Topic: Olympic RE-view

[Dave Chiu]

Hello!!

I finally decided to start re-watching the archived sessions of the Games.

Fortunately the video is far more smooth than it was last month -- either my computer has upgraded, or the NBC service is much better.

I decided to watch all the women's sessions first...

... WOW, the 48's, 53's, and 58's are SO AMAZING!!

Ozkan (TUR) was the highlight of the 48's for me, her intensity and joy were tremendous.  The POL, CAN and FRA girls also really impressed (the first two were victimized by bad judging), and Chen X-X was great.

In the 53's I was glad to see Melanie Roach go 6 for 6, but couldn't shake feeling that she was good for 3+ AR's rather than the single she was allowed.  I was most impressed by the GER (what a sharp-lifting, intense cutie), KOR (a true limit lift on her last), and BLR lifters.  The last was so touchingly emotional at the awards ceremony...

The 58's were truly FABULOUS!!  The POL lifters were great (the stronger making the two most strenuous attempts I can remember), the ROM teenager awesome, the PRK, ECU and ALB (who celebrated her amazing final lift w/ the handstand split) were way inspiring, and Chen Y-Q's lifts were glorious.

Your favorites?

[Jim Hooper]

Atypically for me, the men's supers.  Chigishev was a stud, and Steiner's story and performance will be hard to forget.

[Danny Nemani]

Good picks Dave and Jim.

Personally, I liked Armanu in the 105s and Ilin in the 94s.  Both dominated from their first attempts.

And Steiner's story was what movies are made of, one of my favourite moments of all time.

[Paul LaDuke]

My vote would be for the 105+ weight class because of the parity and the drama.  No other weight class was as uncertain going in with at least 4 different lifters favored by various fans on WE.  The snatch competition was outstanding with only 1 missed snatch by the top 7 lifters.  That is a 20 for 21 performance by those 7 lifters.  The only miss was by the eventual gold medalist, Steiner, leaving him 7kgs behind Chigishev.  The clean and jerks got interesting.  I felt Chigishev was a bit conservative, but with a big lead after the snatch being conservative is smart.  Going 3 for 3 put the pressure on Scerbatihs and Steiner.  I wish I knew the whole story behind Scerbatihs not attempting his 2nd attempt.  But then Steiner making that huge jump for the gold and then nailing it was surreal.  Chigishev was a class act and Steiner's reaction was fun to watch.

No other weight class had that much drama or intrigue.  While the level of weightlifting may have been better, the competititon is what made it fun!

[ryankyle]

The most interesting thing about this olympics for  me was the young age of the mens champions.  They average 21.6 years for the gold medalists.  The "old man" of these champions was Xiangxiang Zhang in the 62kg as he was 25.  The only two other olympics in the biathalon era that were even close to this olympics were 1980 and 1992 where the average ages of the champions were 24.7 years. 
      My favorite classes were the 56kg and the 105kg.  Watching Long Quingquan dominate the 56kg class with a smile on his face and only a little sweat showed he lifted well within himself and looked more like he was toying with the weights.  His only miss at 164 looked like a miss due to overcofindence rather than being too heavy.  He was there to put on a show and he did a good job of entertaining.
     In the 105kg Aramnau abused his older competitors.  He won by a dominating 13kg and gave the impression that he could have done whatever he needed to win and then some.  He moved like a machine every movement looking the same as the one before no matter what weight he was lifting.  His movement under the barbell is something to be emulated.
     Liu Chunghong at 69kg deffinately left and impression on me - not just because she shattered the World Records with ease but watch on the replay and you'll notice she does not move at all from the center of the platform where she begins lifting except on her last clean and jerk.  She stays perfectly centered on the platform even when breaking a world record in the snatch by 5kg!  No walking with lifts or extra movement at all - truely amazing.
Ryan     

[Dave Chiu]

Thanks Gents!!

I'm so psyched to watch all the rest over coming weeks.

Overall, I agree, but what I'm looking for here is the other gems -- even among non-medalists.

The ones that make you go "Oh yeah, I can't believe I forgot that" or "Wow, I wish I'd seen THAT before".

One of the greatest developments in recent Olympiads is the change from the anticlimactic GO-SI-BR (that lasted for over 100 yrs), to the crescendo of BR-SI-GO.  It reminds you of how cool all that preceded the victorious lifts were -- how much more worthy the gold is for what it surpassed.

It has also been really cool to see the victors who would take a mini podium lap congratulating the other medalists on their way to the top tier.

Anyway, re-watch your favorite session, or go in order like I am, and ring in w/ the gems you find (gold medal details welcome too, but the others are numerous).

Let's glory in all that Denis Reno won't have space to note -- he's one of the greatest contributors to our sport, but he does have space limits we can exceed here.

Thanks again!!

[AlekoKouva]

And Steiner's story was what movies are made of, one of my favourite moments of all time.

I would love to see a movie about weightlifting

I liked chigishev...the guy is so light for 105+....i heared the most he was ever able to weight was 130(estimation)...he says he cant keep weight on....after reaching 130(estimation) he began droping weight without doing anything...and the guy looks good for a 105+..if he can weigh 130-135 he would rock...

what do u guys think about the next 4 years...i think we got a taste of future superstars with armanau....

[Tom Weary]

The only movie centered on Olympic lifting I've ever seen was "The 500 Pound Jerk" starring Alex Karros, an ABC Movie of the Week from back in the '70s - really cute love story about a huge redneck discovered by James Franciscus who lifts in the Munich games and falls in love with a Russian gymnast.

Great lifting at Beijing with many close battles and outstanding lifts - 77, 85, 94, etc.  Rigert coached some great lifting at 105 and 105+.

The most inspiring moment for me was the British girl in the 58 B session.  She pulled a back muscle on her first snatch attempt, and then came back and made another snatch, only to be in too much pain to try a third.  She then came back and made all three jerks, the last one screaming in pain, almost begging for a down signal.  The most grit I've ever seen displayed on the platform.  No medal stake, just British pride.