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.@DrJ - I did "like" your post but I feel it just needs a mention for just capturing the whole thing of Paris Olympics perfectly. Hope you had a good day on the hill!
Women's road race tomorrow has Lizzie Deignan, Pfeiffer Georgi and Anna Henderson for GB.
@crazy-legs thanks for the kind words. I’ll be back out today for the women’s race but maybe in a different spot to get a different perspective :-).
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce apparently not allowed in the stadium… wrong gate or something… this will cause some major problems
She was allowed in. She was injured during the warm up.
Kayak Cross, short course but pure bedlam. Great to see UK athletes getting through early rounds.
For the Olympic ctte it must have been a close call as to which event to stage, Kayak Cross or 4 in a boxing ring ?
She was allowed in. She was injured during the warm up.
Thanks for the update. That wasn't the way Eurosport were reporting it at the time. It seemed very extreme not to have allowed her in at all.
She was EVENTUALLY allowed in. Whether this disrupted preparations and contributed to the injury, or whether there's more to it, who knows.
https://twitter.com/MAljavonie52406/status/1819893840272093428
Watched the 10m air pistol final on Eurosport catch up last night. Unlucky Turkey, but they seem to have won the internet. Then, after a little research, realised we’re missing out. In 1900 there was live pigeon shooting, and in 1908 we had pistol duals. Fencing? Pah!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistol_dueling_at_the_Summer_Olympics
10m air pistol is surprisingly therapeutic, and aside from the pistol, has minimal to no special equipment needs. Especially if you are single eye dominant like me.
There should absolutely no place for dressage in the Olympics. Dancing ponies is not a sport.
Dressage horses must be bullied in the stables by the other horses. They can't race, they can't jump over fences, but they can dance diagonally across a square. What a waste of an olympic sport.
....and again, the current options for viewing are dressage and gold WTAF?!?!
Take the training method controversy aside, a half tonne horse with that much power being able to move that gracefully and with that control is amazing.
My main contention is how bloody long it takes. A set piece and a freestyle, minutes long each, and each competitor going separately.....god it goes on.
Contrast with team archery that I saw a couple of days ago..... 4 arrows per team, bosh, that's a set. First to 3 sets, job done. About 6 minutes and done.
really enjoyed last night's athletics: Julien Alfred looked steely focussed and Sha'carri ( :)) well nervous at the start, I'm no michael johnson but I had her for the win and was great to see St Lucia getting their first medal. Amazing! Darryl Neita as well. Fantastic performance - best 100m women performance in 64 years?!
the mixed 400 relay - as people have said - Femke Boll is astonishing. She looked so relaxed at the end. Is there no way she can double up on the 400m and 400 m hurdles?
I would've preferred more athletics coverage than bloody rowing - I know Britain has had their best performance in years but so boring.
I happened to turn on the tv when the canoe cross was on yesterday Properly bonkers. Loved it
I can’t believe how long equestrian guff has been going on. Hardly any countries do it so it’s not like swimming where there’s a big programme and they have loads of entrants. But then I suppose if you’ve created all the junk required to allow the entitled to exercise their Olympic right then it might as well go on for ever.
@drj fun article by the excellent Jonathan Liew on his day on Montmartre https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/article/2024/aug/03/cycling-mens-road-race-paris-olympics-2024-montmartre-remco-evenepoel
Anyone know where the women's road race can be seen. I was watching it on ES2HD, got bored and went over to Moto2 British GP... went back to see the cycling but it's showing shooting and can't see the RR anywhere on ES or BBC.
I've only just realised they have changed the women's gymnastics uneven bars, they used to do moves where they could swing off the higher and wrap themselves around the lower one, now the bars are further apart and they have to do further flights.
When and why was that?
Watching it on Eurosport 4k (523 on Virgin)
Lots of mechanical issues
Anyone know where the women’s road race can be seen. I was watching it on ES2HD, got bored and went over to Moto2 British GP… went back to see the cycling but it’s showing shooting and can’t see the RR anywhere on ES or BBC.
Back on ES at 15.45 according to the schedule. Really annoying - got up to make a brew, came back and it was shooting, I thought it'd be a quick summary of other sports but they're showing the whole final.
Wouldn't mind if I could access the road racing on another channel but BBC also has the shooting.
