What are the rules at the Olympics in relation to relay batons - can the Yanks cover theirs with velcro?

Question

I watched the relay semis & nearly fell off my recliner laughing, when both the US mens AND women's 4x100m relay teams botched their last baton changes.

Jeez it made for good viewing, don't you think?

I wonder what the relay coaches will be doing next week - hunting through the situations vacant columns in the local newspapers, i should think!

Answer 1

Or maybe stickum.

Answer 2

Ha ha ha....I, at least, can see you are taking the mickey here!

Who is complaining & being thin-skinned because you referred to the US athletes by a common nick-name? Get on with life girlie & stop letting petty thing bother you. Isn't there a war time song named "The Yanks Are Coming"? or something like that? Composed & sang by US personnel.

Anywayy, it was soooooo funny to see them drop the batons & their reactions afterwards. I'm sure a couple of the participants still aren't speaking to each other!

Answer 3

Blu-Tack would be less obvious

Answer 4

It appeared that they didn't know the basics of passing the baton. To care bear stop calling the Japanese, j**s and the Chinese, chinks ,as many of your countrymen have done.

Answer 5

Just let me tell you that there are several rules regarding baton exchanges in relay races in track....whether in the Olympics or in international competitions.

The basic rule is that the baton must be exchanged within a marked 20-meter zone. 20 meters is equivalent to about 66 or 67 feet...so it is not much.

If the exchange goes past the 20-meter line, the whole team is disqualified...and it doesn't matter if the team finishes 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.

If the exchange goes before the 20-meter line, same result....the whole team is also disqualified.

If the baton is dropped within the 20-meter line and the team decides not to finish the race, technically the team is also disqualified...but in correction, they get a "did not finish"...a DNF. But having a DNF in relay races because you drop the baton is, especially in the Olympics, is very devastating...almost like what happened to Lolo Jones. By rule, the person dropping the baton has to pick it up and then pass it to the next person....but still have to exchange it within the 20-meter zone.

I hope these rules will help you greatly when you see the relay races. Baton exchanges are rather fast....the runner in front goes full-speed...about 20 mph to pick up the pace of the runner behind him who goes at about the same speed. All of that takes about 2-3 seconds.....the exchanges are fast but the rules need to be followed.

Good luck, I say, to all of the remaining USA relay race competitors in Beijing who yet are to complete the races.

Answer 6

1st off stop calling us yanks this isn't the fricken 1800's get with the times. It did look funny I have to agree with you on that one.

I don't use those term so I don't appreciate people using those term towards me. I don't give a c**p about my so called countryman.

Answer 7

I don't think modifications are allowed to be made to the batons, so I think it would be illegal. Even though it would likely ensure the baton would not be dropped, I think it would actually make the transfer more difficult.