Special Event: Rio 2016 Olympics - Track and Field

August 12, 2016 7:57 AM

Give me your tracks, your fields, your hurdled masses yearning to etc. If it's Track-and-Fieldy, this is the place to be.
posted by cortex (197 comments total)

Or, in much of the non-U.S. world, "athletics".
posted by Etrigan at 8:01 AM on August 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

Well that's a good way to kick off the T&F. A nice long race and utter destruction of a world record.
posted by biffa at 8:01 AM on August 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Heck, that start by Jessica Ennis-Hill in the 100 metres heptathlon was zero to fast in what seemed like 0.0 seconds. How the heck do you instantaneously get away so quickly?!
posted by Wordshore at 8:03 AM on August 12, 2016

So the Goog doesn't have the results up yet, and the OBS world feed hasn't shown the results, but apparently only five women have ever run the 10k in under 30 minutes before today. In today's race, the top four finishers did it under 30 minutes.
posted by clorox at 8:04 AM on August 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Holy cow, Ayana is a spectacular runner. I could watch her all day.

Also on today: the Heptathalon, shot put, and the preliminary heats for the 100 Women featuring the best athletes in their country who aren't players on the world stage - so far runners from Sierra Leone, Suriname, the Cook Islands - and I forget the 4th (Oman? Swaziland?) - have automatically qualified for the main heats of the 100.
posted by julen at 8:06 AM on August 12, 2016

Ayana is the first African woman to hold the 10k record, which stood for nearly 23 years.
posted by Etrigan at 8:09 AM on August 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Robert Harting misses the discus final and won't defend his title.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:18 AM on August 12, 2016

The men's 20km racewalk on right now is fascinating. No commentary, just crowd noise.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 10:58 AM on August 12, 2016

Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce's national color dyed hair is fantastic. I love it.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 5:44 PM on August 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce's national color dyed hair is fantastic. I love it.

So I read this comment, thought "I wonder what it looks like," looked up at the TV screen, and there she was, right as the announcer said her name. Thanks track and feed commentary people for saving me a trip to Google.

I love her hair. I do not love the hats worn by the track and field officials.
posted by zachlipton at 5:51 PM on August 12, 2016

I also strongly approve of the band behind the shot put introductions.
posted by zachlipton at 6:00 PM on August 12, 2016

Shot put underway with Valerie Adams of New Zealand going for a third consecutive gold, which would apparently be a record for women's athletics (a couple of men have done it). Adams originally finished second in London and was upgraded to gold after the winner was disqualified for doping, but Adams missed out on getting her medal at the games.
posted by Pink Frost at 6:10 PM on August 12, 2016

Fun fact about shot putter Michelle Carter, who just won gold: her father, Michael Carter, is also an Olympic shot put medalist and the only athlete to win an Olympic medal and a Super Bowl ring in the same year. She and her father both hold current National High School Records in the US for shot put.
posted by zachlipton at 6:58 PM on August 12, 2016 [4 favorites]

Wow, superb finish to the shot put there, Adams leading all the way through by a long way. Michelle Carter of the US pulls out an incredible throw with her sixth and final throw to win it. Breaks (her own) American record in doing so.
posted by Pink Frost at 7:00 PM on August 12, 2016

Interesting article on Carter here. I like her style:

Carter said she is often asked by parents and coaches to talk to younger female throwers. “The parents say, ‘Can you talk to my daughter and say that it’s O.K.? That she can have muscles?’ They’ll say, ‘I show her pictures of you so they can know she’s good at what she does but still looks like a girl. She wears dresses.’ It releases people to be whoever they want to be in the sport.”

posted by Pink Frost at 7:04 PM on August 12, 2016 [4 favorites]

Michelle Carter is my new fav, wow.
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:08 PM on August 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Excited for the 100m today! Trayvon Bromell went to my high school (way after me, damn youngster) so I have pulled out the mascot medal in his honor.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:13 AM on August 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

Nooo, Diro with the lost shoe /o\ I thought she might pull it off, but.
posted by dorque at 6:50 AM on August 13, 2016

Wow, I'm enjoying watching these Very Large Men playing heavy frisbee!
posted by ChuraChura at 6:56 AM on August 13, 2016 [5 favorites]

UFO sightings reported in Rio; Big Eastern European men to blame.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:19 AM on August 13, 2016

Hooray for Michelle Carter! I was so excited she won last night.