Watching it on Eurosport 4k (523 on Virgin)
Lots of mechanical issues
Thanks. Unfortunately I don't get the 4k channel with our package.
I’ve only just realised they have changed the women’s gymnastics uneven bars, they used to do moves where they could swing off the higher and wrap themselves around the lower one, now the bars are further apart and they have to do further flights.When and why was that?
Back in the 80's a gymnast did a move that the judges realised could basically kill them if they messed it up. A few people had done it since the 70's, modifying it occasionally and then the final version that lead to it being banned carried a strong risk of breaking the back or neck of the gymnast if they missed the catch.
There was some Olympics guide video online about the history of the various bits of gym equipment.
Didn't the uneven bars used to be called the asymmetric bars?
Women's road race has been on my Eurosport 2 all race don't think I've got anything special as I'm too mean to pay over and above.
Back in the 80’s a gymnast did a move that the judges realised could basically kill them if they messed it up. A few people had done it since the 70’s, modifying it occasionally and then the final version that lead to it being banned carried a strong risk of breaking the back or neck of the gymnast if they missed the catch.
I think you're referring to the Korbut Flip. I don't know if it's banned or just effectively ('cos you get no points for doing it) but that could still be done from the bars as they are today, it's a high bar only trick.
https://youtube.com/shorts/QZ7t1McdkZ4?feature=shared
In the 80's, a gymnast tried with a twist as well and became paralysed, which I think is when it actually got 'banned'
Women’s road race has been on my Eurosport 2 all race don’t think I’ve got anything special as I’m too mean to pay over and above.
I've currently got golf on ES2 HD
Women's RR on again, looks a great opportunity for GB at this stage!
I think you’re referring to the Korbut Flip... In the 80’s, a gymnast tried with a twist as well and became paralysed, which I think is when it actually got ‘banned’
That was the one! Wish I could find the video I'd seen on it.
The final of the men’s archery was a few hours ago. No spoilers but well worth checking out the coverage on Eurosport. Very exciting. And ridiculously skilful.
Women's road race is an option in BBC iplayer as I type..
Women's RR properly tense now! Another fantastic race!
Woah! What were they thinking? Another great race.
Dressage horses must be bullied in the stables by the other horses. They can’t race, they can’t jump over fences
I take it you're not aware of the elements of 3 day eventing.
Apparently it's the last night of swimming, however I've thought that for the past 5 nights! Far too many races that can be won by the same swimmer.
China has become a swimming superpower.
China has become a swimming superpower.
Much to the disbelief of many other nations it seems. Agree about the number of events within swimming, it's ridiculous. Also - swim one length of the pool, win a gold medal. What's all that about?!
The RR was brilliant - I reckon there's a strong case to be made to have a one-day classic on that circuit. Ironically enough it was Lizzie's attack that set it up - she was dropped, got dragged back to the group by Anna Henderson and (rather foolishly I thought) went over the top and attacked, instantly followed and chased down by Vos and Vas who then put the pressure on a bit and Lizzie went straight out the back door again leaving those two up front. Great ride from Pfeiffer Georgi though.
Just back from holiday, had Eurosport out there with loads of channels and varied coverage and good commentary. BBC is virtually unwatchable in comparison - really limited coverage and SO much waffling!
Also – swim one length of the pool, win a gold medal. What’s all that about?!
I'd much rather watch that than watch people potter about on bicycles for most of a day.
China has become a swimming superpower.
Indeed and the feds are looking into it.
Mass contaminations are possible (don’t eat meat in Colombia), but trimetazidine is not the typical foodstuff contaminant.
Whilst on the subject of doping, Flo Jo never tested positive, but no woman has beaten her 1988 World records for 100 and 200 metres. And I predict no one will this evening either. Testing was ramped up from 1992.
China dominating the diving, think they've won every event so far. If nothing else they're doing something which allows them to put in a lot more training hours.
Flo Jo never tested positive
I listened to a podcast with Victor Conte years ago, he of BALCO fame, where he stated pretty much every US athlete did test positive but the tests were suppressed and everything brushed under the carpet. Basically every US track and field athlete in the 80s was juiced to the gills (as we're most other country's athletes)
Mens 100 was slightly decent!
