View Full Version : Man this guy is fast!
booboohead
08-20-2008, 12:04 PM
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/08/20/olympics.sprint/index.html
BEIJING (AP) Usain Bolt of Jamaica broke the world record by winning the 200 meters in 19.30 seconds Wednesday night, becoming the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to sweep the 100 and 200 gold medals at an Olympics.
Bolt is the first man ever to break the world marks in both sprints at an Olympics. Not even Lewis or Jesse Owens managed that.
Showing what he can do when he runs at full speed all the way through the finish - something he hadn't done yet in the Beijing Games - Bolt eclipsed the old record of 19.32 seconds set by Michael Johnson in Atlanta in 1996.
The performance marked Bolt as one of the breakthrough stars of these Summer Games, coming on the heels of his victory in the 100 Saturday night. He bettered his own world record in that race by winning in 9.69 seconds - despite slowing down over the final 20 meters to showboat.
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If a guy can slow down and jog the rest of a 100m dash, and still set a world record and blow away the competition, then I think that man has earned the right to showboat, brag, laugh, jeer, cajole, pick on, make fun of or do whatever the heck he wants to in that last 20 meters. Incredible to see a guy jogging in the Olympics and STILL winning by a landslide. A true first!
Congrats to the fastest man alive!!
Antipathy
08-20-2008, 12:15 PM
Remarkable, and into a headwind no less!
But what exactly does this have to do with U.S & North American politics?
Antipathy
08-20-2008, 01:50 PM
Ahem... it was nice of the mod who moved this thread not to mention the fact, thereby making me look like more of an idiot than usual. :rolleyes:
booboohead
08-20-2008, 02:09 PM
Remarkable, and into a headwind no less!
But what exactly does this have to do with U.S & North American politics?Other than 'everything is politics', I see what you mean. Thanks to the mod's for moving it.
Ahem... it was nice of the mod who moved this thread not to mention the fact, thereby making me look like more of an idiot than usual. :rolleyes:
Heh, heh,
I was about to say you were an idiot, until I deduced this thread had been moved. :D
Great he did it.
But I'm a little nostalgic for Michael Johnson.
Johnson was an ornament to American track and field and his record was outstanding. He knew how to conduct himself in public and was very popular throughout the world. I never thought Johnspn took steroids, because of his personality (lot of those cheats have loud bizzare personalities from taking the stuff), and also his track times from his junior years were all freaky fast. Like Bolt, he was born fast.
Unlike Florence Griffith-Joyner and her tainted 100m and 200m records.
Anyhow, all hail the new king!
DiAnna
08-20-2008, 09:35 PM
Great he did it.
But I'm a little nostalgic for Michael Johnson.
Johnson was an ornament to American track and field and his record was outstanding. He knew how to conduct himself in public and was very popular throughout the world. I never thought Johnspn took steroids, because of his personality (lot of those cheats have loud bizzare personalities from taking the stuff), and also his track times from his junior years were all freaky fast. Like Bolt, he was born fast.
Unlike Florence Griffith-Joyner and her tainted 100m and 200m records.
Anyhow, all hail the new king!
Why would you say that Florence Griffith-Joyner's records are tainted??
Crosscheck
08-21-2008, 12:12 AM
Why would you say that Florence Griffith-Joyner's records are tainted??
I think he meant Marion Jones. Right?
Dangerrmouse
08-21-2008, 06:05 AM
Maybe not... Her world record run was the only time all that day that the wind gauge wasn't spinning like a top. Then as this article puts it, she retired a few months after the introduction of random drug testing...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/177433.stm
The Big Bog
08-21-2008, 09:36 AM
Oh big deal. I ran that fast to Starubcks that day when I heard they were giving away tall lattés.
Alvin T. Grey
08-21-2008, 09:54 AM
I heard about that.
"Cow breaks sound barrier".
I think he meant Marion Jones. Right?
No. I meant Florence Griffith-Joyner. She was no world beater in her junior or senior years as a sprinter then all of a sudden in 1987-88 her physique totally changes and she posts unbelievable world records. Just like the East Germans who used to beat her. And as soon as compulsory drugs testing is established she quickly retires. IMO (and I was a club sprinter, 400, 200), early career times are the best markers. Bolt was world junior champ at 15. And she never had times to suggest that improvement in 1988. As for training, I have seen plenty of runners break down trying to keep to a schedule to get a time that is just beyond them.
Look at this pic in 1986:
http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=5087
Then look at the opening race on this vid just over 18 months later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xN7XrHHVMc&feature=related
Two different people
Joe Blow
08-21-2008, 01:56 PM
Looks like the Jamaicans have a clear path to the 4x100 titles as well. Both men's & women's US relay teams dropped their batons during the heats and did not advance to tomorrow's final. The Jamaican men advanced easily and Bolt didn't even run; he will in the final. I wonder if the 34.70 WR is in jeopardy.
rjamortega
08-21-2008, 02:51 PM
I missed the 100m gold medal race. I was wondering if he was going to do his "cruising finish". I hoped he wouldn't, and now I learn he did...
What an idiot! What was he thinking?!?! Why not set a world record even more impressive. I guess I should look at the bright side and be glad he didn't fool around for the 200m, and I got to see it. But cruising to the 100...WHY?!
Joe Blow
08-21-2008, 03:52 PM
I missed the 100m gold medal race. I was wondering if he was going to do his "cruising finish". I hoped he wouldn't, and now I learn he did...
What an idiot! What was he thinking?!?! Why not set a world record even more impressive. I guess I should look at the bright side and be glad he didn't fool around for the 200m, and I got to see it. But cruising to the 100...WHY?!
He did a post race interview on CBC with Donovan Bailey and his basic philosophy is break it a little at a time to keep people interested. Why blow it away completely at the first chance and then never touch it again?
