The Summer Olympics, this time in Paris

The chest has always been the determining factor.

It’s absurd that it goes down to such ridiculously fine margins, but that’s neoliberalism for you: there has to be a winner and many losers.

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Totally agree and Thompson will learn next time to dip with the chest or his coach will add finishing practice in his training schedule

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Molly Caudrey failing to qualify for the final was a big shock to everyone but I was not surprised psychologically she is going through the same cycle as Holly Bradshaw loads of talent but mentally not very strong if the competition was a minor one she would have won with flying colours but before the Olympics in a diamond league round she failed at a low height but her coach may have advised to start at such a low height instead of doing like her rivals who started at the qualifying height. Now she will need a good sports psychologist to build her back up as she is the best female pole vaulter in the world currently.

Nigel Spivey, in his book The Ancient Olympics - A History, describes the Greek Olympics as fierce contexts between bitter rivals, in which victors won kudos and rewards, and losers faced scorn and even assault. Victory was almost worth dying for, and a number of athletes did just that. Many more resorted to cheating and bribery. Contested always bitterly and often bloodily, the ancient Olympics were not an idealistic celebration of unity, but a clash of military powers in an arena not far removed from the battlefield.

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That’s all well and good, but how would they have decided such a close finish? :thinking:

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Kill them both?

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:stuck_out_tongue: :stuck_out_tongue: very likely then fed them to the lions

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@Bekloppt
I think that is a bit extreme.

Surely you just release a hyena 10 seconds after they start. Winner is the one not eaten.

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Simone Biles did not receive a medal in the gymnastics balance beam final after falling during her routine.

It’s her first event at the 2024 Olympics that she did not receive a gold medal in.

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Found Skip Baylis’ burner account

I am sure I am not the only one, but I genuinely did not know this. I know the photo finishes focus on the torso, but I always though that was just because it tends to be part that crosses first in a close race with runners dipping for the line.

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Would be hard to put your torso before your head in a dip :joy:

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Epic fail from the BBC.
Cameras at Keely Hodgkinsons running clubhouse, and Gabby Logan asked them all for a wave.
Not one of them batted an eyelid, they were clearly watching it on Eurosport.

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Armand Duplantis is such a legend.

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World record crazy… You’d have to wonder if anyone will ever go higher than this lad Duplantis.

I remember people saying the same about Sergey Bubka.

Records are there to be broken.

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True but it’s so high…. :joy:

This is surely a stupid question, but is there a point where they need to use a longer pole? They are now going nearly half a meter higher than when Bubka broke his first world record and there comes a point where surely that is the only avenue to going higher?

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Henry appealing a penalty for handball :joy:

Personally I’d give it.

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Well there has been discussion about their big poles this week :joy:

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