2024 Paris Olympics

[The Sultan]

The women need to teach the men how to run a proper 4x100. The fact they haven't been able to win this in 24 years is just mind blowing.

[StillAWarrior]

See, I disagree.  Entering the final turn (much less the final straight), not only did she make up the stagger on Bol, she looked EFFORTLESS.

I'm not sure where we disagree (unless you're just saying you weren't nervous). I said Bol was "pretty much right with her" and that SML "left her in the dust" between H7 and H8 (which is the final turn). We seem to agree.

Heading into the final turn (i.e,. H5), SML was only barely ahead - they were both over H5 at the same time with SML only slightly ahead. SML was still only slightly ahead on H6. She gained a bit between H6 and H7. Then she just effortlessly ran away from Bol between H7 and H8.

I'm not suggesting that I was right to be nervous...obviously I wasn't. I don't follow track and field very closely and all I knew of Bol was her amazing comeback in the 4x400 when she made up a seemingly impossible deficit on the home stretch. So, when she was just a fraction of a step behind SML about halfway through the final turn, I admittedly got a little nervous. Even the announcer before the race thought SML would blow her away on the back stretch (i.e., H2-H5), but she really didn't pull away until the latter part of the final turn. But when she did pull away...wow. And yes, it did look effortless.

[brewcity77]

The women need to teach the men how to run a proper 4x100. The fact they haven't been able to win this in 24 years is just mind blowing.

We should take our four best sprinters that didn't make this Olympics and have them just work as a team. You can't tell me there aren't 4 sprinters who were NCAA elite that could be consistently competitive if they just mastered the handoffs.

[JWags85]

I'm not sure where we disagree (unless you're just saying you weren't nervous). I said Bol was "pretty much right with her" and that SML "left her in the dust" between H7 and H8 (which is the final turn). We seem to agree.

Heading into the final turn (i.e,. H5), SML was only barely ahead - they were both over H5 at the same time with SML only slightly ahead. SML was still only slightly ahead on H6. She gained a bit between H6 and H7. Then she just effortlessly ran away from Bol between H7 and H8.

I'm not suggesting that I was right to be nervous...obviously I wasn't. I don't follow track and field very closely and all I knew of Bol was her amazing comeback in the 4x400 when she made up a seemingly impossible deficit on the home stretch. So, when she was just a fraction of a step behind SML about halfway through the final turn, I admittedly got a little nervous. Even the announcer before the race thought SML would blow her away on the back stretch (i.e., H2-H5), but she really didn't pull away until the latter part of the final turn. But when she did pull away...wow. And yes, it did look effortless.

Fair play.  Not that I firmly disagreed with you, it was more just a reflection of how effortless SML looked and how when they showed her midway through the race it just gave a feeling of "my god, she's gonna smoke everyone this final 200.

Unrelated, but still in the track realm, lost in all the Noah Lyles buzz and COVID discussion, Botswana's Letsile Tebogo won the 200M.  Not only the first African to win the 200M, but Botswana's first Olympic gold medal period.  And unlike many stars from around the world in T&F, he didn't move to the US to run NCAA track and make a big leap there, entirely homegrown.  Truly remarkable.

As Ive mentioned, my company has a tie-in/JV with a group from Botswana now.  This achievment is kind of representative of the amazing strides Botswana has taken in the last 25-30 years and really represents the ideal kind of development and movement into the future for the region.  Our partner in the project is a former collegiate squash champion in the US and accomplished on the world stage in the sport, so he became a sports ambassador for the country for quite some time.  He's known Letsile since he was a teen so he was over the moon yesterday.  Really cool stuff for someone who is only 21 and has a bright future ahead.

[The Sultan]

We should take our four best sprinters that didn't make this Olympics and have them just work as a team. You can't tell me there aren't 4 sprinters who were NCAA elite that could be consistently competitive if they just mastered the handoffs.

The Americans ran a better time in the semis yesterday than what won the gold today. Perhaps they should have stuck with that group. I believe Bednarek was the only addition and that's where it got f*cked up.

[jesmu84]

The Americans ran a better time in the semis yesterday than what won the gold today. Perhaps they should have stuck with that group. I believe Bednarek was the only addition and that's where it got f*cked up.

Bednarek took off so so early

I watched both men and women back to back for the first time.

Both teams struggled with handoffs

[lawdog77]

Bednarek took off so so early

I watched both men and women back to back for the first time.

