Olympics 2021

[Samu Cuenca]

But did you say she's going to win? Did you not just want a date?

Well, I did suggest that it could be hard for Thiam to hold on to her lead. And even though I was right, because she was overtaken by Vetter, I had thought KJT would do it too.

The date thing never materialised, because England failed to win the Euros. I wouldn't mind a date with Thiam either, but I'm quite sure both of them definitely would, so it's probably for the best, if it never happens.

 

[sir fly]

But did you say she's going to win? Did you not just want a date?

The geezer's bad luck.

 

[BlueRoads]

Noo... Kaul's out after a great high jump, where he apparently hurt his foot during the last jump...

 

[gunara]

I love decathlon! One of my totally favourite disciplines! I remember being in love with Dan O'Brien... well, kind of. Not a fan of Kevin Mayer, for some reason, though, don't know why exactly.
(I also like heptathlon, but I always think there's something missing... would love for the women to have 10 disciplines, too.)

Alright, BlueRoads, seems that the only thing we have in common in this Olympic is not understanding baseball!

Heartbreak for Meesseman and co. in basketball, really fancied them to challenge this year, not to be. This Japanese team is something though.

 

[djpbaltimore]

Well, you weren't wrong that sub-52 was needed. Femke ran a 52.03 so she nearly did improve by 2 seconds from the semi-final, and it still wasn't enough for more than bronze with the two Americans obliterating the former WR. She must feel today like Benjamin did yesterday, like, what more am I supposed to do?

It is too bad that those races could not be held with 70k people cheering. That adds so much to the atmosphere. Bol was level with 100m to go and for a second it looked like she might have the better finish. Both bronzes in 400mH deserve some kind of extra award given the circumstances.

Allyson Felix looked OK in her 400m semi to qualify for the final, but I doubt she can pull a medal in her final individual race. It is not out of the question that the USA leaves without a medal in either 400m event, which is almost unthinkable. Looking at the times, I wonder if the team adds McLaughlin and Muhammed to the 4x400m. They did in the last Worlds.

 

[jmdirt]

Well, you weren't wrong that sub-52 was needed. Femke ran a 52.03 so she nearly did improve by 2 seconds from the semi-final, and it still wasn't enough for more than bronze with the two Americans obliterating the former WR. She must feel today like Benjamin did yesterday, like, what more am I supposed to do?

As for sports that could be removed, I like the objection to judged sports, but I think gymnastics and diving in the summer Olympics and figure skating in the winter Olympics are 'traditional' enough Olympic sports to be established and difficult to justify removing. All of the extreme sports concourse events like the skateboarding, BMX freestyle, slopestyle, snowboard half-pipe etc., these are events which are better covered both in terms of medals and in terms of demographics at the X-Games and just feel like tack-ons due to the Olympics trying to be cool, rather than elite sporting disciplines. Climbing at least fits the basic criteria of needing to go further or faster to win - which is why, although I personally don't like it, the conventional race-based BMX doesn't get separated out in my comment above. At the opposite end of the spectrum, I could easily live without all the equestrian events, but then I've never particularly cared for horses the way some do, and so I don't have the ability to distinguish a reasonable performance from an excellent one, and somebody who does like the sport would immediately notice something in the horse-handling that I am oblivious to.

Even though I dislike judged sports, I agree that some are too traditional to get rid of now. I also happily admit that I enjoy watching gymnastics every four years (or five or three if there's a pandemic).

It would be interesting to look at more 'original' events: combat, running, swimming, strongman, throwing stones...what else?

 

[sir fly]

Even though I dislike judged sports, I agree that some are too traditional to get rid of now. I also happily admit that I enjoy watching gymnastics every four years (or five or three if there's a pandemic).

It would be interesting to look at more 'original' events: combat, running, swimming, strongman, throwing stones...what else?

Tug of war!

 

[BlueRoads]

Even though I dislike judged sports, I agree that some are too traditional to get rid of now. I also happily admit that I enjoy watching gymnastics every four years (or five or three if there's a pandemic).

It would be interesting to look at more 'original' events: combat, running, swimming, strongman, throwing stones...what else?

What do you dislike about the judged sports? I am trying to understand yours and Libertine's view... you seem to place all weight on the "faster, higher, stronger". For me, especially in the knowledge how common doping is, I'm just hardly impressed by the numbers. I love to watch some athletics for the excitement, and cycling mostly for the tactical connections, but often I prefer to watch sports which have at least an extremely important technical side... which are often the judged ones. Could also be because I used to be pretty fast and strong, but have always been lacking in coordination... so my admiration for people with such skills is even bigger.

 

[Koronin]

Lol, you want badminton out of the Olympics because you had a bad teacher? I have seen many ridiculous opinions but this one competes for first place. My god.

Also, it's a shuttlecock, not a birdie.

It's something you play at picnics.

 

[sir fly]

It's something you play at picnics.

You can go by bike for a picnic... or play soccer there.
... or even pick a fight.

 

[tobydawq]

It's something you play at picnics.

Lol.

So because a sport is accessible to the average Joe, it can't be an Olympic event? I guess it's goodbye to everything except for sports involving boats or horses then.

 

[Koronin]

Lol.

So because a sport is accessible to the average Joe, it can't be an Olympic event? I guess it's goodbye to everything except for sports involving boats or horses then.

It just doesn't feel like an Olympic sport to me. It's just that simple. It never has. If it's there why isn't horse shoes an Olympic sport?

I'd still dump doubles table tennis before badminton though.

 

[tobydawq]

It just doesn't feel like an Olympic sport to me. It's just that simple. It never has. If it's there why isn't horse shoes an Olympic sport?

I'd still dump doubles table tennis before badminton though.

