The Community
General Category => Sports => Topic started by: KiloDeltaCharlie on July 24, 2021, 05:15:28 AM
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I don't know how much interest in the Olympics there is here. I always enjoy them, but I don't feel it really gets going until the Athletics start in the second week.
Things to discuss might be:
- How do you think your olympians will do?
- Who's your best bet for a gold?
- What do you think about the new events such as rock climbing?
- Should they even have gone ahead given the circumstances?
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Here in the USA, instead of just showing the competitions, there is just SO MUCH FLUFF that gets added in about the athlete's struggle to overcome, deal with setbacks, yadda yadda yadda. How about just showing a quick photo of the athlete in real life and get back to the action? I like knowing that this person taking the shot right now is also a paralegal back in Denver, but I don't need to know about Aunt Velma's kidney transplant that nearly ended the person's ability to train for the Olympics. Heartbreak at the most recent international trials, sure, show the moves that cost them the gold, but I don't need the anguished faces. I *know* they're anguished, but that was yesterday, today is today, let's see the sport going on *now*.
Then it's down to what the broadcast companies decide is the main sport, like it or not. If I want to see some of the quirkier things, it may very well be in real-time and only on a pay per view channel that I'm not buying.
Basically, I'm either stuck watching Athlete Story Time with a bit of competition mixed in or shelling out for the odd stuff. So I'm frustrated, because I remember loving watching the 1976 and 1980 Olympics (1980 was winter only in the USA) and a good part of the 84 and 88 Olympics, back when there was more sport featured and less story.
If there's a better option that I'm not aware of, then I'm up for it.
I've also got a dim view of the IOC and the politicians surrounding the modern Olympics. I guess that's why one of my favorite comedies was Clarke and Dawe's brilliant The Games, done in Australia for the 2000 games, 2 seasons. It was copied by the BBC for the London games, but not equalled - the Aussie original is top comedy.
Episodes are not on YouTube... so... if you want to see them... yeah... ::) Let's just say I found some copies that fell off a truck...
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The time difference makes it bit hard to follow these now...
Most events start bit before I get home from work and need to get some sleep around 3-5 am...so can't watch all that much...which is a shame really as I'd like to watch some.
It seems that everything that comes in the afternoon/early evening is pretty uninteresting stuff..
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I usually love to watch the Olympics but the build up has been so low key this time around with everything that’s been happening that I haven’t completely jumped onboard with yet. Also AFL football season is on right now and that takes precedent on weekends so I’ll be doing most of my Olympics watching during the week.
I do enjoy the swimming which the Aussies are really good at it and usually win quite a lot of medals in. The cycling and the track & field events are other favourites I like to watch.
Japan is only an hour behind Australia’s Timezone so it’s right in the sweet spot for viewing.
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Japan is only an hour behind Australia’s Timezone so it’s right in the sweet spot for viewing.
Yeah you're in a lucky spot that way...and I think it's rather nice as most sporting events aren't and you can't watch them or you have to make big changes to your day. So enjoy this...In 4 years things aren't that great for you guys again...
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It's not going to be the same without a crowd, but then neither was the football, but it worked ok-ish!
I'm glad Jack can watch a big sports event without staying up until silly o'clock!
The BBC are showing stuff during the day, but I'm guessing it's mainly live in the morning and catch-up in the afternoon/evening. I didn;t watch much today as I was otherwise detained, and it was particularly events I wanted to watch.
I know what Zs means when you get the life story of the competitors. Here they tend to do it before-hand, a few documentaries have been shown over the last couple of weeks. And a little flag waving looking at the rise of the Brits since the low of 1992 when the Brits won but a single gold medal, to the point where in Rio we came second on the medal table behind the USA. I don't see that happening this year but hopefully we'll get a good haul!
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Not getting into it yet.
Not a fan on martial arts, and the heats of other events don't interest me so much, some of the swimming finals will pique my interest in the next couple of days and other sports will start!
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I don't know if it's because the UK actually won some gold today, or because they've started doing more finals in events I like, but I'm starting to get into this years games!
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We’re still in lockdown so have been watching quite a bit of the swimming. Australia has won all 6 of its medals so far in the swimming. Our girl Ariarne Titmus(current world champion) beat the queen of US swimming Kate ledecky in the 400 free.
Also enjoyed watching the Canoe slalom. Such a fine line in that event. Rowing is another event I always look forward too as well.
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Speaking of rowing the Aussies had a great day winning gold in the coxless four in both the men and women’s. Good day all round for the Aussies at the Olympics actually winning 7 medals today.
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Another gold in the swimming pool today takes the GB tally to 5 Gold. That leaves us 6 in the medal table just behind Australia... should be able to overhaul them in due course! :P
It's actually our best start to an Olympics, we often come good in the second week. But we could have been even better but a number of medal hopes have under performed!
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^Well you’d wanna get a decent haul with all that money you throw at buying... ahem!... I mean winning Olympic medals :P
For a country of only 25 million and about a 1/4 of the funding of a lot of the bigger nations throw at the Olympics for bragging rights Australia go alright ;)
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Australia is a very sporty country, and probably exceeds expectations given the size of the country.
GB does spend a lot of money so we don't get the repeat of 1992 where we only won 1 gold medal. BUT they only tend to concentrate on sports we should do well in... other sports don't get any money and it shows.
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Looks like Finland opened their medal account as well...and in swimming of all things...something no one was expecting...pretty cool... My expectations was one medal so that's already achieved. :)
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^^^
I thought you guys were the ones to beat at the Javelin?
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I did see that Finnish swimmer get the bronze in the men’s 200m breaststroke final that the Aussie won. Does that sort of performance make big news in Finland charger?
Today was one of the first times I’ve really choked up watching sport when Australian Jess Fox won the C1 Conoe slalom final. She’s considered the greatest female conoeist the sport has ever seen but the gold medal has always alluded her, winning a bronze and silver at the previous 2 olympics.
She heartbreakingly lost by only a second in the K1 final 2 days ago even after incurring a 4 second penalty for slightly brushing 2 gates, one of them being the last gate.
Today she had one last crack at gold, this time in the C1 canoe final and had to canoe last last being the fastest qualifier with the time of 108.68 set by the Britt to beat. Not only did she win but she completely smashed it clocking 105.4 to finally win herself a gold medal. Such an emotional moment.
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^^^
I thought you guys were the ones to beat at the Javelin?
Not in years and years...Finland's level in Javelin has dropped like poo from a cows ass. Germany is the #1 country in Javelin nowadays...has been for few years. We'd be lucky if one guy would make it to the finals.
I did see that Finnish swimmer get the bronze in the men’s 200m breaststroke final that the Aussie won. Does that sort of performance make big news in Finland charger?
It does. Especially since it was totally unexpected. Finland hasn't won an olympic medal in swimming in over 20 years...
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It does. Especially since it was totally unexpected. Finland hasn't won an olympic medal in swimming in over 20 years...
Global warming means they can swim more total days/year in the Baltic. :smug:
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It does. Especially since it was totally unexpected. Finland hasn't won an olympic medal in swimming in over 20 years...
Global warming means they can swim more total days/year in the Baltic. :smug:
Perhaps so...and if that means we'll get more medals in the future I'll say bring on the Warming! ;D
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The winter Olympics will have to start featuring mud-skiing! :D
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Felt gutted for out BMX girl who was competing to honour her brother who recently become a paraplegic racing BMX. She was one of the favourites to win the gold and was leading her semi when cut off by an another rider and crashed out getting knocked unconscious in the process and missing the final :'(
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^^^
That's really tough luck, I hope she's ok now.
But it was the final of that event where we won our only gold today (so far anyway). I'm guessing Bethany Shriever would have been in the mix for a medal but maybe not the gold.
