunk as well!

QUOTE (epudom @ August 20, 2008 02:49 am)

I had a bit of broken tooth related insomnia, so was awake to listen to the radio commentary for the women's 10k open water race. I can't believe some of the shenanigans people were getting up to in the race - grabbing opponent's ankles or elbowing each other.

Fair play to the Brits though - silver and bronze after swimming for just under two hours.

Virtually all open water races are like that-- the rules even specify that you are to cut your nails short before racing to minimize bleeding (and attracting sharks and other predators, ostensibly).

It makes me wonder what type of person is attracted to that particular sport. "Swimming's fun enough, but there isn't enough punching, kicking, and grabbing in the regular swimming events to suit me!"

The Aussie girls in the triathlon wore camouflage swimming costumes because the swim section of the race is known to be quite dirty. Emma Snowsill, who won gold, said that in the past she's been punched, pushed etc.