I wish they showed more of the field events on network TV; I like seeing people hurl things and leap and jump, and am vaguely annoyed I have to go to the internet to see it in any detail. NBC has 6 different channels; there's no need to have the same soccer game on 2 channels or the same basketball game on 2 channels.
posted by julen at 7:45 AM on August 13, 2016

(having posted that, the Sports Network is showing a decent amount of discus)
posted by julen at 7:53 AM on August 13, 2016

What a finish on the discus.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:07 AM on August 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

I love track & field events. They went a bit overboard with the Bolt coverage only to have it backed up when he looked rusty and still won his heat.
posted by cashman at 8:54 AM on August 13, 2016

Michelle Carter and the women who do the hammer throw: they make me so happy and simultaneously regretful to watch, because man, if these events had been A Thing when I was in high school, I would have been allllll over track & field. My body was clearly built for this! They are my role models.
posted by TwoStride at 1:46 PM on August 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'm watching the steeplechase from earlier right now, and these dipshit announcers oh my god.

Emma Coburn is leading, and the camera pans to show her parents in the stands. Filming the race.

Idiot announcer says: "As we look at Emma Coburn's family, filming the race...it is on tv, not sure why they have to also get their own personal video, but..."

Other announcer says: "Well, they might be concentrating on only one of the runners."

Idiot: "I guess that's true."

THANKS NBC
posted by phunniemee at 5:05 PM on August 13, 2016 [3 favorites]

There's an amazing amount of tactical mindgames being played in this 10K here.
posted by zachlipton at 5:46 PM on August 13, 2016

We caught that, too, Phunniemee. Ridiculous!

Gosh, that 10K! Mo Farah is such a fantastic runner, and it feels like there is no strategy that will trip him up (including actual tripping!).
posted by julen at 6:00 PM on August 13, 2016

You can really see Tanui realizing that he's just fucked at the end when Farah passes him.
posted by Etrigan at 6:00 PM on August 13, 2016

I also liked the glimpses at the pole vault qualifiers. One guy hit the bar so hard it almost went above the standards. Other projected it to the side of the running lane.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:15 PM on August 13, 2016

Cracking 100m final. Fraser-Pryce won bronze by inches, and most there was very little between her and the rest.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:50 PM on August 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

End of women's marathon coming up; breakaway group of three in front and two chasers about 50 m back with about 3k to go. Kenya, Ethopia, and Baharain represented in the leaders.
posted by nubs at 7:41 AM on August 14, 2016

Dibaba of Ethopia has fallen back; Sumgong of Kenya and Kirwa of Bahrain in a dead heat for the lead with 2 k to go.
posted by nubs at 7:49 AM on August 14, 2016

And Sumgong pulls away well over the last kilometre for the gold.
posted by nubs at 7:54 AM on August 14, 2016

Wow. First ever gold in the women's marathon for Kenya.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:56 AM on August 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

Yeah, that surprises me.
posted by nubs at 7:57 AM on August 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

Usian Bolt looking around during his 100M semifinal heat- incredible!!!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 5:14 PM on August 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

Usian Bolt summed up in one photo
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 5:59 PM on August 14, 2016 [8 favorites]

Van Niekerk! That was fabulous!
posted by ocherdraco at 6:03 PM on August 14, 2016 [2 favorites]

Of course I'm rooting for De Grasse, but seeing Bolt pull off the triple-triple would be something.

But my 16 year old track self (4:34 1500m represent!) secretly seethes at the hype the sprinters get. :)

I still get sucked in, though.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:12 PM on August 14, 2016

I never expected the 400m would drop this close to the 42s. Never.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:13 PM on August 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

My god. Bolt didn't get the greatest of starts and I was so sure Gatlin had it, and then somehow he just turned it on.
posted by zachlipton at 6:28 PM on August 14, 2016 [1 favorite]

That was something.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:30 PM on August 14, 2016

He's taken to that stuffed mascot like Bill Clinton to a balloon.
posted by zachlipton at 6:32 PM on August 14, 2016 [10 favorites]

Amazing top three finish in the men's 100. I love the swagger of all the sprinters and Usain is so incredible to watch. Justin put up a great race and I was so happy to note that Andre De Grasse got a bronze.
posted by biggreenplant at 6:34 PM on August 14, 2016

Just crazy how he pulled away at the end. I do wish he would 'run through the tape' and set some unbreakable record, but who am I to criticize this dude who is like a superhero.
posted by cashman at 6:40 PM on August 14, 2016

De Grasse's first Olympics. CBC just showed a clip of Donovan Bailey losing his shit in the studio while watching the race.