Dangerrmouse
08-21-2008, 04:50 PM
And of course, he will get a bonus from every promoter at every meeting he breaks the record. Sergei Bubka made a career of doing just that in the high jump, one millimeter at a time, for years......
Joe Blow
08-21-2008, 04:53 PM
And of course, he will get a bonus from every promoter at every meeting he breaks the record. Sergei Bubka made a career of doing just that in the high jump, one millimeter at a time, for years......
That's just smart business.
rjamortega
08-21-2008, 06:42 PM
That's just smart business.
I guess so. I am just torn between true sport and smart showmanship, I guess. One of my favorite athletes/personalities of AAAAALL TIIIME is Muhammad Ali. "Clay"/Ali was one of the greatest showman as well as sportsman. But he left showtime once he was in the ring, and did everything in his magnificent ability to show his superiority.
I just believe once you are in the field of battle a true sportsman should pull out all the stops. Yeah, of course we always see teams ease up toward the end with a big lead, like in the NFL and NBA. But different sports require different methods if they are to be taken seriously. Bolt just isn't working for me when he cruises the finish line.
DiAnna
08-21-2008, 08:38 PM
No. I meant Florence Griffith-Joyner. She was no world beater in her junior or senior years as a sprinter then all of a sudden in 1987-88 her physique totally changes and she posts unbelievable world records. Just like the East Germans who used to beat her. And as soon as compulsory drugs testing is established she quickly retires. IMO (and I was a club sprinter, 400, 200), early career times are the best markers. Bolt was world junior champ at 15. And she never had times to suggest that improvement in 1988. As for training, I have seen plenty of runners break down trying to keep to a schedule to get a time that is just beyond them.
Look at this pic in 1986:
http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=5087
Then look at the opening race on this vid just over 18 months later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xN7XrHHVMc&feature=related
Two different people
So just like that, now that the woman is dead and unable to defend herself and without a scintilla of actual evidence, you feel justified slandering her based on nothing more than factless innuendo and your personal suspicion?
Nice.
There is no solid evidence and its not fair to declare her guilty on that; but I will say this
There is about as much circumstantial evidence for it as there is for Barry Bonds
So just like that, now that the woman is dead and unable to defend herself and without a scintilla of actual evidence, you feel justified slandering her based on nothing more than factless innuendo and your personal suspicion?
Nice.
No, not just like that. Actually, I liked her, the way she handled herself. The second fastest woman in history is Marion Jones with 10.65. And the other indicators I mentioned. Hardly factless. And not just my own suspicion.
DiAnna
08-22-2008, 04:29 AM
No, not just like that. Actually, I liked her, the way she handled herself. The second fastest woman in history is Marion Jones with 10.65. And the other indicators I mentioned. Hardly factless. And not just my own suspicion.
Then provide evidence, evidence which the IOC and nobody else apparently has been able to provide. Otherwise, kindly keep your 20+ year old slander to yourself.
I dispise cheaters, steroid users, those who manipulate the rules to their own advantage. I also dispise those who simply slander past champions without evidence simply to taint or destroy the legacy they have left behind... particularly when the "victims" are dead and unable to defend themselves.
Then provide evidence, evidence which the IOC and nobody else apparently has been able to provide. Otherwise, kindly keep your 20+ year old slander to yourself.
I dispise cheaters, steroid users, those who manipulate the rules to their own advantage. I also dispise those who simply slander past champions without evidence simply to taint or destroy the legacy they have left behind... particularly when the "victims" are dead and unable to defend themselves.
I don't despise cheaters and steroid users. I despise excessive nationalism that corrupts sport and its participants.
I'm entitled to my opinion based on the facts that I outlined.
I have heard other emotive defences in the past for ppl like Marion Jones, the Chinese swimmers of the 90's, the East Germans back in the late seventies...etc.
You should not worship idols. All people have feet of clay.
Joe Blow
08-22-2008, 11:36 AM
The Jamaicans just took gold in the men's 4x100 in WR time; 37.10. Bolt now has his name attached to 3 golds & three world records all set at the same games.
booboohead
08-22-2008, 12:20 PM
Then provide evidence, evidence which the IOC and nobody else apparently has been able to provide. Otherwise, kindly keep your 20+ year old slander to yourself.
I dispise cheaters, steroid users, those who manipulate the rules to their own advantage. I also dispise those who simply slander past champions without evidence simply to taint or destroy the legacy they have left behind... particularly when the "victims" are dead and unable to defend themselves.Pahleeeeesssseee.
I think Jimi presented a fairly reasonable list of suppositions that calls Joyner's records into question. I'm not going to condemn her out of hand, but certainly it can't be unreasonable (much less worthy of 'despising') to put historical achievements in context.
Its certainly fair to consider the rules and schedules and technology and parks and height of the pitchers mound in place for Babe Ruth's home run records, when comparing with current players. And its no coincidence that Mcquire exiting baseball the year after his home run record.
It all helps put these achievements into context for the time in which they were acheived.
Certainly the swimming and track records have a whole lot to do with new technology and training. Its not Phelps is necessarily a better swimmer than Spitz would have been if he were born today.
A WR is a great achievement, but it must be put in context as the WR for TODAY; its not Phelps records are 'better than Spitzs records'. They're both great achievements, and **different** achievements, for their time.
Technically EVERY record should have an asterisk, because they're ALL under different conditions and parameters. We don't do that just becuase its more fun to imagine records are being 'broken'.
The Jamaicans just took gold in the men's 4x100 in WR time; 37.10. Bolt now has his name attached to 3 golds & three world records all set at the same games.Amazing. An average 9.3 split? Insane!!! :D
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