Athletics World Championship 2015

Partisan commentators!

'Two-time drug cheat Gatlin reclaims 100m crown' had a certain ring to it as a headline though.
 
I like Bolt as much as much as the next guy, and I think it's a joke how Gatlin was allowed back, but how are we so sure Bolt is clean? The way the BBC are going on about Bolt saving his sport and all, just makes me feel like they could end up looking stupid if it ever turns out Bolt was doping too.
 
BD94 said:
I like Bolt as much as much as the next guy, and I think it's a joke how Gatlin was allowed back, but how are we so sure Bolt is clean? The way the BBC are going on about Bolt saving his sport and all, just makes me feel like they could end up looking stupid if it ever turns out Bolt was doping too.
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He was shown to have had no irregular blood tests in that data leak.
 
DAY 2

Finals
[1/47] Marathon (M) 1. Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (ERI) 2. Yemane Tsegay (ETH) 3. Munyo Solomon Mutai (UGA)
[2/47] Shot Put (W) 1. Christina Schwanitz (GER) 2. Lijiao Gong (CHN) 3. Michelle Carter (USA)
[3/47] 10,000 Metres (M) 1. Mohamed Farah (GBR) 2. Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor (KEN) 3. Paul Kipngetich Tanui (KEN)
[4/47] 20 Kilometres Race Walk (M) 1. Miguel Ángel López (ESP) 2. Zhen Wang (CHN) 3. Benjamin Thorne (CAN)
[5/47] Hammer Throw (M) 1. Pawel Fajdek (POL) 2. Dilshod Nazarov (TJK) 3. Wojciech Nowicki (POL)
[6/47] Heptathlon (W) 1. Jessica Ennis-Hill (GBR) 2. Brianne Theisen Eaton (CAN) 3. Laura Ikauniece-Admidina (LAT)
[7/47] Shot Put (M) 1. Joe Kovacs (USA) 2. David Storl (GER) 3. O'Dayne Richards (JAM)
[8/47] 100 Metres (M) 1. Usain Bolt (JAM) 2. Justin Gatlin (USA) 3. Trayvon Bromell (USA) 3. Andre De Grasse (CAN)

Medals (expanded to 6th place) [8/47]
01.) 02 - 00 - 00 /// 00 - 00 - 00 Great Britain
02.) 01 - 01 - 02 /// 00 - 03 - 01 United States of America
03.) 01 - 01 - 00 /// 00 - 01 - 00 Germany
04.) 01 - 00 - 01 /// 00 - 00 - 01 Poland
05.) 01 - 00 - 01 /// 00 - 00 - 00 Jamaica
06.) 01 - 00 - 00 /// 00 - 00 - 01 Eritrea
07.) 01 - 00 - 00 /// 00 - 00 - 00 Spain
08.) 00 - 02 - 00 /// 00 - 02 - 00 China
08.) 00 - 01 - 02 /// 00 - 00 - 00 Canada
10.) 00 - 01 - 01 /// 01 - 00 - 00 Kenya
11.) 00 - 01 - 00 /// 00 - 00 - 00 Ethiopia
11.) 00 - 01 - 00 /// 00 - 00 - 00 Tajikistan
13.) 00 - 00 - 01 /// 00 - 00 - 01 Uganda
14.) 00 - 00 - 01 /// 00 - 00 - 00 Latvia
15.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 02 - 00 - 01 Hungary
16.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 01 - 00 - 00 Italy
16.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 01 - 00 - 00 Netherlands
16.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 01 - 00 - 00 New Zealand
16.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 01 - 00 - 00 Ukraine
20.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 00 - 01 - 00 Bahrain
20.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 00 - 01 - 00 Russia
22.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 00 - 00 - 01 Belarus
22.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 00 - 00 - 01 Brazil
22.) 00 - 00 - 00 /// 00 - 00 - 01 Finland

*100m (M) tie for bronze --> no 4th place

Day 3 Schedule
Finals
[09/47] 13:05 Pole Vault (M)
[10/47] 13:30 Triple Jump (W)
[11/47] 14:35 10,000 Metres (W)
[12/47] 15:15 3000 Metres Speeplechase (M)
[13/47] 15:35 100 Metres (W)

