Off Topic Other Sport

My wife has had Hickstead on the TV. That's fine but one of the commentators does my head in and I reach for the remote to shut him up whenever she goes out the room. Can't string half a dozen words together without uttering "the a". It's just ****ing "the". Sack him or send him on a course

 

After watching a BBC programme the other night about the making, life style, personality and sporting prowess of one Usain Bolt it got me thinking about the whole 'who's the greatest' tag line after speaking to one of my best mates about it. Now he insists that it is the man who gave the name of 'The Greatest' to Muhammad Ali, and who could argue. Many a sports writer has reeled off his achievements and role in sport in general over and over again but I think he can now be laid to rest for now...??

I never saw Ali fight live, but I have seen his boxing legacy through the TV's and books that I've read. But I have seen Bolt run live and gained the full experience of the joy and sheer delight he has given probably the main Blue Ribbon sporting event in all of athletics the 100m sprint.

To give you the time when I realised that this man was not just good but crossed over to other boundaries was when he ran to the Olympic gold in China back in 2008. I used to go and watch Liverpool FC all over the place in my days and the opening away fixture of the season was at Sunderland for a 3pm kick off. I told my mate who was coming up with me that we are going to set off early so to catch the final as it would start at about 2ish in the day, probably when we were going to be still driving. We got to a pub well in time and found a pub full of both sets of supporters with the early kick-off being showed on the big screen. Low and behold when it finished the screen was turned over to the Olympics and the race was given a good build up in the pub.

Once the people in the pub saw or noticed what was on the big screen it seemed that everyone was stretching their necks to get a glimpse of what could potentially be a bit of history. And history is what they saw...!!

To say that this race left all watching it in disbelief is an understatement...!! Oh my days, I still get goosebumps watching it over again. What a way to show off your skills or race athletic talent than the way he absolutely smashed the rest of the sprint kings, who were no slow coaches them selves, will surely go down as one of the greatest sporting events ever.

What he has done since has just rubber sealed what I have been thinking of the man for a very long time, he is 'my greatest' sporting legend that has been around in my life time...

Even in the 200m race, the one in which he says is 'his' race and no-one is ever going to beat him in, is just simply brilliant. And the fact that this man is such a character, obviously loves his 'job' and has fans all over the world shows that in this day and age we can still see sporting genius in the world...

Quiet simply 'The Greatest...'

 

I often wonder how fast Usain Bolt could have run, if he had a more dedicated approach throughout his career.

Those records were set when he was 22, and he's never looked like getting near them since. I think it's always been known that he's not been a lover of training, and maybe hasn't put everything into it.

It's amazing to think that a guy who's not really tried as hard as he could has still completely dominated the sport. It's abit like Ronnie O'Sullivan and snooker.

I'm not taking anything away from Bolts great career, but to go as fast as he did at 22, it does seem somewhat of a shame that he didn't get near those times again. His records will probably get broken soon after he retires, but I think if he had really applied himself he could have set records that would lasted for decades.

 

Mo Farah is awesome!

 

He should be disqualified for stepping on the inside

 

Even though he was tripped?

 

I wonder if they'll step Usain Bolt up in trip after that performance, didn't have the pace for most of the race but was staying on strongly at the finish

 

Off to stud me thinks Shergy.

 

I'm not sure on what constitutes a more dedicated approach, though I do think I know what your getting at here Shergs... The fact that Bolt & Ronnie appear to come across as a joker, not taking their sport seriously, or even wasting their talent, is a front but could come across as not really trying in some peoples eyes... But...

I've Never seen Bolt train but had the very good fortune to sit and watch Ronnie in practice, and trust me he puts in way more hours on the green baize than he lets on. Just one look at Bolt seems to suggest that the bloke isn't eating Maccy D's in the off season, out drinking and partying all of the time and to me shows that he's as dedicated if not more than most of the chasing pack around him. You simply can not stay at the top of your chosen sport without sacrificing something in your life. He used to practice at Scotties in Liverpool, a very well known club in the area, even put his own table in to boot. And before every UK Championship at Preston & the Worlds over in Sheffield would practice there relentlessly. That's where he came up with trying to go for a 147 left handed to challenge himself as he played that much he had to break up the sessions. I also know Les Dodd who tips his cues for him and he'll tell you that the only bloke who practised more than Ronnie that he knew was Stephen Hendry, and look what he won...

Also, when you look at the times in general of the sprinters, they should come down with age, you don't get quicker with age, matter of fact that really. Bolts fastest times did come earlier on in his career, as did most of the rest of the sprinters who have stayed the course with him. Maybe, and this is opening another can of worms here, the rest of the chasers arnt doing the drugs anymore so that they now have to train harder to get their times down. This now shows us that we may have a cleaner race and cleaner athletes in general...

