Did Semenya hold back at the 800m final?

antowan

antowan

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I cannot believe nobody in the mainstream media is talking about this.

Did she or didn't she hold back for silver in the 800, final at the Olympics?

Sure as hell looked like it to me!
 
Instructions from coaching staff. She simply left her sprint for too late...
 
It must be noted that her time was near the same as the semis less than the Russian winner.
 
Was her quickest time this season so I say no. Was a peculiar race, agreed but she finished 2nd behind a flying Russian who set the fastest time this year and has been the fastest over 800m for the last 2 years.
 
Spanner meet works:

She was paid a lot to hold back to avoid the controversy...:D

I don't believe this, but it is bound to come up...
 
It's possible that the rest of the field ran too hot trying to stay in touch with the race leader.
 
It was her best time this season, and she had some stiff competition from the Russian, but I can't help but feel that she could have done better - maybe even won - had she started that final sprint earlier. She looked like she still had a lot left in her when she crossed the finish line, although as an outside observer I can't really say for sure.

Edit: the thought that she held back to avoid more controversy did cross my mind, though.
 
She looked as if she just went for a jog in the park...

Can't believe she didn't stay with the leaders after the first lap...
 
Just watched the replay again, and it seems that Caster's strategy hinged on there being a close group upfront. She didn't bank on Savinova sprinting to an outright win...
 
antowan said:
I cannot believe nobody in the mainstream media is talking about this.

Did she or didn't she hold back for silver in the 800, final at the Olympics?

Sure as hell looked like it to me!
Click to expand...

She ran a season best and she was abiding by a strategy, which almost worked out. Whether she could've stuck with the leaders and maintained the pace, the entire race through is debatable but she didn't hold anything back in the last 300 metres or so.

DJ... said:
Instructions from coaching staff. She simply left her sprint for too late...
Click to expand...

Pretty much this.

SinghDude said:
She looked as if she just went for a jog in the park...

Can't believe she didn't stay with the leaders after the first lap...
Click to expand...

Rubbish. Most sport analysts are putting it down to the strategy and her possible stamina from only recently coming back into some sort of form. She messed up her timing in the race but otherwise she gave it her best. If she had gone out hard with the rest of the field and then faded towards the back and finished poorly like most of the field, then people would've had a go at her for going out too hard or not being good enough.

Lets just be proud of her for giving her best and getting a silver, i.e. being the second best 800m runner in the world. This happening despite the pressure, controversy and a lack of some sort of stable form.
 
Any reason as to why she showed no form coming into the Games ?

Iv watched her run and finish last in some of the meets preceding the Olympics...


And surprise n surprise she runs a good time in the semi's ???


Its bull**** to think that she didn't know what she was doing !!!

The 800m is her only event, she knew exactly what she was doing...

She has been on the scene for a while...inexperience and other excuses are not good enough.

There is a possibility that there would be greater media scrutiny had she won gold in a fast time...

So settling for silver is a start and a new lease of life with less controversy...
 
sand_man said:
It's possible that the rest of the field ran too hot trying to stay in touch with the race leader.
Click to expand...

I think this is the case. The pace was faster than expected at the start. Unlike the other runners, Semenya stuck to her plan and I think it paid off for her.

Remember, she is only 21. Her gold medal will come ;)
 
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SinghDude said:
Yeah... She has another 2/3 olympic games left in him.
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Did you catch the Olympic commentators referring to Caster as a "He"? Thought that is quite embarrassing, then again those commentators are dumb as hell.
 
Also noted her times for semi's and finals after the race on the web. It was her SB, done twice.

She looks a bit heavy though (body build) compared to the other runners. Anyway, her strong finish helped her. She looks as if she could easily better that time - but stamina seems to be an issue. Though she looked fresh at the finish line.

Seen on FB:

Caster won Silver on purpose >:/...
Coz a gentleman always let's a lady come first!
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I Trololol'd :D
 
waynegohl said:
Do 2nd place finishers get tested for any illegal substances?
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All medalists and about 50% of the participants will be tested, plus they keep their samples for 8 years in case new techniques are developed to test for current illegal substances.
 
I think she held back, but it might be due to a strategy that her coaching staff had presented her which backfired in the final analysis.
But her Silver Medal is nothing to sneeze at and is a remarkable accomplishment in itself!
 
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