Athletics - what happened to "fastest loser"

Discussion in 'Bulletin Board' started by Farnham_Red, Aug 16, 2022.

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  1. Farnham_Red

    Farnham_Red Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    I noticed during the commonwealth games,and its continuing in the European championships, that the best of those who finish outside the automatic qualification places but still go through as the fastest of the rest are no longer referred to as "fastest losers".

    Instead the term seams to be " fastest non automatic qualifiers".

    For example
    Its the first 3 from each heat + 4 fastest losers that advance to the next round
    becomes
    the first 3 from each heat +4 fastest non automatic qualifiers that advance to the next round

    Its a real mouthful for the commentators to say

    Anyone know why the change - is it some wierd PC initiative because if you finish 4th you aren't a loser you just weren't quite fast enough even though you did your best?

    Is it just the BBC or are other channels doing the same - does anyone know?
     
    Farnham_Red, Aug 16, 2022
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  2. Stephen Dawson

    Stephen Dawson Well-Known Member

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    I hate it when they say somebody wins a silver medal or a bronze. You win a gold.
     
    Stephen Dawson, Aug 16, 2022
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  3. JamDrop

    JamDrop Well-Known Member

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    It’s a bit of a mouthful but you’re not really a loser if you’ve gone through to the final with everyone else. They might not know at the exact moment their race ended that they’d done enough to qualify but they still actually had. It’d be like calling whoever gets promoted through the play offs ‘best loser’. I don’t think anyone would call the team getting promoted a loser when they’ve actually gone up and, as you allude to with the PC comment, it sounds a bit harsh. The real problem with it though is that the term wasn’t correct, they didn’t lose anything, they qualified, just the same as the ones who came 2nd and 3rd who also didn’t ‘win’.
     
    JamDrop, Aug 16, 2022
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  4. Ses

    Sestren Well-Known Member

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    Was anybody else bad enough at sport as a kid that they're the proud owner of a 'most improved player' award?
     
    Sestren, Aug 16, 2022
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  5. dreamboy3000

    dreamboy3000 Well-Known Member

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    They will all be getting a participation medal soon.
     
    dreamboy3000, Aug 16, 2022
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  6. Ses

    Sestren Well-Known Member

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    And why not? Getting to an international tournament in the first place is a significant achievement.
     
    Sestren, Aug 16, 2022
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  7. Hooky feller

    Hooky feller Well-Known Member

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    I once won young player of year award in our local sunday team. I was about 16, the rest were 30+ if it helps. :);)
     
    Hooky feller, Aug 16, 2022
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  8. Farnham_Red

    Farnham_Red Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    At the risk of coming over all @Stephen Dawson - if you come 4th in your heat you didnt win - therefore you are a loser surely or am I missing something?
    Dont get me wrong to come 4th in a finals heat or semi finals is something really quite impressive but the person who comes 4th in the final has lost even though its a great achievement - I agree you win a bronze medal despite losing the race but your dont win just missing out on the medals - you lost.
     
    Farnham_Red, Aug 16, 2022
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  9. lk3

    lk311 Well-Known Member

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    Gotta disagree on this, at the outset there is a Gold, Silver & Bronze prize to be won.
     
    lk311, Aug 16, 2022
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  10. Stephen Dawson

    Stephen Dawson Well-Known Member

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    The team that finishes 6th in the Six Nations get a Wooden Spoon. They don't win the Wooden Spoon.
     
    Stephen Dawson, Aug 16, 2022
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  11. lk3

    lk311 Well-Known Member

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    No because that’s not a prize you are striving to win. So not the same comparison
     
    lk311, Aug 16, 2022
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  12. Stephen Dawson

    Stephen Dawson Well-Known Member

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    You can only have one winner though.
     
    Stephen Dawson, Aug 16, 2022
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  13. lk3

    lk311 Well-Known Member

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    Correct, but not what you said though m8
     
    lk311, Aug 16, 2022
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  14. Red

    Red-Taff. Well-Known Member

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    With any heats there aren't winners/losers - only qualifiers or non-qualifiers. (a qualifier may well have performed better than an automatic qualifier from another heat.)

    I think the BBC whose Sports coverage is brilliant is now using the correct terminology.
     
    Red-Taff., Aug 16, 2022
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  15. Stephen Dawson

    Stephen Dawson Well-Known Member

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    I don't know why they bother with fastest losers anyway. Just put the British athletes on a plane and send them home after they get their PB. Joking aside thankfully they aren't that bad that every interview they're nursing a niggle, happy to get their PB and glad to compete. Times have changed.
     
    Stephen Dawson, Aug 16, 2022
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  16. JamDrop

    JamDrop Well-Known Member

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    The only point of the qualifying races is to qualify though. If there are X amount of qualification spots and the person who goes through gets one, then what have they lost? If it was the final then fair enough as the point is the medal but your opening post only spoke about the qualifying heats where the point is to qualify - which they did, whether that was in 3rd place or 4th - they’re through and therefore didn’t lose.
     
    JamDrop, Aug 16, 2022
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  17. JamDrop

    JamDrop Well-Known Member

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    Extra points if anyone got one for ‘most effort’, don’t need to have even improved.
     
    JamDrop, Aug 16, 2022
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  18. Mid

    Mido Well-Known Member

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    I also got sportsman of the year which translated as turned up every week but was crap.
     
    Mido, Aug 16, 2022
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  19. Stephen Dawson

    Stephen Dawson Well-Known Member

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    I once got a "good try" in a piece of science homework.
     
    Stephen Dawson, Aug 16, 2022
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  20. JamDrop

    JamDrop Well-Known Member

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    I got one of those! ‘Club colours’ at uni. It meant I got to go to a fancy meal with a free bar so I’ll take it :D
     
    JamDrop, Aug 16, 2022
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