Olympics - who do you want to win what?

[Diamond Dog]

I find it quite incredible that the two greatest sprinters in recent memory - that's Bolt & Johnson, by the way- are somehow being taken to task by anyone. Let alone someone holding up Lewis as some barometer of greatness - a guy that tested positive for drugs, but was shielded by the US authorities.

[The G Experience!]

You can't even begin to compare "style" in a team sport like football to sprinting. They are such different sports that your comparison doesn't work on any level .When I watch Bolt I see extraordinary power and immense confidence. I don't look at how prettily he's moving; it's not one of those stupid sports where judges hold up cards.

[The G Experience!]

At no point did I say it did - I've seen man utd win plenty of shit with no style at all - but it does have an impact when you are assessing greatness, or indeed what kind of personal preferences you have. If we only went by results we'd all be Man City supporters god help us.

Off-topic, but fwiw Man City played better quality football than Utd last season.

[WG Kaspar]

It's quite unbelievable that football has crept in a discussion about sprint. I mean really...

[Diamond Dog]

And have a guess who's responsible for that...........

[Geezee]

At no point did I say it did - I've seen man utd win plenty of shit with no style at all - but it does have an impact when you are assessing greatness, or indeed what kind of personal preferences you have. If we only went by results we'd all be Man City supporters god help us.

Off-topic, but fwiw Man City played better quality football than Utd last season.

of course they did!
sorry for the football focus but none of you have come with any evidence that a) style cannot be practiced b) style is not an important factor and c) bolt is not missing that ingredient...i've tried to explain both bolt's weaknesses within the context of his own sport, and by drawing reference to other sports.

[WG Kaspar]

what exactly do you mean nobody came with evidence that style is not an important factor? I don't even know what style is. Do mean technique because that's a whole different thing?

[Jude]

Oh my GOD. I can't believe this nonsense about Bolt's style is persisting. Look at the 100m and 200m world records. They're all you need to know. Speed is literally everything in his game, style is nothing.

Meanwhile, Sir Chris Hoy has become GB's most successful Olympian ever after a superb performance in the Keirin and nobody's mentioned it.

[mentalist (slight return)]

Absolutely. Fastest human on the planet, that's what it's all about. He had time to pull out his mobile and take a photo in the 200m heats. Wonder if Blake can mount a challenge.

Great to see Sally Pearson win a premier track event tonight. Rather pleasant upsetting the royals at Meares v Pendleton too.

[John aka Josh]

Tip of the hat to the triathletes.




Alistair Brownlee ran the 10k just 1m 23s slower than Mo Farah did when winning the 10k.

[The Write Profile]

Absolutely. Fastest human on the planet, that's what it's all about. He had time to pull out his mobile and take a photo in the 200m heats. Wonder if Blake can mount a challenge.

Great to see Sally Pearson win a premier track event tonight. Rather pleasant upsetting the royals at Meares v Pendleton too.

Yeah, well done Pearson. A blistering race. That was a hugely exciting final, the hurdles are really dramatic stuff.

As for NZ's performances in the track and field, well Nick Willis, who won silver in Beijing 2008 in the 1500m was boxed out in the final and nowhere to be seen, which was a shame, but a great run from the three who eventually medalled, they seemed to really kick into gear in that last stretch, while Valerie Adams, who won gold in Beijing 2008 in the women's shotput, and hasn't been beaten in a world meet since, had to settle for silver, despite throwing a distance that would've seen her win four years ago. That's the way it goes, and it's still a fantastic effort.

Australia have at least got past NZ on gold medals now!

[Geezee]

Oh my GOD. I can't believe this nonsense about Bolt's style is persisting. Look at the 100m and 200m world records. They're all you need to know. Speed is literally everything in his game, style is nothing.

I find it a huge shame that people feel that way but fair enough - and at least you are acknowledging that his style has been an issue with some, even if it is just to dismiss it. Some people on here are acting as if it never seems to have been an issue and that we should all just bow before the unmitigated greatness of sir usain.

And by style I mean technique, but it is more than just technique. You can have effective technique but still not have style. I'd argue Bolt largely lacks both, but perhaps it is more that he doesn't lack technique, but that it is just an unorthodox one - either way it still results in an ugly, well, style.

[Goat Boy]

What in the good Lord are you fucking waffling on about?

[Goat Boy]

Oh my GOD. I can't believe this nonsense about Bolt's style is persisting. Look at the 100m and 200m world records. They're all you need to know. Speed is literally everything in his game, style is nothing.

I find it a huge shame that people feel that way but fair enough - and at least you are acknowledging that his style has been an issue with some, even if it is just to dismiss it. Some people on here are acting as if it never seems to have been an issue and that we should all just bow before the unmitigated greatness of sir usain.

What do you expect from the guy? To run the 100m wearing a top hat and fucking tails?

Jesus wept.

[Cage Free Brown]

What do you expect from the guy? To run the 100m wearing a top hat and fucking tails?

that's a good look for anybody.

[Geezee]

My god you people are proper fuck knobs. Fine, Bolt is the most beautiful, graceful athlete of all time, let us all bow before his utter perfection.

[The Write Profile]

You can't even begin to compare "style" in a team sport like football to sprinting. They are such different sports that your comparison doesn't work on any level .When I watch Bolt I see extraordinary power and immense confidence. I don't look at how prettily he's moving; it's not one of those stupid sports where judges hold up cards.

When it comes to running, I think things like style and technique are far more applicable to the middle-distance events- particularly the 1500m, which is hugely tactical, and very dependent on boxing your opposition out of a decent position for the final sprint- which is why we talk about the way runners like Hicham El Guerrouj, Seb Coe or Peter Snell won their Olympic Golds. I get that Bolt's running style is ugly to watch, but as G says, in his event, it's all about power and speed. There's barely enough time to focus on even that!

[Leg of lamb]

Sometimes I think that the controversy of GZ's opinions blinds us to whether or not they're well argued. I get what he's saying - the only thing I'd take objection to is whether or not 'style', as opposed to 'technique', would ever be addressed by a sprint coach. I'd have thought that they work on technique only insofar as it affects results, and not a second more. They can't give a shit about aesthetics.

But absolutely, it's a fair thing to look for as a fan of the sport. I happen to like Bolt and Johnson all the more for having eccentric, intriguing styles that somehow deliver wonderous results. But it's totally GZ's prerogative to find it ugly and to mark Usain Bolt down in his personal pantheon. He's not arguing anything more objective than that, is he?

[WG Kaspar]

I think that most people find it quite extraordinary that how someone moves his shoulders while breaking the world record in the shortest races could be considered significant.

[Geezee]

And let's be clear that Carl Lewis, as far as I'm aware, tested positive for pseudoephedrine a few months around the time it was banned for the first time, alongside 100s of other athletes. I'm not close enough to the events to know for sure, but from what I understand nobody has ever accused him of proper impropriety. It's by some distance the most common cold medicine.