London 2012 Megathread [Part 1]

Scanlas The 2nd

Love listening to Michael Johnson's analysis, the man just knows what he's talking about.

M cebee

shakes drayton was very good in her last DL race

patmac

See Rte having a long interview with the girl who finished last in the marathon, trying to make a human story out of it, would be nice if we could interview someone who exceeded expectations. Taylor's opponent looks difficult, hope everything goes well for her and she gets a fair deal on the night.

JONJO THE MISER

Fastest man on earth up next.

steve9859

patmac wrote: »

See Rte having a long interview with the girl who finished last in the marathon, trying to make a human story out of it, would be nice if we could interview someone who exceeded expectations. Taylor's opponent looks difficult, hope everything goes well for her and she gets a fair deal on the night.

I was on the Mall this morning and Catriona Jenings got a huge cheer. The crowd stayed for an hour after the winner to see her come home. Was very emotional or her, and it is a very human story. She did better to finish with her injury than those that dropped out.

More to the point is what the hell have the Irish team manager / doctors / physios been doing. Something has obviously gone wrong in the preparation. Are they just not as professional and as competent as other countries, which manage to send their athletes to the Olympics in peak condition? Sickness / injury is down to preparation....it doesn't happen by accident at this level.

steve9859

Ben Youssef Meite....it's that Irish guy again!

Anyone

Impressive from Gatlin

My name is URL

Gatlin looking very strong. Tempted to throw a few euro on him to win the final.

delad

Gatlin has been so underrated, hes in with a good shot of gold, I'd say he'll beat usain anyway

Richard Hillman

Wow that was a time. 9.82 may get a bronze. Powell might get a bad lane draw for not finishing in the top 2.

M cebee

ya 9.82
they mightn't be far off WR in final?

titan18

Gatlin, now there's a drug cheat

marco_polo

patmac wrote: »

See Rte having a long interview with the girl who finished last in the marathon, trying to make a human story out of it, would be nice if we could interview someone who exceeded expectations. Taylor's opponent looks difficult, hope everything goes well for her and she gets a fair deal on the night.

I can see your point of view but the Olympics come round once every four years and surely you can forgive someone for hoping an injury will be alright on the night.

You have to have a massive amount of respect for those athletes who put in the same lonely hard slog day in day out as the elites knowing that they will never reap the rewards. In the interviews you can see how much it means to them to represent and how crushing it is for them when they underperform for whatever reason.

Shryke

Bolt is irritating me a bit. Always miming for the camera and pulling faces. I wouldn't mind him bottling it for the humble pie, although I doubt it.

robinph

cgpg5 wrote: »

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Pendleton or Hoy must be in with a chance...

Pendleton no way and Hoy won it in 08. Unlikely he'd get it again..

...and Hoy hasn't done anything that special in cycling this year compared to Wiggins winning the Tour.

delad

wow not injured then

johnmcdnl

Holy **** that was fast... WR could be smashed if he doesn't ease up

M cebee

he jogged the finish

Hercule Poirot

Bolt is just amazing to watch, he knows it is his to lose

Anyone

Haha, have to say, I do like Bolt, good to have some personalities in sports.

nice_very

what speed, coasted the last 30 with such ease actually slowing to post 9.87 :O

Shryke

There we go. He eased off toward the end too.

Richard Hillman

Bolt 9.87. He slowed down for the last 40.

robinph

Shryke wrote: »

Bolt is irritating me a bit. Always miming for the camera and pulling faces. I wouldn't mind him bottling it for the humble pie, although I doubt it.

I guess you didn't see the World Championships where he false started and was DQ'ed then?

Corruptedmorals

titan18 wrote: »

That's cos the scoring systems are different. The women can't do some of the moves the men do

No, both men's and women's gymnastics scoring is made up of the same elements- difficulty and execution. Most of the men's difficult tumbles have been are being done by women- double doubles, full twisting double layouts, double twisting double layouts, full twisting double pikes. Some of them were INVENTED by women. There are only a few exceptions to this. Women are not allowed do the tumbles where men land on their backs and roll out, so you're not going to see them anytime soon in women's. In vault for men it's set higher than it is for women so it's easier for them to get more height..but a very common and difficult vault on both sides, the 2.5 yurchenko was invented by a woman and the best one ever is being done by a woman.

