Olympics Thread
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="barbarian" data-cid="605918" data-time="1471393464">
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<p>That's true if you want to win big medals, but you can't say that's the case across all countries. Places like Georgia, Kosovo, Vietnam, Uzbekistan etc. have all won medals this games, and India hasn't even gotten close.</p>
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<p>It's amazing they don't have one or two stars in any sport considering their population. Obviously there are genetic factors that influence sporting success - sounding like Eugenics but maybe the subcontinental genes just aren't the best for athletic success?</p>
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<p>They didn't win medals in disciplines they aren't traditionally strong in though right. Traditionally strong means national interest, means funding. NZ Rugby is the beacon of this point! National funding per capita is probably the highest on the planet. Look at the medals gained by each of these countries:</p>
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<p>Georgia - Weighlifting, Judo, Wrestling</p>
<p>Kosovo - Judo</p>
<p>Vietnam - shooting (hmmm....)</p>
<p>Uzbekistan - Weighlifting, Boxing, Judo, Wrestling</p>
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<p>It is true that you would think they would at least have a shot at something, though. Although outside cricket and squash, I can't think of a sport where India has a really good track record.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Unco" data-cid="605916" data-time="1471392977"><p>I'd say there's an extremely strong chance. Olympic boxing is a joke. At the 2012 games, there was a boxer who beat the crap out of his opponent, knocking him down five times and he still lost.</p></blockquote>
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I'm not an expert on the sport so can only go by what other experts are saying. Irish boxing analysts think he was hard done by, as was Katie Taylor who has got serious credibility as multi-world champion winner in her weight. A couple of British boxing analysts thought he had a point too. <br><br>
But given one of the Irish boxers got pulled by his own Association for a suspected doping offence after he'd arrived in Rio, credibility is undermined somewhat with the team being tainted as sore losers/whiners. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="605925" data-time="1471394565">
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<p>They didn't win medals in disciplines they aren't traditionally strong in though right. Traditionally strong means national interest, means funding. NZ Rugby is the beacon of this point! National funding per capita is probably the highest on the planet. Look at the medals gained by each of these countries:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Georgia - Weighlifting, Judo, Wrestling</p>
<p>Kosovo - Judo</p>
<p>Vietnam - shooting (hmmm....)</p>
<p>Uzbekistan - Weighlifting, Boxing, Judo, Wrestling</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It is true that you would think they would at least have a shot at something, though. Although outside cricket and squash, I can't think of a sport where India has a really good track record.</p>
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<p>Hockey?</p> -
<p>I've honestly always struggled with the Olympics having subjective sports. Diving, Synchronised Swimming etc where judges decide points etc.</p>
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<p>Fastest, Highest, Strongest was the original motto. I'm happy with that being extended to most goals / points etc. But highest score as decided by judges? </p>
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<p>Just doesn't sit right with me.</p> -
Jeez - just watched Irish runner, Thomas Barr, steam though his 400m hurdles semi-final to win it. The last time there was an Irish 400m finalist was 84 years ago. And he won the final. <br><br>
There's hope for us yet. -
<p>According to Wiki - Hockey is the only Olympic sport India has a good track record in - they've won 11 medals including 8 golds.</p>
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<p>Only other sports they've medaled in are shooting (4 medals, 1 gold), wrestling (4 medals, 0 gold), boxing (2 medals), badminton, weightlifting and tennis (one bronze in each).</p> -
Gotta say Yealden is doing a great job on the RS commentary, making some of these sports sound way more exciting than when I watch them
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Milk" data-cid="605909" data-time="1471391473"><p>
Is there any chance he's right?</p></blockquote>
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Yes.<br><br>
I posted an article before the games started where a whistle blower outed that it was fixed.<br><br>
AIBA are a captured organisation. <br><br>
I wouldn't bother wasting your time watching any Olympic boxing, until it's at a point where an Azeri, Russian or Venezuelan fighting each other. Then the suspense will last until we find out who's bribe was biggest, or how the horse trading was conducted. -
<p>slow start, but those front two fucked off sharpish for the last lap. Not sure what your coverage was, but mine cut to the pom being overtaken in 3rd and missed the Kenyan's decisive move.</p>
