Olympics 2021 -- Competition and Results

[bundabergdevil]

That day has come and gone. Oscar Pistorius competed in the 2012 Olympics, missing both legs below the knee. He faced lots of opposition, since many people said that his prosthetics helped him.

He didn't medal, but he did get on the track. He enjoys those memories from his jail cell now, since he shot and killed his girlfriend a few months later.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Pistorius

I want to get on record now: I am very much in favor of a cyborg Olympics when our Terminator future fully arrives.


Of course, I’m very much in favor of doping in professional sports, too, so what do I know.

[DoubleBlue]

That day has come and gone. Oscar Pistorius competed in the 2012 Olympics, missing both legs below the knee. He faced lots of opposition, since many people said that his prosthetics helped him.

Yes, I recall. I'm thinking of the time when a runner with prosthetics will break a regular world record. I think the issue thus far has been that the prosthetic must be passive, not adding energy or force. But there is also leverage and weight and cadence to consider. And that's just running. Other sports would have similar issues with artificial devices. I imagine it would be quite complex and there are devices now that can boost performance, such as some of the super-soldier gear.

Back to the track surface... it seems that as long as it is passive and can only give back what it takes, then that could be the criteria. Maybe the experts have different opinions.

[Bluedog]

Yes, I recall. I'm thinking of the time when a runner with prosthetics will break a regular world record. I think the issue thus far has been that the prosthetic must be passive, not adding energy or force. But there is also leverage and weight and cadence to consider. And that's just running. Other sports would have similar issues with artificial devices. I imagine it would be quite complex and there are devices now that can boost performance, such as some of the super-soldier gear.

Back to the track surface... it seems that as long as it is passive and can only give back what it takes, then that could be the criteria. Maybe the experts have different opinions.

Scientists could fairly easily design/build something to accommodate this today, I'd imagine. The track and field governing bodies, however, would not authorize their use for competition. There was a very robust scientific analysis that allowed Pistorius to compete because most experts concluded it gave him no competitive advantage. I would also believe there are very intense regulations in place governing acceptable prosthetics for use in paralympic events.

[DoubleBlue]

Incidently, I've always suspected that elevated basketball courts cause injuries due to the unpredictable flexing and bouncing action of the floor sections. The gruesome injury in 2013 to Kevin Wear of Louisville in Indianapolis (which I saw in person) could have been caused by the floor flexing and bouncing back at the point where he landed from his jump. I haven't seen any reports or investigations on this phenomenon, but I have suspected it as an injury risk for a while.

[uh_no]

Scientists could fairly easily design/build something to accommodate this today, I'd imagine. The track and field governing bodies, however, would not authorize their use for competition. There was a very robust scientific analysis that allowed Pistorius to compete because most experts concluded it gave him no competitive advantage. I would also believe there are very intense regulations in place governing acceptable prosthetics for use in paralympic events.

The courts declared it gave him no advantage. As far as I recall, most experts did not agree.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...air-advantage/

Shortly after track and field’s governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), banned Pistorius in 2008 from competing against so-called “able-bodied” competitors, he underwent a series of tests at Rice University’s Locomotion Laboratory in an attempt to be reinstated. The researchers concluded that Pistorius used 17 percent less energy than that of elite sprinters on intact limbs. The tests also revealed that it took the South African 21 percent less time to reposition, or swing, his legs between strides. Big disagreements arose over how to interpret the research.

If I recall, the courts declaration was something akin to "it's impossible for a disabled athlete to have an advantage over a fully abled one," apparently being unaware that the wheelchair marathon world record is some 45 minutes faster than the regular one.

[cspan37421]

If I recall, the courts declaration was something akin to "it's impossible for a disabled athlete to have an advantage over a fully abled one," apparently being unaware that the wheelchair marathon world record is some 45 minutes faster than the regular one.

This reminds me of that quote by (attributed to?) Arthur C. Clarke,

When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.

[JasonEvans]

Best Olympic controversy yet!!

Apparently, some equestrian riders say the horses are being spooked by one of the jumps. Have a look...




Yes, that is a jump that includes a very realistic looking statue of a Sumo Wrestler. The horses are really not used to see a scowling human being on the course and some are reportedly flinching when they encounter it.

