¶2012 OG: mHJ–Ivan Ukhov (Russia) 7-9¾ (2.38)

[pakillo]

How could they came up with 2.25-2.29-2.33???!!! That ruined the final! We are not in 1993.

I don't understand it either. Why such a steep progression when that progression is never being used in a normal meet?

Ukhov clears 2.36 in his first attempt, that should wrap up the gold.

and that's why we have THREE bronze medalists! STUPID!

[proofs in the pudd'in]

The picture NBC used of Ukhov is hilarious --- esp witht the commentary.

http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/playe ... ov/1351737

'Ukhov doesn't have any previous Olympic experience, but he briefly became an Internet sensation during a meet in Switzerland in 2008 - well before he'd accomplished much as a high jumper. Then 22, Ukhov wobbled toward the bar and collapsed onto the mat, unable to jump because he was drunk on what was later discovered to be a combination of Red Bull and vodka.'

[highjumpfan]

Between Ukhov and Harting, London may be dry by tomorrow! Congrats to both of them.

[IFK_Vaxjo]

I still wonder what happened whit his shirt during 2,33. All of sudden it was gone and he had to jump in his t-shirt..
Anyone heard an explanation?

[j-a-m]

I don't understand it either. Why such a steep progression when that progression is never being used in a normal meet?

Yeah, that's the point, where's the consistency?

[andyjgt]

Between Ukhov and Harting, London may be dry by tomorrow! Congrats to both of them.

So Harting likes his drink as well then? (German lagers are quality so I can't blame him.)

Which pub? I'll join 'em.

[lapsus]

I still wonder what happened whit his shirt during 2,33. All of sudden it was gone and he had to jump in his t-shirt..
Anyone heard an explanation?

He was just warming up until 2.33 and switched shirts after that?

[Per Andersen]

Ukhov, my goodness! How about that desperate shirt search through that mess of clothes. These things only happen to Ukhov. And the first time clearance at 2.33 in his back-up shirt. He has now fulfilled his awsome talent. Could not get a feel for how wet the track was when he cleared 2.38. Don't think he wore HJ shoes.

But Drouin for shared bronze, even topped T&FN's projections. I had a faint hope.
It sure helped with the first time clearance at 2.29 when it next went to 2.33.

Unfortunately for Drouin he uses some unhelpful arm movements going into the take-off. He has both arms straight back already in his third last step, instead of his second last. When he brings the arms forward again, he stops them before the take off. So he just loses speed.

Canada with 2 jumpers in the top 8, quite impressive. Mason actually came quite close in his last attempt at 2.33.

[gh]

Okay, so what's the protocol when somebody loses their shirt in the middle of the competition?

so long as he remains in something that is his team's he's OK (believe me, I asked)

[gh]

T&FN formchart
1. Ivan Ukhov (Russia)
2. Andrey Silnov (Russia)
3. Jesse Williams (USA)
4. Robbie Grabarz (Great Britain)
5. Derek Drouin (Canada)
6. Aleksandr Shustov (Russia)
7. Trevor Barry (Bahamas)
8. Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar)
9. Guowei Zhang (China)
10. Erik Kynard (USA)

This event loves to contradict form charts. Someone gets hot and that's it.

but we got lucky; our winner won, and half of our chart won medals!

balls-of-steel award to Kynard for understanding how the game had to be played with his jumping ahead of Ukhov, and twice passing at a PR height after an opening miss.

[Marlow]

Kinard looking good.

Not to be Debbie Downer, but that may be a bad thing. He has a hard time stringing good performances together.

Motion to strike, please. The jury will disregard the statement.

[marknhj]

Ukhov, my goodness! How about that desperate shirt search through that mess of clothes. These things only happen to Ukhov. And the first time clearance at 2.33 in his back-up shirt. He has now fulfilled his awsome talent. Could not get a feel for how wet the track was when he cleared 2.38. Don't think he wore HJ shoes.

But Drouin for shared bronze, even topped T&FN's projections. I had a faint hope.
It sure helped with the first time clearance at 2.29 when it next went to 2.33.

Unfortunately for Drouin he uses some unhelpful arm movements going into the take-off. He has both arms straight back already in his third last step, instead of his second last. When he brings the arms forward again, he stops them before the take off. So he just loses speed.

Canada with 2 jumpers in the top 8, quite impressive. Mason actually came quite close in his last attempt at 2.33.