Rest
03:30 Pole Vault (W) Qualification
03:35 Discus Throw (W) Qualification Group A
03:45 3000 Metres Steeplechase (W) Heats
04:00 Long Jump (M) Qualification
04:45 400 Metres (W) Heats
04:55 Discus Throw (W) Qualification Group B
13:00 Javelin Throw (M) Qualification Group A
13:10 400 Metres Hurdles (M) Semi-Final
13:40 100 Metres (W) Semi-Final
14:05 400 Metres (M) Semi-Final
14:25 Javelin Throw (M) Qualification Group B
 
Jippy said:
Not sure I've seen a shared medal before?
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There were two athletes in the Sochi Games last year who shared a gold metal iirc, but haven't seen one either at the Athletics.
 
Dan said:
He's always struggled with the pressure of being the favourite (in the pre Bolt era).
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Then you had Maurice Green etc..I guess.
RobinLFC said:
There were two athletes in the Sochi Games last year who shared a gold metal iirc, but haven't seen one either at the Athletics.
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Wonder if they look back on the medal the same way they would if they won it solo?
 
Gatlin blew that didn't he? Lost all form over the last ten meters? Glad for bolt though.
 
Jippy said:
Then you had Maurice Green etc..I guess.

Wonder if they look back on the medal the same way they would if they won it solo?
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In fairness, you were the fastest one in the finals and you've got a gold medal in the Olympics, so why wouldn't you? But I can imagine it doesn't have the same feel to it if you have to share the victory with someone else.

The bronze medalists today certainly won't care, I guess.
 
What ever happened to Yohan Blake? I know he was injured thought he came back earlier in the year.
 
BD94 said:
I like Bolt as much as much as the next guy, and I think it's a joke how Gatlin was allowed back, but how are we so sure Bolt is clean? The way the BBC are going on about Bolt saving his sport and all, just makes me feel like they could end up looking stupid if it ever turns out Bolt was doping too.
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Exactly. Anyone with any knowledge in strength sports would be simply stunned if Bolt was clean. It's ridiculous to think he is, yet the BBC are talking as if he's just saved the sport. It's pathetic. Gatlin is still passing tests. Powell is still passing tests. The idea that one man is not just faster but considerably faster (WR of 9.58) than all other drug taking athletes in history and is clean, is just stupid. Steroids make a big difference.
 
redmeister said:
Exactly. Anyone with any knowledge in strength sports would be simply stunned if Bolt was clean. It's ridiculous to think he is, yet the BBC are talking as if he's just saved the sport. It's pathetic. Gatlin is still passing tests. Powell is still passing tests. The idea that one man is not just faster but considerably faster (WR of 9.58) than all other drug taking athletes in history and is clean, is just stupid. Steroids make a big difference.
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No it isn't. Bolt junior level times showed he always capable of this. His times as teenager were staggering.
 
redmeister said:
Exactly. Anyone with any knowledge in strength sports would be simply stunned if Bolt was clean. It's ridiculous to think he is, yet the BBC are talking as if he's just saved the sport. It's pathetic. Gatlin is still passing tests. Powell is still passing tests. The idea that one man is not just faster but considerably faster (WR of 9.58) than all other drug taking athletes in history and is clean, is just stupid. Steroids make a big difference.
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Going by the expert analysis I've read it isn't ridiculous at all. Bolt was a freak (in a good way) from a young age, his history backs up the idea that he is just extraordinary. That happens sometimes.
 
