For the people talking about dropping the mixed: She got an Olympic gold medal out of it. You guys might call it a cheap medal or a B event, but she doesn't. The USA has the luxury to rate events by prestige level because they score over two dozen medals, but the rest of the world doesn't.
Look at the footage of the mixed again and see their happiness. Mixed gold + individual bronze is better than individual silver.
For the people talking about dropping the mixed: She got an Olympic gold medal out of it. You guys might call it a cheap medal or a B event, but she doesn't. The USA has the luxury to rate events by prestige level because they score over two dozen medals, but the rest of the world doesn't.
Look at the footage of the mixed again and see their happiness. Mixed gold + individual bronze is better than individual silver.
They're just seething because she embarassed the Americans in the mixed
And it’s not just the Bol. She helped 3 of her country athletes to call themselves Olympic champion (those 3 can’t medal in the individual events) but because of Bol they can call themselves Olympic champion atleast. and Netherlands has just 20million population and still they giving some of the best athletes to track
Lots of criticism for Bol. At the end of the day, she simply showed what happens when a great athlete tries to keep up with the greatest of her generation, who is on another level. I think the margin of defeat is explained largely by her ambition to win.
This. Thanks. Think about it. Prior to the race only two other women in history had run faster than her bad-day tried-to-win time today. Sydney and Dalilah. She tried to run Without Limits (great movie) against a historic super runner. Brave. Risky. But still quite a fast race for her.
I don't believe it is criticism of Bol per se as much as it is at some of the tiresome Bol fanatics. There is one Bol's fan who seems to inundate this board about the gorgeousness of Bol every damn day. When Bol went to the mountains to run her sub 51 time, you would have thought she was the second coming of Christ. With all of the "she's close to Sydney now", "it's going to be a race now yada yada yada."
Bol needs to drop the mixed relay. She ran a 47.XX then had another 2 heats in her before that final. Her legs were cooked in the final.
It’s wasnt the relay. SML is better than Bol. Faster. At every distance. With or without hurdles. They’re the same age. Stop inventing narratives that allow a victory for Bol over SML, because SML is a far superior athlete now, then, and tomorrow. Yeah, you prefer Bol’s attitude, demeanor, whatever, but she is going to lose to Syd every damn day. STFU.
Do not get bent out of shape. Her relay split was claimed to be 47. She did not actually run 47. It is nuanced but there is a difference.
They never raced in a flat 400 m so you are making too many assumptions. I agree that Sydney better but far superior no. Over hurdles she seems to have the best technique. Therre is also no guarantee they either will be in similar form or condition in another 4 years. Thee is always a superior athlete down the pipeline.
4 year from now there may be another prodigy. it won't be Bol.
She is the second fastest person ever to run the event no matter what the haters say on this board. I was at the 200m mark and they were pretty much tied at that point. I feel that the 4x400 mixed took a little out of her and she just couldn't respond as normal. Not taking away anything from Sydney. I saw Bol over in London prior to Paris and she was in another gear at 250m. She seemed to try it again here, but nothing in the tank. There'll be another chance next year in Tokyo. Both, along with Anna C., have now really elevated that event to a higher level. Also seeing Femke New Balance posters all over Paris.