Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 (+1) - Athletics Programme - July 30th to August 8th - Day 1

[philipo]

Well, Dina has herself, in my opinion, one of the *easier* semi finals. Out of the field she's up against in semi final 1, only Elaine Thompson-Herah would be considered a genuine threat. Pinto peaked in the morning heats, I don't believe Okagbare will get into the low 10.80's needed to trouble Dina, and Prandini is better over 200 m. Plus, Asher-Smith was definitely reserving her effort for the later rounds. I distinctly remember a certain Mr Bolt ambling to a 10.05 or thereabouts in the 100 m heats at London 2012 while several of the other contenders blitzed significant sub 10 times.... I think folks know what happened next.

Expect to see DAS run either a low 10.80 or into the 10.70's for a new British record.

Here is the start lists for those semi finals btw.... https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olym...nl-000100-.htm

you meant Del Ponte not Pinto.

[philipo]

I note that the TF Forum are worrying they wont have a finalist in the womens 100m. What? humility on that Forum? What fun.

[philipo]

Looking at the womens 5k heats very soon, i think that in the second heat,e McColgan should have a reasonabl run to qualify as a top 5, if she copes ok with the heat.

[carterhatch]

Honestly... I dont think I can get up every night at 3am -ish, desperately flicking from channel to channel trying to find any live athletics that BBC kindly squeeze in between their sporting sycophancy, only to hear Colin Jackson babble and discover one of my predictions NM ... it will be the straw that breaks my already fragile mental health ... thank you for listening. (As I write this the Beeb are showing two of the Olympics most deserving sports, Golf and Footie, it says it all)

[Grassmarket]

Was a bit of a mess this morning. ES1 had the early heats, but once the swimming started it went off. There was actually a continuation stream hidden away deep on the ES/Discovery app, but not visible on the front page.

[Occasional Hope]

Don't. Record it (on both channels) and watch at your leisure fast forwarding through the rubbish. I don't think Colin Jackson is there this year anyway if that's any comfort.

[drobbie]

well just paid £7 for discovery after the crap womens football has been on bbc for an hour

[Grassmarket]

It's the only way, frankly. Dedicated streams for every single field event also, as far as I can see.

[LoveSprints1]

Thanks for the heads up have just signed up - was searching desperately for the track races!

[drobbie]

hopefully cancelling wont be too difficult after the olympics

[trickstat]

Given the heat and humidity it is sobering that those in heat 2 of the W5000 need to break 15:00 to qualify if they are not in the first 5.

I can see a lot of Brits and others from temperate climes struggling at events above 1500 here.

[philipo]

Given the heat and humidity it is sobering that those in heat 2 of the W5000 need to break 15:00 to qualify if they are not in the first 5.

I can see a lot of Brits and others from temperate climes struggling at events above 1500 here.

glad i am not the only one to note that we saw most of the heats and all the finals live in the swimming; who is making these appalling decisions not to bother with the heats live and you might be lucky to see live tracka nd field by coincidence. Have to follow it on text mostly i realise and i dont have my computer next to my TV. Massive disappointment.

[RunUnlimited]

Disaster for McColgan!

She was well on her way to qualifying, and then she got clipped a couple of times from behind and she suddenly went backwards.

[Grassmarket]

McColgan spiked, that is it.

[trickstat]

Looks like Eilish McColgan may have got badly spiked with 600 to go and has gone 'out the back'.

[Christy93]

Spike/trip wouldn't help, but it looked like Eilish was beginning to struggle before it happened. Weather is definitely going to a big factor. Great running from the young Italian.

[RunUnlimited]

Spike/trip wouldn't help, but it looked like Eilish was beginning to struggle before it happened. Weather is definitely going to a big factor. Great running from the young Italian.

Nah, McColgan was in 4th place and running comfortably, then she got clipped/spiked. She would have qualified for sure otherwise, in the top 5.

[trickstat]

I think without that McColgan would have been through because if she hadn't been top 5 she would have been close enough to go through on time.

[LuckySpikes]

Fabulous run by Nadia Battocletti. Also delighted that Ririka Hironaka (still just 20yo) was rewarded for taking Heat 1 on and making the final as a little q with a 3.5s PB.

[philipo]

Spike/trip wouldn't help, but it looked like Eilish was beginning to struggle before it happened. Weather is definitely going to a big factor. Great running from the young Italian.

so British. Yes its hot and humid but no excuses ; from a woman who ran 14.28 not long ago. Well she will have another chance in the 10 k but i am not holding my breath.

[trickstat]

Christy is the only one watching who thought that McColgan was struggling before the incident. Being passed just after it did take the wind out of her sails.