Some sportsmen's talent is so natural it gets them to lofty heights, and I suppose it'll get you a long way. But to stay at the top needs dedication and commitment and that's what both Ronnie & Usain and most of the top,top players in the world have in abundance...

 

It has nothing to do with the fact Usain Bolt appears to come across as a joker. It is more to do with how he has spoken in interviews about how he hates to train, and the way a guy with his talent has performed in these world championships at the age of only 30. Justin Gatlin the winner was 35 just to put things into perspective a little.

I probably think a lot of what you say is true in regards Ronnie O'Sullivan, I think he likes people to think he doesn't care, but in actual fact he probably does care more than he lets on.

I think in Usain Bolts case it is different though, I think he has just possesed so much natural ability that after he broke those world records at the age of 22, he's kind of lost that drive to make himself even better.

To say that 100m runners get slower as they age is nonsense, perhaps once they are over 30 it is true, but it is not the case when you are 22. Most previous world record holders where a lot older than that when they set their best times.

I think Bolts dedication has just got less and less, as he's become more and more successful and that's why the times he was running have got slower, when usually a 100m runner would be getting faster from 22 onwards. He was just so far clear of everyone anyways, that he's still been able to win despite getting slower year by year.

I think the condition Usain Bolt turned up to these championships in proves he lacks that desire to win anymore. He could still be very close to his peak, if he had the desire to train. Let's not forget he's been beat by a guy 5 years older, so it's not a case of Bolt being too old to compete.

Can you honestly tell me that Bolt turned up to last years Olympics in the very best condition he could possibly be in, and did everything right throughout the year to make sure he did? Where he only just beat Gatlin on the nod. Or in this years world championships where he's been comprehensively beat by Gatlin.

I believe full well that if Usian Bolt really wanted it, he would still be winning the 100m now with ease. The likes of Gatlin and the rest would not get anywhere near him, even at 30.

I hope you don't take this as a criticism of Bolt, as I'm actually paying the guys talent a massive compliment. He's completely dominated sprinting for the best part of a decade in 3rd gear, and is one of the greatest sportsmen of all time. But I still believe he could have been even better if he'd wanted to be.

 

No, I've no problem in what you've said Shergar, I just think that it's the very toughest race of them all. To have won what he has done in that time is just mind blowing. Maybe your right that he could have 'trained on' better, to use a horse racing term, and that he could have set records far out of reach. But I just think its 'the' hardest race of them all to be consistent and stay at the top for anything over 5-6 years...

 

Its definitely the most famous, and the distance that gets the most attention by the media. But it's definitely not the toughest race in terms of what you have to put your body through.

Micheal Johnson has said on many occasions that he had to put so much more effort in when he transitioned up to 400m, so he had the endurance to sustain pretty much a sprint for a full lap. There was always talk of Bolt going up to the 400m, as he had the talent and the genetics with such a long stride to break all the records at that distance too, but he never would, as he'd of known how hard he'd of had to of worked to make the transition.

Then you have to think of the training the likes of Mo Farah, Chris Froome or the Brownlee brothers have to do, that's just on a whole new scale altogether.

I'm not taking it away from 100m runners, i just don't agree that it's the toughest race of them all.

 

Sorry Shergs, I put it wrong, the toughest race to stay at number 1 in my eyes for any length of time... The 400m is a very unique race as not many go up or step down with any success bar Michael Johnson...

 

I think there are a heap of sports that can produce worse discomfort that the 100 & 400. I think I'll forever remember the suffering of Frenchman Yohann Diniz in the Rio 50k walk. He had a massive lead but his body fell apart in grueling circumstances. Well into the race, he started passing feces and blood. He tried to clean himself with a sponge, but the blood persisted in running down the back of his legs. But he wouldn't give up. One by one competitors began to pass the stricken man. At the 36k mark, he finally collapsed. To those watching, he was finished. Somehow he managed to climb to his feel and soldier on. He finished eighth. It was a terrible sight. I've never seem a sprinter finish a race in such a shape. Matej Toth won the Gold, but Yohann Diniz made global headlines for the courage exhibited.

 

I bet they couldn't get past quickly enough. A lot of them just couldn't bring themselves to overtake, thinking it wasn't blood

Bloody determined some of these athletes. I hope he was OK afterwards

 

Interesting theme. All in all, I'd say the 400m and, especially, the 400m Hurdles are the toughest races. Flat out all the way!

Quite a day yesterday (Saturday), certainly for Germany and GB/NI. Some great performances by all the successful athletes, but a very sad farewell for the track legend Usain Bolt. A long and happy life, Usain, you gave so much to everyone!

 

I couldn't really give a toss about Usain Bolt, just glad we won the Gold medal

 

And what a bolt out of the blue that was.

 

You're into quality dressage aren't you Ron? Talk about elegant.

 

You and Der Kaiser just have to be different, don't you, Shergar?