Tewksbury still wins gold in that event, though.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:45 PM on August 14, 2016 [2 favorites]

I realize it's almost 11pm there, but the athletics stadium has emptied out quite a bit after Bolt's win, no?
posted by zachlipton at 6:54 PM on August 14, 2016

I don't think Bolt is still capable of going under 9.60 in his 30s, so the record will probably stand until US colleges stop sending their tallest and/or fastest to play WR, just to be buried deep in the depth chart as a kick returner or a deep threat.
I guess that won't change until Gatlin retires and the US draws blanks on the 100, 200 and 400m.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:56 PM on August 14, 2016

I realize it's almost 11pm there, but the athletics stadium has emptied out quite a bit after Bolt's win, no?
Today's program is over, only the usually dull high jump qualifiers were left (and for the most part of the stadium, it's over 120m away from their seats)
posted by lmfsilva at 6:58 PM on August 14, 2016

I like the OBS commentator's sign-off: "Hope you've enjoyed the action. If not, you're pretty hard to please."
posted by zachlipton at 7:10 PM on August 14, 2016 [5 favorites]

Oh, they reinstated the Ethiopian woman who fell and finished the 3000 steeplechase with one shoe!
posted by ChuraChura at 7:20 AM on August 15, 2016

Holy crap, what an amazing race!!!!!!!!
posted by ChuraChura at 7:27 AM on August 15, 2016

Anita Wlodarczyk continues her domination of the hammer throw with yet another World Record. Nobody else has thrown over 80m, and she did it twice already.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:34 AM on August 15, 2016 [2 favorites]

and a third. Because, you know, just letting people know her best third today would be a second world best ever.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:48 AM on August 15, 2016 [4 favorites]

(and just to send the message home, her final throw for 79.60 would still be second world best)
posted by lmfsilva at 7:56 AM on August 15, 2016

It's raining, Helsinki 2005 style. Competitions delayed. I've seen 4 throws in the women's discus, three went to the cage, one wildly to the left and out.
posted by lmfsilva at 4:54 PM on August 15, 2016

I'm glad they stopped the competition. They let it go on too long with those discus attempts all hitting the net.
posted by zachlipton at 5:11 PM on August 15, 2016

This false start rule is absolutely terrible.
posted by cashman at 5:28 PM on August 15, 2016

Somebody tell me Belocian has another event
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 5:38 PM on August 15, 2016

Shawn Barber (CAN) just cleared 5.5m in the pole vault. Apparently the automated bar-raising technology isn't working, forcing a delay.

*checks twitter*

People are suggesting duct tape and ladders.

Seems reasonable.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:27 PM on August 15, 2016

That torrential rain was something else. I'm amazed how anyone can run hurdles in perfect weather let alone in that. Glad they stopped track events for a while.
posted by biggreenplant at 6:40 PM on August 15, 2016

Well, if the mens 400 was an incredible feat of strength, the womens was pure will to win. Shaunae Miller started very aggressively and managed to hold the lead for the first 300, when Allyson Felix started to catch up, and even getting slightly ahead, when Miller goes all-in with a dive across the line.
And wins.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:30 PM on August 15, 2016

I had no clue you were allowed to just...dive across the line like that. Seems weird but I know next to nothing about track and field.
posted by sallybrown at 7:32 PM on August 15, 2016

Lavillenie with a pole vault masterclass, OR, and almost made 6.03, pushed in a go for broke by Braz da Silva.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:46 PM on August 15, 2016

And Braz da Silva vaults 6.03!
posted by lmfsilva at 7:52 PM on August 15, 2016 [2 favorites]

Shit, da Silva just vaulted a 6.03 when his previous best is, I think, 5.83. Lavillenie has hit as high a 6.16 but he's missed 2 in a row so I think he needs to nail this next one or he's done.
posted by Copronymus at 7:53 PM on August 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

Lavillenie misses his third vault, and it's over. Unbelievable.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:54 PM on August 15, 2016 [2 favorites]

The crowd got a very nice reward for staying out in the rain.
posted by zachlipton at 7:55 PM on August 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

Partly because I'm watching the results pages and not the video streams so I already lose the immediacy of the races, but I really like the sense of anticipation and unexpected levels of strategy you can get in sports where you get multiple attempts at a feat like weightlifting and the jumping for height.
posted by Copronymus at 7:56 PM on August 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

Meanwhile, the first-ever alum from my high school to compete in the Olympics, Troy Doris, made the finals for the triple jump. Yay!
posted by SisterHavana at 7:57 PM on August 15, 2016 [1 favorite]

And if Murer gets another medal tomorrow ( or Wednesday), whatever they're paying Petrov is totally worth it.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:10 PM on August 15, 2016

I was gobsmacked by DaSilva's win in pole vault for the reasons Copronymus noted. What a competition. And the Canadian Shawn Barber (current world champion) eliminated in an early jump. What an event
posted by biggreenplant at 8:36 PM on August 15, 2016

... and because the Pole Vault is often unpredictable, Murer is out after missing her three attempts at 4.55.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:44 AM on August 16, 2016

Wow, this Croatian lady (Perkovic S) in the discus finals had missed her first two throws, but the third was solid and now she's in the lead by just shy of 4 meters
posted by Vibrissa at 7:51 AM on August 16, 2016

Neat NYT infographic showing how every men's 100m medalist ever stack up against each other. Usain Bolt yesterday wouldn't even have been on the podium in London.
posted by Etrigan at 8:20 AM on August 16, 2016

Bolt eases past his 200m qualifiers, semi-finals later tonight.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:48 AM on August 16, 2016

Nikki Hamblin (New Zealand) encourages, helps Abby D'Agostino (USA) after collision in women's 5,000m heats
posted by nubs at 2:08 PM on August 16, 2016 [1 favorite]

Catching up!
The hammer throw yesterday was fantastic! Dang, Wlodarczyk is amazing.
I also enjoyed the long jump and women's discus today. Field rules!

