2012 London Olympic Games - Day Fifteen- General Thread

[professordeb]

I am gutted for the Canadian men's 4x100 team. They finished in third, the scoreboard posted them as third and off then went celebrating. Hugs everywhere, carrying the Canadian flag around them and enjoying the moment.
And then it happened ...
The stupid officials did it again.
It wasn't enough that they posted results before they were sure of who finished where just a day or so ago.
They did it again, and this time their decision decimated not one but FOUR competing individuals
After reviewing the race results, they noticed that the 3rd sprinter for Canada had crossed over his lane by about 1/4 of his foot. Apparently that's the rule and we're fine with getting the DQ. We follow rules. However, what NITWIT posted the results up on the scoreboards before they officially official? Stupid, STUPID and STUPID.

You would have thought that officials, after making that mistake earlier this week, would have learned not give with one hand and take away with the other.

I am gutted! It seems to me that we have been on the bad end of a number of things, maybe more than our share? I don't know. I do feel that those on who we had set high hopes often disappointed. Then there have been those who surprised us with how well they did, coming in under the radar.

So once again, it seems we are going to finish with 18 medals, but the lowest number of gold than we've had in years. Pity, cause there seemed to be promise of more.

I look forward to the Games ending if only so my eyes can get a rest from watching TV all day. I imagine it is going to be a good time had by all. With that said, it is probably time to get myself ready for another season of Junior hockey.

It's been a slice, peeps!

[poths]

Comparatively speaking, it kind of was.

But it's not their fault they're competing against Bolt and company. And their 400m runners have been plagued by injury. They had some positives: they broke the US record in the 4x100m relay and didn't drop the baton. That's progress.

I disagree. They picked 5 collegiates for the 200m and 400m, all of them peaked at trials and haven't been near their top shape (obviously, since they've competed all season). They HAVE to look at their qualification where professionals who are rightfully looking to peak at championships are taking on amateur NCAA guys who are in peak shape at US champs having just finished the NCAA champs.

The US left a half dozen proven championship performers at home, experienced guys who could have rounded down their times and brought home medals.

They left Shawn Crawford at home, Olympic Gold and silver in the 200, he was rounding into form....David Neville was left at home, wasn't in great shape for trials but had the experience having medalled in Beijing etc.

On the flip side, I really believe at least 2 of the US 400 guys would have medalled here had they not spent their lot for their respective colleges. It's a shame these guys are choosing a non entity college race over a prospective Olympic title and a shame that colleges/coaches would force them to do so although I understand the economics behind it.

[suep1963]

BBC did an X Factor type sob story on boxer Luke Campbell saying his mother and little sister died six years ago. At the end of the programme they had to issue a correction saying his mother was alive and watching TV at home.

I'm sure she was surprised to hear that!

[poths]

I am gutted for the Canadian men's 4x100 team. They finished in third, the scoreboard posted them as third and off then went celebrating. Hugs everywhere, carrying the Canadian flag around them and enjoying the moment.
And then it happened ...
The stupid officials did it again.
It wasn't enough that they posted results before they were sure of who finished where just a day or so ago.
They did it again, and this time their decision decimated not one but FOUR competing individuals
After reviewing the race results, they noticed that the 3rd sprinter for Canada had crossed over his lane by about 1/4 of his foot. Apparently that's the rule and we're fine with getting the DQ. We follow rules. However, what NITWIT posted the results up on the scoreboards before they officially official? Stupid, STUPID and STUPID.

You would have thought that officials, after making that mistake earlier this week, would have learned not give with one hand and take away with the other.

I am gutted! It seems to me that we have been on the bad end of a number of things, maybe more than our share? I don't know. I do feel that those on who we had set high hopes often disappointed. Then there have been those who surprised us with how well they did, coming in under the radar.

So once again, it seems we are going to finish with 18 medals, but the lowest number of gold than we've had in years. Pity, cause there seemed to be promise of more.

I look forward to the Games ending if only so my eyes can get a rest from watching TV all day. I imagine it is going to be a good time had by all. With that said, it is probably time to get myself ready for another season of Junior hockey.

It's been a slice, peeps!

Of course the score board showed them third, they crossed the line and the computer took care of the rest. It was a PROTEST from a rival team who viewed a slow motion of Conaughton running out of his that forced the disqualification of the team. It was a great run for them, but, how is anyone else to blame for the fact that their third runner ran out of his lane which DOES give you an advantage. Sad. But right decision.

I am shocked that Canada can only manage a single gold with their capita and economic stability!

In track and field, I feel the problem is clear, Canadian athletes are too nice and have no winning confidence. Jessica Zelinka should not be in the heptathlon, she should be a Hurdler, 100ms or 400m hurdler...and she should have a crazy confidence because she can run 12'6 without fully concentrating on the event.

