Tokyo Olympics - It's On

[18.99s]

Anyone who was paying attention knows that something mental happened, she didn't blow up. Go back and watch that race and you'll see that the other runners didn't pass her until after she cracked, not before.

I just watched it. At least 3 women already passed her before her collapse began (but she was slowing down due to fatigue before they passed her). She also explained that she panicked after seeing them pass her and then decided to fall.

https://womeninwisconsin.org/profile...avor-hamilton/

She explained that as she was passed by three other runners and realized she would not win a medal, she had an attack of panic and intense anxiety and thought to herself, “Just fall,” and she did.

There are more of her own words in this other article linked below, but it's behind a paywall (you may be able to read what she said during the seconds before the subscription popup covers the screen).
https://madison.com/news/suzy-favor-...fb0520b78.html

[CookyMonzta]

I disagree. Favor had been outperforming those other runners all year and she looked better than them in the rounds. Anyone who was paying attention knows that something mental happened, she didn't blow up. Go back and watch that race and you'll see that the other runners didn't pass her until after she cracked, not before. It was as strang as anything I've ever seen in an Olympic final.

I use crackup/blow-up almost interchangeably; in one instance, it could be physical; in another, it could be mental; and on rare occasions, it could be both. In Suzy's case, she had a split-second mental blowup, where at one point she was leading, and in another she fell back rapidly and collapsed.

And lest we forget, Suzy took out quite a few of those ladies in 3:57.40 in Oslo that summer. Her Sydney collapse cost her a spot in the world top 10 rankings in the 1,500.

[booond]

I am with Lonewolf on this.

And as you have no idea what has gone on behind the scenes for Biles over the past 10 years or so, your comments are in particular bad taste.

And given the evilness of Larry Nassar and Steve Penny, nothing would surprise me, in terms of how Biles may have been victimised, thus leading to the mental issues that finally she was unable to cope with.

IMO, what has happened to Biles, is a great failing of the US sporting system in not having available systems to help monitor the mental health of its elite athletes.

As I asked earlier, how many death threats a day does she receive over social media? I'll bet it isn't an insignificant number. It's a different world than 1980, 1990, 2000.

Especially this year where it has become fashionable in some circles to root against the USA from inside the USA.

[booond]

The timing is awful, though, and leaves her teammates scrambling. And I don't think making a hero out of her is the right thing. Not a heel, but not a hero.

She wasn't ready to compete and would've hurt her teammates by dragging down their score. By stepping off she took an anchor away and they performed well enough to keep the silver. They likely weren't getting the gold after the prelims.

[jazzcyclist]

She wasn't going to medal anyway. Her collapse was after seeing multiple women kicking past her and realizing her medal dream was over.

I disagree. Favor had been outperforming those other runners all year and she looked better than them in the rounds. Anyone who was paying attention knows that something mental happened, she didn't blow up. Go back and watch that race and you'll see that the other runners didn't pass her until after she cracked, not before. It was as strang as anything I've ever seen in an Olympic final.

[18.99s]

Not after this week. ☹ And after Naomi Osaka's tennis flameout in the 3rd round on what was supposed to be safe turf, I don't think anyone's laughing. Remember what happened to Suzy Favor-Hamilton, who was leading the 1,500 in Sydney 2000 (ultimately won in a relatively easy 4:05) with 150 to go and in the midst of a kick, with the gold--certainly any medal--practically around her neck, until she inexplicably cracked up and collapsed at the top of the homestretch.

She wasn't going to medal anyway. Her collapse was after seeing multiple women kicking past her and realizing her medal dream was over.

I just hope Biles can get well in time to medal in at least one event, in what will surely be her last Olympics.

[CookyMonzta]

She has a 35 city tour planned after the Olympics.

Not after this week. ☹ And after Naomi Osaka's tennis flameout in the 3rd round on what was supposed to be safe turf, I don't think anyone's laughing. Remember what happened to Suzy Favor-Hamilton, who was leading the 1,500 in Sydney 2000 (ultimately won in a relatively easy 4:05) with 150 to go and in the midst of a kick, with the gold--certainly any medal--practically around her neck, until she inexplicably cracked up and collapsed at the top of the homestretch.

