Olympics Thread
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiPie" data-cid="606012" data-time="1471411537">
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<p>In the "things that make you go hmmmm" department, both the 10,000m races appeared to be a bit dodgy.</p>
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<p><strong>Womens - well a new world record by someone running the distance for the second time - can't get much dodgier than that.</strong></p>
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<p>Mens - the Farah/Rupp combo was really weird. Farah was taking the piss waving to the crowd early on, Rupp was running up and down the field like he was on a training run, trips Farah up, then drops back to pace him for a while. After all of that and a blisteringly fast race, neither of them seemed fatigued. Rupp had no problem sticking with the leaders but didn't have the pace at the end. Farah won as usual with his final kick. No problem with him winning but they both just seemed to know that they could cope with any pace and there were plenty of other top runners left by the wayside when the pace came on.</p>
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<p>Now Salazar the coach and the Oregon Project (sounds sinister just in the name) have had allegations about doping with Mary Decker-Slaney and Rupp but managed to shrug them off. So is something dodgy going on?</p>
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<p>It's actually less dodgy than you think. The 10k is hardly ever run on the track, basically only at major championships and at the Oregon diamond league each year. Usually at champs its a very tactical sit-and-kick race off a slow pace, so the records are much "softer" than they would be if the elite athletes ever raced for time. </p>
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<p>Ayana isn't much of a sprinter so just went for it, and smashed the world record. But this has basically never been done before at a major champs. Tirunesh Dibaba, probably the greatest 10k runner of all time (2x Olympic gold before these games) ran a 12 second PB in this race to get bronze, simply because in the past she'd always won everything off a slow pace with a fast final lap. In her prime (2008-2012) she could've probably run close to 29mins flat, but never needed to.</p>
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<p>Mo Farah similarly could probably break the 10k WR in an even-paced "time trial" sort of race, but is so much faster than the others that a sprint finish race makes him near-unbeatable. The risk you have in going out at an even WR-beating pace is that someone comes with you, tucks behind drafting and saving energy, then pips you at the end when you've got nothing left.<br><br>
After saying all of that, they are still probably all on drugs <span style="color:rgb(84,84,84);font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:small;">¯_(ツ)_/¯</span></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="605983" data-time="1471404739"><p>
Phelps has won golds in four Olympics now. Even if you ignore the total number of medals, there aren't many people who have done that.</p></blockquote>
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Yeah. He's up there. <br><br>
But Steve Redgrave has less than a quarter of Phelps's medal haul -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="606029" data-time="1471415415"><p>30 cycling medals - Britain won 11 (including six gold) and no other country won more than two. Their competitors are casting a few aspersions.<br>
<br><a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-3743708/Team-GB-s-gold-medal-winning-cycling-stars-success-questioned-Olympic-rivals-following-Rio-success.html">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-3743708/Team-GB-s-gold-medal-winning-cycling-stars-success-questioned-Olympic-rivals-following-Rio-success.html</a><br>
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I'd be inclined to look at what sort of "Lydiard factors" are at work. Wouldn't surprise me if they were replicating some of the stuff the Brownlee brothers do i.e. sleeping in an oxygen tent. They've certainly stolen a march on the rest of the world and are a fundamental explanation of why our cycling team didn't achieve its targets.<br></p></blockquote>
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Lottery money - lots of it -, and expectations boosted by recent success have been the drivers by the look of things. You can't say it's come from nowhere, Obree and Hoy back in the day put cycling on the map in the UK to the extent it attracted significant funding. The current crop seem to have reaped the rewards of that investment. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="606003" data-time="1471408555"><p>
They were in a shitload of trouble financially after FIFA WC. <br><br>
Here's Greece, 12 years on: <a class="bbc_url" href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/gallery/2014/aug/13/abandoned-athens-olympic-2004-venues-10-years-on-in-pictures">https://www.theguardian.com/sport/gallery/2014/aug/13/abandoned-athens-olympic-2004-venues-10-years-on-in-pictures</a><br><br>
Softball anyone?<br><br><img src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/8/13/1407945050442/4a454e6a-7537-4f44-b45d-9a8d40af7be7-2060x1361.jpeg?w=1010&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max" alt="4a454e6a-7537-4f44-b45d-9a8d40af7be7-206"><br><br><br>
Admittedly, the hockey field has held up well - might show this to Mrs TA as proof we should astroturf the backyard :think:<br><br><img src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/8/13/1407944936403/56bca6d4-3df7-4827-a2f2-c589e148b811-2060x1371.jpeg?w=1010&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max" alt="56bca6d4-3df7-4827-a2f2-c589e148b811-206"></p></blockquote>
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Have read about the Montreal Olympic Stadium ... and it's still in use ... -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="JC" data-cid="606052" data-time="1471421736">
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<p>Lottery money - lots of it -, and expectations boosted by recent success have been the drivers by the look of things. You can't say it's come from nowhere, Obree and Hoy back in the day put cycling on the map in the UK to the extent it attracted significant funding. The current crop seem to have reaped the rewards of that investment.</p>
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<p>Probably Boardman more than Obree but, yeah, success has bred success and Obree and Boardman were early pioneers for British track cycling.</p>
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<p>On a kind of related note, the per capita medal table is a bit of a farce. Population has nothing to do with anything - I believe - it's all down to funding. If someone pumps money into (say) Brazil sport, we'd soon watch them fly up the medal table. Britain, like Aus before them, didn't suddenly get good at Olympic sports, they just got funded. </p> -
<p>No doubt that money helps - but, everyone knows that now.</p>
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<p>If you look at the countries that won track cycling medals - Aust, Germany, USA, Italy, Netherlands, France, Canada, NZ, Denmark, China, Russia - it's pretty hard to think any of them are on shoestring budgets. They were chucking around a figure on the radio of NZ$27 million from High Performance Sport NZ given to our track cycling programme - which I'd guess is pretty budget compared to many. But even so - that's going to buy you a shit load of training, gear and travel. We've supposedly got some great facilities.</p>
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<p>About the only thing it's not going to buy too much of is science. So what have the Brits done with their money - it's got to be more than just marginally better bikes.</p> -
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/83274254/panel-of-experts-links-hair-removal-to-cyclists-saddle-pain'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/83274254/panel-of-experts-links-hair-removal-to-cyclists-saddle-pain</a></p>
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<p>No stones left unturned, apparently.... :)</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="606068" data-time="1471425114">
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<p>No doubt that money helps - but, everyone knows that now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If you look at the countries that won track cycling medals - Aust, Germany, USA, Italy, Netherlands, France, Canada, NZ, Denmark, China, Russia - it's pretty hard to think any of them are on shoestring budgets. They were chucking around a figure on the radio of NZ$27 million from High Performance Sport NZ given to our track cycling programme - which I'd guess is pretty budget compared to many. But even so - that's going to buy you a shit load of training, gear and travel. <strong>We've supposedly got some great facilities.</strong></p>
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<p>About the only thing it's not going to buy too much of is science. So what have the Brits done with their money - it's got to be more than just marginally better bikes.</p>
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<p>We do. The AvantiDrome just outside of Cambridge is top class. Like all the rowers settled around the HPC at Karapiro, most of the cyclists are now based there.</p>
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<p>Have to say, one things about the games that is grossing me out (apart from the green pool) is the booing by the Rio crowds, especially when athletes are getting medals. That is ugly.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mokey" data-cid="606079" data-time="1471426780"><p>
Have to say, one things about the games that is grossing me out (apart from the green pool) is the booing by the Rio crowds, especially when athletes are getting medals. That is ugly.</p></blockquote>
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Yep! Can't see world sporting bodies rushing to take events like the Olympics back to Rio in the future. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mokey" data-cid="606079" data-time="1471426780">
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<p>We do. The AvantiDrome just outside of Cambridge is top class. Like all the rowers settled around the HPC at Karapiro, most of the cyclists are now based there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Have to say, one things about the games that is grossing me out (apart from the green pool) is the booing by the Rio crowds, especially when athletes are getting medals. That is ugly.</p>
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<p>Heard Ian Ferguson talking about a new whitewater canoe facility (in Auckland I think). He said it's the best whitewater course in the world - and having an artificial course is important, because nature doesn't provide a tough enough challenge - apparently you need the bottom of the course to be flat to increase water speed.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="606068" data-time="1471425114">
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<p>No doubt that money helps - but, everyone knows that now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If you look at the countries that won track cycling medals - Aust, Germany, USA, Italy, Netherlands, France, Canada, NZ, Denmark, China, Russia - it's pretty hard to think any of them are on shoestring budgets. They were chucking around a figure on the radio of NZ$27 million from High Performance Sport NZ given to our track cycling programme - which I'd guess is pretty budget compared to many. But even so - that's going to buy you a shit load of training, gear and travel. We've supposedly got some great facilities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>About the only thing it's not going to buy too much of is science. So what have the Brits done with their money - it's got to be more than just marginally better bikes.</p>
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<p>You can look at the<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_UCI_World_Tour#Nation'> nation ratings </a>on the UCI World Tour this year. Spain, France and Colombia are the top three cycling nations and won a bronze medal between themselves at these games. It has a lot to do with how countries value the events. It seems that most European countries don't value track cycling very much. Spain didn't even make a final on the track and they are the best cycling country in the world.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mokey" data-cid="606079" data-time="1471426780">
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<p>We do. The AvantiDrome just outside of Cambridge is top class. Like all the rowers settled around the HPC at Karapiro, most of the cyclists are now based there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Have to say, one things about the games that is grossing me out (apart from the green pool) is the booing by the Rio crowds, especially when athletes are getting medals. That is ugly.</p>
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<p>I see the same shit every time I watch a Brazilian UFC card, they're rabidly pro-Brazilian and anti-pretty much everyone else. They're the worst.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Donsteppa" data-cid="606080" data-time="1471427071"><p>
Yep! Can't see world sporting bodies rushing to take events like the Olympics back to Rio in the future.</p></blockquote>
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Besides the fact it has bankrupted their already fucked, crime-riddled, disease-infested, poor-arsed armpit of a country, you mean?<br><br><br>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Donsteppa" data-cid="606080" data-time="1471427071"><p>
Yep! Can't see world sporting bodies rushing to take events like the Olympics back to Rio in the future.</p></blockquote>I think they spent so much on bribes to get the games they didn't have enough to spend on the actual games. After the football WC and the olympics they must be super debt ridden.<br><br>
If FIFA and the IOC weren't so corrupt they'd follow simple rules<br><br>
Don't have the events in the developing or third world because infrastructure and organisation is piss poor<br>
Don't have the events in Russia because Putin sucks<br>
Don't have the events in the Middle East because it's too hot, you can't drink or fornicate without getting thrown in prison<br><br>
The FIFA WC is going to be rubbish in Qatar but the Tokyo olympics in 2020 will be great I predict -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Unco" data-cid="606099" data-time="1471437370">
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<p>I see the same shit every time I watch a Brazilian UFC card, they're rabidly pro-Brazilian and anti-pretty much everyone else. They're the worst.</p>
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<p>This looks like another honour wrested away from Crusuder country!</p> -
