Usain Bolt

[Betty Boop]

One last time! :not worth

[Tobias Funke]

Beyond angry at that outcome. Gatlin is a snake and deserves nothing.

Congrats to Bolt on an outstanding career. Legend.

[Golden Bear]

I'm beyond angry that the beeb chose to ignore the guys that beat Bolt. No interviews, absolute disgrace.

[Tobias Funke]

I'm beyond angry that the beeb chose to ignore the guys that beat Bolt. No interviews, absolute disgrace.

I didn't watching the aftermath but that's pretty poor by the BBC, regardless of anyones thoughts on the winner.

[Golden Bear]

I didn't watching the aftermath but that's pretty poor by the BBC, regardless of anyones thoughts on the winner.

Particularly sorry for Coleman, unless of course it was a team decision to avoid interviews. If it was, that should have been explained to viewers.

[Haymaker]

Never thought I'd see Bolt lose.

[NYHibby]

I'm beyond angry that the beeb chose to ignore the guys that beat Bolt. No interviews, absolute disgrace.

Uh, knee jerk reaction much?

They aired an interview with Gatlin right after Bolt's. Michael Johnson talked about Gatlin and Coleman a fair amount.

[NYHibby]

One last time! :not worth

I went last night. It turns out I saw the last race Bolt won. Great seeing Mo win as well. The sound was incredible.

[Golden Bear]

Uh, knee jerk reaction much?

They aired an interview with Gatlin right after Bolt's. Michael Johnson talked about Gatlin and Coleman a fair amount.

Missed it then . Must have been when they changed channels. I'll officialy apologise to the Beeb! What did Gatlin say?

[lord bunberry]

Missed it then . Must have been when they changed channels. I'll officialy apologise to the Beeb! What did Gatlin say?
He said girls don't like boys girls like Simon Murray.

[Hibs Class]

It is what's known as a Rangers victory. Record books may show a win but everyone knows it is hollow and tainted.

[NYHibby]

It is what's known as a Rangers victory. Record books may show a win but everyone knows it is hollow and tainted.

While I think the BBC was reasonable in its coverage of Gatlin, I think the British public hasn't been. At worst Gatlin used a testosterone cream on his legs before one minor race more than 11 years ago. I struggle to see how that affects the legitimacy of a race a decade later.

If you focus all your attention on Gatlin, you're ignoring the actual problem. You're also letting actual dopers like Dwain Chambers off easy.

This article does a decent job explaining it http://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/demonising-justin-gatlin

[Speedy]

While I think the BBC was reasonable in its coverage of Gatlin, I think the British public hasn't been. At worst Gatlin used a testosterone cream on his legs before one minor race more than 11 years ago. I struggle to see how that affects the legitimacy of a race a decade later.

If you focus all your attention on Gatlin, you're ignoring the actual problem. You're also letting actual dopers like Dwain Chambers off easy.

This article does a decent job explaining it http://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/demonising-justin-gatlin

Nonsense that is 'at worst'. He was caught with testerone in his system (he claims he was sabotaged - only him and his 'saboteurs' know the truth there), worked with a coach who was known for cheating and he is now peaking in his mid 30s. Something doesn't add up.

[NYHibby]

Nonsense that is 'at worst'. He was caught with testerone in his system (he claims he was sabotaged - only him and his 'saboteurs' know the truth there), worked with a coach who was known for cheating and he is now peaking in his mid 30s. Something doesn't add up.

I don't think that contradicts my point. I said he failed one drug test for testosterone. As far as I know, he never skipped a test either and unlike Lance Armstrong it wasn't like the authorities were not testing for testosterone in the mid-2000s.

My point was that a single test more than eleven years ago does not affect the legitimacy of his title in 2017, and that the British public's vilification of Gatlin in 2017 is counterproductive.

I hope you take the same approach with Mo Farah:
He was caught skipping two out of competition tests (he claims he was asleep - only him and his team know the truth there), worked with a coach who was known for cheating and he is now peaking in his mid 30s. Something doesn't add up.

[Speedy]

I don't think that contradicts my point. I said he failed one drug test for testosterone. As far as I know, he never skipped a test either and unlike Lance Armstrong it wasn't like the authorities were not testing for testosterone in the mid-2000s.

My point was that a single test more than eleven years ago does not affect the legitimacy of his title in 2017, and that the British public's vilification of Gatlin in 2017 is counterproductive.

I hope you take the same approach with Mo Farah:
He was caught skipping two out of competition tests (he claims he was asleep - only him and his team know the truth there), worked with a coach who was known for cheating and he is now peaking in his mid 30s. Something doesn't add up.

The fact is he was found positive for something in 2006, he may or may not have done anything else since or before then so to say at worst he used testosterone cream once is nonsense.

Neither of us know whether he was unfairly sabotaged once or whether he has cheated continuously and fortunately never been caught.

Re the Farah straw man, I don't have any interest in him (or long distance running in general) but it's fairly common for the best marathon runners to be 30+ so it's not a great comparison.

[JeMeSouviens]

There is next to no chance that any of Gatlin's best times were achieved clean. And (shock, horror) there is also almost no chance at all that Usain Bolt has been running clean either:


https://www.quora.com/Is-Usain-Bolt-doping

https://medium.com/@tomnew/usain-bolt-lance-armstrong-and-the-duck-test-303b7b891e7e


Apart from Bolt, guess how far down this list you have to go for a run by a non-confirmed doper?


All-time men's best 100m

1 9.58 +0.9 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Berlin 16.08.2009
2 9.63 +1.5 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 London 05.08.2012
3 9.69 ±0.0 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Beijing 16.08.2008
3 9.69 +2.0 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1 Shanghai 20.09.2009
3 9.69 -0.1 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1 Lausanne 23.08.2012
6 9.71 +0.9 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 2 Berlin 16.08.2009
7 9.72 +1.7 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA New York City 31.05.2008
7 9.72 +0.2 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1rA Lausanne 02.09.2008
9 9.74 +1.7 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1h2 Rieti 09.09.2007
9 9.74 +0.9 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Ad-Dawhah 15.05.2015
11 9.75 +1.1 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1 Kingston 29.06.2012
11 9.75 +1.5 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 2 London 05.08.2012
11 9.75 +0.9 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1rA Roma 04.06.2015
11 9.75 +1.4 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1rA Lausanne 09.07.2015
15 9.76 +1.8 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Kingston 03.05.2008
15 9.76 +1.3 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Bruxelles 16.09.2011
15 9.76 -0.1 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Roma 31.05.2012
15 9.76 +1.4 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1rA Zürich 30.08.2012
19 9.77 +1.6 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Athínai 14.06.2005
19 9.77 +1.5 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Gateshead 11.06.2006
19 9.77 +1.0 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1rA Zürich 18.08.2006
19 9.77 +1.6 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1q1 Eugene 28.06.2008
19 9.77 -1.3 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Bruxelles 05.09.2008
19 9.77 +0.9 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1h1 Rieti 07.09.2008
19 9.77 +0.4 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1 Roma 10.07.2009
19 9.77 -0.3 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Moskva 11.08.2013
19 9.77 +0.6 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Bruxelles 05.09.2014
19 9.77 +0.9 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1s2 Beijing 23.08.2015
29 9.78 ±0.0 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Rieti 09.09.2007
29 9.78 -0.4 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1 London 13.08.2010
29 9.78 +0.9 Nesta Carter JAM 10.11.85 1 Rieti 29.08.2010
29 9.78 +1.0 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1rA Lausanne 30.06.2011
29 9.78 -0.3 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Monaco 17.07.2015
34 9.79 +0.1 Maurice Greene USA 23.07.74 1r3 Athínai 16.06.1999
34 9.79 -0.2 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Saint-Denis 17.07.2009
34 9.79 +0.1 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1 Bruxelles 27.08.2010
34 9.79 +1.1 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1h1 Clermont 04.06.2011
34 9.79 +0.6 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Oslo 07.06.2012
34 9.79 +1.5 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 3 London 05.08.2012
34 9.79 -0.5 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Beijing 23.08.2015
41 9.80 +0.2 Maurice Greene USA 23.07.74 1 Sevilla 22.08.1999
41 9.80 +1.3 Steve Mullings JAM 29.11.82 1 Eugene 04.06.2011
41 9.80 +1.8 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Eugene 24.06.2012
41 9.80 +0.6 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Bruxelles 06.09.2013
41 9.80 +0.1 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1rA Lausanne 03.07.2014
41 9.80 -0.5 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 2 Beijing 23.08.2015
41 9.80 +1.6 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Eugene 03.07.2016
48 9.81 ±0.0 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA Zürich 28.08.2009
48 9.81 +1.3 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Saint-Denis 04.07.2015
48 9.81 +0.2 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Rio de Janeiro 14.08.2016
51 9.82 -0.2 Maurice Greene USA 23.07.74 1 Edmonton 05.08.2001
51 9.82 ±0.0 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1rA Monaco 29.07.2008
51 9.82 +1.4 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Rieti 07.09.2008
51 9.82 +1.4 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Szczecin 15.09.2009
51 9.82 +0.6 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Roma 10.06.2010
51 9.82 +0.5 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA Lausanne 08.07.2010
51 9.82 ±0.0 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1r3 Zürich 08.09.2011
51 9.82 +0.1 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1 Berlin 11.09.2011
51 9.82 +1.8 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA Kingston 05.05.2012
51 9.82 +0.7 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1s1 London 05.08.2012
51 9.82 +1.7 Richard Thompson TTO 07.06.85 1r A Port of Spain 21.06.2014
51 9.82 -0.1 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1rA Linz 14.07.2014
51 9.82 +1.3 Christian Coleman USA 06.03.96 1h1 Eugene 07.06.2017
64 9.83 -0.3 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Stuttgart 22.09.2007
64 9.83 -0.5 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA Zürich 29.08.2008
64 9.83 -1.3 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 2 Bruxelles 05.09.2008
64 9.83 -0.5 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Ostrava 27.05.2010
64 9.83 +0.7 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1r2 Rieti 07.09.2014
64 9.83 +1.7 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1s1 Eugene 03.07.2016
70 9.84 +0.7 Donovan Bailey CAN 16.12.67 1 Atlanta 27.07.1996

