Olympics All Format Spoiler Thread

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  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    elbowloh said:

    andyrac said:

    That was an impressive race; and the winner removed any tactics from the race - and made all.

    She hit the front and slowed it right down until the bell, then wound it up in that second 400. It was tactical.
    200 splits were 27.4 / 30.5 / 29.3 / 28.0. 400s were 57.9 / 57.3. Great piece of championship front running. Often the women go out way too quick.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 22,027

    It's possible that he's just a really fast 400m runner, and they don't normally concentrate on the hurdles. Plus shoes are a bit faster.

    I was questioning the rest of the field who were also really quick. If you looked at the race, the splits aren't the sort you would expect if someone was knocking 0.7s off the world record.
    Similar to the London 2012 mens 800m. Athletes pace off each other to a degree so if the WR holder is in the form of his life, in the biggest stage and everyone else is peaking too (and they've got 'new' shoes), then mad things can happen. Andrew Osagie ran 1:43 that day and never got near that before or since.

    The event was arguably on a plateau for a good 25 years post Kevin Young's 92 WR, whereas all the rest of the track events (for whatever reason....) moved on. It's prob getting to where it should be relative to the flat 400 if you think Van Niekirk ran 43.03 five years ago.
    Still, 45.9 is mad.
    The 400m record isn't much lower than Butch Reynolds 43.29 from 1988. Or, to put it another way, the record has improved 0.26 seconds in 30+ years. At the same time (1983), Ed Moses was running the 400m hurdles in 47.02.
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632

    It's possible that he's just a really fast 400m runner, and they don't normally concentrate on the hurdles. Plus shoes are a bit faster.

    I was questioning the rest of the field who were also really quick. If you looked at the race, the splits aren't the sort you would expect if someone was knocking 0.7s off the world record.
    Similar to the London 2012 mens 800m. Athletes pace off each other to a degree so if the WR holder is in the form of his life, in the biggest stage and everyone else is peaking too (and they've got 'new' shoes), then mad things can happen. Andrew Osagie ran 1:43 that day and never got near that before or since.

    The event was arguably on a plateau for a good 25 years post Kevin Young's 92 WR, whereas all the rest of the track events (for whatever reason....) moved on. It's prob getting to where it should be relative to the flat 400 if you think Van Niekirk ran 43.03 five years ago.
    Still, 45.9 is mad.
    The 400m record isn't much lower than Butch Reynolds 43.29 from 1988. Or, to put it another way, the record has improved 0.26 seconds in 30+ years. At the same time (1983), Ed Moses was running the 400m hurdles in 47.02.
    Think you might have sort of made the same point as me - until a couple of years ago, with the exception of Young, people weren't running 47.02 even. Quite a few guys have been running 43s in the last 20 years in the 400. The 400H is now where it sort of should have been perhaps.

    If Van Niekirk had had the latest gen of spikes back in Rio he might have run 42.8 or something.

    Ultimately, we may look at it with a raised eyebrow, as with many other performances (Women's 200m....), just have to enjoy the spectacle as can't change it from an armchair.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    edited August 2021

    That certainly seems to be the case. Fast times and records across the board, except in the Men's 100m which suggests a relatively poor field, although they were doing big PBs.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,718
    Blimey, the Norwegian 400m hurdler dude is pretty Viking tho!

    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    ddraver said:

    Blimey, the Norwegian 400m hurdler dude is pretty Viking tho!

    He couldn't even rip his vest open properly
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,718
    Well yeah, but remember he want have any arm muscle, just extra weight innit
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,228
    RichN95. said:


    That certainly seems to be the case. Fast times and records across the board, except in the Men's 100m which suggests a relatively poor field, although they were doing big PBs.
    Should have put the track on a hill. Fast 100m times then.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,718
    edited August 2021
    I've only ever seen it live with a few demis inside me when I've been in the Alps, but even now I'm watching it in the bath, as I am now, there is something mesmerising about lead climbing...

    It's just the pure simplicity of it I think.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Just been watching the BBC highlights of the climbing with my eldest, though we'll have to watch it in full on ES. The mix of speed, bouldering and lead means there's a proper mix of skills on show, which I think improves it as an event - braun, brain and stamina tested separately. Don't think the TV really gets across how much the wall leans out though.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,718
    edited August 2021
    Are there separate medals for each category, or is it only combined..?

    Wondering how much chance our Shauna has really got...

    The Ondra guy, I saw him in Cham. Everyone else was getting 4/5ths of the way up and then fumbling an insane stretch. He waltzed up to it, (I kid you not) turned upside down, made the stretch with his feet, slithered back round the right way and topped out.

