The AH Tokyo 2020 Olympics/Paralympics Thread in 2021

The badminton commentator is gas-- like he's at the snooker, ".. he's going for the blue into corner pocket" or working in a library... and then 'ITS A BRILLIANT SMASH!!!'

I'm loving this match

What a fight he put up - well done Nhat!

Real gutsy performance from Nhat and plenty of potential for Paris. Fair dues to him

You can be critical but that does not mean all criticism is valid. Here in this thread it is largely to be edgy by the looks of it. Coming "last" in a final she was not expected to make or using "last" to make it sound worse than 8th in the Olympics is just that. Similarly Mona can't control who is at the Olympics and who isn't. Anyone who makes an Olympic final of 8 people is world class and I sincerely doubt you will find a single athlete who doesn't agree (even if some of their own goals are higher).

We do have expectations of them but remember that the olympics themselves are to be qualified for. Anyone not invited has already beaten out people for a spot at the Olympics. Just because people weren't watching doesn't mean they didn't happen. There are many sports without people on funding with the harsh truth that we don't have people at that level. The people getting funding are getting it on the basis of their achievements in their sports. Also 20->40K entitles us to f all expectations. How much money have the likes of Ledecky gotten vs Mona including the value of all coaching, all paid for trips to competitions, equipment and facilities from their respective countries? I am not saying Ledecky hasn't worked hard or isn't talented btw.

As you saying expectations have to be realistic and in some cases the qualifying competition was the expectation. It just didn't get the same hype as the Olympics.

While medals are great I'd hate to see us become a country that eulogises medal winners and condemns competitors who miss out despite performing above expectations.

I see that with the Brits every Olympics, particularly the BBC coverage, their medal winners are hyped up beyond belief, but if someone even just comes fourth (as quite a few of their competitors did today) they're brushed over within seconds and instantly forgotten about for the next four years.

Their national lottery funding program was intended to result in wider public health and cultural improvements but instead it has become all about medals and flag waving. Brexit and right wing nationalism in another form basically.

I'd say those here that are only interested in medals may be better off getting their hands on a Union Jack and learning the words to God Save the Queen rather than pretending to support Ireland but knocking our competitors at every opportunity.

It was great to win our first medal this morning and there will be more to follow no doubt, but for me McSharry's eighth place in swimming was a better achievement than the rowing bronze given the relative standard of competition in both events. It's a shame that she won't be getting sponsorship deals and late late appearances out if it like the rowers will, but it's still important that we acknowledge great performances like hers and also Nhat's in badminton, even if they are not medal winning due to the standard of opposition in their events.

I agree, an achievement to be the fastest in her country ever in that event. Long may the improvements continue and fair play to her.

You should read up on the cycling "medal factory" under Brailsford and Sutton. Some serious moral and maybe legal lines crossed and all criticism or questions brushed aside in the name of medals

I saw that somewhere but it's a bit of a misleading title now we are off the road and have arrived.

I'll go route it out again

Meeting the qualification standard (which is far from easy) and then exceeding your prior personal best in the Olympics seems perfectly fine and totally justifies the investment/grants that she receives. It's effectively the definition of an athlete we should be sending to the games.

Really don't get what your point is in this case. Next week when (as is traditional recently) we have track athletes who fail to get within 2% of their pb and go out in the first round without being sighted then you might have a point.

The handshakes as they get their medals are gas

Did you come last in your edgelord heat?

No, you need to try harder. You aren't nearly sarcastic or edgy enough. You are no Piers Morgan I'm afraid. More training needed!

I'd definitely agree with that. 0 medals in 1988 and only one in 2004. We do seem to have turned a corner thank goodness, biggest ever team this year by far and many of our athletes performing well.

Ah jaysus 20th in the world in a major tough sport is a fair achievement.

Just uimagine how many hours she has spent traipsing up and down a pool at all hours of the morning.

Never ever look down your nose at swimmers.

And it definitetly surpasses playing 15 years for your local club or getting a call up for trials for the county minor team.

They are all doing that, covid I think is reason.