Elise Christie

Discussion of all things non-11 Plus related

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
streathammum
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 6:02 pm

Re: Elise Christie

Post by streathammum »

KCG, you are correct, you did not make the comment about the eyelashes. Your dislike is purely down to her losing (crumbling, apparently) and not being apologetic enough about it.

Look, we're not going to agree on this. I think that she's had a fantastic career overall and has more than justified the investment in her training. I don't think she should 'own' mistakes she doesn't agree with just to keep people happy. I'm devastated for her. I'm disappointed by how keen you and others are to judge her and find her wanting.

Scary Mum, sorry if I jumped on your comment. The eyelashes aren't to my taste, but young people will do young people things.

ETA, KCG, you've always been kind and tolerant in your previous posts, but this is not a kind thread. This thread is, basically, she lost two finals, ha ha, I never liked her anyway. It doesn't seem like you.
Last edited by streathammum on Tue Feb 20, 2018 2:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
loobylou
Posts: 2032
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Re: Elise Christie

Post by loobylou »

I am not sure she always crumbles under pressure (she has won all the world championships I believe) but my other half said the same thing about her.
I think that she just comes across as extremely young and defenceless and without much resilience (like a teenager instead of a grown woman). I warm to her far more when she is interviewed later on when she has considered what's happened and got her head round things.
At the time, I too find her a bit annoying if I'm honest - I'm trying not to show that at home though because part of me thinks that the "life goes on" stiff-upper-lip typically British response is not great for mental health in general so I want the children to think it's ok that someone gets very visibly and publicly upset when their life's dream goes up in smoke - and the rest of me is secretly rolling my eyes.

ETA I too am devastated for her. I remember the last Winter Olympics and how it seemed so unfair and unkind. This one just seems to have done it again and I am not sure she'll be able to come back again for another.
scary mum
Posts: 8840
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Elise Christie

Post by scary mum »

She's been disqualified again :(
scary mum
mad?
Posts: 5621
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 6:27 pm
Location: london

Re: Elise Christie

Post by mad? »

loobylou wrote:ETA I too am devastated for her. I remember the last Winter Olympics and how it seemed so unfair and unkind. This one just seems to have done it again and I am not sure she'll be able to come back again for another.
Me too, to have been so much more successful in her sport than any of our other Winter Olympians and then to have this happen, twice (or 6 times depending on how you look at it), coupled with 4 years of death threats and appalling online abuse, must be just devastating. She might not be polished or media savvy but she is human after all. Again, poor girl.
mad?
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Elise Christie

Post by kenyancowgirl »

No, streathammum, you are so wrong, it is not about her losing. I'm British, we're so used to that!

I think I have explained why I don't warm to her, enough, it is not about wanting her her apologising for her errors, it is about wanting her to not blame others for her errors - even to the point of her believing the referee was worried about her health so gave her a yellow card! :? This is an immature attitude in my opinion - loobylou phrases it more intelligently - she appears to lack the resilience you would expect in a young woman.

I'm not jumping on her, or particularly judging her. I feel more disappointed for the other speed skating athletes who did equally as well as her yet their achievements (arguably "better" than EC in the sense that she is at the op of her game, yet they reached the same semifinals as her) have been completely ignored in all the drama. I don't like or dislike her - I don't know her - but I don't warm to her in the way I do warm to LY because of the reasons I have given. I wouldn't presume to like or dislike LY either, as I don't know her - but I do like the way she presents herself, win or lose.

If you think I am being cruel or unkind then I'm sorry - that was not my intention - it's more frustration that she plays to the hype (Instagram etc) but doesn't "own" the results and the others are left in her shadow. I will refrain from expressing opinions from now on.

As you all were...yay Team GB - you're all marvellous!
streathammum
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 6:02 pm

Re: Elise Christie

Post by streathammum »

Well, she said the thing about the referee after she spoke to him and we weren't party to that conversation, so perhaps she's more qualified than us to make that observation.

And her fourth in the 500m final is, in fact, the best result in the GB team, so perhaps justifies some of the attention she gets.

I'm afraid I do think that if you say you don't particularly warm to someone, then list all the reasons why you don't warm to them, then that is a bit judgey.

I think her mental health may well be fragile and that may affect how she comes across, but that doesn't really affect how I view her performance as an athlete.
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Elise Christie

Post by kenyancowgirl »

I listed the reasons I don't warm to her because you asked me to, having accused me of making my decision based on her eyelashes!!!

If you listen to her interview where she mentions the ref...she says "maybe the ref was worried about my health, I don't know - he was keen for me to leave the ice, so maybe that was why they gave me a yellow" - I paraphrase but that was the gist. It certainly didn't come across as that that was the conversation they had had, that we werent party to. You see it as that, I see it as her looking for an excuse again. Sorry but that's how I see it! I can't help it, in the same way you don't see that!

I would however beg to differ that 4th in the 500 is the best result of the GB team....umm LY gold medal and the bronze in the same event - maybe the best out of the speed skaters but, she is supposed to do the best - that doesn't take away from the fact that the others have done better than they were expected to do - so have done better. If you are only expected to come 10th but come 6th you've done well. The amazing girls bob, for eg, funding withdrawn but they are currently lying 6th. Wow!

We have differing opinions on her but one thing we can agree on is that the Winter Olympics is fun.
streathammum
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 6:02 pm

Re: Elise Christie

Post by streathammum »

kenyancowgirl wrote:
I would however beg to differ that 4th in the 500 is the best result of the GB team....umm LY gold medal and the bronze in the same event - maybe the best out of the speed skaters but, she is supposed to do the best - that doesn't take away from the fact that the others have done better than they were expected to do - so have done better. If you are only expected to come 10th but come 6th you've done well. The amazing girls bob, for eg, funding withdrawn but they are currently lying 6th. Wow!

We have differing opinions on her but one thing we can agree on is that the Winter Olympics is fun.
I thought you were comparing her to the other speedskaters - that's what I meant.

I watched the Olympics every morning during half term and the weekend and I saw loads of coverage about the people who exceeded expectations or had great stories, even though they didn't win - possibly this isn't reflected in the highlights packages, which I admit I didn't watch. Elise's story is compelling, though, and I think the level of coverage she's received is about right.

Perhaps I shouldn't have asked you to be more specific about your reasons for not supporting Elise - I just wanted to understand your thinking. I was wrong in suggesting that you took against her eyelashes, but I don't think the reasons you have given really hold water. For example, I don't think that someone who lacks resilience or avoids pressure would have raced today. I also don't think it's reasonable to compare the responses of Lizzy Yarnold, who won, with Elise Christie, who lost, and complain that the loser wasn't as enthusiastic or positive. And actually, I think that if you struggle with your mental health but still come out and compete, you probably deserve support rather than criticism.

We can, however, agree about the women's bob, who are amazing and are making life very embarrassing indeed for the British Bobsleigh Association.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Elise Christie

Post by Amber »

As feelings are running high on this thread, on a subject already beset by an excess of feelings, I will post the link below without comment. Whatever one's view, surely we have all had enough of the highly emotive BBC coverage, complete with sad music, repeated slow-mo black and white footage of people falling over, and Christie's own tearful reassurances to 'Britain' that next time will be different.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/winter-olymp ... judgement/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
stroudydad
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Elise Christie

Post by stroudydad »

I have no feeling either way about Elise Christie as a person, however I would say this.
If you look at her career(typified by the two Olympic Games, she has a high proportion of crashes and DQs. So I would ask, is she very unlucky, or does she have a style of skating that is high risk?
Locked