Track and Field

[SeanC]

Warner in 10.12, matching his world decathlon best! Yes, that's what we want to see!
 

[SeanC]

And here we go with the heptathlon too (running them concurrently is a neat idea), starting with the hurdles.

With KJT's recent problems this feels like Nafi Thiam's run to away with, but we'll see.

[Lady Whistleup]

Erryon Knighton is such a little kid.

[scarynikki12]

Lyles’ foot crossed first but it’s determined by whose head goes first? Why did I not realize that before?

[isalicat]

Wow, I just caught the women's 800 meter final and that was wonderful! The winner, Athing Mu, runs like a cheetah - she looks so much smoother and steadier than anyone else out there. And all the competitors were drop dead gorgeous too - the athletes this Olympics are so beautiful.

[galaxygirl76]

19 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

Lyles’ foot crossed first but it’s determined by whose head goes first? Why did I not realize that before?

I believe it's based on the chest crossing the line.

 

That poor Belgian face planting in the sand pit 😪

[SeanC]

Wow, Warner just jumped 8.24m (Olympic decathlon best) in his first of three attempts at the long jump. That's only 0.04 short of his world decathlon best, and would have won him the bronze medal in the individual long jump competition earlier this week.
 

[legaleagle53]

Devon Allen is adorkable. That is all.

[SophiaD]

Nice race from Devon Allen just now.  He's also a cutie, not that that has anything to do with anything.

What happened with the Japanese gentleman in this heat?  I don't think the commentators mentioned it at all, unless I missed something.  

ETA:  Great minds, @legaleagle53!

Edited August 4, 2021 by SophiaD

[Lady Whistleup]

GO SYDNEY AND DALILAH! WHAT A GREAT RACE! NEW WR!!!

[SophiaD]

SYDNEY!!!!!  And another new WR!  What an amazing run!  

Great silver for Dalilah Mohammed as well.

OMG, and Sydney's grandmother is just adorable.

Edited August 4, 2021 by SophiaD

[AimingforYoko]

Ho hum. Another 400m hurdles, another WR. Seriously these hurdles races have been ridiculous. Congrats to Sydney and Dalilah.

[emmawoodhouse]

1 minute ago, SophiaD said:

SYDNEY!!!!!  And another new WR!  What an amazing run!  

Great silver for Dalilah Mohammed as well.

They both destroyed Sydney's WR. 

[AimingforYoko]

Sydney's amazing and barring injury, she's going to have a great career, but Dalilah Muhammad running 51.58 at age 31 is damn near miraculous.

[irisheyes]

Sydney’s grandma just won the whole Olympics. 
 

(I’m assuming it’s her grandma. I’ve got my volume turned down.)

[SeanC]

Okay, now that the decathletes are through the shotput, I think Kevin Mayer is officially in trouble here.

Mayer won the shotput over Warner, as you'd expect, but he was way, way short of his personal best, while Warner was reasonably close to his personal best, and exceeded his season's best from the Hypo-Meeting by 0.49 metres. Mayer could have gotten 918 points out of this with his PB, but he only got 794, while Warner got 777.  This was one of the events where Mayer needed to maximize his advantage.

[Cherpumple]

1 hour ago, irisheyes said:

Sydney’s grandma just won the whole Olympics. 

I'm not sure that was Sydney's grandma. That was a group of people at Sydney's old high school, and at one point she said she saw her old principal, track coach, etc. in the crowd. There could have been some family members sprinkled in, but I don't remember them being identified. Either way, what a great race!

[Danny Franks]

8 hours ago, selkie said:

Speaking of peak performance years, we could have a literal decade of Athing Mu vs. Keely Hodgkinson at the top of the 800M ranks if both stay relatively healthy and engaged and that would be a heck of a friendly rivalry. 

Hopefully Hodgkinson actually gets some meaningful victories and isn't just the runner up all the time. Because it would be the most GB Athletics thing ever to find a generational talent in an event only to see that the USA has found one even better.

Looks like Katarina Johnson-Thompson might not be back to her best, just eight months after rupturing her Achilles tendon, which is unsurprising and a real shame. If these Olympics had happened a year ago, she'd have been hot favourite for the gold medal.

The cool thing about the track and field so far is the number of new stars establishing themselves - Mu, Hodgkinson, Jacobs, McLaughlin, Rai Benjamin, Christine Mboma, Erriyon Knighton.

[NUguy514]

The the women's 400m hurdles was every bit as thrilling and awe-inspiring as the men's.  Wow.  Both Sydney and Dalilah are incredible champions, and I don't really have the words.

Amazing win by Athing Mu, and that crazy surge by Rogers to get the bronze was something else.

Lyles reallllllllly almost fucked that semi up in a sad yet hilarious way.

As she did in the 100m, Elaine Thompson-Herah just made the 200m look so easy. Not unlike a compatriot of hers did during a few recent Olympics. The way Christine Mboma went from sixth to second in practically the last forty or fifty meters was spectacular, and awesome for Gabby Thomas getting the bronze.

[SeanC]

First good news for Mayer of the decathlon, he comes near his personal best while Warner falls short in an event that didn't inherently favour either of them. +56 points for him.

Ashley Moloney is having a terrific decathlon so far.

KJT is out of the heptathlon after pulling up during the 200 m.

[Danny Franks]

Argh. This track is cursed for British athletes.

First Dina Asher-Smith then Adam Gemili and now KJT, all ending in tears because their bodies let them down.

Or maybe it's just the general curse of British track and field to see so many injuries, so often, and no depth below the few world class athletes we have.

Shades of Derek Redmond in Barcelona 1992, with her tearfully insisting on finishing the race (then being disqualified).

[SeanC]

Disaster for Mayer in the 400 m, only a 50.31 second time, two seconds and nearly 100 points off his personal best.
 

[SeanC]

Warner gets 47.48 s, a seasonal best, and +134 points on Mayer in this event alone.

Lepage runs even better, despite the taping on his knee.

Moloney records a superb performance to take first and firm up his second place at the moment.

[SeanC]

YESSSS!!!!!

[AimingforYoko]

Congrats to DeGrasse, the eternal bridesmaid becomes a bride, finally.

[katisha]

Thrilled for De Grasse.  So well deserved.  Almost got me over my disappointment that Peter Bol didn't quite sneak a medal in the men's 800 metre final. 

[SeanC]

De Grasse wins Canada's first track gold since 1996, and first 200 m gold since 1928.

[greyhorse]

On 8/2/2021 at 9:23 PM, SophiaD said:

They interviewed both of them separately on late-night here on the West Coast.  Benjamin was heartbroken and started crying when they showed him his family cheering for him.  Really not thrilled with that choice from the network.

Warholm was elated, of course, said it was his perfect race and that Benjamin should have a gold medal, too.  What a classy guy.  

It's not NBC's fault and I don't see how you can blame the network.  The goal is to get an emotional reaction to the athlete seeing his/her family.  Like Caeleb Dressel and his wife.  I think Benjamin out of all the athletes we've seen immediately post-race was the most gutted about finishing second.  Most are happy just to medal.  But he clearly thought he should have won.

20 hours ago, blackwing said:

I remember once upon a time when male track and field athletes actually got to wear a pair of shorts.  Nowadays it's all these skinsuits.  I get that for running, every hundredth of a second counts, so the uniform has evolved over time in an effort to reduce every last bit of drag.  But I don't understand why the field athletes in pole vault, high jump, discus, hammer, etc need to wear these suits.  These track and field suits are tighter than the swimmer's suits.

Just seems kind of odd that one of the prerequisites of being an elite Olympic track and field athlete is that you have to be willing to display to the world whether you are circumcised or not.

LOL, yes.  And whether you tuck right or tuck left.

17 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Speaking of track and field outfits, I think it's interesting that some of the women wearing what I call bikini bottoms have tan lines on their legs that show they wore longer shorts, so are they wearing the bikini ones for tv?

I'm guessing they don't train in those bikini bottoms, hence the tan lines.  Noticed many a woman kind of adjusting after the race to avoid a camel toe to all of the world.

Congrats to Sydney, she ran a great race.  Dalilah went out fast, and you could see when Sydney kicked it in during the last two hurdles.  There was one or two strides that were visibly longer and where she made up the ground.  She is ten years younger than Dalilah, so kudos to Dalilah for making that race competitive.  Amazing to accomplish that at 31.  Sydney will be a face of track and field for years to come.  Taking the torch from Allyson Felix.

[Daisy]

Woohoooo deGrasse! Gold in the 200!
(and Warner + LePage are kicking Decathalon BEHIND)

(also. i don't think canada had these shorts in Rio because.... de Grasse was showing his excitement for winning a gold medal down south if ye ken my meaning)

[blackwing]

13 hours ago, SophiaD said:

What happened with the Japanese gentleman in this heat?  I don't think the commentators mentioned it at all, unless I missed something.  

I think he hit a hurdle and then just faceplanted.  NBC showed a replay and you could see him going down.

Congrats to Elaine Thompson, she is amazing.  Back to back victories in both 100 and 200.  I was really cheering for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and disappointed she didn't medal.  I'm assuming this is her last Olympics.  Glad she at least got a medal in the 100.  To get a silver at age 34 is incredible.  I knew that my golden girl from Olympics past, Veronica Campbell Brown (I still love the way saying her name just rolls off the tongue) wasn't going to be back, so I was throwing all support behind Shelly-Ann.  

32 minutes ago, greyhorse said:

Congrats to Sydney, she ran a great race.  Dalilah went out fast, and you could see when Sydney kicked it in during the last two hurdles.  There was one or two strides that were visibly longer and where she made up the ground.  She is ten years younger than Dalilah, so kudos to Dalilah for making that race competitive.  Amazing to accomplish that at 31.  Sydney will be a face of track and field for years to come.  Taking the torch from Allyson Felix.

Congrats to both Sydney and Dalilah.  They ran a great race.   Dalilah especially was so classy.  She was the defending Olympic champion and got silver here, but she was still happy.  She said something about being proud to win the silver medal for her country.

And huge congrats to Andre De Grasse.  He is the only Canadian man to medal so far at these Games.

 

[blackwing]

10 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Woohoooo deGrasse! Gold in the 200!
(and Warner + LePage are kicking Decathalon BEHIND)

(also. i don't think canada had these shorts in Rio because.... de Grasse was showing his excitement for winning a gold medal down south if ye ken my meaning)

I find the light grey colour to be particularly interesting/humiliating.  An odd choice for sure.  It's not as bad as whichever country is using the light brown/tan, but I don't know why they can't make these suits a little darker, like perhaps black, in order to try and preserve some dignity.

[Bunnyette]

14 hours ago, SophiaD said:

Nice race from Devon Allen just now.  He's also a cutie, not that that has anything to do with anything.

What happened with the Japanese gentleman in this heat?  I don't think the commentators mentioned it at all, unless I missed something.  

ETA:  Great minds, @legaleagle53!

He tripped over himself…

[selkie]

4 hours ago, blackwing said:

 

Congrats to Elaine Thompson, she is amazing.  Back to back victories in both 100 and 200.  I was really cheering for Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and disappointed she didn't medal.  I'm assuming this is her last Olympics.  Glad she at least got a medal in the 100.  To get a silver at age 34 is incredible.  

 

If they can get clean exchanges, which is admittedly always a big if in the 4x100, there's no one else who has the speed in that relay to beat Jamaica so SAFP has a high probability for gold in that one.

[SnideAsides]

I'm fascinated by how after years and years of being nowhere, with only really Sally Pearson in the women's hurdles making an impact, Australia has suddenly come really close to medals in a whole bunch of athletics events. There's been a few fourth and fifth places this time around, and I don't know if that's because we've actually improved or whether the time zone and the coronavirus have hurt our preparation less than most other countries.

