Olympics

[dlgood]

So, Michael Phelps now holds the Olympic Record for most Gold Medals, career, with 14 - well beyond those closest behind him. (Mark Spitz, Paavo Nurmi, Larrissa Latynina, Carl Lewis)

The only milestone left is to catch Latynina for total medals - presuming he swims in London. He is, unquestionably, the fastest man in water, and a remarkable athlete.

And yet, for me, the story of the olympics is still Jamaica's Usain Bolt. At core, that's what makes the biggest impression - World's Fastest Man - and watching Bolt break what I thought was an unbeatable record. (Topping out at about 24 mph!!!

(Presuming he's not doped up...)

And the 100. Again, he didn't even go full out, and he destroyed the field. That's just not done. (1) it was awesome to watch, and (2) it's clear this guy is having fun. And how brilliant is that. If he ever runs again, we all have to watch, because he's cleverly teased us and left that mystery. How fast can he run? 9.65? 9.6? 9.5!!!

Awesome.

Comments

[thelastgoodname.livejournal.com]

(Presuming he's not doped up...)

It's so sad to me that this is where sprinting has ended up: I'm sure just about everyone's second thought (after "wow, he's fast") when he broke both records was "unless he doping."

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

I think it's par for the course in many sports. Who doesn't look at Dara Torres and wonder?

THe distinction with Bolt, is that he's so tall. I've never seen a tall sprinter, in large part because very few men have the coordination and economy of motion to have perfect balance and form at that high a speed... without slipping or toppling.

But man, would he look good running fly patterns, no?

[thelastgoodname.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's got a lot longer stride than most runners. Torres is just scary.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

That last athlete I remember having fun/showing off at the end of the spirit races was unfortunately Marion Jones. I would guess that Bolt is also juiced and like Jones, thinks he'll get away with it.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Generally speaking, athletes rarely have the kind of lead in a medal round that would even allow it. Well, I guess we'll see.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

Donovan Bailey, who won the 100 metre in Atlanta, was saying on CBC that a lot of people suspect Bolt because he seems to have come from nowhere. But he pointed out that Bolt has been fast from the beginning of his career in Jamaica. Track and field is huge in Jamaica, and it certainly shows in the quality of the athletes. I think it's no more suspicious that Bolt can go so fast than that Michael Phelps can swim like a rocket. No one seems to be suggesting that Phelps is doping..

[chrisleeoctaves.livejournal.com]

We were all gathered around the tv last night to watch the re-run of Bolt's 200m. He truly is remarkable to watch; he makes running look effortless. The other thing I really like is how joyful and sorta goofy he is. He runs like a dedicated, seasoned pro- but he's just a kid. A guy from PEI nearly qualified for that race and he was interviewed by CBC afterwards and asked about his chances against Bolt and he said something,like...Bolt could turn cartwheels down the track and win.

[stars91.livejournal.com]

You know, I probably would just admire Bolt and not think a thing about him winning and by so much if it weren't for the fact that ALL of the Jamaican runners are suddenly dominating. It's not like he's just some freak of nature and the rest of the Jamaican runners are holding their own but they (men and women) all (suddenly) seem to be doing extraordinarily well this Olympics.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

The Jamaicans are having a great Olympics, but it's not entirely new.

In the 80s, they had Merlene Otterly who won a bunch of bronzes, and they had a number of Jamaican born sprinters who won medals running for Canada, UK, and the US. (e.g. Donovan Bailey, Linford Christie) They're women have been winning bunches since Sydney and the men have been elite for about as long.

[hjcallipygian.livejournal.com]

It's sick how fast he can get while being so freaking tall. And he's so young!

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

The question is, can he catch? Because if he can, I think y'all have to dump Matt Jones and sign him.

[hjcallipygian.livejournal.com]

I doubt he can catch. Plus, sprinters on that level most likely can't take the pounding. It's very rare that one can. But he has so much personality.

We just need to dump Jones in general. I was so excited about Mike Walker getting healthy, but he's got the drops so far this preseason.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Most athletes specialize, and I'd imagine it would be hard to learn football having never played it.

But I do remember plenty of sprinters/hurdlers who also played in the NFL at least decently. Renaldo Nehemiah, Sam Graddy, Jermaine Lewis, and of course Willie Gault... (Tommy Smith, the sprinter who famously gave the black power salute in 1968, played for the Broncos.)

[hjcallipygian.livejournal.com]

Deion Sanders ran the 100m fast enough to be invited to the US Olympic qualifiers the one time he ran it at FSU. But he's Deion.

Bolt is insanely fast, but he has little ankles. I can't imagine they'd hold up well. Also, how fast is he if someone's trying to jam him at the line? How fast is he laterally? I'd put my safety down on the line and smack him every play.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Well, sure. But you've got a better shot at turning a novice into a receiver than converting him into a baseball player -- nice as the idea of a 6'5" track star covering center...

[hjcallipygian.livejournal.com]

In other news, Lance Armstrong is still a god of cardio:

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=3527249

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

He needs to keep it up, to enable his skeezy lifestyle.

[stephanierb.livejournal.com]

He truly is amazing, and it was incredible to watch both races, but I wish he didn't showboat towards the finish of his 100m race. There's no question he's leaps and bounds beyond his competitors, his behavior was unnecessary.

Still, it is a great story and an outstanding accomplishment. I truly hope he isn't doping.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

On the one hand, I'd like to seen what he'd have scored had he run all through.

OTOH, were I capable, I'd have done the same thing. He looked like he was having fun, running, and not just competing. I like seeing vibrancy, and guess I'll excuse that kind of hot-dogging as long as he can deliver.

And to me... in the Olympic Final, running against the greatest in the world... those are the only competitors you can acceptably hot dog against. Part of that hot-dogging is what made me love Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali... I know it's unsportsmanlike, but I'm a sucker for the spectacle.