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^Yeah that was the final she would’ve been in. In a eerie coincidence the American girl that took her out accidentally is married to an Australian BMX Olympian who was involved in a crash a few years ago and became a paraplegic himself.
Turns out the Australian and American girls are quite close and the American girl has been like a rock to her since her brothers injury which was a serious brain injury and told he wouldn’t walk again. Not actually paraplegia.
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That women’s football QF between Australia & Great Britain was pretty crazy. Australia ended up winning 4-3 in extra time.
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^^^
Yeah, I didn't see that 'til afterwards. Very much a shock result! ;)
A couple of Golds for us in the mixed events (Mixed 4x 100m relay -- in a world record time -- and the Mixed Triathlon).
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Not really a shock. The Aussie girls are are top 10 in the world. Drew with the US in the group stage too.
I saw that mixed relay race. The Aussies did well to get the bronze considering 3 of them raced within 45 minutes of the race in other finals inc 1 girl who raced right before.
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My favourite Finnish athlete Sara Kuivisto ran two consecutive national records on 800 meters...quite a feat I would say. Didn't quite make it to the finals but honestly I don't care...that's still quite a feat...
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I tend to watch the winter games more than the summer games, but I do catch the odd competition here and there. I had heard all of the hype (at least here in the USA) regarding Simone Biles and so I watched a bunch of gymnastics. She bailed out, so I got to see Suni Lee take home gold.
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Aussie Rohan Browning just won his heat of the men’s 100m track sprint and is through to the SF. First time an Aussie has got through to an Olympic 100m SF since 2000. If he makes the final it will be the first Aussie male since 1956.
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A couple more Gold today for GB in the Equestrian and the Sailing. That pushes us up to 4th tied on 15 with those Aussies... I expect those Aussies to win a gold later just to spite us! ;)
We had our youngest ever medalist today when Sky Brown won Bronze in the Skateboard: Park event at just 13 years of age... the Japanese silver medalist was 12!!
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^We’re a big chance for gold in the men’s hockey, playing Belgium in the final tomorrow. Also we have 3 women in the javelin final and our men’s Basketball team comes up against the USA tomorrow for a chance to play off for Gold. Also have a boxer fighting for Gold but he’s coming up against the #1 seed and a couple other medal chances in the K2-1000 and Beach Volleyball.
I’d expect GB to pick up a quite a few golds at the Velodrome over the next few days though.
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^^^
We are waaay behind where we should be on the track and field events. Our two best prospects have both withdrawn through injury (Dinah Asher-Smith in the Womens 200m and Katerina Johnson-Thompson in the Heptathlon) both won at the World Athletics Championship in 2019. We have an outside chance of gold in the Women's 1500m but I think that's about it.
Yes the velodrome should be good for a few golds but I do think the rest of the world have caught us up in recent years.
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Australia winning in HOCKEY??? Wow, that's pretty legend, there. I thought there was no ice in Australia?
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Australia winning in HOCKEY??? Wow, that's pretty legend, there. I thought there was no ice in Australia?
Not ice hockey! :D
These are summer games in case if you hadn't noticed... ;D
Another good day for Sara Kuivisto...she ran 4 runs in these olympics and made 4 Finnish records...that I believe is a historic event in Olympics.
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:doh:
That's right, there's field hockey! Forgot about that one!
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Well Australia managed to win 2 more golds today in the K2-1000 sprint and men’s skateboard but our team sports had a very disappointing day. Our men’s basketball team “The Boomers” lost the SF to team USA after a promising start being 15 points up in the 2nd qtr, the women’s soccer team “The Matildas” lost the bronze medal match 4-3 against the USA and our “Hockeyroos” lost the gold medal final to Belgium in the penalty shootout after scores were tied 1-1 at full time.
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Two more Golds for GB today. That puts us 4th in the table again but it's anyones guesswho will finish 4th as GB the Aussies and Ruskies keep swapping places.