[hibs#1]

There is next to no chance that any of Gatlin's best times were achieved clean. And (shock, horror) there is also almost no chance at all that Usain Bolt has been running clean either:


https://www.quora.com/Is-Usain-Bolt-doping

https://medium.com/@tomnew/usain-bolt-lance-armstrong-and-the-duck-test-303b7b891e7e


Apart from Bolt, guess how far down this list you have to go for a run by a non-confirmed doper?


All-time men's best 100m

1 9.58 +0.9 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Berlin 16.08.2009
2 9.63 +1.5 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 London 05.08.2012
3 9.69 ±0.0 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Beijing 16.08.2008
3 9.69 +2.0 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1 Shanghai 20.09.2009
3 9.69 -0.1 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1 Lausanne 23.08.2012
6 9.71 +0.9 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 2 Berlin 16.08.2009
7 9.72 +1.7 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA New York City 31.05.2008
7 9.72 +0.2 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1rA Lausanne 02.09.2008
9 9.74 +1.7 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1h2 Rieti 09.09.2007
9 9.74 +0.9 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Ad-Dawhah 15.05.2015
11 9.75 +1.1 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1 Kingston 29.06.2012
11 9.75 +1.5 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 2 London 05.08.2012
11 9.75 +0.9 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1rA Roma 04.06.2015
11 9.75 +1.4 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1rA Lausanne 09.07.2015
15 9.76 +1.8 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Kingston 03.05.2008
15 9.76 +1.3 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Bruxelles 16.09.2011
15 9.76 -0.1 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Roma 31.05.2012
15 9.76 +1.4 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1rA Zürich 30.08.2012
19 9.77 +1.6 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Athínai 14.06.2005
19 9.77 +1.5 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Gateshead 11.06.2006
19 9.77 +1.0 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1rA Zürich 18.08.2006
19 9.77 +1.6 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1q1 Eugene 28.06.2008
19 9.77 -1.3 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Bruxelles 05.09.2008
19 9.77 +0.9 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1h1 Rieti 07.09.2008
19 9.77 +0.4 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1 Roma 10.07.2009
19 9.77 -0.3 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Moskva 11.08.2013
19 9.77 +0.6 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Bruxelles 05.09.2014
19 9.77 +0.9 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1s2 Beijing 23.08.2015
29 9.78 ±0.0 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Rieti 09.09.2007
29 9.78 -0.4 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1 London 13.08.2010
29 9.78 +0.9 Nesta Carter JAM 10.11.85 1 Rieti 29.08.2010
29 9.78 +1.0 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1rA Lausanne 30.06.2011
29 9.78 -0.3 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Monaco 17.07.2015
34 9.79 +0.1 Maurice Greene USA 23.07.74 1r3 Athínai 16.06.1999
34 9.79 -0.2 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Saint-Denis 17.07.2009
34 9.79 +0.1 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1 Bruxelles 27.08.2010
34 9.79 +1.1 Tyson Gay USA 09.08.82 1h1 Clermont 04.06.2011
34 9.79 +0.6 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Oslo 07.06.2012
34 9.79 +1.5 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 3 London 05.08.2012
34 9.79 -0.5 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Beijing 23.08.2015
