Olympics

[maggiem]

Aug 8, 2016 19:34:36 GMT @caiaphas said:

What qualifications do you need to become a judge? (I'd be prepared to work hard and give it 100%...)

Our Thomas is doing well, and that Daniel is such a good fellow.

Tom Daley's face (hand over his mouth and wide eyed) while he was waiting to see if they'd won a medal, and the joy when they knew they had, that's DRAMA!

[Deleted]

And Novak Djokovic has been knocked out in the early rounds of the Singles and Doubles events in Men's Tennis, so I'm over the moon.

[Deleted]

The main problem with the tv coverage of the Olympics sport is that there's so much sport that all we seem to get is wall-to-wall commentary with none of the usual interminable talking heads and background features about the players' troubled childhoods and tragically terminally ill grandparents, children, pets, etc. The coverage would be enhanced with the inclusion of more in-depth explanatory contextual information. For example, it would be good to see Tom Daley and Duncan Goodfellow demonstating how they put on their sports kit in preparation for their dives.

[Deleted]

I'm watching the equestrian events at the moment. Perhaps this will be the year I finally get around to learning how to ride a horse. How hard can it be? It's basically just sitting down. On half a ton of teeth.

[Deleted]

Ooh, I LOVE the diving! Well done, boys! (And all the other Brilliant Brits who have won medals today.)

[Flim Flam]

The Olympics always inspire me (well in my fantasies at least) to think that I could start training and take part next time.

In my younger days I quite fancied taking up swimming or distance running ( I worked out that I just had to double my speed to qualify for the women's marathon- come on, that's feasible right?). However, now the years have gone on I realise that the only things I am still likely (even in my fantasies) to qualify for are trap shooting, a bit of gentle curling at the Winter Olympics, or maybe the dressage (nice outfits at least)...

Mind you, the medals are jolly heavy, so maybe I won't bother.

[stefy69]

I am so hooked on the Olympics ( and I not a sporty person at all ! ) I get caught up in the excitement of all the events with a Brit in and it brings back so many happy happy memories of London 2012.

[Deleted]

I'm watching the women's 10000m. Almost exactly at the 5000m mark the lead group started lapping the trailing group, so it's becoming rather confusing working out where the start and the end of the field are and there's a possibility that some people may be lapped twice. It's also causing problems for the high jumpers, as they start their run on the track in the gaps between the runners and there aren't any gaps.

... and the first three runners all come in faster than the old Olympic record.

[viserys]

At least you get the athletics, we get the sodding golf on telly.

[stefy69]

2 Rowing golds for GB in quick succession.!!!

...and 4th in the medals table COOL

[Flim Flam]

Sooo exciting!

[Deleted]

What a fabulous afternoon... Soooo exciting!

[alece10]

So many empty seats at every venue. Even for finals. Just watching athletics and huge swathes of empty seats. Such a shame.
What a contrast to London when, apart from one or two early events that had empty seats reserved for Olympic Family, all the venues were packed.

[Jon]

Aug 12, 2016 16:18:19 GMT alece10 said:

So many empty seats at every venue. Even for finals. Just watching athletics and huge swathes of empty seats. Such a shame.
What a contrast to London when, apart from one or two early events that had empty seats reserved for Olympic Family, all the venues were packed.

I would guess tickets are too expensive for people who live and work in Rio.

[Deleted]

It's strange how I can get drawn in to sports I'd never ordinarily watch. The high jump section of the women's heptathlon was compelling viewing as Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Nafissatou Thiam fought their way up towards two metres. In the end I was glad they both went out at the same height, as after that level of competition it would have been a shame for either of them to have lost to the other.

[longinthetooth]

Aug 12, 2016 16:29:15 GMT Jon said:

Aug 12, 2016 16:18:19 GMT alece10 said:

So many empty seats at every venue. Even for finals. Just watching athletics and huge swathes of empty seats. Such a shame.
What a contrast to London when, apart from one or two early events that had empty seats reserved for Olympic Family, all the venues were packed.

I would guess tickets are too expensive for people who live and work in Rio.

We've been commenting on this too and thought cost must be a factor.  Also, a lot of the venues are a long way away from each other, so you can't really pop from one sport to another, should the mood take you, like you could in London.

[alece10]

Maybe they should "paper" the events.

[Deleted]

The equestrian events are particularly poorly attended. Banks of empty seats... Do the participants just focus on what they've got to do? It's the equivalent to performing to an empty house. Must be soul destroying.

And what on earth is going on with the diving pool? Green?!?!

[viserys]

Aug 12, 2016 16:53:08 GMT longinthetooth said:

Aug 12, 2016 16:29:15 GMT Jon said:

I would guess tickets are too expensive for people who live and work in Rio.

We've been commenting on this too and thought cost must be a factor.  Also, a lot of the venues are a long way away from each other, so you can't really pop from one sport to another, should the mood take you, like you could in London.

London was also very easily accessible from all over Europe for fans who wanted to spend a few days in town and enjoy the Olympics. Rio is a long way to fly from everywhere outside Brazil and I don't think that many Brazilians would have the means (or the interest) to travel except perhaps for a few sports like football and beach volleyball that are right down their alley.  Europe is a very mixed continent when it comes to popular sports and fans from all sorts of sports didn't have to travel far for whatever sport was their cup of tea.

Many probably held off going to Rio due to safety fears or worry about the Zika virus and lets not forget it's WINTER there actually. I have been to Rio in January and it was utterly glorious at the beaches. If I'd spend so much money going to Rio, I'd want to see the town at its  best and not when it's cold and rainy.

[BurlyBeaR]

Aug 12, 2016 18:54:22 GMT @caiaphas said:

The equestrian events are particularly poorly attended. Banks of empty seats... Do the participants just focus on what they've got to do? It's the equivalent to performing to an empty house. Must be soul destroying.

And what on earth is going on with the diving pool? Green?!?!

Dressage on now. Stadium 95% empty. Such a shame. 

[viserys]

*waves dressage gold medal*

[Deleted]

Watching the cycling now... Good lads. Amazing how many cyclists (not ours) have "Lee Mead legs".

[Deleted]

Gold. Always believe in your soul. You're indestructible...

[theglenbucklaird]

Aug 12, 2016 19:07:20 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Aug 12, 2016 18:54:22 GMT @caiaphas said:

The equestrian events are particularly poorly attended. Banks of empty seats... Do the participants just focus on what they've got to do? It's the equivalent to performing to an empty house. Must be soul destroying.

And what on earth is going on with the diving pool? Green?!?!

Dressage on now. Stadium 95% empty. Such a shame. 

Can't agree with that BB, terrible 'sport'

[theglenbucklaird]

Aug 12, 2016 20:53:55 GMT @caiaphas said:

Watching the cycling now... Good lads. Amazing how many cyclists (not ours) have "Lee Mead legs".

Now love the cycling. Good sport that. Entertaining, quick fire and boy are they athletic. Love Wiggins me, at least the UK's third best cyclist ever. Has there been a Daily Mail back lash for disrespecting the Queen over the funny face pulled on the rostrum during the anthem? Made me laugh anyway.