A thread for your stupid Olympics questions

[FriendlyNeighbourhoodAccountant]

If you have any "stupid" questions about the Olympics here's the place to ask them. Hopefully some knowledgeable people will know the answers.

At this temperature it's too hot for me to walk my dog but the horses are participating in the jumping events. Does the heat not impact them in the same way? Is it because they're bigger? Is it just because they're horses?

@Lentilweaver I've already said this on this thread, but when I run in shorts they always ride up. I was speculating that women's hips/builds might just make shorts harder to find a good fit and therefore running in briefs is preferable as you don't have to worry about your thighs munching them. I'm not sure men have this same problem.

But the range of kit is designed from whatever the athletes normally wear, I'm sure they have some input.

My question is that when an athlete has finished the events they’ve done and hopefully won a medal, can they enjoy Paris and sightsee or do they go straight back home?

Oh thanks! Appreciate hearing from a runner.

I was thinking the women swimmers should get Tugless swimsuits from Land's End. This isn't an ad for them but they absolutely do not budge with some special tech!

Im watching the skateboarding and there’s an 11 year old competing. Are there categories in the Olympics, like an under 16 category maybe because 11seems really young to me to compete

Nope the 11 year old isn't in a kids category. They are just a really good skateboarder.

Some stay, some leave. Andy Murray has been watching other events, for example. Not all Team GB went out to Paris before the Ceremony either.

To expand on my earlier answer all the different sports at the Olympics have different rules, some do have a minimum age, I believe gymnastics is 16 and diving 14 but others will be if you are good enough you are old enough. (so a brilliant 15 year old doesn't have to play in an under 16s team - if the under 21s or the full adult team want them to play they can but a 23 year old couldn't play for the be under 21s).
There is a youth Olympics but it's a total separate event that takes place at a completely different time and location the next one is in 2026.

On the speed climb why is the left hand side favoured ?

Why is this nonsense an Olympic sport?!

It depends a bit on distance. For upto 10km, most will favour tighter shorts/brief. They feel faster, they provide some compression, and when they get sweaty they don't cling to you in a gross damp way. Remember, it's bloody hot in Paris at the moment!

In the marathon, you might see more variety IF teams have put pockets in the flappy shorts, so that they can stick a gel in them. However, lots of marathoners have started having pockets sewn into the back of the bikini briefs for gels now.

Not a question but I have just LOVED watching the skateboarding.

For me it epitomises what the Olympics is all about.

People showing off their skills for those niche sports we don't see often.

And I say that as the parent of a swimmer who genuinely posses a chance at qualifying for LA28.

You could ask the same about all sorts of sports. To why is hitting each other as often as you can a sport? Why is trying to get a horse to lift it's legs in a particular way a sport?

Congratulations and I hope they get through and qualify for LA28 🙂

Thanks. He was agonisingly close to a nomination time for Paris. Half a second 🫣

But that was much closer than he was expected to get so although it sounds heartbreaking it was actually really encouraging!

Is it just me that thinks the Team GB tracksuits are utterly gopping this year?

I really don't like the ones they use for podium.

There is another country with almost exactly the same tracksuit too (because they have the same sponsor)

Yes they look awkwardly cropped because of the dark flash on the trouser leg

And top length is just odd!

That is so close! I’m glad it was encouraging because it does sound heartbreaking

@Myteaiscild

All the equestrian events have been shown in full on Discovery+

It's been fantastic!

Why is one of the GB female cyclists wearing a different helmet to the others?

No, the legs look really weird, cut off at the bottom!

The commentators have answered my questions, apparently each rider is tested in a wind tunnel and they choose the helmet best suited to their morphology.

I was about to say I can answer that as the commentator said why!

Apparently British cycling have their very own wind tunnel now too!