Olympics 2021

[sir fly]

Live in Hong Kong - A one hour time difference.

Ever acted in an action movie?

 

[Publiuszam]

He could be the Silver Fox

 

[djpbaltimore]

Meant to add that I don't really enjoy women's artistic gymnastics as much as I used to... it's overexposed, and unless something catastrophic happens you already know Simone Biles will win. Also, artistic gymnastics really isn't artistic anymore, it's mostly athletic. Specifically the floor routines it looks like they're just trying to get through the dance parts with some fake smiles, their main focus is on the athletic elements. Long gone are the days when gymnasts looked like they were doing some graceful ballet moves...

Don't know why they don't just rename it athletic gymnastics, think I would actually prefer to watch rhythmic gymnastics if I want to see some artistry. (While I've never thrown a baton or ribbon myself I can definitely appreciate the difficulty of rhythmic gymnastics.)

I only watch things like gymnastics every 4 years, but the sport always strikes me as having a big problem with its unhealthy internal culture. (Even besides the obvious association with those criminal doctors) They so often seem so joyless and mentally fragile. When Biles made a few mistakes at trials, she looked like someone had just killed her parents. And she still won easily. It is almost like dragging these kids through the meat grinder of training at such a young age makes them only able to feel relief that they didn't fail, rather than joy of what they do accomplish.

USWNT lost 3-0 to Sweden this morning in soccer. I wonder if that is going to be what this strange olympics brings. Shocking results.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

I only watch things like gymnastics every 4 years, but the sport always strikes me as having a big problem with its unhealthy internal culture. (Even besides the obvious association with those criminal doctors) They so often seem so joyless and mentally fragile. When Biles made a few mistakes at trials, she looked like someone had just killed her parents. And she still won easily. It is almost like dragging these kids through the meat grinder of training at such a young age makes them only able to feel relief that they didn't fail, rather than joy of what they do accomplish.

USWNT lost 3-0 to Sweden this morning in soccer. I wonder if that is going to be what this strange olympics brings. Shocking results.

Perfectionism is a must in gymnastics, especially on that level. Eating disorders are rife because they can't afford to put any weight on... I remember Mary Lou Retton was the first gymnast I saw who didn't look like an undernourished waif.

Anyway, I think you're right in saying they are not happy unless they absolutely nail their routines. It's just training and practicing over and over until you get it right, and you won't be happy unless you get it right. It takes a certain personality.

Having said all that I'm happy Nastia Liukin will be commentating for NBC, I liked her back when she was competing. She was more old school in that she did actually look artistic and graceful. Her co-commentator Tim Daggett, on the other hand, crikes, he looks like he's had more plastic surgery than Bob Costas. He must be about 150 years old now, I remember seeing him compete.

 

[djpbaltimore]

At least they no longer have Al Trautwig around any more. Great voice, but I never understood how he ended up broadcasting sports like Cycling and Gymnastics that he knew so little about.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

At least they no longer have Al Trautwig around any more. Great voice, but I never understood how he ended up broadcasting sports like Cycling and Gymnastics that he knew so little about.

I sort of remember Al Trautwig, can't say he made much of a lasting impression on me. The one commentator I could not stand was Bud Collins, he was always as giddy as a little school girl when he got to call Chris Evert tennis matches. It was always Chrissy this, and Chrissy that, he just got on my last nerve.

Eh, you remember this? Those were the good old days.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1FWG0WziRU&ab_channel=1980sCaliforniaGirl

 

[sir fly]

Elia Viviani, Maja Włoszczowska and Jair Tjon En Fa will be among flagbearers at the Parade of Nations.

 

[sir fly]

Serbia sharing fifth place on the medal table with Belgium and few others.

 

[Pricey_sky]

One of the best things about the Olympics is usually the atmosphere at most of the events with all different nationalities mixing. Sadly for obvious reasons that’s missing this year and it’s definitely a shame.

 

[sir fly]

We've overtaken Belgium on the medal table!

 

[Tricycle Rider]

One of the best things about the Olympics is usually the atmosphere at most of the events with all different nationalities mixing. Sadly for obvious reasons that’s missing this year and it’s definitely a shame.

I'm trying to watch a recording of the Opening Ceremonies, I'm surprised they even had a Parade of Nations. The whole thing seems like a somber affair, but at least they have the Olympics this year. Speaking of recordings...

I'll have to watch the last 50km of the men's road race, I fell asleep because by the time they finished it would have been around 1am here. The 16-hour time difference is really throwing me...I'm used to Europe being 8 hours ahead. But 16 hours I'm still trying to wrap my head around.

 

[Koronin]

Finally the swim meet part of the Olympics is underway.

 

[gunara]

First medal done yesterday, maybe one more today for Indonesia. In a country where everyone has their own stupid idea to make others' days more difficult, an olympic bronze at least made everyone smile at the same time about the same thing even for just several minutes, not bad.
Badminton and weighlifting are the only two regular sources, once or twice random medal hope appeared from other low-participant sports.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Finally the swim meet part of the Olympics is underway.

Some shocking developments in the men's 400m free...

 

[Mayomaniac]

The cycling course of the Triathlon was an absolute joke, but what do you expect?
Bad timing for the Italian swimming team, Paltrinieri just came back from Mono and Quadarella is still not at 100% after recovering from Covid.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Women’s triathlon has really split up in tougher conditions than the men. Could be decided by the front group who gained over a minute on the swim.

 

[yaco]

The cycling part of triathlon has always been a joke because they use flat courses which allows for drafting - They need more punchy climbing parcours to break up the race.

 

[sir fly]

Belgium tied with Serbia again, but not for long.

 

[King Boonen]

Biles out of the team event?!

 

[BlueRoads]

Slovenia is pretty... good!

 

[sir fly]

Slovenia is pretty... good!

Balkan rules!

 

[Black Betsy]

Who 'd knew that I'd see something other except Cycling and Golf! Melnikova Send me an angel, send me an angel I wanna see the liiiiiiiiiiiiiight toniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite, I want some heaven in my liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife

 

[djpbaltimore]

Silver in gymnastics. Silver for Ledecky. Silver in Softball. Lackluster start for the futbol team*. The US women juggernaut from Rio is showing a few cracks. Still terrific achievements nonetheless.

*US vs Netherlands in the quarters looks like a must watch. The stats from the Dutch team look like a misprint. 21 goals scored, 8 goals allowed in a group stage is wild. The group with GBR and Canada only had 11 goals in the entire 6 games played.

 

[BullsFan22]

First ever silver medal for Macedonia. Georgievski with a very good final match against the Russian, but came up a little short of gold. Still, a fantastic result.

 

[djpbaltimore]

Biles out of the team event?!

She just announced that the withdrawal was not related to an injury. Her participation in future events is TBD. In all honesty, this has been a long time in the making. As I noted above, she was barely keeping it together all the way back at the trials. You could tell something was not right with her. It will be interesting to see if she competes in the all-around as it may be less pressure than the team event, which has become the most anticipated event in the whole Olympics from a US standpoint.