I saw that 5000m heat! The comraderie between Hamblin and D'Agostino was really touching, both after D'Agostino's initial try to get up and run again, collapse to the ground and then getting up again to limpjog to the final line, and then, especially, when Hamblin waited at the finish line for D'Agostino to finish. I don't see how D'Agostino can possibly race again tomorrow - that knee looked extremely painful, but I appreciate the Olympics giving them both a pass to the next round if they are healthy.
posted by julen at 2:40 PM on August 16, 2016

Kind of a slow night, the only highlight so far was Lavillenie looking a strange mix of dejected and utterly pissed getting his silver medal.
posted by lmfsilva at 5:32 PM on August 16, 2016

Ooooh, and now Grabarz was celebrating a very close jump, and the bar falls right in front of his face.
posted by lmfsilva at 5:39 PM on August 16, 2016

Yeah the look on his face sure changed in a hurry. I wonder what they're going to do with that situation.
posted by zachlipton at 5:42 PM on August 16, 2016

Oh good. They're giving it to Grabarz.
posted by zachlipton at 5:48 PM on August 16, 2016

He appealed the flag should have been faster and got the jump validated.
posted by lmfsilva at 5:48 PM on August 16, 2016

Roses are red
Violets are blue
White men can't jump
Except for you
posted by lmfsilva at 6:22 PM on August 16, 2016 [1 favorite]

Maria Andrejczyk with a huge throw out of nowhere on the womens's javelin qualification with 67.11. Would very likely be a medal in the final.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:39 PM on August 16, 2016

And Jamaica adds the 110m hurdles to their belt.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:58 PM on August 16, 2016

Nikki Hamblin (New Zealand) encourages, helps Abby D'Agostino (USA) after collision in women's 5,000m heats

Would have liked to have seen this, oh well. Not familiar with the rules: how come they were allowed to advance to the final? Doesn't falling mean that you, like, aren't going to be one of the top finishers?
posted by Melismata at 7:34 AM on August 17, 2016

Not familiar with the rules: how come they were allowed to advance to the final? Doesn't falling mean that you, like, aren't going to be one of the top finishers?

If you're tripped, you advance. If it's accidental, they won't disqualify the tripper. Because D'Agostino accidentally tripped Hamblin (she clipped her foot) and then Hamblin accidentally tripped D'Agostino after falling down, they both advanced.
posted by Etrigan at 7:45 AM on August 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

how come they were allowed to advance to the final?
If the org thinks an athlete could have qualified if not for external influence, they are free to advance them to the next round at their own discretion. Usually happens on 5k/10k (as they are are mass start events and two more athletes don't make much of a difference, plus they're the only events with frequent contact), although I recall that happening at least once on hurdles, after the leader clipped and rocked the hurdle on the next lane, and the athlete running there (who was third or so) ended up crashing on it. *I think* I've seen that once in 200m, after an athlete on an inner lane went over and slowed down the athlete running in the outer lane enough to make him lose some tenths of a second.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:58 AM on August 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Huh, fascinating. And they must judge, of course, what's intentional and what isn't. Makes sense.
posted by Melismata at 9:15 AM on August 17, 2016

Somebody set the hurdles to "Smite" today.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 5:32 PM on August 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Bolt and De Grasse finished their semi final with some Fast and Furious stare-off.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:15 PM on August 17, 2016

The two are apparently good friends, and on one of the replays on CBC it looks like De Grasse said something like "wait up" once it was clear they were the top two, and Bolt slowed slightly so he and De Grasse could cross together. Even with that De Grasse set a Canadian record for the 200 in that run.

