Sporting Greats

[BIG H]

Jonathan Edwards is definitely an all-time great.

However, in recent years I have a problem with some of these sporting events. How many people have actually ever attempted the triple jump? Compared with running or golf or tennis - sports millions do - the triple jump can only be done by a tiny number. It's basically an athletic sport you do if you're shit at the popular ones.

Literally millions of people play snooker in this world. Is being the triple jump champ really more impressive than being a snooker champ?

I think it's pretty much for sure that more people would be able to become good snooker players rather than Tripple Jumpers

Only because less people triple jump.

It doesn't cost anything to do a short run and jump anywhere on earth. Yet only a tiny number participate in the sport.

Is being the best at something nobody does really that impressive?

(As well as being a complete an utter cunt I am drunk as fuck)

Nope, becuase only a small percentage of people have the physical make up to ever be able to do that, not matter how mcuh they train. It's not just like a long jump, to be able to expolde out of each phase is amazing to me. Bill Werbinik was able to become a world class snooker player. If I played 8 hours a days sicne I was six , Im pretty sure I could become a very good snooker player. I would NEVER be able to be a very good triple jumper

[ICB]

Jonathan Edwards was a pretty fast runner aswell, alot faster than most of the Triple Jumper's i've seen, also his technique was just f****** superb. Also how abou Eric Liddell ? Chariot's Of Fire was what got me into track and field.

[ruthless rocco]

wilt.jpg

100 points scored in a single game...
over 10000 chicks banged in his life.

[Beanz]

Tanni Grey Thompson

35 World Records
11 Paralympic Gold Medals
4 Paralympic Silver Medals
1 Paralympic Bronze Medal

2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze World Championships
Won the London Female Wheelchair Marathon 6 times

[Fenster]

Hmm... I don't agree with any of this.

Jonathan Edwards is a FAILED sprinter. That's why he did the triple jump.

I've seen people live in snooker clubs that couldn't make a 50 break.

Literally MILLIONS of people go running everyday, if a few of them attempted the skip and jump, i'm certain we'd find an impressive leaper. The fact is - no one ever attempts the triple jump because no one cares about it (I had a go when I was a kid, it aint that hard).

[Andre]

Hmm... I don't agree with any of this.

Jonathan Edwards is a FAILED sprinter. That's why he did the triple jump.

I've seen people live in snooker clubs that couldn't make a 50 break.

Literally MILLIONS of people go running everyday, if a few of them attempted the skip and jump, i'm certain we'd find an impressive leaper. The fact is - no one ever attempts the triple jump because no one cares about it (I had a go when I was a kid, it aint that hard).

I think we need the ring of fire at the start and also the pit with the salt water crocodiles introduced at the mid way point just to spark this shit up a bit.

Lions would improve the sprints .

[Master]

Hmm... I don't agree with any of this.

Jonathan Edwards is a FAILED sprinter. That's why he did the triple jump.

I've seen people live in snooker clubs that couldn't make a 50 break.

Literally MILLIONS of people go running everyday, if a few of them attempted the skip and jump, i'm certain we'd find an impressive leaper. The fact is - no one ever attempts the triple jump because no one cares about it (I had a go when I was a kid, it aint that hard).

Then you will know it is much harder than it looks. If someone could easily excel at the discipline then they would have done it by now.

[Memphis]

If Jonathan Edwards is crap how shit does that make Daley Thompson? Ewards is a shit runner and jumper so had to do them together, Thompsons so bad he had to add some throwing events in.

Sergie Bupka, he's shit as well, no one tries pole vault.

If you want to see what happens when Joe Bloggs has a crack at a sport that looks a piece of piss see Eddy Edwards.

[BIG H]

Hmm... I don't agree with any of this.

Jonathan Edwards is a FAILED sprinter. That's why he did the triple jump.

I've seen people live in snooker clubs that couldn't make a 50 break.