41 9.80 +0.2 Maurice Greene USA 23.07.74 1 Sevilla 22.08.1999
41 9.80 +1.3 Steve Mullings JAM 29.11.82 1 Eugene 04.06.2011
41 9.80 +1.8 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Eugene 24.06.2012
41 9.80 +0.6 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Bruxelles 06.09.2013
41 9.80 +0.1 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1rA Lausanne 03.07.2014
41 9.80 -0.5 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 2 Beijing 23.08.2015
41 9.80 +1.6 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1 Eugene 03.07.2016
48 9.81 ±0.0 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA Zürich 28.08.2009
48 9.81 +1.3 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Saint-Denis 04.07.2015
48 9.81 +0.2 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1 Rio de Janeiro 14.08.2016
51 9.82 -0.2 Maurice Greene USA 23.07.74 1 Edmonton 05.08.2001
51 9.82 ±0.0 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1rA Monaco 29.07.2008
51 9.82 +1.4 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Rieti 07.09.2008
51 9.82 +1.4 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Szczecin 15.09.2009
51 9.82 +0.6 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Roma 10.06.2010
51 9.82 +0.5 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA Lausanne 08.07.2010
51 9.82 ±0.0 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1r3 Zürich 08.09.2011
51 9.82 +0.1 Yohan Blake JAM 26.12.89 1 Berlin 11.09.2011
51 9.82 +1.8 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA Kingston 05.05.2012
51 9.82 +0.7 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1s1 London 05.08.2012
51 9.82 +1.7 Richard Thompson TTO 07.06.85 1r A Port of Spain 21.06.2014
51 9.82 -0.1 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1rA Linz 14.07.2014
51 9.82 +1.3 Christian Coleman USA 06.03.96 1h1 Eugene 07.06.2017
64 9.83 -0.3 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Stuttgart 22.09.2007
64 9.83 -0.5 Usain Bolt JAM 21.08.86 1rA Zürich 29.08.2008
64 9.83 -1.3 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 2 Bruxelles 05.09.2008
64 9.83 -0.5 Asafa Powell JAM 23.11.82 1 Ostrava 27.05.2010
64 9.83 +0.7 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1r2 Rieti 07.09.2014
64 9.83 +1.7 Justin Gatlin USA 10.02.82 1s1 Eugene 03.07.2016
70 9.84 +0.7 Donovan Bailey CAN 16.12.67 1 Atlanta 27.07.1996




Maurice Greene?

[Sergio sledge]

Maurice Greene?

Implicated in a doping scandal but never actually found guilty of doping. I'm thinking Donovan Bailey.

[JeMeSouviens]

Maurice Greene?

I think Greene's time is still officially recognised but ... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/sports/othersports/17track.html

[frazeHFC]

Delighted Gatlin got booed when he collected his medal. Watched the Usain Bolt documentary the other night, brilliant insight in to his career/life.

[hibs#1]

Makes you wonder about bolt,is he just a genetic freak?or has just never been caught can't be many sprinters in the last 20-25 years that haven't had allegation or a failed drug test.

[JeMeSouviens]

Makes you wonder about bolt,is he just a genetic freak?or has just never been caught can't be many sprinters in the last 20-25 years that haven't had allegation or a failed drug test.

I think athletics is like cycling was in the Armstrong era (and may well actually still be, I don't follow it so closely): there is so much drug use and the drug developers are always so far ahead of the testers that there's just no way a clean athlete can compete. The improvement in Bolt from 2007 (2nd in world 200m in fast but not stellar time) to 2008 (absolutely smashing every record in superhuman fashion and being miles ahead of a number of athletes we now know were doping) is just too big to believe he did it clean. He was already 21 in 2007 so his physical development was complete.

