It's not a choice.

The middle lanes are considered best because that's where the fastest qualifiers and hottest competition will be. The outer lanes are 'usually' not worth worrying about as they are not 'usually' a threat. I use the word usually loosly as Kieren Perkins won that 1500m race in Atlanta from lane 8, the slowest qualifier.
Don't forget, it's hard to see the other lanes while your swimming.

Hackett is still a legend.

I would think having people on your left and right lets you see whats going on better. If you're in front, don't suppose that makes much difference!

As Mantas said, it is hard to see anyone other than the lanes either side of you. So, from lane 4, it wold be almost impossible to see someone in the outer lanes. Add to that - most swimmers breathe on just one side, so if the wide out swimmer is on the "blind" side, it's harder.

Hacks could easily have believed that he was in front, even though the other guy was, in fact, ahead, just because they were separated by 4 or 5 lanes.

I would just swim as best I could regardless of what lane I was in or what others were doing. Don't they do that?

In his post race interview, he said that he didn't see him until there was 300m to go. The Tunisian gave a mighty surge and put a body length on Hackett in 50 meters (which Hackett didn't see. It's not an excuse and he didn't put it forward that way. it was a brilliant tactic and all part of racing.
He is still the world record holder for the 1500m and if he had just done the same time as in his heat, he would of won.

In the old style pools the outside lanes used to be more affacted by back wash from the waves hitting the sides of the pool. Might not be much of a problem these days, but when you're measuring to 100th's of a second, it might matter.

How about Bolt's 100m? Really don't understand how he could be doing anything different to what Lewis was doing 20 years ago but still run more than .1 of a second faster. Amazing.

Those Jamaican sheilas can run bloody fast. !

oh yeah, the blokes go all right, too.

50m rifle. Last shot, Emmons, 2 points ahead and hits a 4.4. what a collapse.

Emma Snowsil wins the gold in the triathlon, Emma Mofatt bronze. Australia has been denied victory in this event since it started in the Sydney olympics in 2000. Silver in Sydney, silver in Athens. It makes the win so much sweeter.


P.S. I am also interested in other countries achievements but national pride is at fever pitch at the moment.

That win by the Boomers (Aussie Men's Basketball) over Lithuania today was AWESOME.

After some pretty poor form by the Boomers during their Olympic campaign thus far, and many of their star players failing to fire nor mesh with other team members well to put together lots of good plays, they have really fired on all cylinders today.

Based on form and how good Lithuania have been in the European leagues in recent years, this game was looking like we would cop quite a beating.

WELL DONE BOYS!

Now, onto the yanks in 2 day's time.. Where we will get soundly smashed in return.

BTW

ABC am radio, which is 1233 on the dial here in the Hunter/Newcastle region of NSW has been very good regarding Olympcis 2008 coverage.

Certainly not constant nor a huge amount of coverage, but still quite a lot, both during 11am-3pm daytime, as well as some evening/nighttime broadcasts.
In fact, they have switched between some big Aussie highlight events most days very well!

Sure they called the aerial ping pong sometime during the weekend like they always do, but you get that.

Been very impressed with much that 1233 am ABC radio has done the past few years, very cool.

I listen to them all the time ssar.
During the big storms in June 07 they broadcast information 24/7 non-stop. They should have been formally recognized for that.

Sorry

Why didn't Eamon Sullivan win gold in Beijing?

Because he stopped eating rice.

go 1223!

and the aussie triathlon sheilas rocked! well done, ladies..

I am loving the table tennis and the kayaking

ha ha , we are coming third in the world now.. oi oi oi..

That is pretty good for a country with xx million people.
Against countries with xxxx million/billion people..

Correct Rag-Doll.
And if you notice Olympic pools these days are usually 10 lanes wide with the 1st and 10th lane unoccupied...this also lessens the problem. They progressed from hard drains to pools where the edges had the water lap over to these extra laned pools. And it does make a difference in competition to be in an old style edge of the pool lane.

You would also notice that some of the swimmers swim right over to the edge of thier lane in the drag of the swimmer beside them - happened to our Aussie Medly relay girls - although they hung on for the win...this 'dragging off another swimmer' is simmilar to bikes riding in each others drag zone and helping each other out with one taking the lead at a time, however there is not a heap of 'sharing' the workload in the pool....

[quote=MamabearYou would also notice that some of the swimmers swim right over to the edge of thier lane in the drag of the swimmer beside them - happened to our Aussie Medly relay girls - although they hung on for the win...this 'dragging off another swimmer' is simmilar to bikes riding in each others drag zone and helping each other out with one taking the lead at a time, however there is not a heap of 'sharing' the workload in the pool.... [/quote]

Torres was showing her age a bit by doing that amd it looked a little bit like Hakket and the other guys were doing a bit of this. The younger swimminers don't seem to do it as much, perhaps because they're used to it being less of an issue with the new ropes. Though that said, I read or heard somewhere that a recent international swim meet in Melb(I think) had substandard lane ropes because of sponsor requirements, so I guess it shows you never know, getting close to the guy next to you might win you the race.

Am I the only one who hasn't watched even 1 second of the Olympics?

There is at least 2 of you Go Native (Mrs Lin).
I dont watch much myself either, but definitely more than a second.

Not at all GN. I watched the final 10mins of the women's triathlon in the level 3 lunch room of a corporate building in the city. There were loads of fat arsed office workers munching on donuts and showing no interest in the TV. I think one guy looked up when the commentator yelled out "it's gold for Australia"

Ironically the whole of level three, including the lunch room we were in, was decked out in olympics paraphernalia, banners, sign, slogans everywhere. The theme was the olympics but the spirit was zero.

That is just SAD Mantas!!

Don't get me wrong - I am not rushing home from work to stick the telly on, but when I am home I keep the telly going in the background so I can catch up on the highs and lows for all, and the big wins for Aus.