Walkover
A walkover, also W.O. or w/o (originally two words: "walk over"), is awarded to the opposing team/player etc, if there are no other players available, or they have been disqualified,
Sports
The word originates from
The actual act of "walking over" was seen in
In the 1908 Summer Olympics, there was a walkover for a gold medal by Wyndham Halswelle in the rerun of the final race of the 400 m: Hallswelle's two American opponents refused to participate in the rerun, protesting the controversial disqualification of their teammate. Hallswelle jogged in the rerun alone to claim the gold medal.[13]
In the 1920 Summer Olympics sailing program, there were a total of sixteen different yacht classes – no other Olympic games sailed more than seven classes until the 1980s – spreading the competitors so thinly that there were six gold medals won by walkover: each of these yachts completing its course unopposed to claim gold.[14] A seventh yacht, Francis Richards' entrant in the 18' dinghy, also attempted a walkover but did not finish; this crew is officially recognized as gold medalists by the International Olympic Committee, but it was not mentioned in the most official contemporary report by games organizers, casting doubt over whether or not the crew actually received gold medals at the time due to not finishing the course.[15] In addition to the walkovers, two of the sixteen classes were cancelled due to there being no entrants.
A walkover occurred in the 2020 Summer Olympics in sport climbing. French climber Bassa Mawem was injured in his last climb during qualification and was unable to compete in the finals, but IFSC rules did not allow him to be replaced. His opening round speed climbing opponent in the finals, Czech climber Adam Ondra, was made to race unopposed up the wall to advance.[16]
A walkover was observed in
In a more general sense, the term "walkover" is used broadly across many sports for a forfeiture due to one team being unable or unwilling to play, even if no actual act of walking over occurs. In some instances, there are distinctions between walkovers and other victories by default: for example, in tennis a walkover occurs when a player withdraws prior to the match, but not when a player retired due to injury during a match.[19] Many sporting bodies have a nominal score applied in the case of walkover for the purposes of points differential tiebreakers; the 2019 Pan American Games women's basketball tournament, for example, awarded a 20–0 walkover victory to Colombia when their Argentinian opponents turned up with the wrong uniforms.[20] Colloquially, an extremely one-sided game may also be called a 'walkover', implying a similar score could have been achieved without the losing team's presence.
Other uses
In
An uncontested election is often referred to as a walkover, when it is also referred to as winning "by default". The word is used more generally by extension for an election in which the winner is not the only participant but where no opponent has a credible chance of victory.[2]
References
- ^ "PAP team points out error in RP form, averting possible walkover in West Coast GRC". The Straits Times. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
- ^ a b c Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed.: walkover
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed.). walk 16e, walk over.
- ^ "Eclipse". www.bloodlines.net.
- ^ "Walking over" (PDF). Hong Kong Jockey Club. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ "Origin of: walkover". Idiom origins. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ Fair Play (18 June 1870). "Football". The Australasian. Vol. VIII, no. 220. Melbourne, VIC. p. 779.
- ^ "Football". Leader. 6 August 1870. p. 10.
- ^ "Williamstown v. Brunswick". Williamstown Chronicle. Williamstown, VIC. 7 July 1900. p. 3.
- ^ "I.N.F. gains walkover". Werribee Shire Banner. Werribee, VIC. 11 August 1927. p. 3.
- ^ "Walk-over match". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 12 June 1911. p. 6.
- ^ "Football - Railways' walk-over". South Western Times. 31 August 1932. p. 3.
- ^ "120 years, 120 stories (Part 13): Even jogging around the park can give an Olympic gold in athletics - Wyndham Halswelle". Sports-nova.com. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ "Sailing at the 1920 Summer Olympics", Olympedia, 22 July 2021, retrieved 22 July 2021
- ^ Olympic Games Antwerp 1920 — Official Report, page 73 (PDF) (in French). Belgian Olympic Committee. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2011.
- ^ Men's Combined Finals - Climbing | Tokyo 2020 Replays. 5 August 2021. Event occurs at 4:30. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ García, Miguel (17 May 2015). "Chile vs. URSS, 1973. La cara negra del fútbol" (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ Soto, Óscar (21 November 2013). "El partido fantasma entre Chile y la URSS" (in Spanish). Madrid: Marca. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ "Tennis Betting Rules: What Happens When a Player Retires, During Rain Delays and More". 1 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ "Argentina forfeits Pan Am game for wrong jersey". ESPN. 8 August 2019.
- ^ "Walk | Poker Terms". www.pokernews.com. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ "Casino Poker for Beginners: Chopping Blinds - Expectations, Etiquette, and EV". www.pokernews.com. Retrieved 6 August 2021.