Olympic Head First Slide into Gold

[Madelaine Amee]

I know it is legal, but I am still outraged at the aspect of an athlete literally throwing themselves across the finish line to win a race. The first one was bad, now last night another competitor threw themselves over the finish line to win the medal.

I may be very naive, but this does not appear to me to be a very sportsmanlike way to win a race, and unless something is done to disqualify winning in this fashion, we will see the majority of close finishes won in this manner.

Anyone else have an opinion?

[rdhdleo]

My husband and I feel the same way. You're right unless the rules change it will probably continue to happen. To me it is a sport based on running and being on your feet and your feet crossing the line should be the deciding factor.

[Madelaine Amee]

My husband and I feel the same way. You're right unless the rules change it will probably continue to happen. To me it is a sport based on running and being on your feet and your feet crossing the line should be the deciding factor.

Yes, running you should be upright to run, sprawled across the finish line - you tripped and fell.

[dewilson58]

It's marginal in my mind. But the winner is, "the first across the finish line."

Can't have a rule, "must be on your feet". As a runner, you are not always on the ground.

"On your feet issues" with football, soccer, golf, basketball, etc.

Interesting discussion.

[2BNTV]

Olympics should be about sportsmanship.

Falling/stumbling at finish line acceptable.

Diving across to get the win in not acceptable.

This is suppose to separate the Olympics from professional sports motto, "win at all cost".

These athletes train for years and could lose by a fraction of a second. Cheating or bad judging should be abolished.

There was a USA boxer who thoroughly beat the opponent and lost a split decision. Judges who rob athletes of their years of hard work and winning, should be ashamed of themselves. IMHO

[graciegirl]

It's marginal in my mind. But the winner is, "the first across the finish line."

Can't have a rule, "must be on your feet". As a runner, you are not always on the ground.

"On your feet issues" with football, soccer, golf, basketball, etc.

Interesting discussion.

Interesting discussion, marginal in my mind. I agree with you. She didn't win illegally. I will keep worrying about world peace.

And doping. I hate that. Both at the Olympics and for pleasure so that people don't care about important rules and steal things and don't take care of their kids. That is what the candidates should take a big stand on.

This isn't causing me to be upset. But we are all different. All different.

Carry on.

[justjim]

Times change. At one time, the Olympics were all about amateurs but now it's professionals and due to endorsements it's also about money.

We ran on "cinder tracks" and that alone made me think twice about taking a dive. It's win at any cost and I don't think we are going back to the good ol' days.

[Happinow]

As far as I am concerned she cheated. She would never had won if she didn't throw her body across the finish line. Rules need to be changed....you need to finish on your feet. It's a running contest, not a crawling contest. Now the runners will all throw themselves on the ground to win. It just stinks.

[Taltarzac725]

As far as I am concerned she cheated. She would never had won if she didn't throw her body across the finish line. Rules need to be changed....you need to finish on your feet. It's a running contest, not a crawling contest. Now the runners will all throw themselves on the ground to win. It just stinks.

I agree. They should make a rule against deliberately diving or something like that to win a foot race.

She did win under the rules as they stand now. But there may come a time when athletes bring lawyers to these things to argue about who won.

[CritterLover]

They don't allow stilts in volleyball or pommel horses on the basketball court, nor should blatantly diving for the finish line be allowed in a running event. I think it's absolutely ridiculous and unfair!

[redwitch]

When you have nations that pay you for winning gold and corporations paying big bucks for endorsements after winning gold, you're going to have win at all cost mentalities. There may have been a purity to the Modern Olympics when it first started but that quickly fell to the wayside. Fortunately, there are some athletes that still care about their sports and act accordingly.

I remember when people had a fit because runners dipped their heads to win a race, which is now a common practice. If runners want to lose skin and take the risk of injuring themselves by diving across the finish line, let them. Either everyone will do it or it will ultimately be banned. My guess is it will become common practice.

At least the judging has seemed fair this time, a huge difference from Olympics of the past. I'd much rather see a runner win with a dive than I would see a winner lose by partial judging or look at an athlete who has obviously been doping win.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

If it weren't an American who got "cheated", I doubt we would even be talking about it.

[Nucky]

Mythbusters has concluded that sliding into first base in baseball is faster than crossing the bag running. When in baseball training camp as a youth I remember a friend doing this and watching the coach flip out. I never questioned the coach and always assumed it was because of appearance. It did look foolish sliding into first. If I trained for four years and the race was going to be decided by me diving or running across and millions of dollars were on the line....take a guess. I still don't think it looks good though. I'm enjoying the Rio Olympics enormously.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

When Dick Fosbury won gold in the 1968 Olympic High Jump by going over the bar backwards, the initial reaction was negative. Now, the Fosbury Flop is the only way the high jump is ever attempted.

[Two Bills]

Get real. Sport is now profesional, and the rules are bent to the limit in the persuit of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Russia condemned for drug taking, and yet the US. top sprinter has been banned twice for the same thing.

Little bit of hypocrisy here I think.

[CritterLover]

When Dick Fosbury won gold in the 1968 Olympic High Jump by going over the bar backwards, the initial reaction was negative. Now, the Fosbury Flop is the only way the high jump is ever attempted.

But, all the while, it's still JUMPING. There's really only one way to run fast and diving is simply not running.

[Taltarzac725]

When Dick Fosbury won gold in the 1968 Olympic High Jump by going over the bar backwards, the initial reaction was negative. Now, the Fosbury Flop is the only way the high jump is ever attempted.

That's a new technique which seems quite different than diving for the finish line.

[Sandtrap328]

I know it is legal, but I am still outraged at the aspect of an athlete literally throwing themselves across the finish line to win a race. The first one was bad, now last night another competitor threw themselves over the finish line to win the medal.

I may be very naive, but this does not appear to me to be a very sportsmanlike way to win a race, and unless something is done to disqualify winning in this fashion, we will see the majority of close finishes won in this manner.

Anyone else have an opinion?

I agree with you 99 percent! Only part is that I am not outraged by the finish. I saw the first one and said to Mrs. Trap that the Bahamian runner lost. Well, ol' Sandtrap was wrong - again! I do not agree with that practice at all. Like almost all the posters have said, the runner SHOULD finish standing up in order to win. But until the rules change, we will see more and more of this.

[Villagesperson]

How are everyone's feelings on.....a runner in football diving into the end zone.....a runner in baseball either sliding or diving head first to avoid a tag......a soccer play who slides as they kick a goal ?

Just curious

[Mikeod]

How are everyone's feelings on.....a runner in football diving into the end zone.....a runner in baseball either sliding or diving head first to avoid a tag......a soccer play who slides as they kick a goal ?

Just curious
None of those are timed events. The current rule that determines when the torso has crossed the line did not anticipate runners leaping for the finish line. The result is legitimate, but may force a look at modifying the rules to require the runner be upright.

[dewilson58]

None of those are timed events. The current rule that determines when the torso has crossed the line did not anticipate runners leaping for the finish line. The result is legitimate, but may force a look at modifying the rules to require the runner be upright.

Gold was not given out based on time. It could have taken a half hour, just who was first.