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Olympic Games Update

Great result in the gymnastics for GB first medal Women's team Bronze since 1928 which was the year the event was introduced.
 

But gold and silver in the 200m free for GB:)
Bit stunned there, freestyle events usually the preserve if the Yanks and Aussies.

To get gold and silver in 200m is fantastic.

And to see 400m won by a Tunisian also great
 
Team GB playing for Bronze against Argentina later today. Beaten 29-7 by NZ in semi who take on Fiji in the final
 
I do wonder how Surfing got into the olympics.
Actual competitive surfing as opposed to the big wave version really isn't a good TV.

Maybe if it was in a artificial environment instead of the oceon waiting for the perfect wave for 10 minutes.
 
Maybe if it was in a artificial environment instead of the oceon waiting for the perfect wave for 10 minutes.
I did wonder about this - I've not managed to catch any of it on TV, but was surprised it wasn't in an artificial environment

What if there's only one or two good waves all day?
Two people get to do something impressive and everyone else just paddles about?
 
Stunning ride from Roglic in the time trial. A year ago Ganna was invincible and for him to have finished outside the medals was unthinkable.
 
First medal for Ireland last night, bronze in the women's cordless four rowing, very unexpected so a great result.

Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy are out tomorrow in the final as red hot favourites in the double sculls, hopefully they bring the gold home.

One or two medals in the boxing then would make it a very successful games altogether.
 
Fiji up at half time 19-12 in the gold medal match.

Read GB missed out on Bonze to Argentina.
 
Great second half in the gold medal final. Looking like Fiji will win it.
 

And Fiji won gold 27-12 over NZ

And Team GB boys took a great gold in 200m freestyle relay swimming missing Olympic record by .02 seconds and the world record by .03
 
Even more useless olympic trivia:

Until London 1948 the games used to award medals for artwork that was inspired by sport (painting, sculpture, architecture, literature and music).

One entry was 'the football match' by Australian artist Roy de Maistre.


Ireland's first ever medal was for a painting.

Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics also reffed the first ever French Championship (top14) final.
 
The Olympics are a really odd mix…..

Some classic sports where it's the absolute pinnacle…..athletics, swimming etc

Some where it's not remotely a priority for the competitors and shouldn't be there…..looking at you, tennis and golf.

Some which are watered down derivations of the real thing….boxing, football, 3x3 basketball and (runs for cover) 7s.

Some which are very niche…..modern pentathlon, horse dancing and artistic swimming and some which are universal like athletics and swimming.

Some where physical prowess is all….obvious. Others where it's much more about skills judgement and experience….shooting, horse dancing etc. Competitor ages range from 12- 66.

Some where tech / money play a huge part - anything to do with horses, boats and bikes and some where it doesn't - martial arts and others.

I guess this diversity is fantastic, but it is an odd mish mash when you think about it.

In terms of new events I know skateboarding's skilful, but it's not my idea of an Olympic sport (or a sport at all)……darts would be better. Climbing on the other hand is a great addition. As as for breakdancing in Paris 3 years hence….
 
The Olympics are a really odd mix…..

Some classic sports where it's the absolute pinnacle…..athletics, swimming etc

Some where it's not remotely a priority for the competitors and shouldn't be there…..looking at you, tennis and golf.

Some which are watered down derivations of the real thing….boxing, football, 3x3 basketball and (runs for cover) 7s.

Some which are very niche…..modern pentathlon, horse dancing and artistic swimming and some which are universal like athletics and swimming.

Some where physical prowess is all….obvious. Others where it's much more about skills judgement and experience….shooting, horse dancing etc. Competitor ages range from 12- 66.

Some where tech / money play a huge part - anything to do with horses, boats and bikes and some where it doesn't - martial arts and others.

I guess this diversity is fantastic, but it is an odd mish mash when you think about it.

In terms of new events I know skateboarding's skilful, but it's not my idea of an Olympic sport (or a sport at all)……darts would be better. Climbing on the other hand is a great addition. As as for breakdancing in Paris 3 years hence….
Darts is a sport? I thought it was invented by fat men in a pub who didn't want to play sports.
 
Some which are very niche…..modern pentathlon, horse dancing and artistic swimming and some which are universal like athletics and swimming.
Actually the modern pentathlon has a very long military history.

Originally from ancient Greece it concentrated in the core needs of the soldier, running, wrestling, javelin, discus and long jump.

It was "modernised" by de Coubertin to include swimming, sword fighting (épée), riding an unfamiliar horse (all competitors are assigned a horse, not their own), swimming and pistol shooting the core requirements of a cavalry soldier for escape and evasion behind enemy lines

Interestingly the common cavalry soldier was considered a professional and therefore banned, but the office was considered an amateur

Dressage (or horse dancing as you call it) has a history which goes back to about 350BC

 
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