The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.
Source: "The top 14 teams in each event at the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 will automatically qualify for places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games." link
Comment – At the 2024 Summer Olympics, the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay is scheduled for 2 and 3 August [1], so if it is not too late, this hook might be appropriate for 2 August. – Editør (talk) 11:45, 25 July 2024 (UTC)
Will review this. BeanieFan11 (talk) 22:09, 26 July 2024 (UTC)
@Editør, BeanieFan11, and Launchballer: I am such an ass for pulling this hook two days before it's supposed to run on a special occasion – I'm incredibly sorry. But I wouldn't be doing it if I weren't pretty firmly convinced that this is a cut-and-dry WP:DYKINT fail. Not only is there nothing all that intriguing (curiosity-sparking) about fourteen teams qualifying through a qualifying event, the context of it is even more banal: we knew that would happen before the event even started because it's an automatic qualification where the top 14 teams always qualify. I'm afraid I have to ask for a new hook, but ping me directly once you come up with one and I'll put it back in the same set if it's good. Again, I really am so sorry. theleekycauldron (talk • she/her) 09:08, 31 July 2024 (UTC)
There are only a few mixed-sex events at the Olympics [2], so that element seemed curiosity-sparking by itself. It will be only the second time that the mixed 4 × 400 metres relay is contested at the Olympics [source], so it is relatively new here. The Olympic qualification for the relays is mostly (14 out of 16 teams) at a single tournament, which is different from the Olympic qualification of the individual events where athletes can qualify over a longer period in all competitions [3], and it surprised me when I learned how the relay qualification was organized. You are right that it was predetermined that the top fourteen teams would qualify, but I don't think this is general knowledge.
Maybe you mean that someone can mistakenly read into it 'an unusually large number of 4 × 400 metres relay teams qualified at this event all at once' and can subsequently be disappointed when it turns out that the number was not incidental? – Editør (talk) 10:18, 31 July 2024 (UTC)
That is one worry I have, yeah. But from what you've told me, I think I'm even more convinced that a new hook is needed – it's not the only mixed-sex event, it's not the first mixed 4 × 400 metres relay, and the hook doesn't talk about the teams-versus-people distinction (i'm betting because there's no source that points that out explicitly enough to avoid SYNTH issues). I'm not even sure that any one of those things individually would be particularly interesting, but a lot comes down to the phrasing of the hook, too :) theleekycauldron (talk • she/her) 10:26, 31 July 2024 (UTC)
Being the first or unique can make nice DYK hooks, but I don't think these are criteria for DYK hooks, it should merely be "likely to be perceived as unusual or intriguing by readers with no special knowledge or interest" (quoted from WP:DYKINT). For instance, of the 329 events at these Olympics [source], only nine are mixed-sex [4], which seems unusual to me. Here are two alternatives hooks:
I'm fairly certain that readers with no special knowledge wouldn't perceive ALT1 as unusual, even if people with special knowledge know that it is. ALT2 looks decent – I'll promote it back to prep 4 :) theleekycauldron (talk • she/her) 11:24, 31 July 2024 (UTC)
Looks good. Approved. BeanieFan11 (talk) 23:26, 26 July 2024 (UTC)
I am such an ass for pulling this hook two days before it's supposed to run on a special occasion – I'm incredibly sorry. But I wouldn't be doing it if I weren't pretty firmly convinced that this is a cut-and-dry WP:DYKINT fail. Not only is there nothing all that intriguing (curiosity-sparking) about fourteen teams qualifying through a qualifying event, the context of it is even more banal: we knew that would happen before the event even started because it's an automatic qualification where the top 14 teams always qualify. I'm afraid I have to ask for a new hook, but ping me directly once you come up with one and I'll put it back in the same set if it's good. Again, I really am so sorry. theleekycauldron (talk • she/her) 09:08, 31 July 2024 (UTC)
