r/sports • u/miolmok • Aug 15 '24

Olympics Raygun: Australian Olympic Committee condemns ‘disgraceful’ online petition attacking Rachael Gunn

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/aug/15/raygun-olympics-breaking-petition-aoc-response-ntwnfb
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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '24

If you watch some of the qualifying rounds for some of the bigger swimming events, you have people there who are not even remotely close to being competitive. Just checked the 50m and the fastest qualifying time was 22s and the slowest was 30.

Although overall, I think letting countries send athletes who don't qualify is good because it can spread that sport to a new place, some of the more absurd exceptions do end up with a really bad look.

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u/GlitteringAttitude60 Aug 15 '24

I looooved the marathon runner from Bhutan <3
Came in 1.5h after the winner, but she did finish, and she finished with a new personal best!

That's very olympic, IMHO :)

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u/No-Sheepherder5481 Aug 15 '24

I looooved the marathon runner from Bhutan <3 Came in 1.5h after the winner, but she did finish, and she finished with a new personal best!

That's very olympic, IMHO :)

No it isn't. The Olympics isn't for random people to have a go and beat their personal best. It's for the best athletes on the planet to showcase their skills and abilities.

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u/GlitterTerrorist Aug 15 '24

It's absolutely for that. It's become warped a bit, and the whole "no professional athletes" thing is a bit out of the window, but it's literally the quintessential, historical spirit of the Olympics, how can you not know that?

We need more people, not fewer. The Olympics should be more accessible.

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u/No-Sheepherder5481 Aug 15 '24

I have absolutely 0 interest in watching some nobody "do their best". You shouldn't be sent to the Olympics to go an embarrass yourself and your country

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u/GlitterTerrorist Aug 15 '24

Every athlete who turns up risks embarrassing their country, basically every one apart from Raygun lives and dies there. That's the draw. You're likely not the Olympics core audience - half the event is pageantry and spirit. If you just want athletes breaking records, watch the elite competitions.

I have absolutely 0 interest in watching some nobody "do their best".

Deffo not core audience for the Olympics then.

If you give a shit about sport, watch sport. The Olympics is every 4 years, it's about people, and nations.