Olympics

[The Cat]

I love a bit of Olympics, a chance to watch the top athletes in the world compete in random sports I wouldn't otherwise bother with. All wrapped up in a neat 3 week package.

Enjoyed the cycling road races, the women's one that just finished was pretty amazing. Probably one of the most incredible cycling wins I've seen.

Can't wait for the track cycling.

Not too bothered about the football. Quite interested to see the skateboarding and the BMX racing. Always love a bit of table tennis and then the athletics at the end.

What's 3v3 basketball all about? Are they going to add 5 a side football next?

Edited 25 July, 2021 by The Cat

[CB Fry]

11 minutes ago, The Cat said:

I love a bit of Olympics, a chance to watch the top athletes in the world compete in random sports I wouldn't otherwise bother with. All wrapped up in a neat 3 week package.

Enjoyed the cycling road races, the women's one that just finished was pretty amazing. Probably one of the most incredible cycling wins I've seen.

Can't wait for the track cycling.

Not too bothered about the football. Quite interested to see the skateboarding and the BMX racing. Always love a bit of table tennis and then the athletics at the end.

What's 3v3 basketball all about? Are they going to add 5 a side football next?

Cycling was fascinating- I never follow the Tour De France or any of that so for a Cycling luddite like me it just backed up my ill-informed opinion of the sport: all this pissing around in groups and "tactical" bunching up when all that was needed was to peddle off and just win the race on your own. She was great.

Tae Kwando on the other hand is just a bloody mess. Our boy did well whatever the hell was happening and let's hope he gets Gold.

Edited 25 July, 2021 by CB Fry

[The Cat]

13 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Cycling was fascinating- I never follow the Tour De France or any of that so for a Cycling luddite like me it just backed up my ill-informed opinion of the sport: all this pissing around in groups and "tactical" bunching up when all that was needed was to peddle off and just win the race on your own. She was great.

Tae Kwando on the other hand is just a bloody mess. Our boy did well whatever the hell was happening and let's hope he gets Gold.

I wonder what Taekwondo fans think about VAR? I thought it was good because it was the only time during the fight we got to see it slowed down so we could pick out what shots were landing.

The cycling was also made better by no radios. Normally you'd have team directors shouting time gaps in their ear which would allow them to pace their effort to catch a break. 

[badgerx16]

20 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Cycling was fascinating- I never follow the Tour De France or any of that so for a Cycling luddite like me it just backed up my ill-informed opinion of the sport: all this pissing around in groups and "tactical" bunching up when all that was needed was to peddle off and just win the race on your own. She was great.

The group fear of the pre-race favourites meant that they were too busy watching each other until it was too late. In a "normal" race they would probably have chased her down as at least one of the teams would have pulled at the front, but there isn't the power with only 4 riders each. I also find it strange that a country will enter 4 riders, but only 1 is intended to win in an individual event.

[The Cat]

Turns out the Dutch team didn't know there was another rider ahead of them which even without radios is a huge schoolboy error. 

First medal for GB, a bronze in Judo. 

[The Cat]

Or schoolgirl error. Schoolchild error?

[CB Fry]

Interesting insight from Jade Jones on the absence of crowds at the games. In her case it is less the crowd as a whole, but the fact that she can't look up and see her own family, who she takes strength from.

Clearly affected her enough to notch her down a level or two and she's out. But, in fairness she hasn't got anything to prove with two golds in the bag already.

I've said before but its pretty shambolic that a rich, organised country like Japan can't get any spectators in at all.

[badgerx16]

40 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Turns out the Dutch team didn't know there was another rider ahead of them which even without radios is a huge schoolboy error. 

First medal for GB, a bronze in Judo. 

It's a bit strange; the team managers in the cars would have had live data, and the moto riders should have been giving time gaps on chalkboards.

[Weston Super Saint]

20 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

It's a bit strange; the team managers in the cars would have had live data, and the moto riders should have been giving time gaps on chalkboards.

To be fair, looks like our Lizzie didn't know either as she thought the Dutch won it!!

[The Cat]

57 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Interesting insight from Jade Jones on the absence of crowds at the games. In her case it is less the crowd as a whole, but the fact that she can't look up and see her own family, who she takes strength from.

Clearly affected her enough to notch her down a level or two and she's out. But, in fairness she hasn't got anything to prove with two golds in the bag already.

I've said before but its pretty shambolic that a rich, organised country like Japan can't get any spectators in at all.

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't notice her giving any credit to her opponent. Also worth noting the woman who beat her is a refugee. Jones is complaining her family weren't there but the other woman has fled her country and not really competed for 2 years because of it which would seemingly be more of a barrier to performing your best than not having your Nan sat in the crowd. 

She's obviously an Olympic legend with her 2 golds but sometimes you just have to respect the opponent for being tactically spot on with their performance and give them the credit they deserve.

[The Cat]

Amazing result in the diving for Tom Daley and his mate. 

The mountainbiking is incredible, Pidcock will win if he doesn't fall off or have a mechanical.

[CB Fry]

Lovely little gold rush for breakfast. Diving was thrilling, but the mountain biking seemed to be a walkover. Both brilliant.

[Turkish]

When does the beach volleyball start?

[The Cat]

9 minutes ago, Turkish said:

When does the beach volleyball start?

The proper volleyball for the non perverts has already started!

[Turkish]

The taekwando girl was unlucky, 6 points clear with 19 seconds left, got caught by a head shot and lost it with a few seconds to go. 

[CB Fry]

I don't mind the new sports being added but on the skateboarding they've not got something quite right if the entire field for the global women's showpiece event are all 13 and 14 year old girls.

[LVSaint]

I like the archery, it's a short event and always the slim chance of someone getting shot. The South Koreans dominate the sport and there's a 17 year old twerp on the men's team who screams and shouts too much. He needs a slap, or an arrow.

[Tamesaint]

Taekwondo reminds me of two drunks fighting outside a pub on a Saturday night.  

[Saint_clark]

22 hours ago, CB Fry said:

I don't mind the new sports being added but on the skateboarding they've not got something quite right if the entire field for the global women's showpiece event are all 13 and 14 year old girls.

I had no problem with it being added as its definitely a highly skilled activity, and certainly can be more entertaining than the likes of dressage, but I was expecting the people competing to be a bit...well...better. 

[badgerx16]

6 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

I had no problem with it being added as its definitely a highly skilled activity, and certainly can be more entertaining than the likes of dressage, but I was expecting the people competing to be a bit...well...better. 

As with a lot of the sports dressage has it's own audience, which I count myself among. From my perspective rythmic gymnastics and synchronised swimming are events to avoid, as are softball and beach volleyball.

[StDunko]

9 hours ago, Tamesaint said:

Taekwondo reminds me of two drunks fighting outside a pub on a Saturday night.  

I take it we won gold then.

[SKD]

On 26/07/2021 at 16:53, Turkish said:

The taekwando girl was unlucky, 6 points clear with 19 seconds left, got caught by a head shot and lost it with a few seconds to go. 

I’m no Taekwando expert, in fact I know fuck all about it, but I thought that was pretty poor management to get caught there. Surely you’d just stay well away for the last few seconds…

Edited 28 July, 2021 by SKD

[SKD]

I see the American gymnast, who was favourite, is no longer in a position to win (apparently she’s the messi / Ronald of gymnastics) and has pulled out to concentrate on ‘her mental health’. 

[badgerx16]

1 hour ago, SKD said:

I see the American gymnast, who was favourite, is no longer in a position to win (apparently she’s the messi / Ronald of gymnastics) and has pulled out to concentrate on ‘her mental health’. 

She was the principal victim/witness in the sex abuse trial of the former gymnastics coach who is now rotting in jail.

[The Cat]

8 hours ago, SKD said:

I see the American gymnast, who was favourite, is no longer in a position to win (apparently she’s the messi / Ronald of gymnastics) and has pulled out to concentrate on ‘her mental health’. 

Why have you put the part about mental health in quotation marks? Would you have done that if she'd 'broken her leg' or something?

She's also a bit better than Messi or Ronaldo, she hasn't lost for about 8 years or something stupid. 

Roglic absolutely nailed that time trial today which was a little surprising after his recent form but fair play to him.

[The Cat]

9 hours ago, SKD said:

I’m no Taekwando expert, in fact I know fuck all about it, but I thought that was pretty poor management to get caught there. Surely you’d just stay well away for the last few seconds…

She couldn't run away because she'd already committed so many penalties that another one could have meant she'd have been disqualified.

It was likely her opponent committed an infringement by pulling her while completing the winning kick but they'd already used their one video replay challenge and the ref didn't spot it.

[badgerx16]

Why are we not Team UK ?

[CB Fry]

Turned on the Girls football for lunch just in time to see them choke it. 2-1 up going into the last five minutes, then missed pen to go 3-2 up and now 4-2 down in extra time.

Edited 30 July, 2021 by CB Fry

[whelk]

Anyone watch the Russians v NZ women’s rugby sevens?

One of the Kiwis yanked down one of the Russian’s shorts to revel her bum. Is it sad that I rewound it?

[LVSaint]

3 hours ago, whelk said:

Anyone watch the Russians v NZ women’s rugby sevens?

One of the Kiwis yanked down one of the Russian’s shorts to revel her bum. Is it sad that I rewound it?

Do you remember the precise time in the game for said incident?

[The Cat]

The BMX was brilliant, pity it was in the middle of the night. A gold medal winner dropping the F bomb in a live interview is always fun.

Track cycling starts soon, that's my favourite part of the whole Olympics.

[The Cat]

We've really smashed the swimming. Really enjoyed the mixed relay, adds an element of excitement with men and women competing against each other in some legs.

On the flip side the rowing has been a shambles. Very surprised to find out it has more funding than any other Olympic sport. Surely there's way fewer people competing around the country in rowing than athletics, cycling, martial arts, boxing and swimming?

[whelk]

Triathlon mixed relay a great event. Nice gold 

[whelk]

23 minutes ago, The Cat said:

We've really smashed the swimming. Really enjoyed the mixed relay, adds an element of excitement with men and women competing against each other in some legs.

On the flip side the rowing has been a shambles. Very surprised to find out it has more funding than any other Olympic sport. Surely there's way fewer people competing around the country in rowing than athletics, cycling, martial arts, boxing and swimming?

I imagine a fair bit of snobbery as well in so much as funding BMX riders from Peckham over rowers from Henley wouldn’t be well received. 

Edited 31 July, 2021 by whelk

[whelk]

When did the Ivory Coast become Cote D’Ivoire or something?

Spains equaliser at 2-2 was comical. Or should say Espana’s goal? 

[Pilchards]

On 28/07/2021 at 21:05, The Cat said:

She couldn't run away because she'd already committed so many penalties that another one could have meant she'd have been disqualified.

It was likely her opponent committed an infringement by pulling her while completing the winning kick but they'd already used their one video replay challenge and the ref didn't spot it.

Bianca had the option of moving backwards with 3 seconds to go.

She would of got a 9th gamjung and would not of been disqualified. Indeed it was stupid tactics to go into a clinche when all she had to do was avoid any kind of contact.

Lauren, Bradley and Bianca all failed at the end which imho was poor ring management all round. It happened 4 years ago with Lutalo who was 3 seconds away from gold. 

True story I’m actually applying for the role as a GB coach.

[CB Fry]

Great gold for GB in the women's BMX freestyle for Charlotte Worthington. Even more satisfying that she beat some geezer into second place.

The USA "woman" has all the most powerful tricks and moves in the tournament. No shit when she was born a bloke.

 

[The Cat]

Yeah, this was amazing.

 

 

[CB Fry]

On a nice, lazy Sunday morning in the middle of the games, its really disappointing that the BBC have been showing nothing but fucking golf all morning. Ridiculous.

Edited 1 August, 2021 by CB Fry

[badgerx16]

6 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Great gold for GB in the women's BMX freestyle for Charlotte Worthington. Even more satisfying that she beat some geezer into second place.

The USA "woman" has all the most powerful tricks and moves in the tournament. No shit when she was born a bloke.

 

I think you have the wrong American; Hannah Roberts won the silver medal for the USA, Chelsea Wolfe the trans rider was their reserve. ( Edit : mind you, Hannah Roberts wife might attest to whether she is butch ).

Edited 1 August, 2021 by badgerx16

[whelk]

Portsmouth bloke got BMX bronze. Silver to a 36yo. Bet his mum and dad must have worried why he is still playing on his BMX at that age.

[whelk]

6 hours ago, CB Fry said:

On a nice, lazy Sunday morning in the middle of the games, its really disappointing that the BBC have been showing nothing but fucking golf all morning. Ridiculous.

And most of it was around who got bronze

[Picard]

Looks like cycling is going to be disappointing. Already 3 golds down from last time.

[badgerx16]

So a Japanese American becomes the youngest ever British Olympic medallist.

[Weston Super Saint]

On 31/07/2021 at 17:01, whelk said:

When did the Ivory Coast become Cote D’Ivoire or something?

Spains equaliser at 2-2 was comical. Or should say Espana’s goal? 

Officialy 1960 when it gained independence from France, although it was given the name 'Cote d'ivoire' in the 15th century.

[Picard]

12 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

So a Japanese American becomes the youngest ever British Olympic medallist.

And beaten by a 12 yr old.

[The Cat]

That Yafai fight this morning was an absolute barnstormer. Both boxers going at it from first bell to last.

Would be good if a British boxer could win a gold, they're having a great tournament and that would be the icing on the cake.

[whelk]

The arses on these 400m relay women is worth the licence fee alone.

[badgerx16]

Katie Archibald and Laura Kenny absolutely demolishing the opposition in the women's madison. So one sided it was almost unfair.

Edited 6 August, 2021 by badgerx16

[Weston Super Saint]

Enjoyed that and they made the competition look woeful!

Nice that they explained how they did it though, utilising the mens U23 squad for training runs / race simulations.  Would love to know how many of those they won, quite a few I'd imagine!