Clueless writing about our sport

[tandfman]

I was not aware of that colloquial British usage. But in this context, does it make sense? Isn't every performance in competition seen by someone else--at least by the officials? Does anyone consider a performance in practice, with no observers, to be a PB?

[Trickstat]

I was not aware of that colloquial British usage. But in this context, does it make sense?

No it doesn't.

[dukehjsteve]

I hear "clock" used when you say, for instance talking about a race performance against a rival, " I'm going to clean your clock ! "

Sadly, I used this phrase talking to a friend of mine, and she kindly replied, " Steve, your clock-cleaning days are over. "

[lonewolf]

I associate "clocking" with timing.

[Alan Shank]

Here's one, in an article about Dawn Harper Nelson coming out of retirement:
"She announced her retirement in September 2018, but decided while she was pregnant with her daughter, Harper, she wasn’t ready to hang up her cleats."

Cleats? We call them "spikes".
Cheers,
Alan Shank

[Atticus]

I associate "clocking" with timing.

Indeed . . . e.g., 'He clocked a 4.41 at the Combine.'

As for cleaning clocks, my son once bragged that he would clean the clock of a sports opponent, which, after my son's defeat, I commented,

"That may be the first time that someone had to pay to provide said service."

Yeah, he didn't think it was all that funny either.

[KevinR]

And for some unknown reason the term clocking has been used to describe knocking someone out cold, as in a boxing match.

Go figure.

[Trickstat]

And for some unknown reason the term clocking has been used to describe knocking someone out cold, as in a boxing match.

Go figure.

I've heard of that one as well. I think in the UK it tends to mean hitting someone hard about the head which may or may not lead to knocking them out.

[tandfman]

Merriam-Webster definition: : to hit hard

Dictionary.com definition: Slang. to strike sharply or heavily

[Conor Dary]

Not about track....but kind of humorous....