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No Medals!

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  • 26-08-2004 5:59pm
    #1
    josh40
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭


    This has unfortunately, been another disappointing olympics for Ireland. Does anyone have any ideas as to why we rarely seem to do well on the world stage? :confused::confused: Obviously, athletes like Sonia O'Sullivan are the exception, but how come we hardly ever come away with medals?


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    #2
    eirebhoy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,013 ✭✭✭✭eirebhoy


    We've still hope in Alistair Cragg. :D

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=183162


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    #3
    Big Ears
    Registered Users Posts: 8,967 ✭✭✭Big Ears


    eirebhoy wrote:
    We've still hope in Alistair Cragg. :D

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=183162

    Eire he's 24 and is really only being noticed now , you hardly expect him to win a medal .

    Maybe in 4 years time though .


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    #4
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    ...and he's South African!

    Mike.


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    #5
    Big Ears
    Registered Users Posts: 8,967 ✭✭✭Big Ears


    mike65 wrote:
    ...and he's South African!

    Mike.
    :eek:


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    #6
    ecksor
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 10,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭ecksor


    Cragg is a super athlete but I can't see him medalling. I hope he proves me wrong though! His coach apparently predicted that he could run 13:05 in the right race in Athens, which would be great to see.

    As for doing well on the world stage, we had a 20k walk silver last year in Paris at the world championships, relay 4x400m bronze in the world indoors this year, individual 400m bronze at the previous world championships and two bronze winning cross country teams in the last 6 years.

    In my lifetime (just over 25 years) John Treacy, Eamon Coughlan, Marcus O'Sullivan, Frank O'Mara and Sonia O'Sullivan have all won at least one world championships apiece. Catherina McKiernan was second in four consecutive world championships to four different athletes in the 90s.

    I'm probably leaving athletes and performances out, but the point is that on a world stage we do medal. By comparison the olympic athletics medals have been harder to come by certainly.


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    #7
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    from bbc
    Ireland's Alistair Cragg has qualified for the 5000 metres final at the Olympics after a strong run in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

    The South African-born Cragg qualified as a fastest loser in 13:23.01 but Mark Carroll did not get through.

    Carroll ran in the second semi-final and set the pace early on in a bid to make it faster than the first run.

    But he faded towards the latter stages and was unable to join 24-year-old Cragg in Saturday's final.

    Cragg is the only European representative to seal a place in the final which is scheduled to start at 1905 BST.

    Mike.


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    #8
    The Rooster
    Registered Users Posts: 4,442 ✭✭✭The Rooster


    O'Mara and Marcus O'Sullivan won World Indoor Championships. I think Frank won two golds. Super achievements and they ran great races but they dont really compare with the outdoor as the competition was less hot. Did they ever win any medals at Olympics, World or European Championships? I dont think so, which was disappointing as they were both capable of medals. They both had more than their share of bad luck with injuries though.

    For one of O'Mara's gold medals, another Irish lad got silver in the same race - Paul Donovan (I think). Not very often that Ireland comes 1 and 2 in the world!

    Back to Athens: Cragg hasnt a hope in hell of a medal. Top 10 would be good, but will be hard to achieive.

    The only chance Ireland has of a medal now is the showjumpers. Kevin Babbington and Jessica Kureten both have a reasonable chance, along with about 15 or 20 other riders. Cian O'Connor was rated just as highly before Athens, but apparently his horse isnt in the best of shape at the moment.


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    #9
    josh40
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭josh40


    Both he and his horse were in great shape Today! :D


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    #10
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    The former achievers like Sean Kelly,Eamon Coughlan,Phil Sutcliffe.Caruth Gary O Toole could be taken on by the Sports Council as part of a coherent strategy and advisory group to all the national bodies.

    Didn't Macken,Leddingham et al do the biz for the showjumpers.
    Experience on the big stage is vital.

    Nicholas Cruz from Cuba helped McCullagh and Carruth in Barca.

    Also the AAI seems to be training coaches to be poached by inter county GAA teams.


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