Dylan Armstrong is so polite and nice, eh, you are just as good as all of those guys, be aggressive.

Canadian athletes seem to have lost that confidence they used to have with the likes of Donovan Bailey, Mark McCoy. Shame.

[allezfred]

I am gutted for the Canadian men's 4x100 team. They finished in third, the scoreboard posted them as third and off then went celebrating. Hugs everywhere, carrying the Canadian flag around them and enjoying the moment.
And then it happened ...
The stupid officials did it again.
It wasn't enough that they posted results before they were sure of who finished where just a day or so ago.
They did it again, and this time their decision decimated not one but FOUR competing individuals
After reviewing the race results, they noticed that the 3rd sprinter for Canada had crossed over his lane by about 1/4 of his foot. Apparently that's the rule and we're fine with getting the DQ. We follow rules. However, what NITWIT posted the results up on the scoreboards before they officially official? Stupid, STUPID and STUPID.

You would have thought that officials, after making that mistake earlier this week, would have learned not give with one hand and take away with the other.

You obviously only watch athletics once every four years as this type of situation happens all the time at championships.

Don't think it is comparable at all to what occurred in the ladies hammer event. That was unforgivable.

[poths]

You obviously only watch athletics once every four years as this type of situation happens all the time at championships.

Don't think it is comparable at all to what occurred in the ladies hammer event. That was unforgivable.

But how incredible was Betty Heidler to stay so freaking Calm!

Chinese lady was screwed. Very sad for her.

On another note, I won a 2'032 euro today. One of my 8 athlete accumulators actually worked out, chicherova was the last one for me. so wheeeeeeeeee

[Jimena]

I disagree. They picked 5 collegiates for the 200m and 400m, all of them peaked at trials and haven't been near their top shape (obviously, since they've competed all season). They HAVE to look at their qualification where professionals who are rightfully looking to peak at championships are taking on amateur NCAA guys who are in peak shape at US champs having just finished the NCAA champs.

You're saying that they should disregard their trial process and choose athletes differently. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Then why has this worked before and not this year? I don't follow athletics as much as you do so this is an honest question.

It seems to me that if the trials process has worked before plenty of times, then the problem lies not in the way athletes are chosen but in other factors: quality of the competition, injuries, etc.

[poths]

You're saying that they should disregard their trial process and choose athletes differently. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Then why has this worked before and not this year? I don't follow athletics as much as you do so this is an honest question.

It seems to me that if the trials process has worked before plenty of times, then the problem lies not in the way athletes are chosen but in other factors: quality of the competition, injuries, etc.

Not to be controversial, but US sprinters have a notorious track record with drug taking. It's easy to peak twice when you are on drugs, infact it's easy to peak all summer. I feel like US athletics is a LOT cleaner than at previous times which means more natural cycles, peaks, and tapering. We've seen at the last two world championships that NCAA athletes are making the team over professionals for the aforementioned reasons and not even making the finals come the championships.

I also feel like the NCAA program might have become more strenuous too? Which means that collegiate have less chance of managing a second peak should they make the team.

I'll also never forgive the US selction policy for allowing Kenteris of Greece to win the 200m in Sydney. Michael Johnson and Maurice Green would have easily beaten him, but both of them had cramp at the trials and neither of them were selected.

[poths]

Also...WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO WITHOUT THE OLYMPICS?

Insult to injury, school is also back soon, AND I have infants again!

[professordeb]

Of course the score board showed them third, they crossed the line and the computer took care of the rest. It was a PROTEST from a rival team who viewed a slow motion of Conaughton running out of his that forced the disqualification of the team. It was a great run for them, but, how is anyone else to blame for the fact that their third runner ran out of his lane which DOES give you an advantage. Sad. But right decision.

I am shocked that Canada can only manage a single gold with their capita and economic stability!

In track and field, I feel the problem is clear, Canadian athletes are too nice and have no winning confidence. Jessica Zelinka should not be in the heptathlon, she should be a Hurdler, 100ms or 400m hurdler...and she should have a crazy confidence because she can run 12'6 without fully concentrating on the event.

Dylan Armstrong is so polite and nice, eh, you are just as good as all of those guys, be aggressive.

Canadian athletes seem to have lost that confidence they used to have with the likes of Donovan Bailey, Mark McCoy. Shame.

