London Olympics: General Discussion Thread

[scuba31]

Don't be a swimming hater. Each stroke uses different sets of muscles so they indeed should be separate. Distances matter as well. Some are sprint events, others are not. I am not going to argue Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian, simply that he is most decorated and leave it at that. If swimming were easy, everyone would be doing it. Same can be said for wrestling and most Olympic disciplines.

[M Richardson]

Don't be a swimming hater. Each stroke uses different sets of muscles so they indeed should be separate. Distances matter as well. Some are sprint events, others are not. I am not going to argue Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian, simply that he is most decorated and leave it at that. If swimming were easy, everyone would be doing it. Same can be said for wrestling and most Olympic disciplines.

I'll buy that only so far. If you swim the crawl, it is the same muscles for each event. You can swim that stroke for about 37 different events in the Olympics. If you swim the butterfly, there are only about 13 chances to medal.
If you lift weights - there is one chance. If you throw the hammer, there is one chance. If you play handball, there is one chance. If you . . . pick your sport.

There are a few sports that give a disproportionate opportunity to medal in a single Olympics. I think there is a lot of difference between someone demonstrating one skill 6 or 7 times and somebody competing in 4 or 5 Olympics and winning a medal in each Olympiad (the British rower).

[WhippetGrappler]

I'll buy that only so far. If you swim the crawl, it is the same muscles for each event. You can swim that stroke for about 37 different events in the Olympics. If you swim the butterfly, there are only about 13 chances to medal.
If you lift weights - there is one chance. If you throw the hammer, there is one chance. If you play handball, there is one chance. If you . . . pick your sport.
There are a few sports that give a disproportionate opportunity to medal in a single Olympics. I think there is a lot of difference between someone demonstrating one skill 6 or 7 times and somebody competing in 4 or 5 Olympics and winning a medal in each Olympiad (the British rower).

Never thought about it this way. Good Point!!