    There were 2 British Climbing girls in front of me who were just like...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • I assume it's combined, from the quali. I kind of prefer that, tbf - it keeps the interest going longer.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    They were only given space for 2 climbing medals, which is why they invented combined. The climbers aren't happy about it at all, because they regard speed climbing as something completely separate. Nobody makes the cross from lead/boulder to speed or vice versa. It's pretty much like asking 100m sprinters to do high jump.
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  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 17,389

    They were only given space for 2 climbing medals, which is why they invented combined. The climbers aren't happy about it at all, because they regard speed climbing as something completely separate. Nobody makes the cross from lead/boulder to speed or vice versa. It's pretty much like asking 100m sprinters to do high jump.

    Or the omnium.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,718
    Well the men have solved that problem by eliminating all the speed climbers...

    Also, I've finally found some sailing coverage and it's also brilliant. The onboard camera and microphones (!!!) are fantastic!

    Have the BBC finally worked out the "not live" coverage..?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 12,041
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  • ddraver said:

    Well the men have solved that problem by eliminating all the speed climbers...

    Also, I've finally found some sailing coverage and it's also brilliant. The onboard camera and microphones (!!!) are fantastic!

    Have the BBC finally worked out the "not live" coverage..?

    I've watched quite a bit of it on Eurosport, and totally agree about the onboards. Particularly interesting during the medal race when the GB crew in the 49er were incredibly relaxed, all things considered.

    My favourite sailing moment though was in the women's 49er, when the American crew were right out on the trapeze and the British crew took their wind unexpectedly. Suddenly massively out of balance, the Americans went straight into the drink.

    Close second moment was the celebrations at the end of the Finn class, with three sailors celebrating together on one boat at the end. As with so many sports, the absence of crowds seems to have been replaced with even more camaraderie amongst competitors - the pole vault was another one like that, after the medals had been decided, with pretty much everyone encouraging Duplantis to try and break his world record.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,718
    Incredibly sporting of the Germans to gybe and let us win. Really no reason for them to have done that at all 🙃
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • jimmyjams
    jimmyjams Posts: 784

    They were only given space for 2 climbing medals, which is why they invented combined. The climbers aren't happy about it at all, because they regard speed climbing as something completely separate. Nobody makes the cross from lead/boulder to speed or vice versa. It's pretty much like asking 100m sprinters to do high jump.

    The overall combination idea was started nearly a decade ago at Climbing World Championships, so wasn't 'invented' just for these Olympics.
    But yes, many climbers have felt the combination was wrong because of including speed climbing; the comparison I've heard was asking a 100 m sprinter to do a 1500 m race, and vice-versa.
    However at Paris in 2024, speed climbing will be separated from bouldering and lead-climbing, so will be a separate competition with its own medals.

    The speed climbers will be pleased with that, because at the Climbing World Championships over the last decade, I don't think any of them have ever been on the overall combination podium. In the men's competition, it has mostly been someone who is a top lead-climber and a good boulderer who won, and in the women's competition the reverse.
    Duffy, who at the moment is I think third, is therefore maybe looking a good bet (although I'd say 6 of the 8 finalists stand a chance). And of the women, Janja Garnbret should be favourite.

    This video shows Garnbret going up the chimney at Trbovlje Power Station in Slovenia (from where she comes), yes another top athlete from Slovenia!

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=bpDymGNQy_I
  • jimmyjams
    jimmyjams Posts: 784
    ddraver said:

    The Ondra guy, I saw him in Cham. Everyone else was getting 4/5ths of the way up and then fumbling an insane stretch. He waltzed up to it, (I kid you not) turned upside down, made the stretch with his feet, slithered back round the right way and topped out

    ddraver said:

    Well the men have solved that problem by eliminating all the speed climbers...

    With seeing Ondra in Cham, do you mean at the Kletterzentrum at Cham, in Bavaria? What was the occasion? Or he just came for a quick trip over the border and a waltz up the wall?
    I like watching the lead-climbing as to me it is the closest to proper climbing (which I've done, albeit much lower standard). I was very impressed with Schubert in the lead-climbing on Monday.
    I was surprised, though, to see 2-3 climbers get their arms briefly on the wrong side of the rope, I think always at the same spot up the wall - it brought back memories of learning to climb.

    Re you saying the speed climbers have been eliminated, I don't think that's true – I think the top three speed-climbers qualified for the final, two of whom were also the top two in bouldering. Although it looks like the best speed climber, Bassa Mawem, will have to drop out if he has torn a muscle in his upper arm, as it appeared. The other final 5 qualifiers were the top 5 in the lead-climbing, three of whom were highly placed in bouldering. Both 4th in speed-climbing and 4th in bouldering were eliminated, as they didn't do well enough in the other disciplines.
  • Another 400m hurdles world record obliterated by not one, but two athletes.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    jimmyjams said:


    They were only given space for 2 climbing medals, which is why they invented combined. The climbers aren't happy about it at all, because they regard speed climbing as something completely separate. Nobody makes the cross from lead/boulder to speed or vice versa. It's pretty much like asking 100m sprinters to do high jump.

