2024 Paris Olympics

[StillAWarrior]

I might be mistaken, but during her qualifying heat I thought the announcers said McLaughlin's 400 hurdle time was better than all her competitors 400 no hurdle time.

Yes, they did say that. Another amazing fact that I heard about her semifinal run was that her time (52.13) was faster than the world record was before she broke it for the first time back 2021 (52.16). And she was clearly coasting at the end of that race.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

The men's 1500m finish was exciting.  The Norwegian and UK runner favorites upended by surprise American finishers.

[jficke13]

The men's 1500m finish was exciting.  The Norwegian and UK runner favorites upended by surprise American finishers.

Really fascinating result. Ingebritsen and his family have been on the cutting edge of some controversial? (not quite the right word) training strategies. "Double lactate threshold training." A two-a-day interval training strategy designed to push the peak lactate threshold higher and higher. I actually knew the Ingebritsen name from this type of exercise physiology stuff and not from the 1500m, so when I saw him run the qualifying heat I actually wondered if he was one of the Ingebritsen family or if that name is just kinda a "Smith" type situation.

Anyway even without the training nerdery, heckuva race to watch.

[lawdog77]

Really fascinating result. Ingebritsen and his family have been on the cutting edge of some controversial? (not quite the right word) training strategies. "Double lactate threshold training." A two-a-day interval training strategy designed to push the peak lactate threshold higher and higher. I actually knew the Ingebritsen name from this type of exercise physiology stuff and not from the 1500m, so when I saw him run the qualifying heat I actually wondered if he was one of the Ingebritsen family or if that name is just kinda a "Smith" type situation.

Anyway even without the training nerdery, heckuva race to watch.

Apparently he turned his dad in for abuse, and that case is ongoing. Wonder if his ego is in check now for the 5K.

[Warriors4ever]

That was a great race to watch, the way he came on at the end to win.

[jficke13]

Apparently he turned his dad in for abuse, and that case is ongoing. Wonder if his ego is in check now for the 5K.

Yeah, there's *a lot* going on in that story.

The training philosophy though is very interesting.

[JWags85]

Yeah, there's *a lot* going on in that story.

The training philosophy though is very interesting.

Abusive or not, there is something to be said for a guy who wasn't a world class runner himself who turned all 3 of his sons into European champions in the 1500.  And who now has turned another Norwegian from a very good 5000M/CC type runner into a world contender in the 1500.

[tower912]

Completely lost about what Lilia Vu did at the par 5 #9. She hits a perfect drive and is like 195 from the green on her 2nd shot and lays up???  She winds up about 90 yards on her 3rd shot( in the rough), hits it way past the hole, and 3 putts for a 6.  There is literally no trouble at all around the green, I'm dumbfounded.  WTH was her caddy telling her?  Smh.

If you fail to understand the thought process, it would explain the high scores.   She thought wedge-wedge would give her a better chance.   She executed poorly.

200 all carry?  Only in a scramble

[ATL MU Warrior]

Gabby Thomas also on my hero list. So fast, Harvard Neurobiology grad. Mad respect for her.


And my wife thinks she may be the most beautiful person on the planet.

I'm with your wife.  <not literally>

[jficke13]

Abusive or not, there is something to be said for a guy who wasn't a world class runner himself who turned all 3 of his sons into European champions in the 1500.  And who now has turned another Norwegian from a very good 5000M/CC type runner into a world contender in the 1500.

Definitely impressive. IMHO a little crazy and not sustainable for anyone who doesn't have a bit of a screw loose in the way that lots of top-level competitors do. A similar strategy (pushing VO2Max via threshold repeats) but that is much much less punishing would be something closer to what Inigo San Milan coaches his Tour de France athletes (huge volume of sub-threshold, zone 2 work + 1 or 2 sessions/wk of hardcore vo2max repeats). That might be more applicable to something with a longer distance like the Tour compared to the 1500m, but the idea of pulling 2 a days at peak VO2 output constantly makes me want to curl up in a ball.

[JWags85]

Gabby Thomas also on my hero list. So fast, Harvard Neurobiology grad. Mad respect for her.


And my wife thinks she may be the most beautiful person on the planet.

That's sort of what I was getting at with the marketability angle.  Obviously they are incredible admirable athletes who are killing it on the biggest stage.  But even further, Gabby Thomas, McLaughlin, and Masai Russell (the US trials winner and one of the favs in the 100M hurdles) are all cover model beautiful.  Certainly doesn't hurt bringing attention and advertising dollars to the track.

[JWags85]

Definitely impressive. IMHO a little crazy and not sustainable for anyone who doesn't have a bit of a screw loose in the way that lots of top-level competitors do. A similar strategy (pushing VO2Max via threshold repeats) but that is much much less punishing would be something closer to what Inigo San Milan coaches his Tour de France athletes (huge volume of sub-threshold, zone 2 work + 1 or 2 sessions/wk of hardcore vo2max repeats). That might be more applicable to something with a longer distance like the Tour compared to the 1500m, but the idea of pulling 2 a days at peak VO2 output constantly makes me want to curl up in a ball.

More than a little crazy for me, haha.  As someone who is a former varsity CC runner who now hates running more than a mile or two (but also has gotten into alternative training ways to pump VO2 max as opposed to traditional cardio for that reason)...it sounds absolutely torturous.   One of my former teammates became a decently successful D1 1500M runner and he was a bit unhinged in terms of what he'd roll with in the pursuit of running performance (especially to a civilian).  The thought of what it would further go to in order to be a world class middle distance runner makes my head melt.

[muwarrior69]

Men's volleyball team completely choked to Poland today.

[Warriors4ever]

🇵🇱
They have a Cuban guy on their team who played on the Cuban national team at one time, left to go play on a club team elsewhere so could no longer play for them, married his Polish girlfriend, became a Polish citizen in 2015, and five years later became eligible to play for their national team.

[MuggsyB]

Men's volleyball team completely choked to Poland today.

I love 🇵🇱 but that just can't happen. 

Perhaps I'll have some pierogies this evening. 

[CreightonWarrior]

USA Track and Field having a great Olympics

[The Sultan]

USA Track and Field having a great Olympics

Memorable for sure.

[tower912]

Men's steeplechase.    Wow.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Men's steeplechase.    Wow.

Was just going to say the same!  That's an incredible last lap.

I've run before in high school.  A very difficult running event.

[MU82]

I love 🇵🇱 but that just can't happen. 

Why? Aren't they human?

[jesmu84]

Hall looked like he was injured at 300m but somehow just kept speeding up

[MuggsyB]

Why? Aren't they human?

Everyone should celebrate Paczki Day regardless.  Polish bakeries are vastly underrated as is Polahd in general. 

[MuggsyB]

If you fail to understand the thought process, it would explain the high scores.   She thought wedge-wedge would give her a better chance.   She executed poorly.

200 all carry?  Only in a scramble

I respectfully disagree with you.  There's a reason every commentator on the broadcast WTF'd the decision. There is no trouble around the green, just a couple of bunkers.  It also wound up derailing her round.  She was -4 though 8. 

[tower912]

Re-reading your original post, I had somehow got the impression it was carry over water.  Mea culpa.   I think my brain defaulted from 9 to 18.

[MuggsyB]

Re-reading your original post, I had somehow got the impression it was carry over water.  Mea culpa.   I think my brain defaulted from 9 to 18.

No worries!  It was truly bizarre Tower.  And to add insult to injury, she hit a 100-yard lay-up into the rough!   I wonder if she was asked about it after the round?   Everyone has a brain fart occasionally but for she and her caddy to make that choice?  Hard to fathom.