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<p>I love the 1500</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="605931" data-time="1471395312">
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<p>I've honestly always struggled with the Olympics having subjective sports. Diving, Synchronised Swimming etc where judges decide points etc.</p>
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<p>Fastest, Highest, Strongest was the original motto. I'm happy with that being extended to most goals / points etc. But highest score as decided by judges? </p>
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<p>Just doesn't sit right with me.</p>
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<p>Anything "artistic" can fuck off like the dancing gymnastics or ball-throwing bit. Dressage? Fuck off. Actually scrap everything horse-related because its a crock of shit and nothing to do with "human endeavour". Just rich fluffybunnies.</p>
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<p>Swimming needs to be seriously culled down to 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m, 10km open water race - fastest wins, whatever stroke you want. If you can beat someone's freestyle using butterfly, go for it.</p>
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<p>Walking? Fuck off. </p>
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<p>Judo is shit to watch. Karate would be better.</p> -
<p>what about gymnastics?</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="605941" data-time="1471398244"><p>Anything "artistic" can fuck off like the dancing gymnastics or ball-throwing bit. Dressage? Fuck off. Actually scrap everything horse-related because its a crock of shit and nothing to do with "human endeavour". Just rich fluffybunnys.<br>
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Swimming needs to be seriously culled down to 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m, 10km open water race - fastest wins, whatever stroke you want. If you can beat someone's freestyle using butterfly, go for it.<br>
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Walking? Fuck off. <br>
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Judo is shit to watch. Karate would be better.</p></blockquote>
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Pedant note:<br>
Freestyle is exactly what it means. Use whatever style/stroke you want. The front crawl stroke is the one chosen. -
Re-posting the article about AIBA corruption;<br><br><br><br>
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/01/rio-2016-olympics-boxing-corruption-allegations'>https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/01/rio-2016-olympics-boxing-corruption-allegations</a> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="605935" data-time="1471396215">
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<p>According to Wiki - Hockey is the only Olympic sport India has a good track record in - they've won 11 medals including 8 golds.</p>
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<p>Only other sports they've medaled in are shooting (4 medals, 1 gold), wrestling (4 medals, 0 gold), boxing (2 medals), badminton, weightlifting and tennis (one bronze in each).</p>
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<p>They used to be untouchable in hockey but then the world caught up and passed them.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiPie" data-cid="605946" data-time="1471399011">
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<p>They used to be untouchable in hockey but then the world caught up and passed them.</p>
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<p>Once the pitches became synthetic, if I'm not wrong. Game became so much faster and they didn't have the facilities to keep up</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Immenso Rapido" data-cid="605944" data-time="1471398748"><p>Re-posting the article about AIBA corruption;<br><a class="bbc_url" href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/01/rio-2016-olympics-boxing-corruption-allegations">https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/01/rio-2016-olympics-boxing-corruption-allegations</a></p></blockquote>
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Wow! Was not aware of any of that. I'm a bit more tolerant of Conlon's outburst having read that. Demonise and isolate the whistleblowers seems to be the usual tactic in these kind of situations. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="605942" data-time="1471398347">
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<p>what about gymnastics?</p>
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<p>Apparatus have stricter rules than the artistic gymnastics, but still have a bit of grey area around things like the landing and how many points that deducts.</p>
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<p>Move to real-time computer judging for those things. Make everyone do the same routine/vault/whatever and let the computer decide.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pot Hale" data-cid="605943" data-time="1471398744">
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<p>Pedant note:<br>
Freestyle is exactly what it means. Use whatever style/stroke you want. The front crawl stroke is the one chosen.</p>
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<p>There you go then - the other events aren't needed.</p>
