Paris Olympics 2024 (non-cycling) thread

[Salvarani]

It's probably easier for him to use that name whenever he calls to make appointments at Bjarne Riis' hairdresser.

He cant have much of a window to make that call.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I didn't even know there were any beaches in Canada tbh

Snow volleyball they'd absolutely destroy everyone at

Amazing random argument that just happened in the beach volleyball final.

 

[Sciatic]

Battocletti is european champion tbf and showed in the 5000 she's in good form, but very unexpected nonetheless. I think the slow pace suited her, she's fast over 200m and it meant that she could follow the leaders while still running around her PB pace.

Athletics tactics always confuse me, fair enough if you're Battocletti/Hassan/Chebet and you know a 400m sprint suits you, but Tsegay, four days after she was comfortably outsprinted into like 6th?

I always think that too. But I guess the dilemma is if a runner needs a faster pace, someone has to go out and set it. And as we saw in men’s 1500, trying to lead for a long way isn’t advantageous either. If national coaches of teams like Ethiopia could select their competitors the way cycling teams do for specific races, they might do well to choose one of the 3 entries as. a domestique. However they would still have to be fast enough runners to get through qualifying.

 

[search]

As usual, USA looked likely to top the medal table for most of this Olympics, but after a couple of upsets today, it may actually be close in the end. Currently both USA and China have 33 gold medals - with USA ranked ahead due to more silver medals:

https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/medals

USA has five more events to come where they are heavily favored to win:

• Athletics - Men's 4x400m relay
• Athletics - Women's 4x400m relay
• Basketball - Men's Gold Medal Match
• Football - Women's Gold Medal Match
• Basketball - Women's Gold Medal Match

China has six:

• Artistic Swimming - Duet
• Boxing - Women's 75kg Gold Medal Match
• Diving - Men's 10m platform
• Table Tennis - Women's Team Gold Medal Match
• Weight Lifting - Men's 102kg
• Weight Lifting - Women's +81kg

While that's probably it for China, USA has another couple of good chances elsewhere, but after the relay-issues today, and playing France in both bball finals, maybe also a bigger risk of upsets. Will be interesting to see how it unfolds. Could come down to Volleyball, Wrestling or Golf in the end. Edit: and they apparently also have a good bboy.

 

[Tim Cahill]

The green part is Canada. As you can see, it has quite a bit of shoreline.

The North Pole has quite a bit of shoreline too.. surprisingly few beaches though

 

[Sciatic]

Interesting. I don't think many would agree on these:

Cycling road race - men
Tennis singles - both genders
Golf - men
Badminton singles - men

Within cycling I do think Olympic champion is very prestigious, But I don't think it is viewed as one of the more prestigious Olympic events by the general public around the world. And for the Olympics its a a global event so we should always look from the global rather than national [edit: or cycling] perspective.

In Tennis and Golf the most prestigious events are their grand slams and majors. Olympics is a recent fetish.

Badminton was only admitted to the Olympics in 1992. I think its a natural Olympic sport but not sure if its viewed as the most prestigious outside of China and maybe Denmark?

I think it depends on which country you’re talking about. One example is Lithuania where basketball is the prestigious event (and so sad they didn’t qualify this Olympics!).

 

[Sciatic]

The North Pole has quite a bit of shoreline too.. surprisingly few beaches though

But more arriving soon!

 

[RedheadDane]

The North Pole has quite a bit of shoreline too.. surprisingly few beaches though

Oh, I'm sure they have beaches.
Just not the kind you wanna take a swim from. Unless you're a polar bear.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

It’s not whining if it’s true. Justice was served today.

If it's not true, it's whining. Justice was served yesterday.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

But more arriving soon!

Funny, but not funny.

 

[gunara]

I didn't even know there were any beaches in Canada tbh

Snow volleyball they'd absolutely destroy everyone at

Also, Switzerland was qualified for this Olympic

 

[BullsFan22]

If it's not true, it's whining. Justice was served yesterday.

