Today's Olympic Athletics

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What anwesome day of Athletics!!

What an awesome day for British Athletics!!!

What are people's pick of the day?!

What are people's analysis of the varying events today?!

1.43:77 and 4th on the all time list! 2 of the men ahead of him you may have heard of, cram and coe?lol. Great stuff :-)

The only downside for Osagie was that the fast race meant he had no hope of taking a medal. A slower tactical race and he'd have been in with a shout of a high finishing place.

Absolutely awesome run from Rudeshia though - led gun to tape, and ran pretty much an even paced 800 to dip under 1'41. Staggering stuff

Strawberry Jam wrote:Rudisha - Olympic Champion - with a World Record 1:40.91 [img]

Dragging everyone with him - unbelievable!!!! Stupid times all the way down the list of athletes

The Mens 100m, 200m and 800m all "looked" quite close despite the phenomenal winning times.

Still reeling from last night's 800m. Still sinking in [ the 800 was my event at school - so has a special place! ].

Regarding Osagie, the challenge for him, I guess, is how he comes to use the 800m final in his own development and progress - and especially, in building confidence. He himself reflected after the race that he was proud to have been in that race, reflected upon his own performnace and time, but that he had come last too.

He may have finished higher up the order in a slower run race - but it would've been difficult even then to secure 5th or 6th. This was a stacked 800m final with everyone ready [ likely charged / fired up by Rudisha's presence ].

Running times in the 1:44's region are a key milestone in any British athlete's development. Running sub 1:44 is a key milestone in a world class athlete's development. Osagie needs to know that he has that in his legs if required. Over time, racing against the world's best will enable him to develop an array of responses to the various potentially unravelling scenarios in his event. If he feels he has the tools and ability, that will help go a long way.

Making the final the way he did was an amazing feat. In the final, he made a genuine effort. He could've come last in 1:47. But he came last in 1:43.77. There's a big difference. You don't run 1:43.77 by accident [ OK, neither 1:47 - but the latter's a lot easier to do! ]. This is important, I feel. If he hadn't bothered over the last 50 or 60m and strolled in 1:47, that would've been difficult for him when reflecting later. He can take a lot away from the final, including ensuring that every athlete finished below 1:44 That he was a geuine part of what is possibily the greatest 800m race ever.

In regards Rudisha, still cannot believe it. No-one attempts a world record in any event above 400m at the Olympics or World Championships. It's athletics suicide to plan to do so. Way too risky. But Rudisha did plan to do so. And he achieved his goal. A truly remarkable performance

"t doesn't seem realistic . i just don't believe that the two of them should be so far in front of obviously physically similar athletes who no doubt train their b******s off as well. I wonder what they think of the two jamaicans?"2

English whatever you are implying please be a man and come out and say it. Are you implying that Blake and Blot dont train hard and are doping?>

These guys did not appear out of the blue. Way back in 2007 I warned the world about Blake on the old BBC 606. Back then he was in high school and set the boys champs record of 10.09!

Are we suspcious of adam gemili - running 10.05 as a junior after only taking up the sport seriously last year?

Are we suspcious of David Rushida for breaking the 800 m world record?

Are we suspcious of Paula Radcliff for he marothon wR?

I could go on and on.

Blake and bolt were always prodigius talent during their youth days.

Followers of athletics can recall Bolt going to Athens in 2004 as the fav in the 200m , when he ran 19.93 as a 17 year old comming into the olympics.

English you need to put up or shut up.

""english_osprey wrote:
it is ludicrous to see sub 19

too me both blake and bolt were unfortunately reminiscent of montgomery and gatlin srolling to gold and silver

they jogged the last 70 in their heats and didn't appear to be even blowing hard and still destroyed world class fields!

it doesn't seem realistic . i just don't believe that the two of them should be so far in front of obviously physically similar athletes who no doubt train their b******s off as well. I wonder what they think of the two jamaicans?2"


English your arguments are emotionally loaded, and deviod of any critical analysis and substantive data. It smacks of sour grapes.

Are you questionining MO Farahs emergence as the top distance runner in the world? I wonder what the other athletes think of the British runner?

