Usain Bolt at 7pm BBC3

Merlin5 said:
Also, after my thread about why do white athletes bother to sprint, there's a white french guy tonight called 'White Lightning', aka Christopher Lemaitre who has already run under 10 seconds.
Click to expand...

Given that Bolt, Powell and Gay are running significantly faster, mr "white lightening" is merely a side show.

I know its cruel, but does anybody care about the guy who is finishing 8th or is struggling to make a world athletics 100M final (regardless of his colour)?

Does anybody remember the guy who finished last in the Olympic 100M final? I don't. Similarly, how many people actually care about a white athlete running significantly slower than the leading athletes?
 
That performance says it all. Few years ago that time would've had the commentators jizzing over themselves yet they're talking like it's a mid 10 second race.
 
Pigeon_Killer said:
From a technical point of view that was a shocking run but 12.89 for the 110 hurdles is bloody impressive.
Click to expand...

It is impressive. I remember a decade ago when Colin Jackson was attacking the world record in every race and eventually finished up with 12.91s...that was fantastic.

12.89 is brilliant.
 
sunama said:
Given that Bolt, Powell and Gay are running significantly faster, mr "white lightening" is merely a side show.

I know its cruel, but does anybody care about the guy who is finishing 8th or is struggling to make a world athletics 100M final (regardless of his colour)?

Does anybody remember the guy who finished last in the Olympic 100M final? I don't. Similarly, how many people actually care about a white athlete running significantly slower than the leading athletes?
Click to expand...

I think people do care, without losers you can't have winners. And at the end of the day, the person that finishes last in the Olympics is still pretty darn impressive. They have clearly won a LOT of races to get where they are and are the 8th fastest person IN THE WORLD!

I would bet everything I own that you arn't the 8th best at anything important? Sorry to be cruel. :)
 
Uriel said:
And your personal best 100m is? That's roughly 0.1s off his.
Click to expand...

Point is, he just confirms even more (ala my other thread) why white athletes are all but wasting their time competing in the 100m. It's worth taking up another sport that you have a much larger chance of winning and even dominating. All that effort and training he's obviously put in for no glory.
 
kinobestew123 said:
I think people do care, without losers you can't have winners. And at the end of the day, the person that finishes last in the Olympics is still pretty darn impressive. They have clearly won a LOT of races to get where they are and are the 8th fastest person IN THE WORLD!

I would bet everything I own that you arn't the 8th best at anything important? Sorry to be cruel. :)
Click to expand...

It is true that I am not 8th best at anything (in the world). However, I havent invested my whole life into something that will net me 8th place and virtually no recognition.

If I am investing a lot of my time and effort just to make Usain Bolt look good (ie. without losers you can't have winners), then I want to be compensated for my time/effort. If those people invest the same time in another sport/vocation, they would probably stand a better chance of achieving more notoriety.

For example, the 8th best footballer in the World is probably better known than the 8th best sprinter.

Out of interest, without looking it up, can you tell me who finished 8th in the last Olympic final?
 
Last edited:
So unless you realistically have a shot at the podium it's a complete waste of time? Nevermind whether the guy truly loves sprinting or not? The taking part is irrelevant?

Are you saying unless you have a chance at being the best at something, you're wasting your time?
 
sunama said:
It is true that I am not 8th best at anything (in the world). However, I havent invested my whole life into something that will net me 8th place and virtually no recognition.

If I am investing a lot of my time and effort just to make Usain Bolt look good (ie. without losers you can't have winners), then I want to be compensated for my time/effort. If those people invest the same time in another sport/vocation, they would probably stand a better chance of achieving more notoriety.
Click to expand...

Maybe the people involved simply love the sport? Maybe they don't have the requisite attributes to succeed at the same level in anything other than the event they compete in (e.g. they are top ten in the World at the 100m but would never manage higher than Sunday pub league in football)? Maybe they just want to be able to say "I was one of the best in the World" to their kids. Maybe there's a hope that some of the other athletes will have an off day, if you keep putting yourself in the finals there has to be a chance you'll medal. Maybe it's just a case of being as good as the individual can be at any given sport regardless of the competition?

The point is that if you measure success as purely monetary or media/public recognition then you've chosen a rather limited metric. However such a pursuit is clearly not for you if you can't accept anything other than being the best in the World.

sunama said:
For example, the 8th best footballer in the World is probably better known than the 8th best sprinter.

Out of interest, without looking it up, can you tell me who finished 8th in the last Olympic final?
Click to expand...

Almost certainly but the sports are somewhat different, athletics leads to one person in their event being crowned the best, football is a team game and has a much higher media profile regardless. It might also be interesting to compare the numbers competing I suspect in terms of ratios of those playing to those who succeed at the highest levels.

And no, I couldn't.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom