Some atheletes need to learn to graciously

[Uhu]

Did anybody else watch the heptathalon and marathon? I was dipping in and out to watch the progress of each. Denise Lewis dropped out when she realised that she was no longer a medal contender and Paula Radcliffe dropped out "due to heat exhaustion" when she only had 3 miles left to run. Why? In the marathon,if the "lesser" runners could continue and finish, why couldn't she? After all, PR is a champion and would have trained very hard for this. Everybody knew that Athens was hot and for commentators to imply that the heat was too much for her was in my mind, making excuses. PR is a phenomenal athelete and I think she has let herself down by dropping out of the race when she only had 3 miles to go. DL is also a great champion and initially I thought she had a injury but it turns out that she lost all hope in winning.

I have never been a champion of anything so I cannot appreciate the mental anguish that these people endure when they know they are going to lose but they should take note of a true champion like the Ethiopian, Haile Gebrselassie. He was 2 times Olympic champion of the 10,000 race. He was aiming for a 3rd gold medal but in the end he came 5th, still a good position. He did not drop out when the going got tough. Champions win races but they also accept defeat graciously.

I asked my dh what he thought about this last night - he competed for his country as a child (swimming) and adult (decathlon)so has experience of the pressure athletes are under. He said the build-up to any competition is incredible but that the Olympics are huge - everything you've been doing for literally years has been building up to that moment. The whole experience is utterly draining and leaves you mentally and physically exhausted, regardless of whether you achieve your best performance or not.

He said that Paula Radcliffe wouldn't have been running in it for a medal - she was running to win - and the realisation she wasn't going to do that would have destroyed her. Dealing with the enormity of that realisation was too much for her and she collapsed. It wasn't as though she was giving up because she couldn't be bothered - her body and mind were in pieces and she could not have gone on.

He also gets really annoyed at the way commentators talk about the Olympics here with so much focus on gold medals. It's as though an athlete's performance is not worth anything if he or she does not come first. Even when someone gets a silver you inevitably hear the question, "So, are you gutted not to have got the gold - you were so close." Getting to the Olympics is truly amazing and to do that you have trained, made sacrifices and disciplined yourself to a degree that most people can't even imagine. We should be a bit quicker to recognise that in this country.

My thoughts exactly Hercules. I just think that people who criticise this athelete have simply never been in a situation where they could physically no longer go on. PR didn't have a choice about whether to stop or not; her body made the choice for her. It's like criticising someone for dying. Some things, we have no control over.

Oh and thanks Colin Jackson (you peanut headed arse!!) - did any of you read the comments he made about Paula bringing the moral of the rest of the team down - might be true but the last thing she needed to hear and then he said after Kellys brilliant success - well they all needed that to bring them up again - Mr Tactless!!

I prefer to see athletes like Dean Massey who are just so bloody thrilled to be there and to be competing - his interview last night was great - really cheered me up anyway!!

And Jo Pavey who finished 4th last night! Top effort!!

Agree with Kateandthegirls. I'm not in the USA, but have read that many people there are unhappy that the events are not televised live. Almost all events are tape delayed, and aired in the evenings when ratings will be higher. Many people have complained about how silly that is as competition results are easily available on the news/internet - so what's the point of delaying the broadcast? Don't think network broadcast schedules will have had anything to do with the time the race started.

gosh bit extreme to criticise her surely. it was obvious she was physically and mentally exhausted. Sometimes the body takes over and you just can't continue. As dh said watching the interview with her "I don't think now is the time to tell her its just a race" as to her it was obviously a lot more.

I agree Sari. I think we get blinded by the Gold and don't recognise the genuine acheievements of the atheletes that have got there.

It's about the individuals doing their best - so for some, coming, say, 25th, will be a tremendous acheievement - becasue THEY know that they have done their best - whereas for others, not winning IS an issue - but because they beleive that they are CAPABLE of getting gold. But on the day, someone else might be better.

The other thing that bugs me is the medal table and the continual refence to where "we" are on it. The Olympic Games are supposed to be about the individual giving their best. And anyway, the bigger countries are likley to win more medals any just on sheer numbers - so what relevance does the table have?

Did anyone notice that the womens 20km walk was done in the morning yesterday and it was a Greek that won it, maybe if there had been a top Greek marathon runner it would have been in the morning.
Also think Dean is great, funny interview and he looks like he's really enjoying himself which is what its all about.

Did anyone else get irritated by the commentators going on and on about Denise Lewis and ignoring the fact that there was another British girl, Kelly Sotherton, who at the time was in Silver position. She eventually got Bronze which was a tremendous achievement - and if she can work on her Javelin, she's got great potential for the future.