Olympics!

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BeckyG

Member
Here's a thought...given our technological level why don't they update high jump and pole vault to record the highest jump of the day rather than having to jump over a bar?
I mean...long jump, triple, javelin, discus etc all just jump or throw as big as they can and the longest wins.
But the height jumps have to actually jump a physical bar.
Why not just make some laser sensor and make it in line with the other events?
 
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freshtilldeathx3

New member
I don't think it's that straightforward. Those other jumps are along the ground, where these are up in the air. the athlete needs something to aim for and use to meusure their jump.

Think about it.. All there would be is two poles reaching up from the ground. The athletes highest point for their jump has to be exactly between those two poles. It would be really difficult for the athletes to judge this line without any visual help. It's not simply how high you go, that height has to be measured at a precise point vertically whilst the athlete is travelling both vertically and horizontally and their body makes an ark over this line.

Without the physical marker, where they have to jump to get the best possible height measurement this would be very difficult if not impossible for the athletes to get right consistently and maintain current standards.
 
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zephyrwind

Member
Well then put a bar in place, or maybe a visible laser beam, and have them jump that as a target but still measure the lowest height they cleared.
Seems odd to me that someone could clear a 200cm bar by 10 cm but then fail to clear a bar that is set at 205cm and go out. To my mind they still jumped 210cm rather than 200. Even though, technically 200cm was the only height they cleared.
Someone then winning the competition by jumping 205cm didn't actually make the highest jump on the day.
 
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ffashowgirl

New member
Sure, but (to me anyway) sometimes the mark of a true champion is doing what's needed when it counts.

You could argue a winner in a semi final could run the fastest 400m time of the whole event. But they lose in the final to a slower time. Does that mean because they ran the fastest 400m of the competition they take the gold ?

Your argument is essentially the same.

Also like the others said it adds to the theatre of it.
 
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osito_lover

Member
I think there is a point where technology is diminishing returns. There are plenty of places where instant replays, sensors and strobes might be of help. Figure we could have each of the competitors take clips of their personal best and submit those to a board that would screen each clip with metric programs that could measure each movement, frame by frame. We could then save on the hundreds of millions of dollars for the whole public venue.

Hey...I'll go you one better. How about if we all sit home in our beds and the World to be piped to each of our bedrooms so we never had to leave the house? See what I mean?

The core to the Olympics is the level of Soul that we bring to this event and Soul for the modern HUman animal is becoming a pretty rare commodity. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce
 
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Nanni/Ann

New member
Yeah maybe.



In a way yeah I think it should. Considering the only real reason we have heats and semi's is because we don't/can't have 30 lanes for people to run in at the same time.
Partly the goal of an event is to determine who's best at doing that event on that day (not just winning it per se). Arguably the fastest time is the best on the day no matter when they ran that time so in some ways should "win" IMHO.
 
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abhjan

New member
Yeah, but is the medal for the fastest time of the whole event or winning the ultimate race. ie. being first past the finishing line, when it matters.

I think that goes for the jumping as well. It's also about dealing with pressure. If it's a qualifying people may perform better - be more relaxed maybe. So I think if someones truly deserving of being the champion they should be the one jumping the highest or running the fastest - when they need to, when the pressure is on to perform. But I sort6 of see your point, it's a tricky one
 
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sharnajax

New member
I'm watching the Olympic BMX competition, which is being held on a purpose made track near the Velodrome.

Let's hope the track is made available to local kids after the games. The track looks great, but also has the look of something that will be ripped up after the competition.
 
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MJK

Member
Well in long jump it's who jumps farthest. That's the only criteria. If you jump the farthest in your first jump and then fluff the rest you still win. Even if someone jumps 1cm behind your jump 6 times.
It seems to me that the only reason high jump doesn't operate in the same way is because you can't make sand go vertical.
It's still the same concept of trying to see who can do the best on the day.

Obviously what I suggest will never happen.
 
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