Did Bradbury deserve the gold?

Princess

Did Steven Bradbury deserve the gold? Was he really the fastest? The silver medal winner was from Seattle. Looked like he was going to win the gold before that rather unfortunate "accident".

Just curious.

Princess

Prisca

At least Bradbury was the only skater in that race who was able to stay on his feet.

What about all the other races when athletes have fallen in the midst of a race?

would you be asking this question if It was an Englishman who fell over and an American who won?
Of course not.
You would be saying Your boy won it and deserved it.
Just like us ozzies are saying now.
My view after watching the replay a dozen times is that the American wasnt gonna win anyway. I even think he started the crash of the others as he was desperately trying to push past the (korean?).

Nationalism is alive and well.

JanH

Aussies don't understand fair play. It has always been understood that those speed skaters have to speed around in one lump, so when one falls, everybody falls.

- Jan
--
- "How do you write women so well?" - "I think of a man and I take away reason and accountability." (Jack Nicholson in "As Good as it Gets")

Princess

The only reason I even knew about it was because the silver medalist is a local guy. I honestly don't care who won or why, just curious as to what everyone else thought, especially the Australians. I understand this is how Bradbury got into the finals as well.

Don't be putting words in my mouth refiner, like I said I'm just curious.

Princess

Hmmm

My understanding is that it's part of the sport. It's been described as "roller derby on ice". I guess huge tumbles of skaters is pretty common.

Hmmm

refiners fire

All Ozzies remember( with glorious pride)The ozzie 200 metre freestyle swimmer in 1988. Duncan Armstrong. He rode in Matt Biondis wake all thru the race,being sucked along, then stripped him in the last 5 metres.
Dirty cheatin' ozzies.

Xander

Well, what does the medal show?

He *was* the first to finish the race, he gets the gold.

And, to be fair, the silver medalist was interviewed later and seemed happy with his medal. (And he's either a REALLY good actor - most Olympians aren't, and you can tell when they are disappointed - or he actually was REALLY perfectly happy with Silver)

Now, Bradbury has to be fully aware the only reason he got the gold is because he was so far behind, he missed the accident, and that will probably bug him forever (it'd bug me - but then, if I had been one of the Russian gold medalists in the pairs event, I'd ask for the silver instead of the gold).

A fanatic is one who, upon losing sight of his goals, redoubles his efforts.
--George Santayana

Princess

Good point Xander, I imagine the gold would be sweeter if all had stayed upright! Roller derby on ice is a good way to describe the sport, I hadn't seen it before and was amazed at how cutthroat it was.

I did see the American interviewed as well. I'm glad he's happy with the results. It must be part of the sport, eh?

There was some talk immediately after the race, whether or not it should be re-raced. What do you think?

Princess

refiners fire

.."Bradbury has to be fully aware the only reason he got the gold is because he was so far behind"...

I think you will find Bradburys being so far behind was a cunning, intentional, ozzie ploy to snatch victory. Inspired thinking.

haha. just stirring you guys up a bit there.
If you were over here and watching Ozzie media coverage on the event and its aftermath you would see that bradbury et al, are pretty nonplussed by the victory. The Aussie media is treating it as a bit of a joke.

Did Bradbury deserve the gold?

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