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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Celebrating female Olympians

127 replies

PermanentTemporary · 31/07/2024 20:21

No shortage of them!

Just watching the amazing Katie Ledecky crushing the opposition over 1500m. What a woman.

OP posts:
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GailBlancheViola · 08/08/2024 21:26

That sport looked completely bonkers muraski and they were absolutely whizzing along.

deragod · 09/08/2024 00:25

Aleksandra Kalucka, who won bronze in the same race.
She has a twin sister Natalia, who did not qualified for a place, but is also a pro climber.
They were born prematurely and doctors were sure they will be seriously disabled. During the birth Natalia's brain suffered from oxygen depravation. One of them is blind in the left eye, another in the right. Doctors were sure their muscles won't be fully functional. Yet both of them are successful climbers with wins at the junior level as well. It must to be said, that they both underline their mother's role in their success.

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuPz6KONuhU/

Runningupthecurtains · 09/08/2024 20:40

Shout out to Megan Keith for cracking on and finishing the 10k when she had been lapped (and to Eilish McColgan for making sure she got some water at the end.)

GrouchyKiwi · 09/08/2024 20:42

I thought that really took grit from Keith. Lovely of Eilish to be there for her too, after her own difficult race.

And Beatrice Chebet! 5000m and 10000m gold, and doing the marathon on Sunday. She's so strong.

GailBlancheViola · 09/08/2024 20:47

Beatrice Chebet is just wonderful, my fingers are well and truly crossed for her in the marathon.

Signalbox · 10/08/2024 08:17

ArabellaScott · 10/08/2024 08:04

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cgm7v44wg0wo

Manizha Talash, for standing up for Afghan women, despite probably knowing that would disqualify her.

This is interesting. I guess people do this when making the protest is more important to the athlete than the competition. I wonder why those making the XX sign aren't being disqualified also?

GrouchyKiwi · 10/08/2024 09:48

Dame Lisa Carrington in the kayak sprints. She is flipping amazing. Golds in Rio, Tokyo and two here so far this year. Through to another final today. Biggest competition is her (also amazing) team-mate Aimee Fisher.

I totally fangirl over her, and so do the British commentators.

GrouchyKiwi · 10/08/2024 12:06

Three golds at this games for Lisa Carrington. Brilliant.

deragod · 10/08/2024 13:07

Signalbox · 10/08/2024 08:17

This is interesting. I guess people do this when making the protest is more important to the athlete than the competition. I wonder why those making the XX sign aren't being disqualified also?

I guess to prove doing x with your arms is political is more difficult than proving that a full sentence with coherent message is.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 10/08/2024 20:04

UK athletes Georgia Bell and Laura Muir, who just ran in one of the fastest Women's 1500m races ever. Georgia got the Bronze. Her story is remarkable. She's 30 and works full-time in cybersecurity. She only got back into running during lockdown, although she had been a junior champion, and parkrun (close to my heart) was a big factor. Laura has run at the highest level for years and years while also studying to be a vet and now working as one. She came fifth tonight.

And as for the Gold Medallist! BBC says: Faith Kipyegon set another record in that race - 3:51.29 is a new Olympic best. She has won Olympic 1500m gold in 2016, 2020 and now 2024. She is the first woman to win this event three times, and has done it in successive years. The Kenyan is a machine.

She's also a mother. She's improved her times since having her daughter who is now 6. Amazing!

PermanentTemporary · 10/08/2024 20:11

That was an amazing race @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g! Faith Kipyogon's run was absolutely extraordinary

OP posts:
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 10/08/2024 20:12

It was. Hoping to watch the women's marathon tomorrow. So pleased it's been chosen to close the games instead of the men's marathon, as normally happens.

GrouchyKiwi · 10/08/2024 20:15

Kipyegon is incredible. Wow.

Fenlandia · 10/08/2024 20:17

I can see why Faith Kipyegon is so popular among her peers - her post run interview with the BBC was just joyous. What a competitor and what a woman.

GailBlancheViola · 10/08/2024 20:39

I am finding all the Kenyan women athletes such a joy, they have the most wonderful attitude and are an absolute credit to themselves and their country. They brighten up my day.

BingBongSong · 11/08/2024 08:37

I'm popping on to mention Katarina Johnson-Thompson, not sure if she's further upthread? Watching the women's heptathlon has been a joy. And I love her Twitter bio!

Celebrating female Olympians
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 11/08/2024 09:05

Amazingly, I think that is her first mention on the thread! Remiss of us. Love that Twitter bio! She's done so well over so many years.

