The AH Tokyo 2020 Olympics/Paralympics Thread in 2021

That’s a real shame if Simone has withdrawn from the comp. I wish her well. She seems like a lovely person in any interviews I’ve seen of her.

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668185#Comment_117668185

The pressure must be immense but Biles herself has helped create it too. Goat emojis and the like aren't helpful, especially before competition.

Hopefully she can clear her head and get back out there

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668185#Comment_117668185

Its a weird one because she picked up a foot injury which was assumed to be the first reason, that changed to vague "medical condition" and now this report.

I'm all for raising awareness of mental health but if her coach has come out with this reason so quick I really don't think it's gonna help the person struggling from stress and mental health issues

leahyl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668251#Comment_117668251

Yeah, just had a look at her Instagram and only yesterday she put up a post saying that she sometimes feels like “she has the weight of the world on her shoulders” so maybe it finally got too much for her

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668282#Comment_117668282

For her sake ide be shutting that Instagram account down for a while. If Osaka is anything to go by it's about to get very messy for Biles in all forms of media

The_Kew_Tour

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117667368#Comment_117667368

We are 51st in overall medal table of all time.

Where the hell do you think we should be?

Christy42

Indeed. Some of the comments on twitter already are not going to help anyone with any sort of mental health issues.

I knew she was the favourite for the last few olympics in the all around but reading up on her the dominance is crazy. I haven't seen anything else like it. She lost two all around events 8 years ago in minor events and has won every all around event since.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668342#Comment_117668342

Probably thinking we should be up there with the big European countries like a lot of deluded Irish people who watch sports

appledrop

I love Simone Biles, she is an amazing gymnastics but she just hasn't been up to form in this Olympics for what every reason.

It might be time to retire gracefully.

appledrop

Does no one else not think its a bit embarrassing all Irish media saying how brilliant McSharry is? I mean far play for getting to a final in swimming, but she came last and all press releases, interviews with her family etc are over the top and embarrassing 😳

Other countries would be mortified at their athletic coming last.

Dave1711

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668447#Comment_117668447

Not at all,by all accounts we aren't very good at swimming so to make the top 8 in her discipline is an insane achievement won't find too many countries disappointed by any athlete making a final.

The_Kew_Tour

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668447#Comment_117668447

She came 8th in the world where the nearest swimming pool from her to train is over 2 hours away

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668447#Comment_117668447

Have you seen the pool she grew up training in? She is the 8th fastest in the Olympic Games and with only 3 years till the next Olympics, I hope she gets her chance to shine again.

I’ll be out along the road welcoming her back home anyway.

Christy42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668447#Comment_117668447

She was 8th best in a pretty big competition with the world's best. It is just down to the format of the event. Would you being saying the same if they let 10 into the final and she came 8th? Same position but technically not last in the final but one should not be lauded over the other 8th is 8th. The UK was pretty happy with their Tae Kwon Do who got silver and came last in his final.

HeidiHeidi

Do some people genuinely think that if you get to the Olympics and don't win a medal, you're somehow a disgrace to yourself and your nation? 🤔 🤯

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668527#Comment_117668527

Only those who have a deep indent in the seat of their sofas 😂

Dave1711

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668527#Comment_117668527

Seems so, bizarre attitude to have.

We're people expecting 50+ medals from the 100 odd we have competing 🤣

JupiterKid

For those posters bemoaning that Ireland's athletes aren't living up to their expectations... I wonder if they could do any better themselves? 🙄😏

I'd wager quite a few could barely walk even 1km without needing to sit down to catch their breath...

cruizer101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668447#Comment_117668447

I think it is an amazing result, yes we are an island nation but we really don't have a great history of swimming and have very few pools so swimming is not a strong sport here.

Don't we only have 3 actual olympic standard 50m pools sure (Limerick, UCD, NAC, I think thats it). Compared to the money other countries invest in swimming I'd say we spend a pittance.

Yes medals are great but even getting to the olympics in swimming is an achievement never mind making the final fair play to her.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117667789#Comment_117667789

Wouldn't put it quite so bluntly but yes, I cringe when I hear Hurley starting up on Saturday Sport or whatever, gushing about the upcoming prospects of some Division 4 football match.

appledrop

As I said far play to her for getting to final but it's an over the top media circus reaction to someone who finished last.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668447#Comment_117668447

She didn't come last she came 8th

Its like calling Burnley getting into the Europa league and being called embarrassing losers because they didn't win the Premier League or calling Westmeath losers for "only" winning Joe McDonagh

Christy42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668669#Comment_117668669

Are you just being edgy? She finished 8th in a large comp with the world's best. Would you be happier if she finished 9th but didn't finish last in any particular heat in spite of doing worse? She is getting reaction because she is our most successful swimmer at these games and in a long time so if anyone is unhappy with it the obvious solution is to finish 7th or better in an Olympic competition. Then she will get less attention.

Cosmo Kramer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668342#Comment_117668342

Some people are delusional in terms of where they think Ireland should be performing in terms of world sport. Memories of the glory years of the late 80s and 90s in football combined with the rugby team looking good because only about 10 countries take the sport seriously contribute to that I think. We have overperformed massively in golf in the last 15 years also.

In the last three Olympics we have won 11 medals, so averaging around four per games - that's really decent for a country of our size. We will probably end up with a similar number this time around - compared to historical achievements this is actually a really good period for Ireland in terms of Olympic success. In terms of population Ireland winning six medals (which we achieved in 2012) would be the equivalent of GB winning around 70 medals, which they have never achieved.

Especially when you take into account how many potential Olympians we lose who never get involved in Olympic sports because they play GAA instead - we actually punch at our weight or maybe even slightly above.

Anyway the next few days look promising for us so that will hopefully quieten the couch potatoes for a while. No doubt they'll be back next week when our athletics team - who have mostly qualified a long way down the rankings in their events - don't magically improve to top 3 in the world and win medals.

cruizer101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668669#Comment_117668669

Pretty sure the media would have quite a reaction if we got to the quarter finals in the world cup, or even take a single person event, say Irish person in quarter finals in a tennis major championship.

This is equivalent, she is in the top 8 in the world in her sporting event.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668565#Comment_117668565

Some people think Ireland can some how magically be competitive in every sport and be collecting medals at the level of countries like the UK.

You only have to look at our soccer and rugby teams to see there is a huge bandwagon aspect to many Irish fans. For instance take a look at my new favorite term the Lunster fan to see what I mean

Zaph

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668669#Comment_117668669

Last in the final, having had to get through a heat and semi final before that, in an event where you only advance by being the fastest, rather than winning races. And this for an athlete who was targeting a place in a final in Paris in 2024, so she's three years ahead of schedule. It's a hell of an achievement which shouldn't be derided by focusing on her final finishing position.

AndyBoBandy

I'm loving the Australian womens basketball kits for eh, reasons.....

griffin100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117668527#Comment_117668527

I don’t think man people understand what it takes to get to an olympics in many sports. Ok it’s a bit cheapened IMHO by having rugby sevens, surfing, 3 on 3 basketball and other minority sports there, but for the more mainstream sports like swimming, athletics, rowing, etc. just qualifying to compete is an immense achievement. I think some people see it as no different to getting to play county.

I work with 2 former Olympians. Neither won a medal but they competed with the best on a world stage and they’ll always have that. Both are extremely driven successful people with zero tolerance for bullshit which is a holdover from their competing days I’d say.

Speak Now

Loving the use of the word last, sure didn't England come last in the final of the Euros 😁

Shame she didn't swim an Irish record in the final although she would still have come 8th. Paris won't be long coming around. Is she doing the 200m as well?