The Olympics - anyone else excited??

[wylie]

I agree with the cycling commentary. Phil Liggett is a great commentator and was fantastic in the Tour de France with all the little background information details on each rider, so it was quite disappointing that the Olympic race just didn't have the same "spark".

The other thing that disgusted me the other night was that on one of the news (I assume on Seven because we would have been on that channel) after Mike Diamond missed the Bronze, the news reader said something along the lines of "Mike Diamind has FAILED to win the bronze medal".

Why not report it as "Mike Diamond has narrowly missed winning bronze" or something that didn't include the word FAILED. It really irritated me. It also annoys me that the "golden girls" of swimming who are pretty get all the attention while those without "model" looks kind of get shunted to the back.

Also read in the paper that somebody on a sports show asked if the 48kg weighlifting category meant that is the weight they lift? Sometimes people should think before opening their mouths .

 

[Pushka]

"Mike Diamind has FAILED to win the bronze medal".

Also read in the paper that somebody on a sports show asked if the 48kg weighlifting category meant that is the weight they lift? Sometimes people should think before opening their mouths .

Knowing Diamond, he would have thought the same thing. About that female commentator, there are so many talented people (men and women) whom they could have used to provide excellent commentary. But no, we have to get the celebs doing it and making these dumb comments. Johanna Griggs, as a former elite athlete is obviously at home, but dumb questions like the one above, what were they thinking?

 

[topcropper]

Just saw the replay of the mens 100 metre final.

Wow, what can you say. One of the most amazing things I've even seen.
Usain Bolt smashes world 100 metres record. He basically pulled up with 30 metres to go. I wonder what this bloke could have run if he went flat out the whole way?

Bolt only ran his first 100 metre race last year. He must be a genetic freak.

Can't wait for midday and Grant Hacket. Hopefully he may win, with a new world record and a new record for 3 golds in 3 olympics.

See ya's.

 

[topcropper]

Bolt only ran his first 100 metre race last year. .

Hmm, that's what the commentator said on the channel 7 commentary. But a quick google says Bolt has been running since a teenager. Why do they say such crap like they do on the telly?

See ya's.

 

[peteb]

at least they use steve mohnegetti for the marathon.

 

[BlackSpider]

Stayed up to watch the mens 100m, what a freak he is.
He was so relaxed before the race and even during the race.

There may not be another like him for a very long time.

The problem is that there is nobody else in his class to push him all the way, so he pulls up early. He's pretty much racing against the clock and not his competitors, which may not be as motivating to bring out his best.

I'd love to see him run right through to the line and see what time he can do.

 

[BlackSpider]

Hmm, that's what the commentator said on the channel 7 commentary. But a quick google says Bolt has been running since a teenager. Why do they say such crap like they do on the telly?

See ya's.

Has he been competing in the 100m before this year though?
Wasn't he specialising in the 200m, which is a different event.

 

[Dazz]

I've very much enjoyed watching the coverage today and yesterday.

I would have taken the fortnight to watch the full Games, but unfortunately I am not that much in control of my destiny yet that I can afford that luxury.

The only disappointment for me was the conceited arrogance of Bolt (and most of the other quicks) in that he felt it necessary to play down his full ability in the final....the heats and semi's are different, but it's still a tad w@nky.

I naturally assumed that the task of putting out for a mere 10 seconds in the Olympic final wouldn't be too much to expect. Everyone else of course did, but Bolt still felt it necessary to pull up at about the 75 to 80m mark and start the celebrations 2 seconds too early.......with the obvious and probably calculated responses garnered of "Oh, I wonder what he could achieve if he actually ran flat out for the full 100m".

He has of course 4 years now to ponce about. I didn't think it was necessary to start the celebrations 2 seconds too early.

 

[tubs]

He looks around, but I dont reckon his leg speed changed much in the last 10 metres anyway, so I dont think it would have made much difference.

 

[LearningMan]

I just wish Channel 7 specified on screen when an event was Live or not.

 

[Olly]

BMX started today. It's of interest to our family because of my nephew who is well known around the BMX circuit. He'll be competing in the Worlds next year and hopes to make the London Olympics or the one after.

He recently made the cover of Ramp magazine. Here's the trial shot and the one they eventually went with.

You can check out a youtube video of him here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPrC9l8TgLw

Cheers
Olly

 

[Pushka]

Sorry Olly, I just can't think of BMX being at the Olympics.

 

[Nards]

Sorry Olly, I just can't think of BMX being at the Olympics.