[Haymaker]

I think athletics is like cycling was in the Armstrong era (and may well actually still be, I don't follow it so closely): there is so much drug use and the drug developers are always so far ahead of the testers that there's just no way a clean athlete can compete. The improvement in Bolt from 2007 (2nd in world 200m in fast but not stellar time) to 2008 (absolutely smashing every record in superhuman fashion and being miles ahead of a number of athletes we now know were doping) is just too big to believe he did it clean. He was already 21 in 2007 so his physical development was complete.

I'm not sure if I care if he, or any other, sprinter/athlete is doping anymore. I kind of expect it. He ran some ridiculous races and it was entertaining.

[hibs#1]

If they are all doping surely just let it go?is it any different from using supplements?If doctors properly managed steroid use then surely it's safe enough.

I know people will say it's a bad example for young people,but in reality most track athletes get caught anyway.

[heretoday]

They're all at it.

[Danderhall Hibs]

They're all at it.

Surely Eilidh Child isn't? If she is she needs to change her dealer.

[The_Exile]

They should just let them all dope and we can watch them all fire round in under 6 seconds.

[Betty Boop]

One last time the relay .:not worth

[Jim44]

British win ....... Bolt pulls up.

[Hiber-nation]

Ah....that was amazing! Well done the relay team.

[McD]

Well done to the British team, beat at least 2 more favoured teams.

these championships have been very poor for Bolt, if he wanted to go out on top he should have maybe walked away after Rio last year.

[ano hibby]

I used to love watching athletics. I'm afraid now I watch feeling very sceptical about every performance. Sad place to be.

Some time ago David Walsh said:
We can't accuse because there's no evidence but we can't believe because there's no trust.
Sums it all up for me.

Farah responding to valid Q's with emotional response is a smokescreen in my mind (he's been called out on this on twitter I see).

[--------]

I used to love watching athletics. I'm afraid now I watch feeling very sceptical about every performance. Sad place to be.

Some time ago David Walsh said:
We can't accuse because there's no evidence but we can't believe because there's no trust.
Sums it all up for me.

Farah responding to valid Q's with emotional response is a smokescreen in my mind (he's been called out on this on twitter I see).



Yup. Olympic athletes these days are professionals, more 'professional' than the old professional runners like our own George McNeill ever were. And when financial gain is the name of the game for so many competitors ...

Farah's one of whom I'm now deeply suspicious, and his hissy fits when asked about the subject don't lessen my suspicions in any way.

But people have always been at it - the 1904 marathon, for example. The first guy declared a winner, one Fred Lorz, hitched a lift back to the stadium from the nine-mile mark in a car (when he was found out he claimed he had only been joking) and the guy who was actually awarded the gold medal, Thomas Hicks, only got over the line thanks to copious quantities of strychnine sulphate and brandy and the assistance of his trainers who carried him the last half-lap while he waved his feet around to make like he was running.

The organisers reckoned that this was OK, a decision perhaps not unrelated to the fact that both Lorz and Hicks were running for the good ol' U S of A, and the tournament was being held in St Louis, Missouri.

But that conclusion might be too cynical for words.

[Sergey]

Yup. Olympic athletes these days are professionals, more 'professional' than the old professional runners like our own George McNeill ever were. And when financial gain is the name of the game for so many competitors ...

Farah's one of whom I'm now deeply suspicious, and his hissy fits when asked about the subject don't lessen my suspicions in any way.

But people have always been at it - the 1904 marathon, for example. The first guy declared a winner, one Fred Lorz, hitched a lift back to the stadium from the nine-mile mark in a car (when he was found out he claimed he had only been joking) and the guy who was actually awarded the gold medal, Thomas Hicks, only got over the line thanks to copious quantities of strychnine sulphate and brandy and the assistance of his trainers who carried him the last half-lap while he waved his feet around to make like he was running.

The organisers reckoned that this was OK, a decision perhaps not unrelated to the fact that both Lorz and Hicks were running for the good ol' U S of A, and the tournament was being held in St Louis, Missouri.

But that conclusion might be too cynical for words.

Doddie - hear is an excellent thread that cements my (and your) thoughts on the matter.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=8385777

There's little doubt in my mind he's been at it all along.

[--------]

Doddie - hear is an excellent thread that cements my (and your) thoughts on the matter.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=8385777

There's little doubt in my mind he's been at it all along.



You really think so, Sergey? Amazing how fast he can run on clay feet.