To all the regular observers, he’s the “13th best runner in the world” he just broke a national record at a home olympics
you take a damn lap for the fans when that happens
imagine if the American record was still Nenow’s AR till today and someone broke it at the Olympics, that would be pretty special
Did anyone else notice they broke out a second Ethiopian flag for one of the others who didn’t medal? That’s hilarious. They assumed at least two of their runners would hit the podium. Wah wah wah.
Ethiopia always does this, if any of them medal they all take a victory lap with multiple flags. I think it is a pretty cool team gesture. Last night it looked like kecheljca (spelling sorry) started with the other two but stopped because he was too devastated
I saw it as a celebratory lap by gressier rather than a victory lap and as a sensible seasoned athlete I'm sure that was the intention and I doubt any of the actual medallists were bothered, if they even noticed. It was a wonderful race and it'll be a tough national record to break.
France's typical position on the total Olympics medal table shows that whatever the public overseas perception may be they are incredibly serious about maxing out the options in elite sport. They don't pile up the medals just by gorging on foie gras washed down with a fruity red.
To all the regular observers, he’s the “13th best runner in the world” he just broke a national record at a home olympics
you take a damn lap for the fans when that happens
imagine if the American record was still Nenow’s AR till today and someone broke it at the Olympics, that would be pretty special
Did anyone else notice they broke out a second Ethiopian flag for one of the others who didn’t medal? That’s hilarious. They assumed at least two of their runners would hit the podium. Wah wah wah.
african nations always celebrate as a team when one get a medal. the headline here is how devastated kejelcha was, and it's highly unusual he didn't go with them.
I mean, great race for him and all. National record. He should be pleased. But have we gotten to the “participation trophy” point where everyone gets a flag and a victory lap if they want. Have we forgotten what “victory” lap actually means?
You can look at it that way but why not try this perspective:
"I just set a NR in the best final I'm my event's history in front of an extremely hyped home crowd and I want to show my appreciation for them and celebrate all of the above." It didn't seem egotistical at all or to detract from the accomplishments of the other runners - and they hand out medals to the victors, wearing a flag and acknowledging the crowd has never been the measure of victory. You don't say "he's worn 3 flags for his country," you say "he's won 3 medals" - no?
I think when you run faster than the Olympic record at the start of the race, in a National record, at a home Olympics, in a race where no one expected you to be anywhere near the medals - you can take a celebration lap.
Gressier did a lap of honour, not a victory lap. He ran his lap behind the medallists. He was gracious in his approach to this, giving the 70,000 fans what they wanted: acknowledgement of a brilliant feat.
Did anyone else notice they broke out a second Ethiopian flag for one of the others who didn’t medal? That’s hilarious. They assumed at least two of their runners would hit the podium. Wah wah wah.
Ethiopia always does this, if any of them medal they all take a victory lap with multiple flags. I think it is a pretty cool team gesture. Last night it looked like kecheljca (spelling sorry) started with the other two but stopped because he was too devastated
How one year changes things -today both Kejelcha and Gressier are far happier
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