Sure, there are moves men are doing not yet done by a woman..but the idea that it is more difficult for women than men is a fair point. Male gymnasts have to show brute power and great form. Women have to show brute power, great form- but also artistry, grace and dance elements like leaps and turns which are really difficult too. In my opinion, it's harder to show all the attributes needed to be the perfect female gymnast than it is for a male gymnast.

nice_very

that ukraine triple jumper is cute, she winning it now too

johnmcdnl

First time seeing Blake run actually but heard a lot about him.. Should be good with him and Gay in this one

steve9859

robinph wrote: »

...and Hoy hasn't done anything that special in cycling this year compared to Wiggins winning the Tour.

If Mo Farah wins the 5k, he should be a shoo-in. Ticks all the boxes: universality (it's running!), biggest event in his sport, and against all the odds (ie. up against all the Africans). No-one else (not Murray or Wiggins) ticks all those boxes. But he has to win the 5k first....and I'm going to be in the stadium that night

.E_C_K_S.

Phenomenal stuff from Bolt, what a champion!

Shryke

Boris managed not to be picking his nose when the camera hit him.

notnumber

Re Bolt I didnt like the way he slowed down..its a bit fake..I knew its the semi but still..he will no doubt win the final in record time..great tv ..the man is a machine..no-one will beat him...

Ulysses Gaze

steve9859 wrote: »

If Mo Farah wins the 5k, he should be a shoo-in. Ticks all the boxes: universality (it's running!), biggest event in his sport, and against all the odds (ie. up against all the Africans). No-one else (not Murray or Wiggins) ticks all those boxes. But he has to win the 5k first....and I'm going to be in the stadium that night

Ennis for me.

The poster girl for the Olympics, under enormous pressure to get the Gold and decimates the field breaking many PBs to do it.

Hercule Poirot

notnumber wrote: »

Re Bolt I didnt like the way he slowed down..its a bit fake..I knew its the semi but still..he will no doubt win the final in record time..great tv ..the man is a machine..no-one will beat him...

He didn't need to go flat out, it's the semi. He knew he was through so he eased. He will definitely give it 100% in the final

tayto lover

Bolt is scary. He is built like a tank but moves like a gazelle. Will no doubt win Gold.

Whatever happened to Paul Hession?

titan18

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

No, both men's and women's gymnastics scoring is made up of the same elements- difficulty and execution. Most of the men's difficult tumbles have been are being done by women- double doubles, full twisting double layouts, double twisting double layouts, full twisting double pikes. Some of them were INVENTED by women. There are only a few exceptions to this. Women are not allowed do the tumbles where men land on their backs and roll out, so you're not going to see them anytime soon in women's. In vault for men it's set higher than it is for women so it's easier for them to get more height..but a very common and difficult vault on both sides, the 2.5 yurchenko was invented by a woman and the best one ever is being done by a woman.

Sure, there are moves men are doing not yet done by a woman..but the idea that it is more difficult for women than men is a fair point. Male gymnasts have to show brute power and great form. Women have to show brute power, great form- but also artistry, grace and dance elements like leaps and turns which are really difficult too. In my opinion, it's harder to show all the attributes needed to be the perfect female gymnast than it is for a male gymnast.

Just on the floor exercise, men don't have to the dance and grace element. It's not that men can't do them, the scoring doesn't ask for it to be done by them

johnmcdnl

Bolt went from 8/11 to 2/5 on PP from before the semis til now.. Says a lot about how awesome that run was

Pudsy33

Deleted User wrote: »

Whatever happened to Paul Hession?

He is running the 200m

rmchmufc

Awesome stuff from Bolt in his Semi Final with more in the tank as well.

Hercule Poirot

What the odds that Bolt breaks the WR while doing a cartwheel as he crosses the line?

M cebee

MJ says bolt had another 0.2 or more
looks like its his to lose then

Mr. Manager

How is it possible for someone to run that fast!?

JONJO THE MISER

He is only pretending to have a limp, do these guys in studio not get its all mind games at this stage.

rmchmufc

Hercule Poirot wrote: »

What the odds that Bolt breaks the WR while doing a cartwheel as he crosses the line?

If anyone can then Usain can!

Colmustard

Urrrrgh I would be far to macho to take flowers on the podium.

Pudsy33

Blake ran a faster time, and he also eased up at the end. He can do this

Hercule Poirot

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Blake ran a faster time, and he also eased up at the end. He can do this

So did Gatlin, but he ain't gonna win it either

Guy:Incognito

Love when they show those clips from the studio watching a race. Colin Jackson going ape . Michael Johnson going crazy too

Scanlas The 2nd

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Blake ran a faster time, and he also eased up at the end. He can do this

He didn't ease up nearly as much. It's Bolt's to lose.

WTF was Asafa Powell doing in his heat, fukcing moron. He could have finished second if he disn't look across. Dope.

marco_polo

Funny behind the scenes of the beeb studio as Moe won