On a related note, there was lovely tribute to Denise Lewis last night at the end of the athletics coverage. She's leaving the BBC commentary team to concentrate on her role as President of UK Athletics. She's been a great asset to the commentary team, I feel. I hope they find someone good to replace her.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 11/08/2024 09:36

.... and finally, Sifan Hassan! Just won the Women's Marathon with a sprint finish. Still on her feet, jumping around for joy, no idea how this is even possible. She only ran her first marathon last year - London - and won that too.

But that's not all she's achieved in the last fortnight. She won bronze in the 5000 metres earlier this week and bronze in the 10000m on Friday - two days ago! Incredible.

As the BBC commentators have just said, most of the medals that have gone to the Netherlands seem to have come from either Sifan Hassan or Femke Bol, their great hurdler/400m runner. She's only 24. There could be a lot more to come from her too.

StickItInTheFamilyAlbum · 11/08/2024 12:21

As the BBC commentators have just said, most of the medals that have gone to the Netherlands seem to have come from either Sifan Hassan or Femke Bol, their great hurdler/400m runner. She's only 24. There could be a lot more to come from her too.

Fanny Blankers-Koen (NL) took 3 individual medals in the 1948 Olympic games (could have been more). NL seems good at individuals winning multiple medals in women's athletics. FBK did that after a 12 year-gap (WWII) and children. I can't find it but there's a famous photograph of her training with her young children playing in the long jump like it's a sandpit.

As the world record holder in both the high jump and long jump at the time, it’s possible she could have added two more gold medals in 1948, but Olympic rules allowed participation in only three individual events, and the Dutchwoman chose to run rather than jump.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-flying-housewife-of-the-1948-london-games-10049278/

In her first competition, Blankers-Koen led the 100-meter dash nearly from start to finish.
In her next event, she had to work the hardest, coming from behind to barely win the 80-meter hurdles, but still in Olympic record time.
In her third triumph, Blankers-Koen won the 200-meters in the first lane, eating up the water-drenched track like a locomotive, well ahead of the 2nd place finisher, in Olympic record time.
And finally, in 4×100 meter relay, the Dutch team, in their orange shorts, were trailing in third when their anchor, Blankers-Koen took the baton. And like a rocket, she shot to the lead and crossed the line with her fourth gold medal.

Roy Tomizawa: https://theolympians.co/2017/04/17/the-flying-dutchwoman-fanny-blankers-koen-part-1-dominating-in-london/

Fanny Blanker-Koen crosses the finish line to become the first triple champion of the 14th Olympic Games.

How Fanny Blankers-Koen Became the 'Flying Housewife' of the 1948 London Games

Voted female athlete of the 20th century, the runner won four gold medals while pregnant with her third child

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-flying-housewife-of-the-1948-london-games-10049278

LaeralSilverhand · 11/08/2024 15:56

Sifan’s story is amazing. She arrived in the Netherlands as a refugee aged 15.

Snowypeaks · 11/08/2024 17:38

This thread has been an absolute tonic! Thanks, OP.

Another big fan of Rebeca Andrade here. Charisma, her own original unmistakable style, recovered from three ACL injuries.

lonelywater · 11/08/2024 18:57

BingBongSong · 11/08/2024 08:37

I'm popping on to mention Katarina Johnson-Thompson, not sure if she's further upthread? Watching the women's heptathlon has been a joy. And I love her Twitter bio!

my only hope is she carries on. Up to her of course and she could retire with honour having bagged a silver. But, recall Kelly Holmes who was a similar nearly women for a decade-dogged with illness and injury but never threw the towel in until gaining two golds aged 34.

Tophelleborine · 12/08/2024 17:47

Sifan Hassan has been a pure joy to watch this Olympics, I was fighting tears when she crossed the line yesterday. Also wanted to mention Kinzang Lhamo of Bhutan, who finished last - a whole 1.5 hours behind Sifan. What amazing determination that must have taken.

Fizbosshoes · 12/08/2024 18:01

Tophelleborine · 12/08/2024 17:47

Sifan Hassan has been a pure joy to watch this Olympics, I was fighting tears when she crossed the line yesterday. Also wanted to mention Kinzang Lhamo of Bhutan, who finished last - a whole 1.5 hours behind Sifan. What amazing determination that must have taken.

I've done a few marathons and know how physically and mentally tough they are (I wouldn't have even considered one as hilly as yesterday ) and I actually thought as I was watching how tough it was for quite a few competitors, who got separated from a group , that it's a such long way to run alone.