SWIMMING BEEF is becoming the best story in Rio

[cali]

Everybody hates each other in the pool this Olympics and it’s made for better prime time entertainment than we could ever ask for. The general theme for this year: call out the cheaters. What comes next? Beat them to the finish line and trash them in the post-race interview. Damn, the Olympics are more fun when someone draws blood.

Mack Horton vs. Sun Yang — Winner: Mack Horton

Beef commenced with Australia’s Mack Horton beating the favorite, China’s Sun Yang, in the 400m freestyle. It started with a splash in the pool from Sun in a training session before the race that didn’t sit well with the Aussie. He told the media that he didn’t retaliate in any way because he "didn’t have time for drug cheats." Sun tested positive for a banned stimulant called Trimetazidine in 2014 and served a three-month suspension for it.


Then, Horton set the precedent that if you talked smack, you better back it all up. He did so by touching the wall 0.13 seconds faster than Sun to win his first gold medal. Sun took silver.

After the event, Sun was seen crying which triggered the phrase "Don’t Cry Sun" to trend on Chinese social media. Horton’s social accounts were flooded with messages to apologize to the hometown hero who won two Olympic golds in London.

But Australia’s chef de mission Kitty Chiller backed Horton, stating "We have no intention of making an apology," according to CNN affiliate Sky News Australia.

<snip>

http://www.sbnation.com/2016/8/9/12410936/olympics-2016-swimming-rivalries-michael-phelps-chad-le-clos-lilly-king

[Renew Deal]

1. Now we just need a swimming brawl

[Initech]

6. That I would watch!

[cleanhippie]

7. That's called water polo.

[Renew Deal]

9. lol

[SunSeeker]

2. The Aussies and US (King!) are doing a great job beating drug cheats for the gold.

[roamer65]

3. The Phelps - Le Clos ready room scene last night was priceless.

They may not like each other, but it really helped enhance the image of swimming as a competitive sport. Good entertainment.

[cyberswede]

4. "Kitty Chiller" - I'm jealous of that name.

[JaneyVee]

5. I read this headline and was expecting something completely different.

[GoCubsGo]

8. Me, too!

[pinboy3niner]

10. Why, what have you herd?

[Spider Jerusalem]

11. Yep, something like this: