Olympics Thread
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<p>This is a nice story:</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.news.com.au/sport/olympics/sports-life/nikki-hamblin-abbey-dagostino-awarded-rare-olympic-medal/news-story/e8838d063624f453732bda7ccdc174cc'>http://www.news.com.au/sport/olympics/sports-life/nikki-hamblin-abbey-dagostino-awarded-rare-olympic-medal/news-story/e8838d063624f453732bda7ccdc174cc</a></p>
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<p></p><p></p><blockquote class="ipsBlockquote"><strong>Nikki Hamblin, Abbey D’Agostino awarded rare Olympic medal</strong>
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<p>NEW Zealand 5000m runner Nikki Hamblin and American Abbey D’Agostino have been awarded a special Olympic medal for sportsmanship.</p>
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<p>They have been awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal, which has only been awarded previously 17 times in Olympic history.</p>
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<p>Hamblin tripped and fell during the semi-final race and brought D’Agostino crashing down behind her.</p>
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<p>D’Agostino was quickly up on her feet, but then stopped and helped Hamblin up and encouraged her to run with her. But the American then realised she had injured her knee — in fact she had torn her anterior cruciate ligament — and urged Hamblin to race on. But the Kiwi refused to leave her side and they completed the race together.</p>
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<p>An International Olympic Committee statement read: “The D’Agostino and Hamblin story is one of humanity and sacrifice which has already captured the hearts of people across the globe.â€</p>
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<p>Hamblin said: “Winning this award is overwhelming. I am proud that what we did and truly believe that you can be both a competitor and kind and responsive at the same time.</p>
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<p>“Everyone comes here to compete but there are a lot of people who don’t achieve that and the journey is really important too.</p>
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<p>“That was one of those journeys and it has gone on to be one of the most important moments of my life.â€</p></blockquote> -
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Something I learnt today when I was suppose to be working: Tana Umaga has a <span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);background-color:rgb(247,247,247);">Pierre de Coubertin medal.</span></span></span></p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Sneakdefreak" data-cid="608049" data-time="1471843769"><p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Something I learnt today when I was suppose to be working: Tana Umaga has a <span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);"><span style="background-color:rgb(247,247,247);">Pierre de Coubertin medal.</span></span></span></span></p></blockquote>I'm picking he didn't get it for saving Brian O'driscoll....
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Sneakdefreak" data-cid="608049" data-time="1471843769">
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Something I learnt today when I was suppose to be working: Tana Umaga has a <span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);">Pierre de Coubertin medal.</span></span></span></p>
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<p>I believe it was from assisting Colin Charvis after he got demolished by Jerry Collins (RIP) in a tackle - Hamilton 03 test I believe. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Higgins" data-cid="608022" data-time="1471837400">
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<p>A little asterix must be placed against the name Wales as some of those medals would have been won as part of a team that probably also contained Poms and Jocks and maybe even Northern Irishmen thus not entirely attributable to Taffys</p>
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<p>Did the Welsh improve on their 10 medals? In the end, even without the asterisk, I think 10 would only place them fifth behind Grenada, Bahamas, NZ and Usain B...I mean Jamaica, in the per capita table.</p> -
<p>I missed the McCartney medal and was prompted to google it by the posting here. So for those like me, link to a video...</p>
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/mccartney-claims-pole-vault-bronze-2016082013'>http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/mccartney-claims-pole-vault-bronze-2016082013</a></p> -
<p>So we ended up with 18 medals, our most successful games ever.</p>
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<p>In terms of golds, 4 in Rio is second only to London 2012 (6) and LA 1984 (8, which has an asterisk next to it given the boycott).</p>
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<p>Awesome performance :good1:</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_at_the_Olympics#Medals_by_Summer_Games'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_at_the_Olympics#Medals_by_Summer_Games</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="TeWaio" data-cid="608089" data-time="1471854842">
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<p>So we ended up with 18 medals, our most successful games ever.</p>
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<p>In terms of golds, 4 in Rio is second only to London 2012 (6) and LA 1984 (8, which has an asterisk next to it given the boycott).</p>
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<p>Awesome performance :good1:</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_at_the_Olympics#Medals_by_Summer_Games'>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_at_the_Olympics#Medals_by_Summer_Games</a></p>
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<p>The boycott that spared us competing against the drug-fueled eastern Europeans.</p>
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<p>There should be no asterisk.</p> -
Will there be a Super Mario event?
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="608111" data-time="1471859099"><p>
We usually had a habit of getting more bronze medals than silvers so that was a welcome change. The flip side of that fact is that some of those silver medals could so easily have been gold.</p></blockquote>
And a few of those silvers were out and out surprises.<br><br>
Best Olympics ever IMO -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="608141" data-time="1471864742">
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<p>And a few of those silvers were out and out surprises.<br><br>
Best Olympics ever IMO</p>
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<p>As were some of the bronzes, in track and field no less!! We witnessed the emergence on the world stage of Tom Walsh (with honourable mention to Jacko Gill) and Eliza McCartney, who have the potential to go back stronger in 2020</p> -
<p>Valerie's silver was pretty amazing after all the surgery last year (she could barely compete) and the years of toll on the body from all the training. She's a great follow on fb/instagram, videos of some of the weights she's throwing around on a daily basis are remarkable. </p>