Dj, i think it was EO who on a thread i had on steve mullings a while back(think it was that on) said that he believes most of the men going sub 10 today, in particular the jamaicans, are all doping! Just to save you waiting for a response mate.

djkbrown2001 wrote:"t doesn't seem realistic . i just don't believe that the two of them should be so far in front of obviously physically similar athletes who no doubt train their b******s off as well. I wonder what they think of the two jamaicans?"2

English whatever you are implying please be a man and come out and say it. Are you implying that Blake and Blot dont train hard and are doping?>

These guys did not appear out of the blue. Way back in 2007 I warned the world about Blake on the old BBC 606. Back then he was in high school and set the boys champs record of 10.09!

Are we suspcious of adam gemili - running 10.05 as a junior after only taking up the sport seriously last year?

Are we suspcious of David Rushida for breaking the 800 m world record?

Are we suspcious of Paula Radcliff for he marothon wR?

I could go on and on.

Blake and bolt were always prodigius talent during their youth days.

Followers of athletics can recall Bolt going to Athens in 2004 as the fav in the 200m , when he ran 19.93 as a 17 year old comming into the olympics.

English you need to put up or shut up.

He wont say it because it would expose him for what he is.

Brilliant world record by the usa

djkbrown2001 wrote:Brilliant world record by the usa

Indeed! Huge improvment

Mo Farah, take a bow! Magnificent double!

Awesome stuff Mo - absolutely awesome

Great Men's 4 x 100m relay. The US put up a good fight - but the Jamaicans were too strong. On the last leg, you don't want to be receiving the baton whilst coming into the home straight level with Bolt. Not a good thing. And credit to Blake - that was one of the fastest bends ever run in history. He took on Gay and nearly mauled him!

WR 36.84 [ and they were missing Powell! ]

Awesome way to end the track and field programme

Awesome women's high jump. Chicherova takes title with an awesome 2.05! That is a seriously high clearance in an Olympic final!

It's been a fantastic week of athletics, so many brilliant moments but let's start with a few disappointments:

- the 800m women: should have been a great race but Semenya never in the hunt and Jelimo faded badly.

- both 1500 m races: just came down to a one lap sprint.

- too many (ex and probable) drug cheats flourishing: I DO wish athletics would make a serious effort to tackle PED use.

Now for the highlights:

- Farah's 2 awesome golds of course, including the perfect race today.

- Bolt: what more can be said?

- Christian Taylor in the TJ: he knew he was the stongest performer there, but after fouling his 1st two jumps deliberately took the mark back to ensure he'd have another 3.

- I really like it when people dominate the whole season, are challenged and pull it off under the upmost pressure: kudos to Sally Pearson and of course Renaud Lavillenie (5.97 needed to win, one jump left, but what a jump!).

- Best athlete in the world? Step forward David Rudisha. Wow, just wow.

the women's 800 disapointed me because it looked like Semenya didn't want to win (something we've seen from her before): she looked easily the strongest runner in that race but was lying miles back in last with 150 meters to go before overtaking nearly everyone to finish second. Now either she made a huge mistake tactically (possibly of course, but surely no athlete believes they can win from that far back, and the way she finished suggests she was strong enough to win that) or there's something a bit more sinister going on...

I'd add in Jess Ennis to the highlights Mike, the pressure she was under to deliver was equally huge (though different to Pearson and Lavillenie as she hasn't been as dominant of late). Possibly the US women's 4 x 100 relay too, superb performance.

Agree on the negatives: too much of the long (or middle) distance racing comes down to one-lap sprints nowadays, which made Rudisha's performance even more special.

On the drugs thing, just noticed Dobriskey has made some interesting comments (which will get her into trouble); certainly the Algerian guy in the 1500 reminded me of Ramzi too closely for comfort

As I watched the women's 800m, felt strongly that Semanya was running within herself.

Got to echo Mad for Chelsea's comments. My thoughts as the rtace unfolded were that Semanya didn't wanbt to win the race as it would bring her back in to the limelight and she just didn;t want to more questions, inuendo, hassle and pressure. However, it's as if she knew that a second place would mean that people would be left thinking 'after all she's been through, she deserves it...'. And ultimately, this is what she went for. I hope in future she actually goes for it...

Never seen anything as blatent as that Makhloufi.

Added to that is that he's just a plain unpleasant-looking and behaving individual. Hope he get's caught for something...even if it's for being thick!