Road to Rio 2016 - Irish Olympic News

Dodge

Draw has been made in badminton

Scott Evans in a group with 12 seed from Germany and Brazilian ranked 60 in the World

Chloe Magee plays Chinese 4th seed and German ranked 26th in the world.

Both Irish are the lowest ranked in their group (Evans by one position)

walshb

Not liking the swimming timetable. Seems most of the finals at 0200 hrs. That's 2200 hrs Rio time. No need for it that late...

walshb

Throw in the track finals being on in the early hours. Bummer!

RuckingSwimmer

walshb wrote: »

Not liking the swimming timetable. Seems most of the finals at 0200 hrs. That's 2200 hrs Rio time. No need for it that late...

It's all to suit American tv just like in Beijing where heats were in the evening and finals the following morning because that's what suited the American broadcasters. Heats start at 5pm Irish time (1pm in Rio)

Chivito550

RuckingSwimmer wrote: »

It's all to suit American tv just like in Beijing where heats were in the evening and finals the following morning because that's what suited the American broadcasters. Heats start at 5pm Irish time (1pm in Rio)

To be fair, there's a culture in Latin American countries for social events to be on late. People eat out in restaurants very late, they drink even later. It's not that surprising that some of the showpiece sports would be on late in the evening. There's beach volleyball sessions between 11pm and 1am every night. As much as I dislike NBC and what they did in Beijing with the swimming finals, I'm not sure you can blame them here. The schedule is designed to suit Brazilians for the most part, and rightfully so.

RuckingSwimmer

Chivito550 wrote: »

To be fair, there's a culture in Latin American countries for social events to be on late. People eat out in restaurants very late, they drink even later. It's not that surprising that some of the showpiece sports would be on late in the evening. There's beach volleyball sessions between 11pm and 1am every night. As much as I dislike NBC and what they did in Beijing with the swimming finals, I'm not sure you can blame them here. The schedule is designed to suit Brazilians for the most part, and rightfully so.

There was actually an article in Swimming World Magazine about it when the announcement of the event times was made last year - the first paragraph says the change was called for my American Broadcaster NBC! https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/olympic-athletes-in-peril-2016-late-night-swimming-finals-favors-only-nbc/

Chivito550

RuckingSwimmer wrote: »

There was actually an article in Swimming World Magazine about it when the announcement of the event times was made last year - the first paragraph says the change was called for my American Broadcaster NBC! https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/olympic-athletes-in-peril-2016-late-night-swimming-finals-favors-only-nbc/

I stand corrected so. Bad for the swimmers. Probably fits into the Latin American way of life though regarding spectators.

Strazdas

RuckingSwimmer wrote: »

There was actually an article in Swimming World Magazine about it when the announcement of the event times was made last year - the first paragraph says the change was called for my American Broadcaster NBC! https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/olympic-athletes-in-peril-2016-late-night-swimming-finals-favors-only-nbc/

Apparently NBC are the broadcaster who pays the most to the IOC - $4.38bn to cover the three sets of Games between 2012 and 2020, over $1bn per Olympics.

The Lost Sheep

Strazdas wrote: »

Apparently NBC are the broadcaster who pays the most to the IOC - $4.38bn to cover the three sets of Games between 2012 and 2020, over $1bn per Olympics.

They would be considering US would be by far the biggest tv market in the world.

Don't like tv dictating so much but when tv income is so necessary and vital is it worth it???

Strazdas

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

They would be considering US would be by far the biggest tv market in the world.

Don't like tv dictating so much but when tv income is so necessary and vital is it worth it???

It's interesting that kick off times in 2014 World Cup in Brazil were pitched at the European broadcasters, not the US ones (for very obvious reasons), so it seems whoever coughs up the most dough gets to dictate things.

Dodge

To be fair, the times aren't ridiculous. The blue riband events are still in Brazilian Primetime (at the later end, but still OK). The games are perfect for a night owl like me

Strazdas

Dodge wrote: »

To be fair, the times aren't ridiculous. The blue riband events are still in Brazilian Primetime (at the later end, but still OK). The games are perfect for a night owl like me

Indeed and a lot of Olympics in the past have taken place that don't suit European prime time (1976, 1984, 1996, 2000 and 2008) so I don't see the slightest problem with it. If people can't be bothered to stay up to watch anything, they're probably not real sports fans at all.

Chivito550

Strazdas wrote: »

Dodge wrote: »

To be fair, the times aren't ridiculous. The blue riband events are still in Brazilian Primetime (at the later end, but still OK). The games are perfect for a night owl like me

Indeed and a lot of Olympics in the past have taken place that don't suit European prime time (1976, 1984, 1996, 2000 and 2008) so I don't see the slightest problem with it. If people can't be bothered to stay up to watch anything, they're probably not real sports fans at all.

To be fair, most aren't real fans. Otherwise these sports wouldn't be minority sports for 3.9 years of every 4 years.

