Thread by @FondOfBeetles

In 2004, I was privileged to watch Kelly Holmes win the female Olympic 800m gold, in a run that kept everyone on tenterhooks until that final glorious sprint finish. Her finishing time was 1:56.38. 1/

A subsequent win in the 1500m delivered Holmes her second Olympic gold, the third female ever to hold both 800m and 1500m concurrently, and the first Brit since 1920 to win two gold medals at the same games. An amazing athlete, we will all agree. 2/

In 2001, just three years before Holmes’ astonishing wins, US male Cody Harper was also breaking records. Running 800m in 1:56.36, he would have pipped Holmes to the line at that 2004 Olympic final. 3/

With his 1:56.36 800m run, Harper set a record for his category that still stands. His category is “US male, 13/14 years old”. 4/

With this in mind, I would like to address the nonsense currently doing the rounds, namely “no intrinsic difference between males/females” and “females lag because socialisation/lack of investment/fear of muscles/not trying”. 5/

Now, I can’t speak for Holmes’ individual training regime. Maybe there wasn’t one and she simply Bolt-ed a pre-race bucket of popcorn chicken and went at it. But I doubt it. 6/

Sprinters – and all elite athletes - are highly trained. Physically, every second of a race or game is micromanaged and every potential advantage exploited. Relevant muscle groups, joints, ligaments and tendons are carefully perfected to deliver the best possible result. 7/

Beyond the sheer physical, macros are counted and sleep is mapped. Tactics and strategies are refined. Psychologists coach visualisation techniques. Equipment is personally designed and individualised. 8/

The investment in a world-class athlete is large and costs money, time and effort from a huge team. 9/

It seems incredibly unlikely that the 13 year old Harper benefitted from such investment in his 800m ability. I’m sure he had a track coach who talent-spotted him, and who then dedicated a fair amount of time into his coaching. Maybe he had a decent pair of shoes. 10/

To suggest that his ability to pip Holmes to the 800m finish line is superior investment in male sport is patently ludicrous. To suggest Holmes wasn’t trying as hard as Harper is insulting. To suggest Holmes feared looking like a strong athlete is, I hope, false. 11/

Look at Holmes in the picture, and her fellow female athletes here now. Do they strike you as females who would sacrifice gold medals and championship wins for fear of emasculating men? Christ on a bike. 12/

Harper, at 13 years old, was quite simply growing into his male self, just like all the other talented male athletes who, during puberty, start to run faster, punch harder and jumper higher than not only their female peers but also female Olympic champions. 14/

If someone says “it’s not testosterone that makes boys then men strong”, I’d like to know what “it” is. 15/

If not testosterone (clue: it is), then what is it that allows teenage boys to so rapidly overtake females? What is it that underpins superior male physiology? 16/

Until anyone can explain this mystery, and offer a solution as to how to appropriately adjust for it, we cannot only not let adult males compete against females, we can’t even allow schoolboys to do so. End/

NB. As for all similar posts I make, the point is, of course, not to be down on female achievement, but to highlight how far apart males and females are.

Thanks for the retweet and continued support in these tricky times. Female athletes and advocates salute you, sir! PS. Follow @Glinner

@Dr_Beth_Jones Not trying hard enough?