I'm sure it'll be all business in the final, but I'd like to think that after it is over, Bolt and De Grasse will head out and solve mysteries together. "I would've gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling sprinters!"
posted by nubs at 6:33 PM on August 17, 2016

And Gatlin is out of the final! Surprised at the tape in a slow run. Blake too, but he blew up at 150.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:33 PM on August 17, 2016

Bolt and De Grasse finished their semi final with some Fast and Furious stare-off bromance.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 6:34 PM on August 17, 2016 [4 favorites]

Never thought track and field might inspire slash fic. But I'm sure I'm naive.
posted by nubs at 6:38 PM on August 17, 2016

I live in an odd time zone to watch the Olympics, so it's mostly passed me by. Just broke my relative ignorance to catch up on all the sweetie-pie stories because I'm a sucker for the treacle, and the Hamblin / D'Agostino story is my favourite thing about the Olympics so far. Camaraderie over competition, more that unites us than divides us, etc. I feel so goshdarn cloyingly sentimental about it.
posted by Collaterly Sisters at 9:04 PM on August 17, 2016

Rule 34, nubs.

In further D'Agostino news, she apparently finished the last four laps with a torn ACL. As you do. I mean, I know runners have to be able to ignore pain, but that's hardcore.

More heartwarming news here, with D'Agostino apparently planning on cheering Hamblin from the stands in the final.
posted by Pink Frost at 3:04 AM on August 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

I think the younger De Grasse pushed hard in the semifinal both to boost his confidence by making Bolt put some effort into beating him, and also to take advantage of his own faster recovery time leading into the final: he's younger and lighter and hard running won't take the same toll on him as it will on Bolt.

Bolt is still the heavy favourite, but De Grasse looks capable of producing Michael Johnson caliber times, and will make Bolt work for the gold.
posted by cardboard at 5:23 AM on August 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

US Women drop the baton!! This is going to be controversial.
posted by marienbad at 7:39 AM on August 18, 2016

aaaaaand another meltdown by an USA relay team.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:40 AM on August 18, 2016

UK men just make it through in the 4x100 after a poor baton handover.
posted by marienbad at 7:56 AM on August 18, 2016

Can you feel #debolt tonight?
posted by nubs at 7:58 AM on August 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Brazil women disqualified in women's 4x100 for impeding USA!
posted by marienbad at 7:59 AM on August 18, 2016

Via IAAF: There will be a re-run for the USA's women's 4x100m at 20:00 local time. They will have to run faster than China's 42.70 from the heat.

This seems pretty generous, as the relay seemed poorly timed even without interference.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:35 AM on August 18, 2016

The police news conference about Lochte & company is going on now. The police chief is saying the investigation is still ongoing.
posted by cashman at 11:58 AM on August 18, 2016

But the CNN headlines are:
"Police on swimmers incident:There was no robbery" and
"Brazilian Police: U.S. Swimmers Not Robbed".
posted by cashman at 12:05 PM on August 18, 2016

5 minutes to the re-run. And here they come now... Anyone watching the Decathlon Javelin?
posted by marienbad at 2:56 PM on August 18, 2016

And done! The Chinese women's relay team must be way pissed off right now. Fantastic run, nice changes, and a decent time.
posted by marienbad at 3:03 PM on August 18, 2016

Bourrada with a massive throw - a PB for him. Nice one.
posted by marienbad at 3:05 PM on August 18, 2016

Oh man, I just watched the 400 hurdles, and they held a nice long shot of Culson weeping after he was DQed for the false start. I'm torn between feeling like it's not a bad thing for the world to see a world-class male athlete weeping and thinking that that was not a moment that needed to be broadcast to millions of people.
posted by jacquilynne at 3:17 PM on August 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Arthur Abele deliberately stepped over the line to cancel his Javelin throw - what's that about?
posted by marienbad at 3:21 PM on August 18, 2016

Bartoletta sang the anthem when she received her long jump gold; nice to see. Here's a question for you. So, you've won the gold, and you're stood on the podium, having received your medal, and you turn to your right, and the anthem plays and the flags are raised. Could you keep it together or would you be crying uncontrollably?
posted by marienbad at 3:29 PM on August 18, 2016

I cry uncontrollably when people I don't know win medals for Canada and the anthem plays.
posted by jacquilynne at 3:31 PM on August 18, 2016 [2 favorites]

I believe all but one runner in this semifinal are wearing the same shoes.
posted by zachlipton at 4:48 PM on August 18, 2016

Going between men's 1500m semi and the shot put is a real exercise in somatic contrast.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:51 PM on August 18, 2016

How do they not fall out of that little ring when they do the shotput? I would totally go flying over it and land awkwardly and hurt myself badly.

And Crousser throws an amazing 22.52!!! Olympic Record! Stunning throwing by the guy for all his throws.
posted by marienbad at 5:24 PM on August 18, 2016

"And the powerfully built Semenya takes the lead..."

Oh, fuck you, CBC announcer.
posted by Etrigan at 5:37 PM on August 18, 2016

They should offset the start of the decathalon 1500 meters so that it's a race for the podium at the end.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:06 PM on August 18, 2016

That's how the Modern Pentathlon works. They fence, ride horses, and swim, and each of those events give points. The points convert into a handicap in seconds for the final event, which is a combined running and shooting event. The first one across the finish line wins the entire thing. It's a fun way to handle a multi-sport event.