Both teams struggled with handoffs

I would be curiois to know how much time is shaven off by perfect handoffs

[MuggsyB]

I would be curiois to know how much time is shaven off by perfect handoffs

Grab the baton!!!  Smh. 

[MuggsyB]

Lydia looks like she's in total control.heading to the back 9.

[MuggsyB]

Complete disaster for Rose on 9.

[tower912]

That course knows who the Americans are and treats them accordingly.

[MuggsyB]

That course knows who the Americans are and treats them accordingly.

Ya....that looked like a brutal roll off the fairway on Nelly"s drive. 

[MUBurrow]

See, I disagree.  Entering the final turn (much less the final straight), not only did she make up the stagger on Bol, she looked EFFORTLESS.  Cockrell in lane 8 ended up finishing strong, but comparing her to SML was wild.  She was visibly PUSHING and straining through the final turn, and SML was gliding at that point, she clearly had so much in the tank.  Absolutely wild and incredible performance.

Dumb question - do 400m hurdlers count steps? I assume not given the endurance variability from the first hurdle to the last, but I was explaining three stepping and switching legs to someone while watching the 110m, and they asked about the 400m and I didn't know for sure.

[SoCalEagle]

Yes, they absolutely count steps.  Edwin Moses, probably the greatest 400m hurdler of all time, broke down each part of the event, including the number of steps, the lean going into and coming out of each turn, even the placement of the feet within the lane (hint, if you run to the left of the lane all the way around the track you save several meters of distance).  Moses says it's best to use an odd number of steps between each hurdle to keep the good rhythm and lead with the same foot over each hurdle.  He, in fact, used 13 steps between each hurdle (the foot that you land on is not counted as a step).  Sorry if I'm geeking out on this, but I find the 400m race and the mechanics behind it fascinating. 

... back to your regular 2024 Paris Olympics programming ...

SCE   

[Herman Cain]

Unfortunate that Charley Hull had a disaster first round. Played well the rest of the tournament . A very colorful personality . Olympics banned her from
Smoking during the tournament

[forgetful]

Yes, they absolutely count steps.  Edwin Moses, probably the greatest 400m hurdler of all time, broke down each part of the event, including the number of steps, the lean going into and coming out of each turn, even the placement of the feet within the lane (hint, if you run to the left of the lane all the way around the track you save several meters of distance).  Moses says it's best to use an odd number of steps between each hurdle to keep the good rhythm and lead with the same foot over each hurdle.  He, in fact, used 13 steps between each hurdle (the foot that you land on is not counted as a step).  Sorry if I'm geeking out on this, but I find the 400m race and the mechanics behind it fascinating. 

... back to your regular 2024 Paris Olympics programming ...

SCE

I believe Rai switches from 13 steps to 12 steps along the last few hurdles as he prefers to open his stride and accelerate at the end of races.

I think Warholm may do something similar, but his bad hurdle towards the end was partially the result of fatigue and being too far away from the hurdle compared to normal.

[forgetful]

I believe Rai switches from 13 steps to 12 steps along the last few hurdles as he prefers to open his stride and accelerate at the end of races.

I think Warholm may do something similar, but his bad hurdle towards the end was partially the result of fatigue and being too far away from the hurdle compared to normal.

Sydney McLaughlin does the opposite. 14 steps until the last couple hurdles and switches to 15.

https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/typical-fashion-sydney-mclaughlin-levrone-defends-olympic-crown-world-record#:~:text=And%20she%20owns%20seven%20of,steps%20between%20the%20last%20three.

[Galway Eagle]

Kipchoge DNF in the marathon. Wild. Glad I stayed up for it.

[MU82]

Thrilling 4x400 - great handoffs by the US men, and a tremendous anchor leg by Rai. Wow!

[MuggsyB]

Thrilling 4x400 - great handoffs by the US men, and a tremendous anchor leg by Rai. Wow!

Incredible performance once again by S-M-L.  She essentially introduced the rest of the field to darkness halfway through the 2nd leg. 

[MuggsyB]

It's time for Team USA Men's 🏀 to play a complete game and drop the 🔨 vs the French. 

[MuggsyB]

Congrats to the USWNT!

[pbiflyer]

Congrats to USWNT for winning the gold by beating Brasil and Marta in her final game ever! Was nervous at the end. Amazing saves by the goalie.

[Warriors4ever]

Yay USWNT!!👏

[MuggsyB]

Refs trying to keep France in the game.  Three absolutely absurd calls the final 4 mins of the 1st half.