Friday wow. The true Olympic spirit

[airiefairie.livejournal.com]

In this day and age of commercialism in all domains in life, including sport, it is nice to occasionally remember what it was all meant to be about originally. Two cases in point:

Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D'Agostino sacrificing their chances of a good performance at the Olympics and supporting each other after incidentally colliding during their run:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/17/rio-women-runners-collision-nikki-hamblin-abbey-dagostino

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And of course, friendship transcending politics: a North Korean and South Korean athlete sharing a moment of genuine friendship, despite all the animosity between their countries:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37018914

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I just hope the North Korean girl will not end up in trouble back home...

Comments

[dreamville-bg.livejournal.com]

Another nice side of the Olympics: here.
https://twitter.com/bbcsport/status/766398447234625536

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

The US has blown all opposition away at these Olympics. Partially due to Russia's dope woes (nice job blocking some clean athletes like Isinbayeva, kudos), partially because China is feeling the post-Beijing cooling effect as it has slowed down the push for glory in its training programs. Oh, and those cupping practices. They do miracles (or so I've been told).

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

The only recent games the US hasn't won were held in Beijing.

Over here we're realising that in the absence of world beating talent, throwing money at it works wonders. The U.K. has a lottery-and-state-subsidised workforce of athletes who are essentially professional. In the US the college network and private sponsorship helps athletes funding to a similar extent, or even more generously.

Once you remove performance changing drugs from the equation it becomes a familiar story; folk with money and resources do better, generally speaking.

But nothing explains the glory of Usain Bolt. Like Herakles or Beowulf, supermen are few and far between.

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

The Jamaicans have always had great sprinters. The 4x100m relay won gold, and it takes 4 great sprinters to win that, not just one. Genetics plus tradition may hold the explanation there.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

Obviously, Soros is to blame for this.