    The overall combination idea was started nearly a decade ago at Climbing World Championships, so wasn't 'invented' just for these Olympics.
    But yes, many climbers have felt the combination was wrong because of including speed climbing; the comparison I've heard was asking a 100 m sprinter to do a 1500 m race, and vice-versa.
    However at Paris in 2024, speed climbing will be separated from bouldering and lead-climbing, so will be a separate competition with its own medals.

    The speed climbers will be pleased with that, because at the Climbing World Championships over the last decade, I don't think any of them have ever been on the overall combination podium. In the men's competition, it has mostly been someone who is a top lead-climber and a good boulderer who won, and in the women's competition the reverse.
    Duffy, who at the moment is I think third, is therefore maybe looking a good bet (although I'd say 6 of the 8 finalists stand a chance). And of the women, Janja Garnbret should be favourite.

    This video shows Garnbret going up the chimney at Trbovlje Power Station in Slovenia (from where she comes), yes another top athlete from Slovenia!

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=bpDymGNQy_I
    The problem with having a combined event is that speed climbing has no parallel in the real world of climbing. Originally climbing competitions were on real rock outside, however creating routes for competitions was considered by the majority of climbers as unacceptable. So they moved in doors.
    The Russians had a version of speed climbing that required you to abseil back down the route once you had climbed it. The French couldn’t beat them at this, so invented the indoor version.
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632

    They were only given space for 2 climbing medals, which is why they invented combined. The climbers aren't happy about it at all, because they regard speed climbing as something completely separate. Nobody makes the cross from lead/boulder to speed or vice versa. It's pretty much like asking 100m sprinters to do high jump.

    Or the omnium.
    Omnium format has completely changed now though - it's basically 4 endurance races.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,228

    They were only given space for 2 climbing medals, which is why they invented combined. The climbers aren't happy about it at all, because they regard speed climbing as something completely separate. Nobody makes the cross from lead/boulder to speed or vice versa. It's pretty much like asking 100m sprinters to do high jump.

    Or the omnium.
    Omnium format has completely changed now though - it's basically 4 endurance races.
    Thanks, I didn't know that. How ridiculous.
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293

    They were only given space for 2 climbing medals, which is why they invented combined. The climbers aren't happy about it at all, because they regard speed climbing as something completely separate. Nobody makes the cross from lead/boulder to speed or vice versa. It's pretty much like asking 100m sprinters to do high jump.

    Or the omnium.
    Omnium format has completely changed now though - it's basically 4 endurance races.
    Thanks, I didn't know that. How ridiculous.
    It's been that way for 4-4.5 years or so now. Still seems odd to me
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    edited August 2021
    Katy Marchant deviates slightly on her line and gets relegated from the Keirin. Harsh.
    She should be OK in the Repechages with a little luck

    EDIT to add a quote from Chris Broadman: "It's very harsh on Katy Marchant. A day ago, we saw someone ram a team from behind and face no consequences at all. It's consistency that we need here with the officiating"
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    JimD666 said:

    Katy Marchant deviates slightly on her line and gets relegated from the Keirin. Harsh.
    She should be OK in the Repechages with a little luck

    EDIT to add a quote from Chris Broadman: "It's very harsh on Katy Marchant. A day ago, we saw someone ram a team from behind and face no consequences at all. It's consistency that we need here with the officiating"


    On Eurosport Jo Rowsell called it straight away
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,228
    JimD666 said:

    They were only given space for 2 climbing medals, which is why they invented combined. The climbers aren't happy about it at all, because they regard speed climbing as something completely separate. Nobody makes the cross from lead/boulder to speed or vice versa. It's pretty much like asking 100m sprinters to do high jump.

    Or the omnium.
    Omnium format has completely changed now though - it's basically 4 endurance races.
    Thanks, I didn't know that. How ridiculous.
    It's been that way for 4-4.5 years or so now. Still seems odd to me
    Shows how much attention I give it. Haha. Absolutely no point if the shortest race is 10km. Be like the decathlon but they took out the field events and the 1500m.

    How good would an Olympic gold medal one off elimination race be?
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    JimD666 said:

    They were only given space for 2 climbing medals, which is why they invented combined. The climbers aren't happy about it at all, because they regard speed climbing as something completely separate. Nobody makes the cross from lead/boulder to speed or vice versa. It's pretty much like asking 100m sprinters to do high jump.

    Or the omnium.
    Omnium format has completely changed now though - it's basically 4 endurance races.
    Thanks, I didn't know that. How ridiculous.
    It's been that way for 4-4.5 years or so now. Still seems odd to me
    Replacing all the timed events with a tempo race is a bit rubbish.
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