Field Theory by Hadyn Green

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Field Theory: Did you see that?

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  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Great Men's team Gymnastics yesterday. Some pretty incredible performances

    Yes . I thought for a moment there that Emma Hart must have been knitting furiously :) I was impressed.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Bob Munro,

    I was just watching Burmester pipped for a medal in a time of 1:54.35, a New Zealand and Commonwealth record on the TVNZ third stream and have just discovered the actual TV feed failed and on one watching TV saw the race.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    I was just watching Burmester pipped for a medal in a time of 1:54.35, a New Zealand and Commonwealth record on the TVNZ third stream

    So can I assume that means American Gold and no medal for Aussie?
    (can't watch at work)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    So can I assume that means American Gold?

    Not just American gold. According to Stuff:

    With the win in his signature event, the 200 metres butterfly, Phelps became the greatest Olympian in history, his ten gold medals surpassing the likes of "Flying Finn" Paavo Nurmi, Americans Carl Lewis and Mark Spitz, and Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina, who each won nine golds.

    Well that ends that argument :-)

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    Also just as a side note: Freestyle means you can swim that race (or leg) in any style you want. It's just that the front crawl is the fastest, so everyone uses that.

    Not necessarily. The rule is that freestylers must surface within 15 m of starting a lap and swim with part of their body above the water. Guess because it makes better TV to have the swimmers visible even if it is possible to stay submerged and go faster.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Bob Munro,

    From BBC.

    "US swimmer Michael Phelps became the greatest Olympic athlete in history, winning his 10th gold medal with victory in the 200m butterfly.

    Phelps claimed his fourth gold medal of the Beijing Olympics and 10th of all time in a world record of 1:52.03.

    The 23-year-old beat Hungary's Laszlo Cseh and Japan's Takeshi Matsuda."

    Burmester was 4th equal after leading first 50m and always in contention. Great swim.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Great swim.

    It was. Won't be celebrated much at home without a medal, I'm guessing, but under the circumstances he did very, very well.

    Post-swim interview was unsurpringly poor, though.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Post-swim interview was unsurpringly poor, though.

    "So you didn't win. How did that make you feel?"

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Anyone worked out how to fix Firefox for TVNZ's Olymic vids? I installed silverlight, but it still doesn't work.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Another contender for a Colemanballs award (copyright Private Eye): John McBeth referred several times last night to the swimmer from Czechoslovakia. Has he been doing this for the last four Olympics?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    The rule is that freestylers must surface within 15 m of starting a lap and swim with part of their body above the water. Guess because it makes better TV to have the swimmers visible even if it is possible to stay submerged and go faster.

    That's freestyle too? I thought that was one (or more) of the other strokes. Damn. That would be cool.

    Speaking of which, let's note NZ success in a non-Olympic sport. A world record from Wellington architect Kathryn McPhee of 151m swum underwater (single breath, not fin-assisted). I could probably only just swim 151m, just thinking about doing it underwater...

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    "So you didn't win. How did that make you feel?"

    It's not confined to NZ

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Josh Addison,

    I wonder if the likes of Mike McRoberts etc. actually believe that all the scenes in LOTR were real too…

    Indeed - who remembers the Barcelona opening ceremony, and the newsreaders breathlessly informing us later how the flaming arrow never actually landed in the fire? Like they'd have left that in any way to chance.

    Onehunga, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 298 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    The rule is that freestylers must surface within 15 m of starting a lap and swim with part of their body above the water...

    That's freestyle too? I thought that was one (or more) of the other strokes.

    I think it's all strokes. And there's a rule about how many kicks and strokes you can do underwater at the turns. I think that's a big factor in Phelps' success is the "ground" he makes up underwater.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I think it's all strokes. And there's a rule about how many kicks and strokes you can do underwater at the turns. I think that's a big factor in Phelps' success is the "ground" he makes up underwater.

    Also the most efficient kick you can do underwater is the butterfly kick. You're allowed to do one of those at each turn, regardless of the stroke.

    I need a physicist to explain why it's more efficient to swim under the water without your arms, than above the water with your arms. Logic would have told me to get to the surface of the water fairly quickly.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    who remembers the Barcelona opening ceremony, and the newsreaders breathlessly informing us later how the flaming arrow never actually landed in the fire? Like they'd have left that in any way to chance.

    I'd alwasy figured that although it didn't land in it, with the fumes of the thing, it almost certainly ignited it anyway.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    I'd alwasy figured that although it didn't land in it, with the fumes of the thing, it almost certainly ignited it anyway.

    And we all remember Muhammad Ali burning his arm in Atlanta

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    I need a physicist to explain why it's more efficient to swim under the water without your arms, than above the water with your arms. Logic would have told me to get to the surface of the water fairly quickly.

    Waves and turbulence slow you down faster than friction. Most of that action happens at the surface.

    Also, thanks to your propulsion to get to the turning point, under the water there should be a slight current pulling you back the other way.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I could probably only just swim 151m, just thinking about doing it underwater...

    I was slightly obsessive about underwater swimming as a kid -- I could get to the end of the local 25m pool (with a dive) and part way back. And that was a long way. 151m is just ... wow.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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