I was impressed with both Canadians tonight. But Drouin's arm action is amateurish and an absolute detriment to maintaining his speed into take off. He would definitely have potential to jump higher if he used a more standard technique. He almost reminded me of Cloete. Although I hoped Grabarz would win with pb, I'm actually delighted for Ukhov.

[gh]

not to play amateur shrink too much, but based on the close-in shots I had on Grabarz throughout the competition, his body language suggested the weight of a nation. Last Saturday, I fear, has actually made the pressure worse for the Brit athletes, sted of better.

[tm71]

not to play amateur shrink too much, but based on the close-in shots I had on Grabarz throughout the competition, his body language suggested the weight of a nation. Last Saturday, I fear, has actually made the pressure worse for the Brit athletes, sted of better.

From a pro shrink it did look that way. He looked impressive over the first two heights in the final and in the qualifying round. When it came time to clear 2.33 he rushed his attempts and seemed to jumping too far off the bar. However I don't think he would have been able to beat ukhov who finally had a big day outdoors on the big stage.

[CookyMonzta]

How could they came up with 2.25-2.29-2.33???!!! That ruined the final! We are not in 1993.

I don't understand it either. Why such a steep progression when that progression is never being used in a normal meet?

Ukhov clears 2.36 in his first attempt, that should wrap up the gold.

and that's why we have THREE bronze medalists! STUPID!

Did i read right? This equals the 1992 outcome, with 3 for the bronze (Sotomayor gold, Sjöberg silver)

[lovetorun]

Jesse Williams picked the wrong meet to have an off day...

[Marlow]

Jesse Williams picked the wrong meet to have an off day...

We could have connected the dots from the Olympic Trials. (Not that I did.)

[Mighty Favog]

I noted elsewhere that probably three of five medalists and five of the top eight have significant experience competing in nasty weather. Kynard is from Toledo, Nieto went to college just 30m north at Eastern Michigan, then two Canadians and a Brit.

[Per Andersen]

I noted elsewhere that probably three of five medalists and five of the top eight have significant experience competing in nasty weather. Kynard is from Toledo, Nieto went to college just 30m north at Eastern Michigan, then two Canadians and a Brit.

I did not get to watch enough to get a clear picture of the conditions. But Ukhov has been a terrible"'rain jumper" and Silnov has been quite good in the rain. It seemed both Williams and Silnov had timing issues. In Silnov's 3 attempt at 2.29 he actually got much too close. It was a good attempt but he hit it going up. Williams was way off, no chance for a clearance in his last attempt.

I am very familiar with Mike Mason and his jumping and he can jump well in the rain but today he almost set a 2 cm PB in his 2nd attempt at 2.33. His coach in Abbotsford BC, Ziggy Szelagowicz has done wonders for him this year. You don't easily change,improve your clearance technique at age 26.

There is still room for improvement in Kynard's rotation but what a jumper!

[Rog]

Really happy that Robbie got a medal, hopefully the first of many. Ukhov is a deserving winner, though

[nicest person ever]

Ukhov, my goodness! How about that desperate shirt search through that mess of clothes. These things only happen to Ukhov. And the first time clearance at 2.33 in his back-up shirt. He has now fulfilled his awsome talent.

LOL I know, right!?!?

I'm sorry I can't help it but I just fucking LOVE this guy. All his absurd weirdness and unprofessionalism is somehow kind of endearing to me. I guess it's because I have simply gotten bored of the Johny Unitas style clean cut, always-appropriate types of dudes who seem so PG-rated for the whole family. Finally a guy who would actually be fun to party with, the type of guy who makes chairmen of boards and committee members all around the world flushed with anger and insultedness/offendedness with his every movement and action he ever does in life, but in the end he's like "Fuck ALL yall bitches, I'ma just TAKE this shit! MUAAAAHAHAHAHAh, WHATS UP NOWWWWW!?!?!?!?"

Well good for him! Nice to see that even weirdos can get it done, you don't have to be the stereotypical traditional athlete type of persona to do well. In the end, if you have the talent, and you put in the hard work, and you want it as badly as anyone else, that's what matters, and good things CAN come your way! NICE!!!

[mump boy]

Why do IAAF hate High Jumpers so much ??

Firstly we have a ludicrous A standard of 2.31 and now we have such a steep progression that it kills the competition

2.20
2.25
2.29 !!
2.33 !!
2.36
2.38

medals were won on the 3rd hight !!

not only does it ruin the competition totally but it makes it REALLY boring

[Gabriella]

This ^^^

The HJ is usually one of the best events to watch because of the tactics and passes etc. But jumping up by 4cm instead of 3, it does made it a very disappointing final. They are trying far too hard to streamline and shorten the field events that it's killing some of them.

