Olympics 2020 Spoilers and chat.

[matticus]

Why's that any more ridiculous than a gold medal for running for 9 seconds or so? The skateboarding takes rather more skill I would say (and not just influenced by genetics or drugs )

My chainsaw juggling club are lobbying hard for Paris - skill AND bravery 👍

 

[jowwy]

A gold medal to a kid for poncing about on a skateboard. This is getting ridiculous.

Explain what you mean by this???

 

[vickster]

My chainsaw juggling club are lobbying hard for Paris - skill AND bravery 👍

I'd say you need bravery for skateboarding at the highest level too

Certainly more than running 100m...other than the risks posed by the scary starting gun, starting blocks and spiky shoes . You even have to stay in only one lane

 

[matticus]

Cool - get rid of the silly track running. I'm all in favour of the Hemingway approach to defining proper sport 👍

 

[IaninSheffield]

As an old phart I was more than a little sceptical about the inclusion of skateboarding - what do 'dude', 'stoked', 'sick', and 'rad' mean anyway? And what function do those baggy trouser-short things serve, other than showing the waistband of your underwear? But having watched the highlights of the two competitions, I have to confess to being impressed. Impressed with the skill and undoubted hours and hours of practice, the commitment and the resilience it must take to reach those standards of performance. Most of all though, I was humbled by the the way competitors supported one another and celebrated each other's performance and success. So much less cynical than many professional sports. And all in people (mostly) still young.

And on a similar note, another new sport - climbing - seems to share the same ethic and sense of camaraderie.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Just saw a bit of race walking. That's got to be the daftest looking sport.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Watching the track cycling. The bloke currently winning appears to be on an Ebike and the sitting up gives it away. He will probably claim he is working just as hard as the other Olympians. How he thinks he won’t get caught I have no idea.

 

[matticus]

Just saw a bit of race walking. That's got to be the daftest looking sport.

Ditto.

I was fooled by the Red Button saying "Press for Athletics". I won't fall for that again!

 

[vickster]

That was one awkward horse in the women's modern pentathlon Poor German athlete
And congrats to GB

 

[Mike_P]

That was one awkward horse in the women's modern pentathlon Poor German athlete

Ought to have been allowed a re-ride on another horse; it also ruined the chances of a ROC rider

 

[vickster]

Ought to have been allowed a re-ride on another horse; it also ruined the chances of a ROC rider

Sounds like that’s just how it is in the event. As they said, luck of the draw

 

[Dogtrousers]

That was one awkward horse in the women's modern pentathlon Poor German athlete
And congrats to GB

What happened?

 

[vickster]

What happened?

Threw a strop, lots of fence refusals

 

[Mike_P]

Rerun on the Beeb this afternoon with an expert who largely blamed the rider making too many mistakes, the horse can only sense the rider and use of the reigns and legs is important. View was she was obviously expecting the worse after the ROCs riders problems but did little to encourage the horse

 

[AuroraSaab]

I have found the skateboarding and the BMX joyous - no other word for it. To see those kids doing their thing, those amazing stunts, then hugging and chilling out together afterwards was heartwarming.

Likewise the rhythmic gymnastics. Girl runs around with a hoop or a ball. What's that all about? But omg ... she bounces it off her knee, it goes 80ft in the air, then she catches it with her foot that's behind her head and does a back flip through it (ok... slight exaggeration). Amazing stuff.

Bmx and skateboarding have been retained for Paris next time too.