Rio Olympics 2016

[Bundy Bear]

Yearning to go sailing, again. If only I could interest the kids.

Adelaide isn't the best place, well I guess its warmer than Melbourne.

1 Gold and 3 silvers in the sailing is a good result.

 

[Pushka]

Russian synchronised swimming was rather impressive.

 

[whatmeworry]

Who crashed sadly. Brutal sport.

Now, winning the Pentathlon is truly remarkable. Well done Chloe.

I watched the semis and final of the bmx. I agree with the multiple races for early and semi rounds, however the one off race for the medals is pretty cruel if you don't get a good start.

Oh Boomers you give me so much hope then you...

Looks like their has been some divisions amongst the Australian teams, with the swimming teams not mingling with the other disciplines. In addition the swim team took down the Boxing Kangaroo logo and replaced it with their Dolphin Logo.

Chiller had already observed the exclusivity of the swimmers.

Australian basketballers, such as Andrew Bogut and Patty Mills, earning millions of dollars playing in the US's professional league, had no problem playing table tennis with rowers and hockey players as they waited for the team bus for their competition.
But she had never sighted a swimmer mixing in such a way with other team members.

Also I can't believe the hockey teams are based in Perth.

Hockey, which can only produce two medals, is based in Perth, the home of perhaps one or two players. Its critics argue hockey's continuing justification for being based in Western Australia can't simply be because its most celebrated player and coach, Ric Charlesworth, lives there.

Looks like the sports funding is going to be looked at again, hopefully they put back money into the AIS.

The Rio results also obscure the governance reform across many sports, although Wylie's policy of hand-picking top businessmen, such as Qantas's Leigh Clifford to head Equestrian Australia, has drawn a fierce rebuke from Coates.
Coates told Fairfax Media that the policy of recruiting businessmen as leaders of Olympic sports had failed. Furthermore, he has withdrawn from an ASC-initiated review of the AIS and Winning Edge, effectively divorcing the AOC from the ASC.
Japan has had 400 advisers in Rio ahead of Toyko 2020 and will have learnt what not to do when running an Olympic Games.
But the Japanese have already copied a blueprint that has helped their rapid rise in the medal tally in Rio.
Ten years ago, they built an institute of sport modelled on Canberra's AIS.

What went wrong for Australia at the Rio Olympics? It started on the top floor

 

[GarrettM]

I watched the semis and final of the bmx. I agree with the multiple races for early and semi rounds, however the one off race for the medals is pretty cruel if you don't get a good start.

Oh Boomers you give me so much hope then you...

Looks like their has been some divisions amongst the Australian teams, with the swimming teams not mingling with the other disciplines. In addition the swim team took down the Boxing Kangaroo logo and replaced it with their Dolphin Logo.



Also I can't believe the hockey teams are based in Perth.



Looks like the sports funding is going to be looked at again, hopefully they put back money into the AIS.



What went wrong for Australia at the Rio Olympics? It started on the top floor

What's wrong with having the hockey teams based in Perth though? What would be the justification for moving it?

 

[whatmeworry]

What's wrong with having the hockey teams based in Perth though? What would be the justification for moving it?

Most remote capital city in the world? Only one or two players from Perth? The extra dollars it costs to be based there? Employment/Educational opportunities for the players and their families? Isolation from family left behind.

Hockey has to compete with other sports for players and Hockey isn't the greatest paying sport, so to base both hockey teams there, just because one coach lives there, seems very illogical.

 

[Pushka]

There are sports institutes all over the country. They are not all based in Canberra. Always has been that way. Cycling was based in Adelaide.

 

[whatmeworry]

There are sports institutes all over the country. They are not all based in Canberra. Always has been that way. Cycling was based in Adelaide.

I know that, but doesn't make sense when most resources and athletes are in the golden triangle. It's more that the various sporting bodies have now become their own little serfdoms without outside critique. Plenty of sports people are not permanently at AIS. Many only get 3-6 months, but got long lasting benefits from it. However because of sporting cuts and redistribution, the AIS can't help as many now.

 

[Pushka]

I know that, but doesn't make sense when most resources and athletes are in the golden triangle. It's more that the various sporting bodies have now become their own little serfdoms without outside critique. Plenty of sports people are not permanently at AIS. Many only get 3-6 months, but got long lasting benefits from it. However because of sporting cuts and redistribution, the AIS can't help as many now.

You assume all athletes and coaches come from Vic, NSW and Canberra? Wrong. No athlete is permanently located at the AIS.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Did anyone happen to catch the closing ceremony earlier today?

I thought Japan's handover towards the end of the ceremony was absolutely terrific. Both creative and modern in its performance.
Loved the part where The Japanese PM Shinzo Abe appeared as Super Mario.

Japan really added finesse and sophistication to the closing ceremony and no doubt Japan will bring back some lustre to the olympics.

 

[Pushka]

Saw a little. Looked fabulous.

 

[cove]

Both of my sons are talking about going to Tokyo for the next Olympics. My eldest son has really enjoyed the Rio Olympics and will be heading back from Brazil in a couple of days.

 

[Foreigner]

My daughter spent a week in Rio, after Buenos Aires, now on her way to Peru.

 

[GarrettM]

Both of my sons are talking about going to Tokyo for the next Olympics. My eldest son has really enjoyed the Rio Olympics and will be heading back from Brazil in a couple of days.

That does sound tempting. Could make me reconsider my LSL plans...

 

[cove]

I think Japan should work out very well as an Olympic Games location.
Long service leave sounds great.

 

[junbugging]

I think Japan should work out very well as an Olympic Games location.
Long service leave sounds great.

Tokyo will manage it magnificently. But it will be ludicrously hot.

 

[animusmh12]

Adelaide isn't the best place, well I guess its warmer than Melbourne.

1 Gold and 3 silvers in the sailing is a good result.

It is a great result! I can not wait to see the Sailors tomorrow when they get home with their new medals. I just hope it does boost the coverage for sailing and that more people give it a go.

 

[dajop]

What went wrong for Australia at the Rio Olympics? It started on the top floor

It's all so negative, that's what's wrong. What's wrong with celebrating the successes? Who cares if we finish no 15 or no 5 on the medal tally.

The first olympics I clearly remember watching were Moscow and during the Moscow, LA, Seoul & Barcelona games, expectations were low and medals - of all colours - were celebrated. I can still name the medal winners at LA & Seoul. Winning only 3 or 4 gold medals certainly made them more valued, a bonus not an expectation (or perhaps being in my teens, I was least cynical and most interested in the Olympics back then).

I do think Andrew Denton summed it up nicely going into the Barcelona Olympics with a song in his TV show "It's not fair, I don't care, as long as we beat New Zealand".

Unfortunately that's morphed into "It's not fair, I don't care, as long as we beat everyone but China & US"....

 

[wazza888]

I wonder how seats will be allocated coming home. First/Business seats to gold medalist and the rest in Y.

 

[nlagalle]

I wonder how seats will be allocated coming home. First/Business seats to gold medalist and the rest in Y.

Generally gold medalist get the pick then silver then bronze...

 

[Warks]

Let the recriminations and witch hunts commence!

There'll be some huge revamp and a "sport supremo" appointed (a la Yes Minister) with money thrown at all sorts of obscure sports and then we'll have a better showing at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 prompting the media to usher in a new golden age in Australian sport. Then on to Tokyo (wash, rinse, repeat).