[pakillo]

Why do IAAF hate High Jumpers so much ??

Firstly we have a ludicrous A standard of 2.31 and now we have such a steep progression that it kills the competition

2.20
2.25
2.29 !!
2.33 !!
2.36
2.38

medals were won on the 3rd hight !!

not only does it ruin the competition totally but it makes it REALLY boring

Agreed. 2cm difference after 2.36!!! Totally ruined competition. I hope for better in women's HJ.

[Barto]

Is there now any doubt Cliff Rovelto is the best HJ coach in the world?

[Per Andersen]

Is there now any doubt Cliff Rovelto is the best HJ coach in the world?

Yeah, world's best in the US

[Mighty Favog]

Banner headline in Kynard's hometown paper, the Toledo Blade, says he cleared "7.64 feet".

As a high school math teacher, I quietly wept.

[Alan Shank]

Banner headline in Kynard's hometown paper, the Toledo Blade, says he cleared "7.64 feet".

As a high school math teacher, I quietly wept.

That's quite correct, actually; if you are not going to use the real measurement, why bother to convert .64 feet to inches?

Cheers,
Alan Shank

[Diego Sahagún]

Why do IAAF hate High Jumpers so much ??

Firstly we have a ludicrous A standard of 2.31 and now we have such a steep progression that it kills the competition

2.20
2.25
2.29 !!
2.33 !!
2.36
2.38

medals were won on the 3rd hight !!

not only does it ruin the competition totally but it makes it REALLY boring

Agreed. 2cm difference after 2.36!!! Totally ruined competition. I hope for better in women's HJ.

The problem was not 2 cm after 2.36 because there was only an athlete jumping that height. It was a 4 cm move from 2.29, wich made it difficult for almost all the high jumpers. That's why there were three bronce medalists. Another thing is what Kynard tried to do for winning the competition...

[Barto]

Is there now any doubt Cliff Rovelto is the best HJ coach in the world?

Yeah, world's best in the US

What other coach has 3 different medalists in the last 5 olympics?
(Not to mention Nieto's 4th and 6th.)

[Per Andersen]

Is there now any doubt Cliff Rovelto is the best HJ coach in the world?

Yeah, world's best in the US

What other coach has 3 different medalists in the last 5 olympics?
(Not to mention Nieto's 4th and 6th.)

I just thought that on the night Ukhov put on the most incredible HJ exhibition of the century and demonstrated his absolute superiority and the top US jumper failed miserably your claim that Rovelto must be the top HJ coach in the world sounded a bit tone deaf.

[Powell]

Is there now any doubt Cliff Rovelto is the best HJ coach in the world?

Yeah, world's best in the US

What other coach has 3 different medalists in the last 5 olympics?

Someone from Russia, possibly?

[pakillo]

Why do IAAF hate High Jumpers so much ??

Firstly we have a ludicrous A standard of 2.31 and now we have such a steep progression that it kills the competition

2.20
2.25
2.29 !!
2.33 !!
2.36
2.38

medals were won on the 3rd hight !!

not only does it ruin the competition totally but it makes it REALLY boring

Agreed. 2cm difference after 2.36!!! Totally ruined competition. I hope for better in women's HJ.

The problem was not 2 cm after 2.36 because there was only an athlete jumping that height. It was a 4 cm move from 2.29, wich made it difficult for almost all the high jumpers. That's why there were three bronce medalists. Another thing is what Kynard tried to do for winning the competition...

That's exactly what I thought.
Almost like having 5.60 and then 5.80 in the PV.

[Barto]

Is there now any doubt Cliff Rovelto is the best HJ coach in the world?

Yeah, world's best in the US

What other coach has 3 different medalists in the last 5 olympics?
(Not to mention Nieto's 4th and 6th.)

I just thought that on the night Ukhov put on the most incredible HJ exhibition of the century and demonstrated his absolute superiority and the top US jumper failed miserably your claim that Rovelto must be the top HJ coach in the world sounded a bit tone deaf.

So, I suppose at last year's world championships Rovelto also had a poor showing when only one of his athletes took the gold medal? Twisted logic to blame the coach for a single athlete's poor performance when the other 2 athletes from the same coach jumped very well.

[marknhj]

Barto - with respect, would it be possible not to bring this nationalistic nonsense into HJ discussions? The naked jingoism that has polluted so much of this board is bad enough already. And Per is right.