Olympics

[Genevieve]

That's true. Also our swimmers only won one gold in London, and we've got three this year. So we're improving!

[Kilkenne]

I mean, when the average child has to swim really fast to avoid (insert multitude of deadly sea creatures here) while enjoying the beach, I would imagine that it creates a class of super swimmers from which at least a few will eventually go on to become famous olympians.

I had to wikipedia what happened to the ol Thorpedo and it is kind of a sad tale. RIP Ian.

[The Lady Shael]

Sidenote: Racewalking is my new favorite Olympic sport. I've heard of it but never seen it till now.

[Kilkenne]

Then you haven't seen Modern Pentathlon, have you? That is the best sport.

[The Lady Shael]

I have not heard of that but it also sounds awesome. I'll have to check that out.

Have you seen racewalking though?? It looks so ridiculous. And for what? The glory of being the fastest walker in the world?

[Kilkenne]

"There are two rules that govern racewalking.[4][5] The first dictates that the athlete's back toe cannot leave the ground until the heel of the front foot has touched. Violation of this rule is known as loss of contact. The second rule requires that the supporting leg must straighten from the point of contact with the ground and remain straightened until the body passes directly over it. These rules are judged by the unaided human eye."

That's awesome. I wonder who just decides to do that one day. Pentathlon is even worse in some ways, but racewalking is quite the sport

[Neobaron]

On the topic of straya,

[this was a gif of the womens soccer captain for straya struggling to use a water bottle but i guess it got deleted]

[Kilkenne]

sometimes we all get a little confused, don't you judge

[Genevieve]

If there's one thing I know, it's that Australians are always drunk.

[Genevieve]

Also, I can not believe you haven't heard of race walking! The bane of the Australian athletics team's existence, since the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Jane Saville had the gold medal in sight, when just before she entered her home town stadium, she was disqualified for "illegal gait"! After collapsing in tears at the finish line, she asked for a gun to shoot herself.

[Gen. Volkov]

I'm now convinced that literally everyone in the world of swimming has a little statue of Michael Phelps that they pray too every night before they go to bed. The guy who just beat Phelps to win gold in the 100m butterfly was gushing about what a huge fan of Phelps he is.

I literally just found that race-walking was a thing because of this thread.

[Genevieve]

This was that guy in 2008.

[Gen. Volkov]

Yeah, I saw that in the article I read about it. Why doesn't Phelps have a shirt on, is what I want to know.

[Neobaron]

well theyre at a pool and the kid is wearing his singapore shirt so it can (probably) be assumed its some kind of camp.

[Juska]

Yeah, I saw that in the article I read about it. Why doesn't Phelps have a shirt on, is what I want to know.

Mermen don't wear shirts.