Struggling to focus on the sports as Clare Baldings hair, it's like she's styled it on a bike or horse helmet.
Yeah 100m was a thriller. Craziest drawn out build-up too
BBC coverage has generally been poor, too much waffle and not enough variation of sports. And what is the fascination with Biles, they seem to mention her every chance they get...
Luckily I have Discovery+ and the amount of different things to watch there is great via Eurosport.
5 milliseconds between first and second. Which at 10m/sec is 5 cm. Still 2% slower than Usain though. Bolt would have finished 2m ahead on his world record pace, and a metre ahead on his London 2012 Olympic record pace.
that's really interesting - the finish looked tighter than a gnat's chuff but 5cm is quite significant.
It was still the fastest race of all time, last place was 9.91! Bolt was just a phenomenon/ once in a lifetime athlete so hard to see 9.58 ever being beat.
didn't Ben Johnson's unofficial drug fuelled 'record' 9.79 stand for ages. Interestingly the same time as these guys
The are a couple of threads running about rioting and right wing scum shaming our country so I feel the need to highlight the story of Cindy Ngamba who's just won the Refuge Team its first medal (colour to be decided).
Surely though she shouldn't a refugee. This country needs to get its act together, give her citizenship & hold her up as a role model. It's an amazing story.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/articles/cqqll47dvdyo
didn’t Ben Johnson’s unofficial drug fuelled ‘record’ 9.79 stand for ages
Approx 11 years when Mo Greene equalled it.
Prob a bit slower at that point, but that opens the discussion on the science of the 100m. I read a great article on it, I don't remember the full details but the gist is that the race is in three phases; getting out of the blocks and into stride and into an upright position; phase two of max speed, and then the last phase.... where even the best sprinters can't maintain speed and start to slow down. So the end point of the article was that the winner isn't the guy that can run fastest (in phase 2), rather the one that slows down least. Hence Bolt's advantage, the physiology means that everyone has burnt their max up in a certain number of strides but where Bolt takes 10% less strides than others, he's closer to the finish when he starts to slow down.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/oct/03/how-fast-can-we-go-the-science-of-sprinting
They can't be slowing too much as Bolt's world record for 200 meters is 19:19. And that's with a bend.
They'll be doing more than 10m/s across the line. Top speeds will be somewhere around 12m/s but it takes a while to accelerate up to that.
Cindy Ngamba who’s just won the Refugee Team its first medal
Predictably, the social media comments were absolutely horrific
You're probably right, the longest phase of the race is getting up to top speed which is after about 50-60m (a bit further for Bolt because it's actually strides) and then they start to slow down again. The 60m WR is 6.34s, assume that Bolt isn't as fast as that (he's not the record holder /we know his height makes him generally a slow starter) so he'd be slower than 6.34s to the 60m mark and then does the last 40m in about 3.something seconds. So I agree, the speed is likely to still be more than 10m/s at the line.
IDK in the 200, by the same logic they can't be at full sprint but same calc would say 6.34s to 60m and then 140m in 13s or so. Practically pedestrian ;-), but the inefficient first 50m is then outweighed by more at speed.
I'd never realised that - average speed for the 200m WR is almost identical to the 100m WR. I wonder what the flying 100m time in the middle of a 200m is?
I wonder what the flying 100m time in the middle of a 200m is?
Dunno, but Asafa Powell did an 8.68 split in a 4x100 relay 🙂
200m is the fastest athletics event. But if you think 10m/sec is fast, the current flying 200m on the velodrome track is 9.099s or 79.13km/h. That’s just under 50mph. This record may go this week, because the Paris velodrome is 8m wide instead of 7, so riders can start higher on their flying lap.
A moving 100 meters I'd imagine, would be notoriously hard to measure.
just need two timing beams, they do that for the flying cycle sprint seeding runs in the velodrome.
Flying 100m can be measured, just as per velodrome. On the bike there is a sensor on the track that the wheel passes over. In the athletics track, you just need two finish line sensors. You could run the event as per the velodrome with flying 100, then fastest vs. Slowest and whittle it down until a head to head for gold. Probably want to run it over 130-150m to get a good start. None of those track stands or sitting behind the opponent. Strictly in your lane and go!
Just watching the men’s individual archery semifinal/final. Two South Koreans, and it’s as close as I’d expect.