But now...200m time!
posted by zachlipton at 6:35 PM on August 18, 2016

Amazing run from Bolt!! Wow, fantastic.
posted by marienbad at 6:39 PM on August 18, 2016

Bolt is amazing.
posted by nubs at 6:42 PM on August 18, 2016

Surely about 4 guys should get a Bronze.
posted by marienbad at 6:44 PM on August 18, 2016

Bolt was slow (for him) and still crushed the field. Amazing.
posted by TwoStride at 6:44 PM on August 18, 2016

I don't usually watch Track events but I'm pretty smitten with Bolt. Super-talented and so fun to watch!
posted by kimberussell at 7:13 PM on August 18, 2016

Well, Bolt just put the "best sprinter ever" discussion at such a level it will take decades before anyone comes close.

It's not just the records - it's the consistency. It's possible someone one day runs under 9.58 or 19.19. It's that he had dominated at this level for close to a decade. Most sprinters are lucky to last one Olympic cycle on top - look at Yohan Blake, who's been close to a non-factor in Rio, but four years ago he was the world champion and looked the most legitimate threat to Bolt.

It's just incredible.
posted by lmfsilva at 7:43 PM on August 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Men's 50km deathmarch racewalk is about to start!
posted by clorox at 3:52 AM on August 19, 2016

Gah, the racewalk is brutal. Diniz from France, who was the leader for a while, collapsed on the course after a period of placing water-soaked sponges into his shorts; as the CBC announcer put it "down to the bottom of his back". I sometimes wonder about what people put themselves through.
posted by nubs at 7:46 AM on August 19, 2016 [1 favorite]

if there's one event that I think should have left in the past, along stuff like the Bordeaux - Paris cycling race, is the 50km racewalk.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:11 AM on August 19, 2016

I can't believe Diniz finished with what was happening to his body. Not only the bloody poops, but about 2/3 through the race he collapsed and lay motionless for about 10 seconds, then just got up and kept going.
posted by clorox at 9:02 AM on August 19, 2016

Neither of those is a particularly rare occurrence in long-distance racing.
posted by Etrigan at 9:04 AM on August 19, 2016

I think there's something about the pace of the race-walk that allows for the cameras to linger, though, and make sure you know it is happening.
posted by nubs at 9:29 AM on August 19, 2016

The race walk is is also a closed circuit, and it's possible to cover most of the circuit with a few cameras. With the marathon that's not possible.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:34 AM on August 19, 2016 [1 favorite]

It's the subject of alot of snark, but the racewalk is one gruelling event.

So Canada's bronze in the event came after a protest against Hirooki Ara of Japan for bumping him - and he really did bump him hard. Not cool:

Evan Dunfee awarded bronze after protest in 50km race walk.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:04 AM on August 19, 2016

Trayvon Bromell already back in the US- sounds like he's too injured (Achilles) to participate in the 4x100 :(
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:34 AM on August 19, 2016

And Evan Dunfee's bronze taken away after Japanese appeal of his protest
posted by nubs at 12:37 PM on August 19, 2016

Dunfee deserves all kinds of accolades for the sheer unadulterated class of this statement.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:34 PM on August 19, 2016 [6 favorites]

Controversy in the men's 4x400 metres qualifier as Team GB are disqualified and the Brazilian team go into the final. I have no idea why we have been disqualified.
posted by marienbad at 5:37 PM on August 19, 2016

Bob Costa just said Trayvon Bromell running the anchor leg against Usain Bolt in tonight's 4x100 relay race? He posted a picture yesterday saying he was back in the US! I am so confused.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:07 PM on August 19, 2016

Now I see that the picture just says "Home" not specifically that he is home DAMN YOU INSTAGRAM YOU HAVE FOOLED ME AGAIN
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:12 PM on August 19, 2016

Great Britain was DQ'd for a lane violation, though I don't know what that means.
posted by TwoStride at 6:14 PM on August 19, 2016

Where was there a lane violation?

Almost time - Women's 4x100! Can the USA win it from lane 1?
posted by marienbad at 6:16 PM on August 19, 2016

I don't know; but Ato Boldon (commentator) said in passing that GB and Trinidad & Tobago had both been DQ'd for that.
posted by TwoStride at 6:19 PM on August 19, 2016

And to answer my own question - yes! yes! yes! - wow that was an amazing piece of running.
posted by marienbad at 6:22 PM on August 19, 2016

Wow. USA blew the doors off in women's 4x100m.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:23 PM on August 19, 2016 [1 favorite]

Nazarov kills it in the hammer throw and takes gold after basically leaving everyone else behind.