I don't think you are even close to comprehending the physical, technical and mental demands to badminton players. And it's even very entertaining as well. It's close to being the sport I would pick last if I had to choose something to throw out (perhaps behins athletics).

 

[BlueRoads]

It just doesn't feel like an Olympic sport to me. It's just that simple. It never has. If it's there why isn't horse shoes an Olympic sport?

I'd still dump doubles table tennis before badminton though.

No, no, we are in for a silver table tennis team medal for the men tomorrow and maybe even a bronze for the women as well... can't dump that.
Also a close family member used to play with one of our Olympians in that discipline, so it has to be held in high regards.
In seriousness, table tennis is very popular here, of course no chance at all of beating the Chinese.

I found another sport to dump, though: walking. (Now, I'm waiting for the defenders. )

By the way Germany has equalled Chinas medal count!!
(of bronze medals)

 

[jmdirt]

What do you dislike about the judged sports? I am trying to understand yours and Libertine's view... you seem to place all weight on the "faster, higher, stronger". For me, especially in the knowledge how common doping is, I'm just hardly impressed by the numbers. I love to watch some athletics for the excitement, and cycling mostly for the tactical connections, but often I prefer to watch sports which have at least an extremely important technical side... which are often the judged ones. Could also be because I used to be pretty fast and strong, but have always been lacking in coordination... so my admiration for people with such skills is even bigger.

Judges.

 

[tobydawq]

No, no, we are in for a silver table tennis team medal for the men tomorrow and maybe even a bronze for the women as well... can't dump that.
Also a close family member used to play with one of our Olympians in that discipline, so it has to be held in high regards.
In seriousness, table tennis is very popular here, of course no chance at all of beating the Chinese.

I found another sport to dump, though: walking. (Now, I'm waiting for the defenders. )

By the way Germany has equalled Chinas medal count!!
(of bronze medals)

Yeah, walking is ridiculous. Sure, it's impressive that they can traverse 50 kms "walking" in three and a half hours but come on. I doubt you'll find many defenders.

 

[gunara]

It's something you play at picnics.

We play it at...whatever people of the past settled by duelling.

Well, not really. It's just that hundreds of millions people will lose interest in the Olympics altogether if that sport is removed from it, there are lots more expendable sports in that regard.

 

[sir fly]

Yeah, walking is ridiculous. Sure, it's impressive that they can traverse 50 kms "walking" in three and a half hours but come on. I doubt you'll find many defenders.

Walking is athletics.
Athletics is base.
Base is untouchable.
Hence - walking is untouchable

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What do you dislike about the judged sports? I am trying to understand yours and Libertine's view... you seem to place all weight on the "faster, higher, stronger". For me, especially in the knowledge how common doping is, I'm just hardly impressed by the numbers. I love to watch some athletics for the excitement, and cycling mostly for the tactical connections, but often I prefer to watch sports which have at least an extremely important technical side... which are often the judged ones. Could also be because I used to be pretty fast and strong, but have always been lacking in coordination... so my admiration for people with such skills is even bigger.

The problem with a lot of the judging events is that, apart from the long-established traditional ones (figure skating, gymnastics, diving), a lot of the time these events fit into the category of the X-games crossover stuff which really feel they're more about the Olympics trying to be "cool" and appeal to "the youth of today" than about actual elite sport. I mean, not to take away from what they do, because a lot of it is incredibly impressive, and certainly not to pick on the athletes personally, but when you're seeing 13 and 14-year-old kids, wearing gear that I could buy on the high street, falling in the majority of their runs and still winning medals, it's hard to accept that I'm watching a sport which is at an elite enough level to merit the prestige which an Olympic gold medal has inherent.

I know that's reactionary and élitist and I get flak for that every time the Winter Olympics come up for it too, but it's long been my opinion. It's not that the X-games events don't have their place, because some of them can be impressive to watch for sure. But that place is the X-games, not the Olympic games. That's what their demographic is, that's the environment that they thrive in.

 

[Koronin]

No, no, we are in for a silver table tennis team medal for the men tomorrow and maybe even a bronze for the women as well... can't dump that.
Also a close family member used to play with one of our Olympians in that discipline, so it has to be held in high regards.
In seriousness, table tennis is very popular here, of course no chance at all of beating the Chinese.

I found another sport to dump, though: walking. (Now, I'm waiting for the defenders. )

By the way Germany has equalled Chinas medal count!!
(of bronze medals)

Good luck to your countrymen(women). The doubles just looks crazy to me. The singles can stay.

I'm with you on walking.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yeah, walking is ridiculous. Sure, it's impressive that they can traverse 50 kms "walking" in three and a half hours but come on. I doubt you'll find many defenders.

I think race walking can be exciting to watch, but it should never exceed the length of the marathon. About two hours should be more than enough.

 

[sir fly]

I think race walking can be exciting to watch, but it should never exceed the length of the marathon. About two hours should be more than enough.

But exceeding the length of the marathon is exactly the point.
The more saving type of locomotion - the lengthier the test.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think race walking can be exciting to watch, but it should never exceed the length of the marathon. About two hours should be more than enough.

I actually like that they have the super-distance 50k, however at the same time I dislike that they have a fairly straightforward multi-lap course rather than the ever-changing scenery of the marathon, even if I understand why from a judging point of view.

 

[roundabout]

I think race walking can be exciting to watch, but it should never exceed the length of the marathon. About two hours should be more than enough.

The 50k is getting dropped from the Olympics. I think it will only be 20k from 2024.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The 50k is getting dropped from the Olympics. I think it will only be 20k from 2024.

That sounds good. When the women aren't allowed to do it at the Olympics, neither should the men.
I would much rather have the 25 km open water swimming distance than the 50K race walk.