The men’s 100 metre final was a cracking race, difficult to believe just how close it was.
Archery first semifinal to be decided by a one arrow shootout!
Second semifinal between Germany and the USA. USA gets it, so final for gold between USA and S. Korea, silver and bronze between Germany and S. Korea.
Arrows are hitting the target at around 240 kph.
S.Korea gets bronze. USA level with S.Korea with a one arrow shootout to decide gold/silver! Both had perfect scores on the final set.
S.Korea gets gold, closer to the centre by a few centimetres!
Anyone who hasn’t been watching, this photo gives a rough idea as to the distance the archers are shooting at. Excuse the moiré effect, I took a photo of my telly screen.
This is an amazing photo, it’s shows the whole 100m race in one set of images, from beginning to end.
https://twitter.com/worldathletics/status/1820218219480715472?s=61
Ouch - that's a rough one – we won the Silver in the Triathlon Mixed Relay but it has been downgraded to a Bronze after they actually bothered to look at the photo properly. TBF, I do think it was the right decision but I am surprised they did that.
@CountZero that is superb. It was a brilliant race, so tense in the build up, and so incredibly fast for all 8.
(ETA, didnt notice previously, wonder why they ran in lanes 2-9 and not 1-8.... I guess the proximity of that inner barrier/hoarding).
Team GB doing their thing plus Lotte Kopecky descending rue de Menilmontant yesterday. I assume that's @ernielynch in the background (just kidding, mate :-). ). Got to feel for Blanka Vas - cycling is a cruel sport sometimes!!
Cindy Ngamba who’s just won the Refugee Team its first medal
Predictably, the social media comments were absolutely horrific
It doesn't surprise me, social media seems to bring out worst in people and the worst of people.
I can't help thinking that there ought to be more of an outcry over this story. I had a quick Google to see if I could find a petition or something to promote her fight for citizenship, but I couldn't find anything. Hopefully things are still progressing.
Anyway, there's a bit more on the BBC website about her struggles and achievements - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/articles/cy63ywplg4no
Blimey, blink and you'll miss the womens speed climbing, WR gone twice this morning and they're up that wall in 6sec!
Just came to post about the speed climbing! Holy shit. That's unbelievably impressive.
They're not "climbing", it's more like flowing. They just flow up a vertical wall!
Yep, not sure I can run that distance on the flat in 6sec!! 🙂
They just flow up a vertical wall!
5 degrees overhanging. Actually, it would be harder on a vertical wall!
Toby Roberts did pretty well in the boulder semis. I thought the routesetters had misjudged it but they got it pretty much spot on.
Not yet seen the kayak cross so hoping to catch h it this afternoon
Just came to post about the speed climbing! Holy shit. That’s unbelievably impressive.
I find it unbelievably dull. To me the essence of climbing is precision.
You don't think it requires precision?
It's the least interesting of the three disciplines to me, though, and I'm glad they've separated it from the boulder and lead comps for the overall.
The problem with presenting climbing to a lay audience is they have no idea just how much physically harder any of the boulder problems are compared to the speed route. Most relatively fit adults could conceivably pull onto the speed route, but have no chance of getting feet off the floor for 99% of world cup boulders.
It's amazing, but without the problem solving of regular climbing as the route remains the same. So, yes it has rightly been separated from combined boulder and lead. Even better would be individual boulder and lead, but every sport wants more.
The kayak cross is great to watch too. GB in the women's gold medal final. The multi angle slo-mo replays are very good, the way the camera will pan around the action.
Dame Laura Kenny being interviewed on BBC, she reckons GB will be getting a big medal haul from the velodrome, says it's a top-notch team.
Bronze for Woods in the Women's Kayak Cross after she got tangled up in one of the gates as the winner went through it first.
Could Kayak Cross pave the way for MTB 4x?
Could Kayak Cross pave the way for MTB 4x?
The problem with introducing new sports is that one of the old ones needs to go cos it's limited to a certain number of races. You may remember the 1km individual sprint (track) being removed as an Olympic discipline - the one that Chris Hoy specialised in. It got removed cos something else was added, can't remember what.
Track cycling on now - Women's Team Sprint qualifications. GB up now.
Wow, new WR in Women's Team Sprint for Team GB, top of the qualification chart!