RexHamilton said:
Gatlin blew that didn't he? Lost all form over the last ten meters? Glad for bolt though.
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He shat it. Ran a good tenth of a second below his potential there. As much of the BBC and Cram want to dress it up, the race was anticlimactic.

redmeister said:
Exactly. Anyone with any knowledge in strength sports would be simply stunned if Bolt was clean. It's ridiculous to think he is, yet the BBC are talking as if he's just saved the sport. It's pathetic. Gatlin is still passing tests. Powell is still passing tests. The idea that one man is not just faster but considerably faster (WR of 9.58) than all other drug taking athletes in history and is clean, is just stupid. Steroids make a big difference.
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Aye. Bolt apart, it seems impossible for any 100m sprinter to go sub 9.8 clean.
 
sullydnl said:
Going by the expert analysis I've read it isn't ridiculous at all. Bolt was a freak (in a good way) from a young age, his history backs up the idea that he is just extraordinary. That happens sometimes.
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What expert analysis? Does this expert analysis show the difference taking steroids make?
 
At the end of the day it's still unfair to cast doubt over an athlete who's had no priors in terms of cheating. Otherwise we may as well just stop watching all professional sports.
 
kouroux said:
At the end of the day it's still unfair to cast doubt over an athlete who's had no priors in terms of cheating. Otherwise we may as well just stop watching all professional sports.
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That's genuinely (not just for the sake of argument), what they used to say about Lance Armstrong.

But the point here isn't really to pick on Bolt, but the BBC etc, who are making these cringe worthy statements. It's pathetic the way they are trying to make out that this is a victory for the sport. Gatlin is racing because he keeps passing the tests! Powell is racing because he keeps passing the tests!
 
So glad Bolt won... love the bloke.

Also, its ridiculous to accuse someone of cheating without having any priors of the sort.
 
redmeister said:
That's genuinely (not just for the sake of argument), what they used to say about Lance Armstrong.

But the point here isn't really to pick on Bolt, but the BBC etc, who are making these cringe worthy statements. It's pathetic the way they are trying to make out that this is a victory for the sport. Gatlin is racing because he keeps passing the tests! Powell is racing because he keeps passing the tests!
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Maybe think of it as the BBC trying to defend the credibility of the sport and not have the achievements of the likes of Mo and Ennis tarnished. Both of them came out clean in the data leak despite the Salazar hoohah.
 
redmeister said:
That's genuinely (not just for the sake of argument), what they used to say about Lance Armstrong.

But the point here isn't really to pick on Bolt, but the BBC etc, who are making these cringe worthy statements. It's pathetic the way they are trying to make out that this is a victory for the sport. Gatlin is racing because he keeps passing the tests! Powell is racing because he keeps passing the tests!
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Yeah I know what can you do ? It is what it is, I do agree that the BBC and most other channels were cringeworthy with their constant wanking over Bolt.
Journalists are the biggest hypocrites on Earth, if there are allegations about Bolt tomorrow, they'll all turn their backs on him.
I didn't like Gatlin being there tbh, a confirmed cheat shouldn't be allowed to compete at this level but he passed the tests and the rules are what they are.
 
redmeister said:
That's genuinely (not just for the sake of argument), what they used to say about Lance Armstrong.

But the point here isn't really to pick on Bolt, but the BBC etc, who are making these cringe worthy statements. It's pathetic the way they are trying to make out that this is a victory for the sport. Gatlin is racing because he keeps passing the tests! Powell is racing because he keeps passing the tests!
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Big difference between Bolt and Armstrong though. With Armstrong the evidence was always there, it was just difficult to fully expose him. By the end there was an irrefutable body of evidence against him, both in terms of sports science and actual testimony. There is nothing like that in Bolt's case, despite the massive scrutiny he has faced throughout his career.

Armstrong also wasn't the physical freak Bolt is at something like 6 inches taller than most of his opponents, or a phenomenon from a young age in the way Bolt was. Bolt had a pedigree from a young age that Armstrong never did, making his extraordinary performances far more believable.

Bolt suffers somewhat from the reputation of his sport I think as the idea that an athlete can't be far, far ahead of all his rivals is inherently flawed. Sport has a long history of such talents. If Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi or Babe Ruth had been sprinters then the doping rumours would never have left them.

Extraordinary athletes should always been under extreme scrutiny but in Bolt's case the total lack of evidence against him makes the assumption that he must be cheating very unfair.

Not that him winning is some sort of vindication for the sport, mind. Gatlin winning would have been a sham and they've managed to avoid that but the fact that they were in this position in the first place is far more telling.
 
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