And here come the men!!
posted by marienbad at 6:40 PM on August 19, 2016

And Gaitlin is in for the USA - I read he had an ankle problem?
posted by marienbad at 6:40 PM on August 19, 2016

"It's anybody's race"
[2 seconds elapse]
"Yeah, Bolt's got this"
posted by zachlipton at 6:45 PM on August 19, 2016 [4 favorites]

Kudos to Japan for nabbing silver in the relay--and they had the best intro pose, too!
posted by TwoStride at 6:45 PM on August 19, 2016 [2 favorites]

That was fantastic. Bolt won it, frankly, and it was amazing to see him do the treble treble. And amazing to see Japan come 2nd!

Nazarov takes gold in the Hammer - he was quite a bit ahead of the rest of the field, and in women's pole vault, 19 year old Eliza McCartney takes an amazing Bronze!
posted by marienbad at 6:55 PM on August 19, 2016 [1 favorite]

Wait - the US got disqualified? Why? They announced the U.S. got disqualified but didn't say why!
posted by cashman at 6:58 PM on August 19, 2016

Yeah, just heard this on the BBC.
posted by marienbad at 7:00 PM on August 19, 2016

So it looks like it's because of an early baton pass.
posted by cashman at 7:01 PM on August 19, 2016

Bolt goes out on top, and I don't think anyone in the world would have wanted anything else.

Bromell stepped out of his lane just before the line!!!!
posted by clorox at 7:02 PM on August 19, 2016 [1 favorite]

The Canadians are studying the video trying to figure it out themselves.
posted by zachlipton at 7:03 PM on August 19, 2016

I think it's the other way around, cashman, I think they took too long and were beyond the end of the handover zone.
posted by marienbad at 7:05 PM on August 19, 2016

Ugh so sad for the US men's relay team.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:05 PM on August 19, 2016 [1 favorite]

The Canadian broadcasters were initially talking about a DQ for Japan being possible because of lane violations on the straightaway, and they had clear footage of it happening, and then all of a sudden they announced the US DQ, and spent a ton of time on that. But then nothing more about Japan. Do lane violations just not matter on the straight aways because they don't necessarily confer an advantage?
posted by jacquilynne at 7:11 PM on August 19, 2016

And now they've just explained that -- no lane violations on the straightaway, unless there was interference.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:15 PM on August 19, 2016

Maybe it's different for sprints, but in one of the distance races a runner definitely got DQ'd for stepping on the infield on a straight. Is the inside lane is a special case?
posted by clorox at 7:18 PM on August 19, 2016

Kiwi pole vaulter Eliza McCarthy might be my new favourite person. She screams with giddy glee when she clears a vault. It's adorable.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:26 PM on August 19, 2016

Apparently in sprints there's no penalty for crossing lane lines on the straightaway unless there's interference.

Agree 100% with Leslie Jones that the sprinters should not have found out about the DQ with an NBC reporter in their face. Also, can't believe they didn't mention (unless I missed it) that Bromell was taken off the track in a wheelchair.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:29 PM on August 19, 2016

As happy as I am for Canada to get the medal, it's a tough decision. Everyone ran their ass off. Bromell was clearly hurting after the race.

Kudos to Japan for nabbing silver in the relay--and they had the best intro pose, too!

The samurai thing was pretty cool.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:39 PM on August 19, 2016

Kiwi pole vaulter Eliza McCarthy might be my new favourite person. She screams with giddy glee when she clears a vault. It's adorable.

!!! (Stupid auto-playing video, then pictures of adorable glee and quite a good article on McCarthy's back-story)
posted by Pink Frost at 9:07 PM on August 19, 2016

Damn, and apparently I got her last name wrong -- McCartney, rather than McCarthy.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:25 PM on August 19, 2016

Sounds like there's been an appeal filed by the US over the disqualification in the 4x100.
posted by nubs at 9:51 PM on August 19, 2016

Neither of those is a particularly rare occurrence in long-distance racing.

But when it's happens to the world record holder, who is miles clear of the pack when he starts having trouble, and starts having consistently bloody poops, passing out in a manner that a boxing ref would call the fight before a count, doubles over and nearly passes out again multiple times, and then finishes the race, all on TV with high-ded super slo-mi, it's fucking impressive and amazing.
posted by clorox at 10:48 PM on August 19, 2016

Sounds like there's been an appeal filed by the US over the disqualification in the 4x100.

Aaaand they lost it.
posted by cashman at 9:01 AM on August 20, 2016

Aaaand they lost it.

Just watched the replay again; I'm kinda surprised they even appealed. That was well outside the transfer area.
posted by nubs at 9:45 AM on August 20, 2016

These Javelin throwers can really move!
posted by jacquilynne at 5:12 PM on August 20, 2016

Bolt says hello to Mo Farah, as you do.
posted by marienbad at 5:14 PM on August 20, 2016

And that Javelin thrower who dived on the ground after he threw it threw a massive throw. Odd technique but amazing throwing.