Chivito550

Strazdas wrote: »

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

They would be considering US would be by far the biggest tv market in the world.

Don't like tv dictating so much but when tv income is so necessary and vital is it worth it???

It's interesting that kick off times in 2014 World Cup in Brazil were pitched at the European broadcasters, not the US ones (for very obvious reasons), so it seems whoever coughs up the most dough gets to dictate things.

Don't forget USA 94, where the kick off times were scheduled for Europeaj audiences despite the tournament being in the USA. Most matches, and I think every knockout game was played in scorching daylight

Strazdas

Chivito550 wrote: »

Don't forget USA 94, where the kick off times were scheduled for Europeaj audiences despite the tournament being in the USA. Most matches, and I think every knockout game was played in scorching daylight

Indeed most kick offs there were at noon and 4pm local time, reflecting the fact that there was very little interest in the US itself in the tournament.

marienbad

Very good article by Paul Kimmage in todays Sunday Independent about Sinead Jennings . I cant seem to find it in the online edition .

Just describes her unrelenting drive of well over a decade to become an Olympian - inspirational stuff .

KevIRL

Harrington warming up well for the Olympics with two strong finishing rounds in the final major of the year, the uspga

walshb

Boxing draw takes place today. Taylor 1 seed and Mossey 2 seed. Should both get byes to the QFs!

Chivito550

walshb wrote: »

Boxing draw takes place today. Taylor 1 seed and Mossey 2 seed. Should both get byes to the QFs!

How many seeds? Just 2, or are there 4?

walshb

Chivito550 wrote: »

How many seeds? Just 2, or are there 4?

As far as I know there are 2. There should be 4 byes to the QFs.

Chivito550

walshb wrote: »

As far as I know there are 2. There should be 4 byes to the QFs.

So the world number 3 could end up in the prelims, then fight Taylor in quarter finals, when she should have her own quarter as a seeded fighter. Ridiculous.

Joe_ Public

I know Taylor is expected to be No.1 seed but haven't seen that officially announced anywhere. I'd wager boxing must be the hardest Olympic sport to find accurate updated information.

Dodge

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I know Taylor is expected to be No.1 seed but haven't seen that officially announced anywhere. I'd wager boxing must be the hardest Olympic sport to find accurate updated information.

The draw will happen at 3pm today and we'll find out about 4.30. It's ridiculous

walshb

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I know Taylor is expected to be No.1 seed but haven't seen that officially announced anywhere. I'd wager boxing must be the hardest Olympic sport to find accurate updated information.

That AIBA site is just littered with stiff that says sweet F all.

walshb

Chivito550 wrote: »

So the world number 3 could end up in the prelims, then fight Taylor in quarter finals, when she should have her own quarter as a seeded fighter. Ridiculous.

There is 12 in the weight. Not sure seeding really matters in this. Taylor at 1 and Mossey at 2 are at the top and bottom end of the draw I would imagine. Who really cares who meets who with 12 in the weight.

Chivito550

walshb wrote: »

There is 12 in the weight. Not sure seeding really matters in this. Taylor at 1 and Mossey at 2 are at the top and bottom end of the draw I would imagine. Who really cares who meets who with 12 in the weight.

Well if world number 1 and 3 meet in quarters then one of them won't medal.

walshb

Chivito550 wrote: »

Well if world number 1 and 3 meet in quarters then one of them won't medal.

So what? I think seeding matters a lot more when there are more involved. It's really only fight (RD) that is the issue here, The QF round. With the world rankings being so all over the place who really knows who is seed 3/4/5 etc? 1 and 2 established, and rest fight it out. If they want to medal then go and win.

Joe_ Public

walshb wrote: »

So what? I think seeding matters a lot more when there are more involved. It's really only fight (RD) that is the issue here, The QF round. With the world rankings being so all over the place who really knows who is seed 3/4/5 etc? 1 and 2 established, and rest fight it out. If they want to medal then go an win.

If there's only 2 seeds then so be it, that's how it is, but in fairness there's a big difference between facing Alekseevna or the Russian in the q/f and facing the winner of, let's say, Testa/Mayer.

walshb

Joe_ Public wrote: »

If there's only 2 seeds then so be it, that's how it is, but in fairness there's a big difference between facing Alekseevna or the Russian in the q/f and facing the winner of, let's say, Testa/Mayer.

Whatever the difference, who cares? There is not enough of them to really say who is the best or who can beat who. There are probably 4-5 of the girls here that can get gold. Even Katie will have to fight real hard to medal.

Joe_ Public

walshb wrote: »

Whatever the difference, who cares? There is not enough of them to really say who is the best or who can beat who. There are probably 4-5 of the girls here that can get gold. Even Katie will have to fight real hard to medal.

I don't care ALL that much, but if you're going to have seeding I think it's only reasonable you do it properly and have a proper and well-run system in place to generate it which, I think we can agree, the AIBA doesn't.

By the way, do you not see a bit of a contradiction between your second and third sentences there?