Athletics

Yup I heard that too jacey. Probably not Americans as they are not very interested in "trackandfield". Long way down the list after baseball, basketball and US football. Despite all their talent and success in it.
You're right Annobel they would not have been noticed would they. Now they are v highly computerised and based on scientific measurement of the human reaction time. But even a twitch of the elbow could set off the person next to you, if you were so inclined I suppose.
Having been away on holiday i am trying to be virtuous and not settle down to watch the coverage for another hour or so... until i have unpacked, deadheaded the garden etc etc
And here I am talking about it. Hannah England did a great heat. Lisa Dobriskey winds me up. She is so strong and talented but she seems to unassertive on the track and gets boxed in and blocked so often. They all know this about her I am sure. And then when she does that sweetie little girlie voice i think, oh dear, part of the same picture. I suppose what winds me up is that young women still grow up like this - playing the sweet little girl who wants to be everyones friend. Maybe it's cos i never had the opportunity to wind daddy round my finger so I resent women who have that style about them?

I wonder if the mechanism that measures false starts is over-reactive. I am sure that 'wobbles' that wouldn't have been noticed a few years ago are now counted as false starts.

Agree JessM ...I prefer previous rule of 'one false start per race' ...but heard one commentator state that the change was also due to the media ...slowed their coverage ...so didn't get so much 'live' in a slot!! ...mmm ...I wonder if that was the Americans? [where's the synic smiley?]

Oh phew, Ch4 was Ok when it is not "highlights" although studio presenter a bit clunky. But the main coverage was good. Wasn't Mo wonderful. it is great to see him progress from winning European medals to world medals - a huge leap when the ethopians etc are so dominant at world level. Sad to seem him pipped by less than 2 sec but it is still a huge achievement for UK athletics.

Re false starts - Poor Christine O and Dwayne C as well - these games were much more important to them than Bolt who probably has years ahead of him.
I think Bolt is still unexperienced at settling and focussing before an important race. So i think it was a hard lesson but one he needed to learn at this stage.

I preferred the previous rule - one false start allowed per race. This allows for inexperienced spectators shouting at the wrong moment, wobbling in the blocks etc. Before that rule was introduced it was getting crazy with multiple false starts and deliberate messing about, twitching etc, to put other competitors off.

OK JessM ...British Eurosport (Sky 410 Virgin 521)

Tonight 02:OO until 05:00 that's live coverage - not that I'll be watching then
Tomorrow(Mon) 10:45 until 14:00 -again live coverage - which I will be watching

What do you think of this 'one false start and your out?' ...poor Eugene Bolt! I couldn't believe it this morning.

Ah thanks Jacey. i will see if we can get it. Trying not to pine for Colin and Denise...

Sorry JessM ...I've been watching it on British EuroSport ...usually place advertising slots reasonably well ...commentaries fine

It was such a massive false start too, not just a fraction of a centimetre as they usually are. Poor girl - she must have felt that she was under so much pressure and wasn't fully 'match fit'. It doesn't help that she is such a local figure in East London and bears the weight of expectation in the Olympics.

Well he was not as understandable on CH4 as the beeb, and was perspiring heavily instead sitting in a nice BBC studio... They are doing it on the cheap evidently. The main presenter appeared to be an apprentice and the coverage of the heats almost incomprehensible. Then there was the commentator whose voice seemed to be breaking during the womens 10k.
Big tragedy with Christine O. false starting. She must be furious with herself.

Yes, Jess, it's very patchy. They have imported Michael Johnson from BBC and I still have trouble understanding him!