[Daisy]

Warner sets an OB in 110 hurdles
all i see are US Men's packages. i really don't like these shorts

[legaleagle53]

54 minutes ago, Daisy said:

all i see are US Men's packages. i really don't like these shorts

Speaking as a gay man, I reluctantly have to agree. There IS such a thing as too much of a good thing, after all!

[Bill1978]

2 hours ago, SnideAsides said:

I'm fascinated by how after years and years of being nowhere, with only really Sally Pearson in the women's hurdles making an impact, Australia has suddenly come really close to medals in a whole bunch of athletics events. There's been a few fourth and fifth places this time around, and I don't know if that's because we've actually improved or whether the time zone and the coronavirus have hurt our preparation less than most other countries.

You forgot Cathy Freeman! Sorry, whenever I bring up what you've mentioned I get Cathy's name shouted at me like she ran in Rio 2016. :D

I've become really invested the Decathlon cause we have an Aussie current;y doing really well and again the media has no idea that he is doing well. And I didn't hear anything on the news about our 2 women qualifying for the 1500m.

Seriously I know we aren't winning medals but this is the most exciting Track and Field Meet Australia has had in a long long time at the Olympics. I'm finding their achievements more impressive than the Swim Team to be honest. But I am a ex Little Athletics participant so I may be bias,

[AimingforYoko]

Ryan Crouser just set an OR in the Shot Put on his first throw. Your move, Joe Kovacs.

ETA: And that record just lasted about 15 minutes, because Crouser just set another one.

Edited August 5, 2021 by AimingforYoko

[emmawoodhouse]

USA biffs another baton exchange, misses out on the 4x100 relay final. 

Not surprised.

Edited August 5, 2021 by emmawoodhouse

[AimingforYoko]

1 minute ago, emmawoodhouse said:

USA biffs another baton exchange, misses out on the 4x100 relay final. 

Not surprised.

Yeah, they didn't drop the baton, but they might has well have. Someday they'll get it together.

[Leeds]

An announcer for the Men's 4x100m just described one of the Americans as "Giving service to his country."  Seriously?

[twoods]

I wonder if it’s because they keep switching out the runners. The commentators said the other countries have four guys that train together so they do well in the relay, but the Americans don’t do that. Oh well.

Edited August 5, 2021 by twoods

[Daisy]

American Relay doing American Relay things. 
it's like tradition at this point.

[xaxat]

From this morning's Washington Post. Medal or nothing: U.S. men’s sprinters have a handoff problem

Quote

Since 1912, the 4x100 relay has ended only two ways for U.S. men in Olympics and world championships — they win a medal or they get disqualified.

History has been made.

[Irlandesa]

7 minutes ago, twoods said:

I wonder if it’s because they keep switching out the runners. The commentators said the other countries have four guys that train together so they do well in the relay, but the Americans don’t do that. Oh well.

I am curious about that as well.  Does anyone know how many of those racing in this semi would also race in the final?

Something similar happened to the Men in swimming.  They had an outside lane because they barely qualified in the semi.  None of those who swam in the semi ended up swimming in the final where they got a World Record.

Is this thing where they introduce the runners new? 

[AimingforYoko]

Damn, the Jamaicans sniped it.

[Lady Whistleup]

Big upset in the 110 m hurdles.

[Leeds]

On 8/3/2021 at 5:47 PM, scarynikki12 said:

Lyles’ foot crossed first but it’s determined by whose head goes first? Why did I not realize that before?

They measure by the first torso over the line.

9 minutes ago, AimingforYoko said:

Damn, the Jamaicans sniped it.

Can you explain what "snipe" means, please?

[Lady Whistleup]

Sniping is a strategy of accelerating and catching up in the final moments. You could say Sydney McLaughlin sniped Dalilah Muhammad last night.

[AimingforYoko]

I don't know if you've ever been on Ebay, but if you put in a bid for something and you've got the winning bid with just a few seconds left in an auction and someone comes in with a better bid at the last second.

2 minutes ago, Lady Whistleup said:

Sniping is a strategy of accelerating and catching up in the final moments.

Or what she said.