At 24, this could very well be the last time we see Simone on the floor. 😥

[scottmitchell74]

I am with Lonewolf on this.

And as you have no idea what has gone on behind the scenes for Biles over the past 10 years or so, your comments are in particular bad taste.

And given the evilness of Larry Nassar and Steve Penny, nothing would surprise me, in terms of how Biles may have been victimised, thus leading to the mental issues that finally she was unable to cope with.

IMO, what has happened to Biles, is a great failing of the US sporting system in not having available systems to help monitor the mental health of its elite athletes.

I don't see Biles as a victim (or some sort of martyr the media is trying to make her out to be) nor is she a failure or punk. It's just something that...happened. Sports has forever been about who can physically or mentally handle the situation in the moment.

The timing is awful, though, and leaves her teammates scrambling. And I don't think making a hero out of her is the right thing. Not a heel, but not a hero.

In all cases someone who in the moment is stronger/fitter/healthier rises to the top, and we have a new story/hero. That's sports and a lot of times the regular world as well.

[Conor Dary]

Meanwhile...
Nytimes.com

Simone Biles to Miss Individual All-Around Final

Biles will not compete Thursday night, U.S.A. Gymnastics said.

[Tuariki]

I don't see Biles as a victim. It seems to me that she embraced the fame and celebrity, she was no shrinking violet.

I am with Lonewolf on this.

And as you have no idea what has gone on behind the scenes for Biles over the past 10 years or so, your comments are in particular bad taste.

And given the evilness of Larry Nassar and Steve Penny, nothing would surprise me, in terms of how Biles may have been victimised, thus leading to the mental issues that finally she was unable to cope with.

IMO, what has happened to Biles, is a great failing of the US sporting system in not having available systems to help monitor the mental health of its elite athletes.

[Bruce Kritzler]

[QUOTE=jazzcyclist;n1708267I don't see Biles as a victim. It seems to me that she embraced the fame and celebrity, she was no shrinking violet.[/QUOTE]

She has a 35 city tour planned after the Olympics.

[CookyMonzta]

The other thing in the back of my head is that she's the only one left competing from the group who took down Larry Nassar - she's made public statements before indicating that she feels she has to continue competing to make sure USAG can't just pretend the Nassar cover-up didn't happen and continue business as usual. That shouldn't be a role she has to put herself in, given the immense pressure these athletes are already under in normal circumstances. It must be brutal to represent USAG while you're trying to use your presence on the mat to remind them they still have to make amends.

Not to mention a murder case against her brother, for which he was exonerated. The fallout from that case had to be somewhere in one corner of her mind.

[Atticus]

The pole vault has similar breakneck dangers . . .or taking a low-effort jump.

Ain't no secha thang. Low-effort results in a stall-out, which is a sprained ankle (or worse) waiting to happen. I always told my kids to run all-out, and if you bail, make sure to throw the pole onto the side of the mat, not in front of you.

[mgallagh43]

The other thing in the back of my head is that she's the only one left competing from the group who took down Larry Nassar - she's made public statements before indicating that she feels she has to continue competing to make sure USAG can't just pretend the Nassar cover-up didn't happen and continue business as usual. That shouldn't be a role she has to put herself in, given the immense pressure these athletes are already under in normal circumstances. It must be brutal to represent USAG while you're trying to use your presence on the mat to remind them they still have to make amends.

[18.99s]

The miscues that occurred on Sunday, not just by her but by the rest of the team, making her (more than anyone else since she is the most-decorated) even more afraid of failing. You need only to watch again how Donovan Brazier cracked and crashed at the 550 to 650 mark. Simone did not want to have such a moment that would have cost the whole team a medal, and she thought she was headed in that direction given her mental state on Sunday and/or Monday.

It's not only about costing the team a medal; in gymnastics, if your mind is not ready and well, a mental mistake could make you break your neck.

The pole vault has similar breakneck dangers, but when their mind isn't in it they can more easily bow out of the competition by just running through without jumping, or taking a low-effort jump.