Famous False Starts in Olympic Sports

SI Staff | Aug 29, 2011

Famous False Starts in Olympic Sports

Usain Bolt

Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

The world's fastest man shocked everybody by bolting out of the starting blocks just a bit too early. Usain Bolt was disqualified from the 100-meter final under a controversial false-start rule amended in 2010 by the IAAF. Previously, the first false start in a sprint would be a warning to the entire field and any subsequent false starts would result in DQs. Now, there are no warnings. All false starts are grounds for expulsion. Bolt actually false started in the semifinals of the 2009 world championships under the old rule, so he received a warning and stayed in the race. Video of Bolt's false start

Linford Christie

David Longstreath/AP

The 1992 Olympic 100-meter champion was disqualified under an even older false-start rule. At the Atlanta Olympics, any sprinter could false start once and get off with a warning. But Christie left early twice, delayed the competition by, at first, refusing to leave the track and was unable to defend his title from Barcelona. Video of Christie's false starts

Ian Crocker

Mark Baker/AP

Before Michael Phelps won an unprecedented eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics, he attempted the same feat at the 2007 world championships. Phelps was ultimately held to seven golds because of a teammate's mistake. Crocker (center) left the starting block too soon during the preliminaries of the 4x100 medley relay, disqualifying the U.S. Phelps was not part of the preliminary relay team, but he would have replaced Crocker for the final.

Jon Drummond

Richard Martin/AP

The "I did not move!" false start is infamous in track circles. Drummond protested his disqualification by storming into the infield, repeatedly yelling "I did not move!" in front of officials and laying on the track. His tantrum delayed the 100-meter final nearly an hour. Drummond left the track but then adamantly returned to the starting blocks, shaking his opponents' hands before finally walking off for good, blowing kisses to the crowd and fighting back tears. Video of Drummond's false start

Silken Laumann

Ruth Fremson/AP

Yes, there are even false starts in rowing. Laumann, a three-time Olympic medalist for Canada, was disqualified after two false starts in the single sculls final at the world rowing championships in Indianapolis. Laumann was favored to win gold. The championships were marred by some 60 false starts overall.

Park Tae-hwan

Junji Kurokawa/AP

Park Tae-hwan became an overnight star by winning South Korea's first Olympic swimming title as an 18-year-old at the 2008 Olympics. But those were his second Games. Park's inauspicious debut at the 2004 Olympics was over before it started. He fell into the pool prior to the starter's gun sounding in the preliminaries of the 400 meters, the same event he went on to win in 2008.

Ian Thorpe

Reuters

Like Park, Thorpe had an epic fall in 2004. Thorpe disqualified himself from the 400 meters at the Australian Olympic Trials, which sent shockwaves across the swimming world. The would-be favorite for the Olympic title didn't even make the Australian Olympic team in the event. But teammate Craig Stevens stepped aside, giving up his spot to the Thorpedo, who went on to win the event in Athens, defending his title from 2000.

Marianne Timmer

Dusan Vranic/AP

The most recent false-start flare-up at the Winter Olympics came in Turin, where Dutch superstar Marianne Timmer was disqualified from speedskating's sprint event. Timmer was fueled by the disappointment and went on to win the 1,000 meters, her third career Olympic gold medal.

John Capel

Doug Mills/AP

There was no false start called at the 2000 Olympic 200-meter final, but John Capel wished there was. The University of Florida wide receiver was the fastest qualifier into the final. An admitted terrible starter, he overtly flinched on the starting blocks a split-second before the race started. The race went on, and Capel was stuck in the blocks and had a reaction time of .348 seconds, nearly .15 slower than everybody else in the field. Capel had no chance of recovering and finished in last place.