Summer Sporting Fixes

[MadAmster]

Thrilling Belgian GP, top six seperated by about ten seconds

As a side note, if y’all think our politics threads plumb the depths of unpleasantness, F1 Facebook groups leave our efforts standing, the hatred for anything and anyone not lauding Lewis Hamilton being something to experience

I'd rather view our threads/posts in comparison to civil writings elsewhere, not to dregs.

[Andy_Faber]

Tom Pidcock. Incredible.

[MadAmster]

Tom Pidcock. Incredible.

Lost 40 seconds thanks to a puncture, slowly eased back to the front and then nailed it.

[MadAmster]

Some impressive performances. The Cuban 100Kg+ wrestler who won his 5th Olympic Gold in that division. Ledecky who won the 800M freestyle for the 4th consecutive games. Levreysen who won 3 golds in the velodrome. 4 golds for the French swimmer Mrachant. All outstanding.

However, for me, the stand out performance was Sifan Hassan winning Bronze in the women's 5K last Monday, same again in Friday's 10K and then took Gold in the marathon on Sunday in a new Olympic record of 2 hours 22 minutes and 55 seconds. IMO even more impressive than her Bronze in the 1500 and Gold in both the 5K and 10K in Tokyo.

[Geoff Parkstone]

A great Olympics for the Cloggies - one of their best in ages isn't it?

[MadAmster]

Most ever Golds, 15. Previous best was 12 in the 2000 Sydney games.

2nd best ever total medal haul, 34. Best is 36 in Tokyo 3 years ago.

[ramAnag]

Most ever Golds, 15. Previous best was 12 in the 2000 Sydney games.

2nd best ever total medal haul, 34. Best is 36 in Tokyo 3 years ago.

Medal table system seems a little odd. No complaints…just observing. Clearly the USA and China are way in front, beyond that we actually finished with the third highest number of medals (65) but finished 7th behind Japan (45), Australia (53), France (64) and MA’s lot (34) because the medal table is actually a Gold Medal table. As I say, no complaints and we did very well, as did the Dutch, but is that the best way of recording Olympic achievement?

[Andy_Faber]

Medal table system seems a little odd. No complaints…just observing. Clearly the USA and China are way in front, beyond that we actually finished with the third highest number of medals (65) but finished 7th behind Japan (45), Australia (53), France (64) and MA’s lot (34) because the medal table is actually a Gold Medal table. As I say, no complaints and we did very well, as did the Dutch, but is that the best way of recording Olympic achievement?

Best way IMO is take pride in your countryman's efforts in any given sport and ignore the medal table. Memories matter, and I'll remember Alex Yee for instance long after I forget how many medals we got. Just IMO

[MadAmster]

Medal table system seems a little odd. No complaints…just observing. Clearly the USA and China are way in front, beyond that we actually finished with the third highest number of medals (65) but finished 7th behind Japan (45), Australia (53), France (64) and MA’s lot (34) because the medal table is actually a Gold Medal table. As I say, no complaints and we did very well, as did the Dutch, but is that the best way of recording Olympic achievement?

Different countries use, from what I can see, one of two methods for determining the table. There's the one which appears to be the one mostly used where it's a "Gold medal" table. Equal number of golds? Then you look at Silver. Level on Silver too? You look at Bronze. The USA and a couple of other countries use the number of medals in total as the measuring stick.

As with AF, things like Yee's finish to the triathlon, Hassan's sprint at the end of the women's marathon, Femke Bol's last leg of the mixed 4x400 relay, the men's 100m final where there was just 0.12 of a second between 1st and 8th (last). Finishers 4 to 8 all recorded the fastest ever time for their position in the race. A couple of the rowing events where there was half a gnat's knacker between 1st and 2nd. One where NL held off GB, 2 strokes more and it would have been the other way round and a GB win over NL where NL led all the way and were overtaken with the very last stroke of the race.

[Andy_Faber]

Femke Bol's last leg of the mixed 4x400 relay

That was something special. She's an enignma, absolutely gripping in that race yet a lost soul during and after her individual.