First gold was Laura Kenny & Kate Archibald in the Madison (that's a wierd event!); Kenny is now the most successful female cyclist at the Olympics with 5 Gold and 1 Silver... 1 Gold behind her husband Jason Kenny, but she can get another in the Omnium over the weekend.
Secondly we had Kate French in the Modern Pentathlon.
We got a couple of Silvers and a Bronze on the athletics track: Womens 1500m, Mena's 4x100m Relay and Wome's 4x100m Relay. Plus Bronze in the Women's Hockey
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The men’s 4 x 100 was a great race. Italy have had a splendid Olympics. The British sprinter running the last leg did not look happy though that he seemingly cost his team the Gold.
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All is done now. The last events have yielded their medals and all that's left is the closing ceremony... which I'll not bother with as I never bother with those. I've not seen as much of it live as I would have liked, but I've seen enough to get a good feel for it and the daily review shows do a good job of compressing the action into a couple of hours. I think despite the lack of crowds it's still been a good Olympics because of the high quality of the sportsmen and women.
In the final analysis the USA managed to overhaul the Chinese to top the medal table with not just the most Gold but also the most total medals... and to think the USA underperformed in some events they are usually good at. Japan came third which is fitting as host nation. GB got a couple of Golds on the last day to confirm 4th place from the Russians 5th and Australia 6th.
Our golds today came in the cycling with Kenny (Jason not Laura) winning the Kierin; Laura going for her third Gold in the Omnium was involved in a crash in the first round which scupopered her chances finishing 6th. And Lauren Price won a boxing gold in the Womens middle-weight category.
Jack, you should be proud of your team. Your 17 gold is more than twice what you won in London and Rio (8 in each), and you gave us and the Ruskies a good challenge.
I'm always surprised when certain countries don't do as well as you would expect, the other big European Countries (Germany, Italy and France) all got 10 golds but they are sporting countries and have similar sized populations as GB (or quite a lot larger in the case of Germany)... but maybe they don't have the Olympic Programmes that we have... and then the Netherlands also got 10 gold and they've only a population around a quarter of those other countires.
See you in Paris 2024!
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Yep Australia bounced back well after the disappointment of Rio and London. Ended up being our equal best gold medal haul with Athens 2004 and our equal 3rd best overall medal tally with 46 which has been such a huge boost to the countries spirits with half of it currently in lockdown.
I’ve always loved the Olympics and its history and these games in particular were up there with my favourite despite there being no crowds to add to the atmosphere. The fact they were in our time zone had a lot to do with that. The ratings here have been through the roof.
I always feel sad and a bit of a void in my life when they finish which usually takes me a good few days to get over but thankfully I have AFL football to fill the void and the NFL season is not far from kicking off and also Paris 2024 is only 3 years away.
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Jack, I've only just realised that Brisbane are the host city in 2032... assuming you're out of lock down by then! :-X
But seriously a home Olympics are always special, although it's a bit of a trek from Mebourne.
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Yep it is special. I was back packing around Europe during the Sydney 2000 games so I missed the whole buzz of it. 2032 seems such a long way away though. Hopefully I’m still around then but tickets will be hard to come by for the prime events. For Sydney they had to conduct a lottery to get tickets such was the demand. They’re going to totally redevelop the Gabba instead of building a whole new stadium elsewhere but I think they only plan on making it a 60,000 capacity stadium making it even harder to snag tickets. Accomodation will be astronomical too.
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Not good news for Great Britain’s 4 x 100 men’s relay team. Might be stripped of their silver medal.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/tokyo-olympics-2021/olympic-team-faces-being-stripped-of-silver-medal-after-doping-disaster/news-story/1f415952aa245a36e3fe598d5872463b
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Yeah. it's been in the news here too. I'm more dissapointed that the athlete may have been stupid or made an error of judgment -- and of course for the other three runners -- than losing the silver medal (it won't change our overall standings and is still a great medal return).
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Oh man, why? Why do athletes play dirty?