I was going by what I had seen in other running matches thus far in the O's. Sometimes a longer amount of time would pass before a result was posted as officials ensured they had things correct. They wouldn't post who finished where until AFTER the results were verified. Once the results were posted, I and many others thought that was final. Nothing was mentioned that a protest was put in by anyone else. What I did see/hear was that video was replayed and it was at that point that the Canadian who made the mistake noticed he had done so. He manned up and admitted he made the mistake, taking full responsibility. I still feel gutted about it but was very proud of the way T&T team came over and kinda did the "sorry to hear about the DQ, guys". Very classy.

As for Zelinka and the hurdles - don't even get me started. She shouldn't have been our best hope in that event. She's a heptathalon athlete; we sent the WRONG women for the hurdles. If you think she'd be a better hurdler then let her go home and train just for that. Who knows, maybe she'd be better.

And as for our shot putter -- nice guys often don't finish on the podium let alone on the top.

As for our economy -- as you can see, we don't pour as much money into our athletes as do other countries; we spend it on other things. More's the pity about that sometimes.

I don't know if we choke up when we go in as favourites and as a result end up no where near the podium (Canadian woman mountain biking being the most recent that I can think of). It seems we like coming in as underdogs/unknowns/relatively unknown and then outperform our expectations. I do wonder how much money/time/effort was expended when we began the "Own the Podium" for Vancouver in 2010 cause it would be wonderful to see the same happen for our summer athletes.

BTW, congrats to TB on such a wonderful Games. I think you've knocked it out of the ball park. Well done, chaps!

[Norlite]

I do wonder how much money/time/effort was expended when we began the "Own the Podium" for Vancouver in 2010 cause it would be wonderful to see the same happen for our summer athletes !

It has continued and the summer athletes have benefitted just as the winters have.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle4459222/


Another sport not mentioned in that article, but was reported on CTV, was that the woman's soccer team was given $6 million from OTP in the last couple years, and that is how they were able to afford their British coach.

[algonquin]

It has continued and the summer athletes have benefitted just as the winters have.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle4459222/


Another sport not mentioned in that article, but was reported on CTV, was that the woman's soccer team was given $6 million from OTP in the last couple years, and that is how they were able to afford their British coach.

Yes, but I only think the summer athletics have had the funding for 2 years or so.

[Matryeshka]

Wrong thread!

[Norlite]

Yes, but I only think the summer athletics have had the funding for 2 years or so.

No. It actually started funding summer athletes in 2005. Funding was increased 4 years ago after Bejing


Road to Exellence and Own the Podium is basically the same program.

[Bournekraatzfan]

I was going by what I had seen in other running matches thus far in the O's. Sometimes a longer amount of time would pass before a result was posted as officials ensured they had things correct. They wouldn't post who finished where until AFTER the results were verified....

Yeah, I have heard that officials thought there was a problem during the race, and if that is true I am surprised that they posted the results before reviewing the footage and making a decision. On the bright side, the relay guys are trying to stay positive, with Seyi Smith saying that they were lucky to have experienced that feeling, even if only for a brief moment.
Donovan Bailey and coach Glenroy Gilbert stand by the rule.

Gosh, just saw the footage of Woojin Hwang of South Korea being bucked off his horse. Thank goodness he wasn't seriously injured, but how awful I don't follow this sport; is this kind of thing common?

[gingercrush]

lol hehe I see Canada are going by total of medals instead of ranking by Golds. I do wonder though if Canada and Australia haven't been hurt by the strength of Great Britain these Olympics who have dominated many sports that Canada and Australia can also do well in. Equestrian in particular was disappointing for Canada. And Rowing where Canada has previously done very well just didn't do as good here.

[sweetsparky]

Also...WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO WITHOUT THE OLYMPICS?

Insult to injury, school is also back soon, AND I have infants again!

Surely infants have been watching Olympics, so maybe a lot of school work related to joyous memories of sport is possible

Wow Mo Farah , wow Bolt and Jamaica , both of them.

[riveredge]

I don;'t know what happened to the US Ladies volleyball team. They dominated the first set then were dominated the rest of the way.

US team is ranked number 1 in the world, such a talented team but they just don't have a killer instinct compared to the US women's basketball/soccer team. when the game is on the line, just like in the World Cup last year and the World Championships and now the Olympics.

[vesperholly]

Gosh, just saw the footage of Woojin Hwang of South Korea being bucked off his horse. Thank goodness he wasn't seriously injured, but how awful I don't follow this sport; is this kind of thing common?

No idea if it's common, but apparently the rules of modern pentathalon require an "unfamiliar horse". If that isn't a bad idea, I don't know what is.

[allezfred]

It would be financially prohibitive for most modern pentathletes to bring their own horses (if they even have them) to the Games. Besides the fact that's always the way it's been done.

It looked to me that rather than the horses some pentathletes are better horse riders than others.