Literally MILLIONS of people go running everyday, if a few of them attempted the skip and jump, i'm certain we'd find an impressive leaper. The fact is - no one ever attempts the triple jump because no one cares about it (I had a go when I was a kid, it aint that hard).

It aint all about speed. You try running at full speed and doing the hop phase and see if you can then launch into the 2nd phase without 'clapsing' it takes super human ankle and leg strength - I am 99% certain that almost anybody (able bodied) in the world could theoretically be trained (let's say they had Stepehn Hendrey for 12 hours a day for 10 years training them) to do a 60 or 70 break. You cannot say the same for the Triple jump! Only a very small precentage are predisposed to that type of athletic capability.

[Dia bando]

Daly Thompson that's a blast from the past.

[Mattyhitman]

Ed Moses the 400m hurdler was a phenom in his time on the track !

Contentious one here, but one thats been discussed on another thread:

Phil 'The Power' Taylor, greatest darts player ever to address the oche!

If Archery is in the Olympics, then why not darts ?

[Mattyhitman]

Tanni Grey Thompson

35 World Records
11 Paralympic Gold Medals
4 Paralympic Silver Medals
1 Paralympic Bronze Medal

2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze World Championships
Won the London Female Wheelchair Marathon 6 times

Good shout.

She's from neck of the woods too, a great ambassador for sport from the North East.

[Beanz]

Tanni Grey Thompson

35 World Records
11 Paralympic Gold Medals
4 Paralympic Silver Medals
1 Paralympic Bronze Medal

2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze World Championships
Won the London Female Wheelchair Marathon 6 times

Good shout.

She's from neck of the woods too, a great ambassador for sport from the North East.

She is. I thought she was Welsh though?

[Fenster]

I'm not a Triple Jump expert so I looked it up. This is how two coaches start their articles -

"Triple jump technique is much like the game hop scotch that young children play"
Triple Jump Technique and Training

And

"ANYBODY can triple jump"
How to Triple Jump: 10 steps - wikiHow

An able bodied person could easily make a mediocre pathetic jump, with years of training, just like the snooker player making a 50 break.

Eddie the Eagle is a prime example of what I'm talking about. Check this out - "Edwards first represented Great Britain at the 1987 World Championships, and was ranked 55th in the world and this performance qualified him, as the sole British applicant, for the 1988 Winter Olympics ski jumping competition."

So even though he was utter toilet he was only 54 places behind the WORLDS best ski jumper and competed in the worlds greatest ski jumps competition. Sports nobody do. ()

[Memphis]

I'm not a Triple Jump expert so I looked it up. This is how two coaches start their articles -

"Triple jump technique is much like the game hop scotch that young children play"
Triple Jump Technique and Training

And

"ANYBODY can triple jump"
How to Triple Jump: 10 steps - wikiHow

An able bodied person could easily make a mediocre pathetic jump, with years of training, just like the snooker player making a 50 break.

Eddie the Eagle is a prime example of what I'm talking about. Check this out - "Edwards first represented Great Britain at the 1987 World Championships, and was ranked 55th in the world and this performance qualified him, as the sole British applicant, for the 1988 Winter Olympics ski jumping competition."

So even though he was utter toilet he was only 54 places behind the WORLDS best ski jumper and competed in the worlds greatest ski jumps competition. Sports nobody do. ()

Im not sure what the 2 links are designed to prove? I could clock a 100m time just as easly as I could set a distance for triple jump, Im no more Usain Bolt than I am Jonathan Edwards. Just because a skill is basic it doesnt mean becoming a world class peformer in either is easy.

Eddy Edwards was shit, he remained shit and didnt qualify for another Olympics due to them making a radical change to the qualification process, they insisted that you were good at it. If Eddy Edwards strolled onto the slopes and won gold he'd be the perfect man to make your point. Unfortunately the only point Eddy Edwards is good for making is that in an event with 54 registered atheletes becoming the 55th best is a piece of piss.

Jonathan Edwards wasnt the 55th best at what he did, he was and still is he best nearly 20 years later.