Olympics **Spoilers**

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I have not been watching all the athletics, but have caught a fair bit of it and am puzzled as to why I have yet to hear any on the commentators or pundits mention doping; it was mentioned in the swimming, I have heard some references in other events, but in the athletics not a thing. Which is astonishing, given how many competitors have doped or who are from countries where no tests are undertaken and/or where coaches are suspected of doping. Poor show.

 

[Beebo]

The 400 m final was something else.

Just watched it on catch up.
A new WR from lane 8, amazing. He just put his head down and ran his own race.
The guy can run 100m under 10 seconds so he has great natural speed.

 

[BrumJim]

Team GB's Bryony Page gets SILVER in the Woman's Trampoline event, beating the Chinese and all of the other top Gymnasts in the competiton save for a Canadian, Rosannagh McClellan.

Seeing Page's reactions were worth it alone, she was happy just to be there!


It might sound a bit funny, but I actually really did enjoy watching it - It looks like it would be rather fun!

"Trampolinist is Over the Moon!"

 

[EnPassant]

I have not been watching all the athletics, but have caught a fair bit of it and am puzzled as to why I have yet to hear any on the commentators or pundits mention doping; it was mentioned in the swimming, I have heard some references in other events, but in the athletics not a thing. Which is astonishing, given how many competitors have doped or who are from countries where no tests are undertaken and/or where coaches are suspected of doping. Poor show.

Try the weightlifting...
"The current Olympic record is..well, actually it's not, and the current world record is, oh wait no that's not either"

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Thought the tennis coverage was pretty poor tbh. Missed the opening game of one set because they were busy advertising "Later on tonight we have..." then they didn't show Murray getting his medal live on BBC 4, you had to go to Red Button #6 or something, but they never told you that.

Strange really that someone can play high intensity tennis showing superb athleticism for 4 hours and they get the same medal as someone sat on their arse shooting an airgun.

 

[EnPassant]

Strange really that someone can play high intensity tennis showing superb athleticism for 4 hours and they get the same medal as someone sat on their arse shooting an airgun.

Actually I prefer it that way. Seems closer to me to the Olympic principle. It's not like any air gun shooter is making millions a year from other events or the advertising contracts that follow. YMMV.

 

[Beebo]

There was an interesting interview with the head of UK basket ball, which doesnt have a team at this Olympics, and doesnt have any funding.
Basically medals are king, and team sports seem to miss out to individual events because it costs too much to run a team and rewards are few.
His arguement was that his sport could have much larger participation if the profile and funding was higher, but they can only ever win a single gold every 4 years, and it is very unlikely. They need a pool of about 20 top class athletes which costs lots with very little return for a medal.
Where as a sports like cycling or swimming can have a pool of 20 athletes but they get the chance to target numerous medals, so they have a much better chance of winning a few.

 

[Leedsbusdriver]

Well done to Sophie Hitching. Saving her best until her last throw in the hammer,to break the British record and claim a bronze medal.

 

[BrumJim]

"Trampolinist is Over the Moon!"

Sophie Hitchon:
"Training has been going really really well. To get a bronze medal, I am over the moon"

NO! You are still on planet earth. Its the hammer that's over the moon.

 

[Beebo]

Gold in the horse dancing.
The horse is worth £500,000 apparently!

 

[coffeejo]

Gold in the horse dancing.
The horse is worth £500,000 apparently!

Is that all? Genuinely surprised by that.

 

[Beebo]

Is that all? Genuinely surprised by that.

The horse was for sale last year for millions but no one bought it, so the value is what ever anyone will pay for him.
The BBC quoted £500,000 but it is probably conservative.

 

[coffeejo]

The horse was for sale last year for millions but no one bought it, so the value is what ever anyone will pay for him.
The BBC quoted £500,000 but it is probably conservative.

Many careers have been scuppered because the horse's owners decide to sell.

 

[coffeejo]

And I knew at least one person who paid a huge amount of money for a horse (though nowhere near £500,000!) on the assumption that it had been trained to do the dressage thing and she could win a few prizes. Trouble was, the horse preferred its previous partnership and didn't cooperate.

Oops.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I don't know if it's been mentioned in previous posts in this thread but i'm going to mention it. I'm sick of hearing about Helen Skelton and Rebecca Adlington in the Daily Mail. Oh look, she's showing her knickers again! Ffs, it's schoolboy humour at it's worst!