That was a disgrace.
In a way I agree. Right off, I felt bad for the two that DQ'd. They actually look like they trained and it was real unfortuate to have a lapse like that. That was not a disgrace. But was the other guy from a country of one? Is it right to do that in front of 20,000 people who paid $1000 a seat? Was it a last minute idea and he borrowed some goggles? They guy looked to be in great shape. Just coached in a few of the basics would have been nice.
Is it OK to have a bit of a laugh?
Reminded me of these guys.The Jamaican bob sled team
video.google.com/videoplay
Competing for the sake of competing regardless of they're ability.
Just representing their country. Awesome.
In a way I agree. Right off, I felt bad for the two that DQ'd. They actually look like they trained and it was real unfortuate to have a lapse like that. That was not a disgrace. But was the other guy from a country of one? Is it right to do that in front of 20,000 people who paid $1000 a seat? Was it a last minute idea and he borrowed some goggles? They guy looked to be in great shape. Just coached in a few of the basics would have been nice.
Is it OK to have a bit of a laugh?
I agree with you, it's certainly not a disgrace.
The games are about competition. If people get hosed on tickets and don't like the performances they see, well, that's too bad. Me personally, I would love to see both extremes of the games. Funny thing, I bet that guy felt more accomplished with his solo swim than the 4th place athlete did when it was all said and done.
I believe it was actually Sydney 2000. Clearly it was the first swim in the prelims, the crowd was on their feet cheering so I don't think they minded.
He was competing under a program where countries that have no swimming programs can send a swimmer without meeting qualifying times in the hope that it will lead to the establishment of new national swim programs. I've forgotten which country he was from but I read that they don't have any public pools in the country, he trained in a small hotel pool.
I don't think it was a disgrace at all.
I hope you noticed it said Athens 2004. It is not Beijing.
Actually it was Sydney.
And if memory serves, being the only swimmer (or was it the only Olympian) from his country, he did not have to meet any qualifying times.
Again, I seem to remember reading afterwards that the other two swimmers had -somehow- agreed to get themselves disqualified so as to let Moussambani swim his race on his own and win it.
It was funny and touching (and I kept hoping that his final time would not be faster than me; me, now, of course.)