So, Semanya in the 800 and Farah in the 5000 tonight
posted by marienbad at 5:17 PM on August 20, 2016

Aaaand Semanya wins!
posted by marienbad at 5:21 PM on August 20, 2016

Kenya will be kicking themselves over the 1500 final. Terrible tactics.
posted by lmfsilva at 5:36 PM on August 20, 2016

Oh god my heart was racing so fast by the end of the 5000.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 5:51 PM on August 20, 2016

Farah wins - wow what a race! The double double!
posted by marienbad at 5:51 PM on August 20, 2016

Plus two world championship doubles in between. Amazing.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 5:57 PM on August 20, 2016

The Ethiopian's tactics backfired on them a bit there. Farah was way too smart a runner to fall for it, and waited until they split up and then moved between them. And at the end, as he was pushed by various runners, he just kept going, staying just ahead and going faster and faster.
posted by marienbad at 6:00 PM on August 20, 2016

Another damn disqualification!
posted by zachlipton at 6:04 PM on August 20, 2016

Yeah, USA dq'd in the 5000.
posted by marienbad at 6:07 PM on August 20, 2016

Rohler takes gold on the javelin with a great throw over 90. Yego takes silver, but retired after the fourth throw, and was on a wheelchair with a gash on his leg.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:16 PM on August 20, 2016

That...wasn't remotely close
posted by zachlipton at 6:17 PM on August 20, 2016

Belgium has three Borlée brothers making up 3/4 of their relay team.
posted by zachlipton at 6:31 PM on August 20, 2016

Yeah it was always going to be US and Jamaica in Gold and Silver, it was more about who came third...

Men's 4x400 now... this is the one we got skanked out of so the Brailians could do it.
posted by marienbad at 6:35 PM on August 20, 2016

Another damn disqualification!

He got reinstated! (Paul Chelimo)
posted by cashman at 6:52 PM on August 20, 2016

BBC reporting they have heard this but it is not official yet.
posted by marienbad at 7:07 PM on August 20, 2016

IT was reported on air, and seems to be official.
posted by cashman at 7:21 PM on August 20, 2016

OK, confirmed by BBC.

There's only about 50 people in the stadium, which is a bit of a shame.

So, as the athletics draws to a close, have their been any runners and riders who you liked, or who impressed you?
posted by marienbad at 7:27 PM on August 20, 2016

And by the number of people singing God Save The Queen, it appears a good chunk of those 50 people are Brits.
posted by zachlipton at 7:36 PM on August 20, 2016

Did anyone else catch the lovely hug the US women's high jumper gave the winner? She seemed so genuinely happy for her.
posted by idb at 7:42 PM on August 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

Chaunte Lowe (the US jumper) also took time to comfort her High School Senior teammate who didn't make the finals even in the midst of her ongoing competition. She seems like a really lovely woman.

The Spanish high jumper was really great - and to have won the Gold after multiple Olympics trying ... I love it when perseverance wins out.

I was so pleased Courtney Okolo was on the relay team and running in the final of the 4x400. I found her so impressive at the US trials, and hadn't realized they'd brought her for the relay team, too. I think she's going to do great things in the future.
posted by julen at 8:11 PM on August 20, 2016

So, as the athletics draws to a close, have their been any runners and riders who you liked, or who impressed you?

Out of fantastic results for the books, on the track my highlights were Bolt (third sprinting triple in a row) and Mo Farrah (second middle distance double), Van Niekerk demolishing the 400m record while Shaunae Miller managed to snatch a win with a lunging dive. On the technical events, Anita Wlodarczyk mindblowing Hammer Throw final and Thiago Braz surprising Lavillenie on the pole vault.
posted by lmfsilva at 6:17 AM on August 21, 2016

Oh, man, I *hate* the Marathon does not end right before the closing ceremony in the Olympic stadium or wherever the flame is. The Olympics have gone far better than anyone expected, but this was a terrible decision.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:05 AM on August 21, 2016

It looks like they added a ton of extra security in the last few km of the marathon course after so many spectators jumped the barriers during the women's marathon.
posted by zachlipton at 11:06 AM on August 21, 2016

The Spanish high jumper was really great - and to have won the Gold after multiple Olympics trying ... I love it when perseverance wins out.

Apparently she's 37 years old and has been high-jumping for 26 years. Some of the other competitors are only 26 years old.

Meanwhile, this Simone Biles/Mo Farrah picture is cute.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:05 PM on August 21, 2016

Neat little NYT device where you put in your address and they show you how far Olympic race distances will take you around your neighborhood.
posted by Etrigan at 6:39 AM on August 22, 2016 [4 favorites]