What is going on with Tom? yikes.

MTB XC course looks fun!

commentary needs more Rob and Claudio.

So, why exactly were we dq'd from the 4x400? I've watched all the replays, and can't see a thing.

Still not been made clear @dan. All I can think of is Brody was asked to stand in lane 1, moved out and then back again (from tv explanations you have to stand in the lane designated to you by the official as the prior man passes 200m. His foot was slightly behind the line as he ambles forwards but so was the guy's next to him.

Tom Daly. I get he is the poster boy, selected at 15 for Beijing etc but he's not our best diver (if he ever was) by some margin now with Laugher's Gold and Silver.

MTB XC course looks fun!

I reckon Brazil to win the football by penalty shoot out, not fixed or anything at all 😆

[quote=dantsw13 ]So, why exactly were we dq'd from the 4x400? I've watched all the replays, and can't see a thing.

According to the information they've given it was the 3rd leg runner who had a foot outside the change zone when he started running. Video at https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/20/team-gb-martyn-rooney-4x400m-relay-team-disqualified-final-rio2016-athletics which shows the change in question (the best video I've found), which suggests it's a load of BS, quite clear that he is no further back than any other athlete at that change.

Aracer, that was exactly the conclusion I came to also. Disgraceful. Not as bad as the blatant cheating judging in the boxing, but still.......

Women's high jump won with a lower height than the heptathletes jumped. Should Kat Johnson-Thompson have been entered for that?

I also wonder how often an individual event is won with a worse performance than in the heptathlon or decathlon.

Pretty amazing that GB have 66 medals already and a guaranteed 67th in the heavyweight mens boxing final, first country to improve their haul after hosting (65 in London 2012).

How many other GB athletes had a "bad day at the office" like Daley's semi-final shocker yesterday, the day after setting a new Olympic points record in the 10m diving prelims?

Gutted I've missed so much Rio's events live due to the time difference and how it conflicted badly with what is my normal routine these days, having to be up at ~0530. The amount of times I've stayed up watching live streams until ~2230 has really caught up with me this last week, ironically just after a period when I was most routined (feeling better for it too) at settling down to sleep at no later than 2100.

Oh well, just over 3 years and 11 months (24th July 2020) to go until Tokyo! 😆

Women's high jump won with a lower height than the heptathletes jumped.

@aracer / @dan supposedly the video evidence was inconclusive so the DSQ stays as there is nothing to disprove the track judge's word. Exact opposite of the cycling where lack of clear video evidence means you are re-instated. USA ladies got to re-run after dropping the baton !!!

I'm listening to 5live currently and they are worshipping Farah, proclaiming him the greatest British Olympian ever. Four golds at two Olympics is obviously a great achievement, but Daley Thompson is a greater Olympian than Farah for winning back to back golds in the decathlon imo (it being a multi-sport event). And there are five people above him in the all time GB table (Hoy, Kenny, Wiggins, Redgrave and Ainslie) plus three others on four golds (Pinsent, Radmilovic and Trott) - so why does Farah get hoisted above all them?

Athletics has long been the Blue Riband of the Olympics. Could it also be that the folk they are talking to on 5live are all ex-athletes? Some of the sycophancy from the likes of Brendan Foster has been stomach churning.

Dunno, there does seem to be a lot of love for him, it came through on the SPotY thread too.

Does anyone know if the Chinese have any hopefuls left to take second spot in the tables?

Also is it just me, or has this been the games of the blondish ladies? I seem to have found myself watching event after event of fair skinned ladies taking gold.

In my view you can't compare different sports to say 'who is the greatest'. Obviously Brendan Foster's a fan because he used to run, just as Hoy will say Kenny or Wiggins is the best. It's just their opinion. Don't get wound up by it.

I thought they were saying greatest athlete ie referrring specifically to athletics, which seems fair enough. IMO you can't compare winning the decathlon just because it's multiple events, you don't have to be much good at any of them and the field is pretty thin anyway. 5k and 10k have huge depth of talent and winning both twice (when almost all other serious contenders focussed on one) is phenomenal.

scotroutes - Member
Athletics has long been the Blue Riband of the Olympics. Could it also be that the folk they are talking to on 5live are all ex-athletes? Some of the sycophancy from the likes of Brendan Foster has been stomach churning.

It was a swimmer turned pundit (Parry?), Steve Bunce, a journo from the Mirror and Eleanor Olroyd.

Who is the latest BBC anchor man? Is he from CBBC?

No we are not all aged 4 nor do we need to know about your,pigeon phobia...

Redgrave is our greatest Olympian by a mile.

What Farrah has done is superb for sure, our greatest athletics star althoigh I too would say Thompson wouod close and had Jess won Gold you'd have to say post child-birth she would have been there too.

He's longest-lasting. On the other hand rowing is a bit of a minority sport, only a handful of countries take it seriously, and there are lots of gold medals handed out for basically the same thing (different boats). You could probably say the same thing for track cycling.

2nd overall. Awesome

Yes indeed. To finish ahead of China is pretty amazing.

I have a hope as drug testing becomes better and more widely enforced we will sustain and even improve our total

Hand Ball. France looking unlikley to make it three Olympics in a row. Danish fairy tale in the making here.

When did Olympic boxers stop wearing head guards?

Come on Joyce, one more gold for GB!

I was about to ask the head guard question? I thought amateur boxing was about points scoring not knock outs

Redgrave is our greatest Olympian by a mile.

nonsence

All he has in his favour is longevity. He competed in a minority sport and was successful as part of a team. Should be noted that as an individual rower he wasn't that good at all.

Mo's achievements are far superior on the world stage

Another terrible decision in the boxing. Joe Joyce robbed at super heavyweight!

Wisj I never watched any of the boxing its all left a bad taste.

It was a split decision I think. I admit I only saw the last round but the French guy lost that by a mike IMHO. The French TV commentators seemed to think he was ahead after 2. Joyce clearly didn't think much of it as he left ASAP

Joyce out boxed him every round, and lost the first on a split, and the second unanimously. They might as well toss a coin.

What percentage of the Russians were allowed to partake? They still did well in the medals.

Its a joke and so unfair. I've seen 4 finals and 3 were the wrong decision- like not even a close call.

All he has in his favour is longevity. He competed in a minority sport and was successful as part of a team. [b]Should be noted that as an individual rower he wasn't that good at all[/b].

They ruined the boxing when they did away with the points system.

The governing body say they conducted a study and found that there were fewer cases of concussion without head-guards. This would be more believable if the women also had to box without headgear. 😕

Watch to the end.

The governing body say they conducted a study and found that there were fewer cases of concussion without head-guards. This would be more believable if the women also had to box without headgear.

Yes, apparently a combination of factors. Head gear apparently making the head a larger target resulting more rotational force, in addition to added weight affecting acceleration / deceleration of the brain in the skull. This in addition to limiting peripheral vision meaning a higher percentage of punches going unseen.

As to why they didn't apply this to the women's is baffling though. Knowing the Olympics it'll probably have been to keep it tv friendly and safe looking so the girlies don't get facial damage.