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In this week’s episode of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, ProPublica’s David Epstein joins Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin to discuss Usain Bolt’s speed and bravado, Wayde van Niekerk’s 400-meter world record, and the theoretical limits of human performance. Mike Pesca then joins Josh, Stefan, and David to talk about the dominance of American swimmers. Finally, Slate’s Jessica Winter joins the show to discuss allegations of abuse against gymnastics coaching legends Bela and Martha Karolyi.
Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:
- Follow David Epstein on Twitter and buy his book The Sports Gene.
- Josh and Slate politics editor Tommy Craggs ranked Usain Bolt’s best races.
- Bolt looked both ways and grinned while winning his 100-meter semifinal.
- After winning gold in the 100-meter dash for the third time, Bolt said he expected to perform better.
- South African runner Wayde van Niekerk set a new world record in the 400 meters.
- In FiveThirtyEight, Allison McCann wrote about Ethiopian runner Almaz Ayana’s margin of victory in her world-record-setting 10,000-meter win.
- One of Ayana’s rivals accused her of doping and said the win was “too easy” for her.
- Ayana responded to doping accusations by saying “my doping is Jesus.”
- Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky are major reasons the U.S. is so good at swimming.
- U.S. swimmer Simone Manuel’s reaction to winning gold in the 100-meter freestyle.
- Read Jessica Winter’s in Slate on how famed gymnastics coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi allegedly abused elite gymnasts.
- Follow Jessica on Twitter and buy her new book Break in Case of Emergency.
- Read former U.S. gymnast Dominique Moceanu’s memoir Off Balance.
- The Indianapolis Star published a report about how USA Gymnastics turned a blind eye to sex abuse allegations.
Hang Up and Listen’s weekly Uladzislau Hancharous:
Mike’s Hancharou: Why am I getting into so many arguments about the Olympics (and about swimming in particular)?
Stefan’s Hancharou: After the 100-meter dash, Twitter grappled with Usain Bolt’s speed.
Josh’s Hancharou: Slate’s June Thomas wrote about how mixed-gender swimming relays could happen. Track and field? Not so much.
On this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Slate intern Laura Wagner joins to talk about U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo and why the U.S. women’s soccer team would be better off without her. Visit slate.com/hangupplus and try it free for two weeks.
Podcast production and edit by Mickey Capper.
Our intern is Laura Wagner.
You can email us at hangup@slate.com.