Personally, I think equestrian would be a lot more fun to watch if there was an actual sumo wrestler tromping around the course trying to tackle the horses, but that is just me.

[Bluedog]

The courts declared it gave him no advantage. As far as I recall, most experts did not agree.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...air-advantage/



If I recall, the courts declaration was something akin to "it's impossible for a disabled athlete to have an advantage over a fully abled one," apparently being unaware that the wheelchair marathon world record is some 45 minutes faster than the regular one.

Fair enough. I suppose I falsely assumed the court's/governing body's decisions were based on experts...

[dukelifer]

That day has come and gone. Oscar Pistorius competed in the 2012 Olympics, missing both legs below the knee. He faced lots of opposition, since many people said that his prosthetics helped him.

He didn't medal, but he did get on the track. He enjoys those memories from his jail cell now, since he shot and killed his girlfriend a few months later.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Pistorius

And ironically he argued that because he had no prosthetics on at the time- he was afraid the intruder might overtake him so he had to shoot through the door for self defense not knowing his girlfriend had gotten up- thus having no lower legs was an advantage to his failed defense.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

And ironically he argued that because he had no prosthetics on at the time- he was afraid the intruder might overtake him so he had to shoot through the door for self defense not knowing his girlfriend had gotten up- thus having no lower legs was an advantage to his failed defense.

Everything about that case was strange.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Alix and April!!!!

[DukieInKansas]

Love the cart that brings the pitchers in from the bullpen!

[budwom]

Love the cart that brings the pitchers in from the bullpen!

it was hardly an Olympic event, but when my wife was a wee kid in Spain, she got hauled off to the weekend bullfights in a donkey cart.

[roywhite]

Love the cart that brings the pitchers in from the bullpen!

USA Baseball with a 7-2 win over South Korea to advance to a Gold Medal matchup with Japan. They have come back from a loss to Japan with wins over 2 great baseball countries -- South Korea and Dominican Republic.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

it was hardly an Olympic event, but when my wife was a wee kid in Spain, she got hauled off to the weekend bullfights in a donkey cart.

That is a sentence that invites a ton of off topic questions.

[budwom]

That is a sentence that invites a ton of off topic questions.

some have been discussed on the LTE thread...others aspects of that era included lots of dinners with Carl Sagan and Allen Hynek, and a retired Spanish admiral creating a clay bust of my mother in law which eerily sits in our garden. Heady days.

[budwom]

once again, the U.S. men's 4X100 relay team succumbed to three stooges (four?) level bunglement...https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...okyo-olympics/

[CrazyNotCrazie]

once again, the U.S. men's 4X100 relay team succumbed to three stooges (four?) level bunglement...https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...okyo-olympics/

I'm not sure who is in charge of this but they are doing a lousy job. I don't love the track announcers but they immediately made the excellent point that the other teams work together a lot while we are constantly mixing and matching runners so they haven't really worked together. Making the baton pass at near full speed in a limited space with a lot of other people in adjacent lanes is not easy and needs to be practiced.

[roywhite]

once again, the U.S. men's 4X100 relay team succumbed to three stooges (four?) level bunglement...https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...okyo-olympics/

I'm not sure who is in charge of this but they are doing a lousy job. I don't love the track announcers but they immediately made the excellent point that the other teams work together a lot while we are constantly mixing and matching runners so they haven't really worked together. Making the baton pass at near full speed in a limited space with a lot of other people in adjacent lanes is not easy and needs to be practiced.

Remarkable.

From Carl Lewis, no less:
The USA team did everything wrong in the men's relay. The passing system is wrong, athletes running the wrong legs, and it was clear that there was no leadership. It was a total embarrassment, and completely unacceptable for a USA team to look worse than the AAU kids I saw .
10:52 PM · Aug 4, 2021

[uh_no]

I'm not sure who is in charge of this but they are doing a lousy job. I don't love the track announcers but they immediately made the excellent point that the other teams work together a lot while we are constantly mixing and matching runners so they haven't really worked together. Making the baton pass at near full speed in a limited space with a lot of other people in adjacent lanes is not easy and needs to be practiced.

yes. it's hilarious as the USATF nepotistically hires a "relay coach" for their global championships.

They also completely failed at the handoff in the mixed 4x4 after lining up at the wrong spot in the track (it's painfully obvious when watched) and reinstated for dubious reasons.