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what is an olympic alternate?
Posted: 21 May 2018, 03:24
by jamamb
seen this term a lot, especially by americans. lots of prospects say they were olympic alternates or get reported as such
but these days boxers have to qualify internationally to get a spit in the olympics. they cant just be named an alternate by there national team and get to jump in immediately if the guy who did qualify pulls out.
did it used to be different?
i post here because the amateur section is super slow
Re: what is an olympic alternate?
Posted: 21 May 2018, 12:08
by SenorPipino
Isn't he the fighter in waiting in case the actual team member is suddenly unable to participate.
He used to be the Olympic trials runner-up. The famous story of Mathis beating Frazier in the 1964 trials final, but had to withdraw because of a broken thumb.
Frazier, as the runner-up and alternate, went to Tokyo instead and captured gold.
Re: what is an olympic alternate?
Posted: 21 May 2018, 12:18
by oogiebe
SenorPipino wrote: ↑21 May 2018, 12:08
Isn't he
the fighter in waiting in case the actual team member is suddenly unable to participate.
He used to be the Olympic trials runner-up. The famous story of Mathis beating Frazier in the 1964 trials final, but had to withdraw because of a broken thumb.
Frazier, as the runner-up and alternate, went to Tokyo instead and captured gold.
Yes...!
Re: what is an olympic alternate?
Posted: 21 May 2018, 18:49
by ldlamb
I think in The old days, like 1990s and earlier, America was usually guaranteed a spot and the alternate would step in if the trials winner couldn’t compete.
Now that they have to qualify, I think the idea is still the same, but now he is an alternate to step in and try to qualify if the trials winner gets hurt or turns pro during before the qualifying is done.
Re: what is an olympic alternate?
Posted: 21 May 2018, 19:22
by Best Coast
SenorPipino wrote: ↑21 May 2018, 12:08He used to be the Olympic trials runner-up. The famous story of Mathis beating Frazier in the 1964 trials final, but had to withdraw because of a broken thumb.
Frazier, as the runner-up and alternate, went to Tokyo instead and captured gold.
The Olympic alternate is STILL the Olympic Trials runner-up, but the policy hasnt been necessary to use in recent OGs.
Here's another interesting story about Olympic alternates. After losing a decision in the 1984 OTs to Henry Tillman, 17-year-old Mike Tyson was Olympic alternate at 200 pounds and took part in the Olympic Training Camp with other Olympians and their alternates. An interesting confrontation took place at camp between Tyson and LH Olympian Evander Holyfield that had bearing on their first pro fight 12 years later. As one of the biggest guys at the OTC Tyson was used to having his way at the rec room pool table by intimidating the smaller fighters...until Holyfield came along.
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/throwba ... rge-willis
Their second showdown wasn't physical, but just as intense. It happened over a pool table. Tyson had control of the table until he scratched while trying to make the eight ball. He wasn't happy, believing that he hadn't really lost the match. Tyson was reluctant to yield to the next player: Holyfield.
Holding a cue stick, Tyson dug out the cue ball and stood as if he wasn't going anywhere. That prompted Holyfield to grab his own cue stick and stare at Tyson with the Holyfield snarl.
The stand-off may have lasted five seconds, but it seemed like five minutes of not knowing whether the two chiseled athletes were going to brawl right then and there. "F--- it," Tyson said, throwing his cue stick and the cue ball on the table before heading back to his room.
To this day, Tyson says he has no recollection of their showdown over a pool table. "I don't know nothing about that," he said. But Holyfield felt he'd scored a huge psychological victory. "I'm not scared of him and he knows I'm not scared of him," Holyfield said to himself. Even then, Holyfield was confident he could take Tyson in the ring.
As Holyfield said many times in the leadup to Holyfield-Tyson I...
"When you stand up to a bully, he always backs down."
Re: what is an olympic alternate?
Posted: 22 May 2018, 17:26
by Nile4000
Aaron Pryor, Davey Moore, Hilmer Kenty, and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad were Olympic alternates.