I watched some of it today - was fantastic...I love seeing some of the more unusual sports, keeps the Olympics fun and interesting. Was BMX one of the "display" (or whatever they call them) sports? Or is it a permanent Olympic fixture - with extreme sports becoming very popular I don't see why not - its not that different to some of the Winter Olympic events - minus the snow!

Nadia

 

[topcropper]

Sorry Olly, I just can't think of BMX being at the Olympics.

Just saw a snipet of it on the box. Looked spectacular to me as a non BMX follower.

I think sincronized swimming should be dumped. Does anybody even do this out of olympics time? Not a fan either of any walking competitions. It's like a competition to find out who can whisper the loudest.

I like the triathlons. I like them so much that they should maybe include a long course event, or even a short course event along with the standard triathlon. Triathlons have got to be one of the ultimate sports. Decathlons [heptathlons] are great too.

See ya's.

 

[topcropper]

its not that different to some of the Winter Olympic events - minus the snow!

Nadia

That boarder cross or what ever it's called, with snowboarders screaming down a motocross type obstacle course/track is one of the most spectacular and entertaining sports I've seen for a while. It's a great addition to the winter olympics.

See ya's.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

BMX started today. It's of interest to our family because of my nephew who is well known around the BMX circuit. He'll be competing in the Worlds next year and hopes to make the London Olympics or the one after.

He recently made the cover of Ramp magazine. Here's the trial shot and the one they eventually went with.

You can check out a youtube video of him here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPrC9l8TgLw

Cheers
Olly

Cool Olly. I am a fan of BMX at the Olympics. It is probably the most popular sport amongst young boys in the world, so has more reason to be included than many anachronistic sports played in a handful of nations by a handful of participants (think synch swimming, pistol shooting, archery, fencing, softball, badminton, artistic gymnastics, handball, taekwondo. Keep the Olympics contemporary I say.

My partner's nephews are high achievers in the sport too - the Kennedy clan from Eastfield Club, Victoria (Lachlan, Ryder, and their father Tim).

Have just read up on the sports included in the Olympics. There are currently 28. but baseball and softball will be dropped in the London Olympics.

 

[Pushka]

It is probably the most popular sport amongst young boys in the world

Thought that was soccer actually! With 2 sons, I still dont know anyone who is into it, but maybe that is an SA thing. There are many sports that I dont think should be in the Olympics, and you have mentioned a few I agree with. Maybe I am more of a purist but I would actually like to see more of the original Olympic sports continue - Athletics and the like. And the high profile sports, where the Olympics is not the pinnacle (eg Tennis, soccer, basketball) dont belong in that model.

 

[Olly]

I must admit I'm having trouble accepting BMX is in the Olympics and the fact that the feral side of the family might actually be representing Australia in years to come!

I'm also disappointed that softball and baseball have been dropped for the London Olympics - softball being my sport for 27 years. Maybe it's because the host nation wouldn't be represented? Dunno.

Fencing is something I did as a child before coming to Australia so that still holds interest for me and it is very popular in European countries - Britain included.

Each to his own of course and there's something for everyone at the Olympics.

Olly

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Olly, I didn't think fencing had a big following anywhere in the world these days....rather a small and elitist interest. Further, from my small involvement with it, electronic scoring has radically changed it from an art of finesse. grace, and classic technique, to relying on coarse acts of strength and aggression to score electronic points.

Pushka, re BMX being popular, I didn't mean in the competitive sense, but in the sense that many kids have bmx bikes and spend more time on them than they do playing soccer.

 

[Pushka]

OK Winston, that is a good point about the bikes. I am getting really frustrated with Channel 7 though - as I work during the day I look forward to seeing a range of events at night, but have to have some sleep so by 11 I need to sleep. All I have seen therefore is swimming heats, gymnastics, gymnastics and more gymnastics, and then last night, the softball. OK, once it got to the 7th innings they could hardly switch off to the stadium, but they should had done so much earlier and then kept going back to the softball every few minutes for an update. I havent seen any diving, archery, pole vault, or much of the track and field stuff at all. And I think that softball has as a result of last night, gone from being a sport that people might be mildly interested in, to being one that people now loathe because, well, having played it as a youngie when it comes to last night, it was just, well, boring actually. I cant believe I was hoping the Japanese could score a run so we could see something else. Oh yeah, and I have seen a lot of water polo, or whistle ball as it is 'affectionately (not!)' known.