If you call awful officiating justice…

 

[gunara]

Badminton was only admitted to the Olympics in 1992. I think its a natural Olympic sport but not sure if its viewed as the most prestigious outside of China and maybe Denmark?

I really thought I had to post less in this Olympic section because I thought I started to repeat myself. Turn out I don't😁

Indonesia sees it as the big event, since it's traditionally our most succesful sport. But I think most of us know that it's not really one of the global Olympic top drawers in terms of number of countries involved (although China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, and lately Spain - none are small in population - being good at it can easily mean viewers in billions)

 

[Cookster15]

I really thought I had to post less in this Olympic section because I thought I started to repeat myself. Turn out I don't😁

Indonesia sees it as the big event, since it's traditionally our most succesful sport. But I think most of us know that it's not really one of the global Olympic top drawers in terms of number of countries involved (although China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, and lately Spain - none are small in population - being good at it can easily mean viewers in billions)

Apologies but I never noticed your posts on this subject until today 🙂.

If we consider population then cricket should also be in the Olympics - add the population of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka where that sport is worshipped. By sheer number of people who follow it cricket is the 2nd most followed sport in the world. Yet cricket isn’t a good fit at the Olympics.

Badminton is definitely one of, if not the, most prestigious sports in those countries you mention. I also agree Badminton is a great sport for the Olympics.

But whilst badminton is a better fit at the Olympics than cricket, golf or tennis I would not rate it in the top 5 most prestigious events overall as judged by world opinion. But I will concede this is very subjective 🙂

 

[jmdirt]

Coleman messed up I think and faded badly

Dont think it was Bednarek really going too early there

Based on the overhead view, Kenny went too early.

 

[meat puppet]

Men's marathon: allez Michael running the dream 666 placate at the foot of the first climb

 

[gunara]

I would not rate it in the top 5 most prestigious events overall as judged by world opinion🙂

Neither would I, in my opinion it's somehere in the upper lower half of things, far from the top 5. But yeah, it's all subjective matter.

While it didn't develop into an exclusively commonwealth sport like many other sports originated in British empire, there seem to be things about badminton that keep it from becoming a true global sport. More countries play it now, but also there are countries losing interest in it. It also never takes off as a purely professional sports, at least in Asian countries, the national governing bodies still oversee athletes' training and scheduling etc.. I don't know how it goes in Denmark, for example. I always wondered how and why they came to the obscure Philippines or New Zealand Open while the maximum prize money barely cover the expense.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Kipchoge and Bekele are not gonna win this one nor get medals. Maybe they won't even finish.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

This marathon with the hills is great, should be the standard in the Olympics. Adds a whole new race dynamic.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This marathon with the hills is great, should be the standard in the Olympics. Adds a whole new race dynamic.

Finally one to compete with or better the festival of attrition that was Barcelona '92. I think a lot recently have been too obsessed with trying to lower the records to create this kind of race, though.

 

[46&twoWheels]

french really put l'Alpe d'Huez in the middle of a marathon. Genius

 

[meat puppet]

Yeah, hills definitely add to the race. Gotta be totally mesmerized by the fast time fetish if one doesn't see this.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

Finally one to compete with or better the festival of attrition that was Barcelona '92. I think a lot recently have been too obsessed with trying to lower the records to create this kind of race, though.

Petition to make Mt. Baldy the focal point of the Los Angeles 2028 marathon.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Now it looks like Kipchoge has been paid to pace He Jie to the finish

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Petition to make Mt. Baldy the focal point of the Los Angeles 2028 marathon.

If they were using the Dodger Stadium or the Rose Bowl instead of the Memorial Coliseum, then they would have a lot of hills right by the stadium to use. Hell, Fargo Street would be a possibility, probably at about 2/3 distance if they finish at the Memorial Coliseum I think?

Plenty of possibilities in the Elysian Heights or maybe up and down by Griffith Observatory?