How is speed walking an olympic sport?!

[slopestylerails]

Originally Posted by NuclearFart

Seeing this on TV just makes me want to change the channel. How can you have a race based on who's the fastest, while simultaneously limiting how fast one can move?

Not to mention how ridiculous they look; I've seen polio survivors move less awkwardly. What's next a crab walk race? Log rolling? Ministry of silly walk competition?

First time I saw this, I nearly fell of the seat laughing. Looks like they have a really bad case of hemorrhoids, or perhaps something large and oddly shaped up their corn chute.

As for sports not included.... Where is MMA or ball hockey. With all the other CRAP events, I'd even welcome horseshoes.

[Berger_4_]

I knew somebody would say that. But you can't tell me Shawn Johnson isn't attractive. I suppose it might be creepy for you old folk to say that...although I suppose it's illegal for me to say it now too. Dammit anyways.

Edit...Whoops...meant to quote Girly's post.

[normtwofinger]

Originally Posted by Berger_4_

I knew somebody would say that. But you can't tell me Shawn Johnson isn't attractive. I suppose it might be creepy for you old folk to say that...although I suppose it's illegal for me to say it now too. Dammit anyways.

Edit...Whoops...meant to quote Girly's post.

Pedophile Alert!

Where do you live so I can keep my kids away from you.

[normtwofinger]

that's my native name.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Berger_4_

I knew somebody would say that. But you can't tell me Shawn Johnson isn't attractive. I suppose it might be creepy for you old folk to say that...although I suppose it's illegal for me to say it now too. Dammit anyways.

Edit...Whoops...meant to quote Girly's post.

That is signature material right there....

[normtwofinger]

Originally Posted by fotze

d'oh

No worries, I get that alot.

[onetwo_threefour]

Jeez for all the bitching about diffferent swim strokes, or race walking vs. marathoning why shouldn't marathoner's simply be allowed to get on a bike... I mean it's faster, right? Or, in hockey, why not let players be in the attacking zone before the puck gets there, they'd score mopre goals that way right? The point is that the sport is what it is and has its rules.

BTW, as a former competitive swimmer (although that's using the term competitive quite loosely ) the different swimming strokes had historical differences. They have been modified over time for speed but were developed for different purposes. A breast stroke is slower than freestyle but is much more energy efficient as a stroke. If you ever fall overboard and need to swim a long distance, the breaststroke conserves energy. The backstroke, IIRC, was developed as a rescue stroke and allows the swimmer to keep breathing at all times and keep the eyes open, and its history is almost as long as the front crawl.

Butterfly is the gymnastics of swimming, it is second in speed only to front crawl, but is technically demanding. In a way it's perhaps the most like racewalking, but pure swimming afficionados love the butterfly because it separates the technically sound from the brute strength.

The point is that races with these different strokes are around because the strokes themselves have developed for other reasons, and technical swimmers want to compete within the confines of that stroke to see who performs it best.

The same can be said for race-walking.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

Different gig. The hurdle changes the course, not the athlete's ability to complete the course as fast as possible.

So you are saying that a person can complete the 100 metre hurdle with the same time as the straight 100?

You can do the walk as fast as you want. The rule is one foot must always be on the ground. With hurdles you must jump over them, not run around or duck under. They could do a run with 100 pound weight on their back; it would still be an athletic competition.

I guess my bottom line is this is a sport where it takes training, skill, and these guys are better at it than most of the rest of the world.

[Berger_4_]

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

Pedophile Alert!

Where do you live so I can keep my kids away from you.

Ah come on! She's like a year and five months younger than me!

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

You like looking at 10 year olds?

20 year old Alicia Sacramone would beg to differ

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Berger_4_

Ah come on! She's like a year and five months younger than me!

Well she's legal for you, but she still looks like she's 10.

[Flame Of Liberty]

I'm surprised throwing "events" were not mentioned (other than javelin). I mean, look at hammer throw, what the hell? Fatties spinning the hammer above their head and throwing it away? What kind of a sport is that, who is watching that? What are they going to be throwing next?

[Berger_4_]

Thank you Hemi-Cuda for saving my ass. This was not gonna end well I don't think haha.

I don't think she looks like she's ten...maybe it's just all you old farts and your...oldness. That's right! Oldness!

[Kjesse]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

20 year old Alicia Sacramone would beg to differ

Wow, never saw her before, good find.

[flylock shox]

Originally Posted by ken0042

So you are saying that a person can complete the 100 metre hurdle with the same time as the straight 100?

You can do the walk as fast as you want. The rule is one foot must always be on the ground. With hurdles you must jump over them, not run around or duck under. They could do a run with 100 pound weight on their back; it would still be an athletic competition.

I guess my bottom line is this is a sport where it takes training, skill, and these guys are better at it than most of the rest of the world.

No, I'm saying that the requirement on the athlete is the same: complete this course as fast as possible. Race-walking is different: complete this course as fast as possible, but don't use the fastest method of doing so.

Even the theoretical 100 pound weight is part of the course. There the requirement would be: carry this weight over this distance as fast as possible. If the fastest way to do so is to run with the weight, then great. If it's faster to crawl with it, then crawl. Just do it as quickly as possible.

Look at high-jump for example. There's no requirement that you use the flop method, it's just been shown to be the best method.

Someone also mentioned that the different swimming strokes have different uses. Breaststroke, for example, uses less energy and allows you to swim longer. Fantastic. When you're confronted with a 10,000 meter swimming course, use the breaststroke. But don't be surprised if, during a 200 meter course, you get passed by someone using the front crawl. Every distance should, like running, be freestyle. You change your style because it makes you faster over that distance. Not for some completely arbitrary and counterproductive reason.

Again, not disputing the athleticism of race-walking, just the event itself.