Olympic swimmers making their entrance wearing headphones

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TheJasperCo

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2012
4,612
Exeter
Whatever helps them get into the winning mentality. Normally they acknowledge the crowd at the end of the race anyway, especially if the do well. Although, the British athletes going out there ought to appreciate the partisan crowd before the race.
 












Camp Freddy

Member
Sep 23, 2004
90
Wiltshire
I don't care what 'zone' you are trying to get yourself into, its downright disrespectful to the crowd. Take them off please.

This. The day footballers start to walk on the pitch wearing headphones to get motivated or in the zone or whatever, is the last time I go and spend my hard earned cash watching football.
 






Billy the Fish

Technocrat
Oct 18, 2005
17,594
Haywards Heath
I don't care what 'zone' you are trying to get yourself into, its downright disrespectful to the crowd. Take them off please.

Why should an olympic swimmer give two shits about the crowd?

They're not there just to entertain you, they're trying to win a gold medal for our country so they can do whatever the f*** they like
 






halbpro

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2012
2,902
Brighton
I'm fine with it, they want to be focussed to win their race. If I was in their situation and I felt it helped me then I'd do the same.
 




HastingsSeagull

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2010
9,432
BGC Manila
When we made it to the proper national schools championship for swimming not just south of England regionals, there was a pretty big crowd and certainly got pumped up. Set one of my best ever times. You'd think it would pump them up too given the sheer scale of an olympic crowd! I was never good enough to qualify from the counties but my mate said similar at the (non schools) Nationals. Even at county level you got a couple of hundred + people shouting and it all echoed around and spurred you on. Few nerves are a good thing in races no?
 




Southwick_Seagull

Well-known member
Oct 8, 2008
2,035
Why should an olympic swimmer give two shits about the crowd?

They're not there just to entertain you, they're trying to win a gold medal for our country so they can do whatever the f*** they like

Summed it up pretty well. They've spent at least 4 years focusing on this Olympics, their whole lives near enough working to win a goal medal, if they think having headphones on is going to give them any kind of advantage in achieving that then quite frankly i'm sure they couldn't care less whether a crowd, most of whom probably have never been to a swim meet, think it's rude.

When we made it to the proper national schools championship for swimming not just south of England regionals, there was a pretty big crowd and certainly got pumped up. Set one of my best ever times. You'd think it would pump them up too given the sheer scale of an olympic crowd! I was never good enough to qualify from the counties but my mate said similar at the (non schools) Nationals. Even at county level you got a couple of hundred + people shouting and it all echoed around and spurred you on. Few nerves are a good thing in races no?

All down to the individual though surely. Some thrive on it, for others it might freak them out. If they focus all year with just them and their coach in a pool, going to swim events with a few hundred people there and all of a sudden you're hearing 17,000 people or however many it is in the Olympic venue it could totally freak you out. Focus on your job, enjoy the crowd after.
 


Brian Fantana

Well-known member
Oct 8, 2006
7,551
In the field
Why should an olympic swimmer give two shits about the crowd?

They're not there just to entertain you, they're trying to win a gold medal for our country so they can do whatever the f*** they like

Nail. Head.

Absolutely LUDICROUS thing to get wound-up about. For these swimmers, the Olympics are the pinnacle of their careers, and they are entitled to prepare in any way that they see fit.

Would the OP prefer Adlington to make sure she singled him out specifically in the crowd, but won no medal, or came in wearing headphones and won gold?
 


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