The Miscellaneous Sports Thread

[Admiral Yi]

Maybe some day they will even apply it to tennis! 

[viper37]

I have never been less interested in the Olympics than I am this year.  It feels like an obligation everyone has to get over with.  Does anyone feel the same way?

I never watch the summer stuff.  Only the Winter Olympics are fun to watch for me.

[Josquius]

I had no idea one false start meant elimination. Seems harsh.
Turned it onto the Italian channel as their guy won the 100m. Funny to listen to.

[The Larch]

Today has been the first day I actually watched some Olympics, and was lucky enough to see our local athletics star Ana Peleteiro win the Bronze medal in female triple jump. 

Also a great day for Italy, with two gold medals, in 100 m. and high jump.

[Agelastus]

I had no idea one false start meant elimination. Seems harsh.
Turned it onto the Italian channel as their guy won the 100m. Funny to listen to.

False start rules have become a lot harsher this century.

https://www.liveabout.com/false-start-rule-history-controversies-3259158

Although I hadn't realised, despite it happening ten years ago according to that article, that they'd got rid of the rule that allowed an athlete to get away with the first false start in the race with the second and subsequent false starts being automatic disqualifications regardless of the athlete involved.

Personally, I'd rather they reverted to the pre-2000 rules for false starts; the current system is ridiculously harsh in my opinion.

Although, admittedly, the British athlete's false start in the 100m final was a spectacular example of jumping the gun..

[Josquius]

Yeah, similar, I thought they got two strikes at the least.
More than the brit being disqualified I felt this also contributed to the Canadian guy coming third-watching him he was very slow or start but gained fast. Had he been a bit quicker with his start, perhaps playing with fire like the brit, I feel he could have came second or even challenged for first.

[Admiral Yi]

7 way playoff for bronze in Olympic golf.  AFAICT it was sort of sudden death format.  You bogie a hole everyone else pars, you're out.  Par a whole someone birdies, you're out.

The announcer said Ireland's medal hopes were dashed when Rory McIlroy missed a putt.  Surely since he's Northern Irish he plays for GB?  Or is there some weird thing with NI Olympians?

[Sheilbh]

7 way playoff for bronze in Olympic golf.  AFAICT it was sort of sudden death format.  You bogie a hole everyone else pars, you're out.  Par a whole someone birdies, you're out.

The announcer said Ireland's medal hopes were dashed when Rory McIlroy missed a putt.  Surely since he's Northern Irish he plays for GB?  Or is there some weird thing with NI Olympians?

Northern Irish people can choose to represent Ireland or "team GB" (the clue's in the name) - this was a post-GFA development. McIlroy chose to represent Ireland. He is Roman Catholic so that's probably to be expected.

But, in some ways he is very modern Northern Irish in a complex layers of identity - for example he's accepted an OBE from the Queen as well. So he's very Northern Irish in identity - British and Irish.

[Agelastus]

Northern Ireland athletes have the choice of representing Ireland or Great Britain.

Apparently, this year six are part of the Great Britain Team and Twenty-Five are representing Ireland.

[Agelastus]

Northern Irish people can choose to represent Ireland or "team GB" (the clue's in the name) - this was a post-GFA development. McIlroy chose to represent Ireland. He is Roman Catholic so that's probably to be expected.

No, it's always been the case that they were eligible for selection for either - Northern Irish Athletes were selected for the Irish Olympic Team in 1928, for example. Northern Irish citizens are eligible for both British and Irish passports and have been since Partition, so have the capacity to fulfil the selection criteria for either nation.

Many of the governing bodies of Sport in Ireland never split with Partition, or did so only years after Partition occurred.

There have been issues - but if you look at the Wikipedia article you can see that even in 1948 at least one Belfast native represented the Republic.

[Sheilbh]

Oh interesting

[jimmy olsen]

Dutch runner falls with 350 meters left in the 1500 meters and gets up and wins the heat

https://twitter.com/ChrisChavez/status/1422002446423969795

[DGuller]

I read that as "Dutch runner falls 350 meters and gets up", and was quite impressed with how sturdy those Dutch are.

[Josquius]

The high jump was interesting. Italian guy and a Qatari who looks like a Mr Men character share the gold.
I didn't know this was possible.
If you can agree to stop competing and just call it then why jump at all. Gold for all!

[celedhring]

Just learnt that bronze medals are actually made of brass. My entire belief system is in shambles.