To wish that our Olympic athletes

[JeezyPeeps]

Didnt feel the need to apologise when they don't get gold.

I've seen this a few times now, and it's so unnecessary.

These guys are amazing. They are among a handful of people that are good enough to represent their country, and I don't care if they come plum last, they are a credit to us and a joy to watch.

YANBU - saw some poor athlete earlier apologising for 'letting everyone down'

Wholeheartedly agree OP. The way they were talking it was like Becky Adlington had come last -but she'd gotten a medal FFS!

I find it bit the way they ask them a string of questions just moments after they've finished the event and are all knackered and emotional. I sit yelling at the TV "leav'm alone FGS!".

I think we need a little perspective here.
Just worked out this little stat (which will change if Ennis wins in the next few mins)

The USA and China have more golds than us.
They also have more people.
Its currently working out at:

USA
24 Golds
Population 314,000,000
Which equals 76 Gold medals per billion people.

China
23 Golds
Population 1,300,000,000
Which equals 18 Gold per billion people.

GB
11 Golds
Population 62,000,000
Which equals 177 Gold per billion people.

This makes us currently 10 times more successful than China and twice as successful than the US.

I'm thinking no one needs to be apologising if they don't get Gold...

Loving that perspective Hmmm!

I was just talking about this with dh and we wanted to know those stats so thank you Hmm

Hmmm, I was only wondering earlier how the medals would work out per head of population. You've just save pd me a lot of maths (which isn't my strongest subject!) so thank you!

I am immensely proud of all of teamGB and the way in which the games are being conducted. Every one of our athletes are heros in my eye. To have the discipline and strength of character to be successful enough in their sports to represent our countries is a remarkable achievement in itself.

I really felt for Rececca Adlington last night. She obviously was going for gold, and the nation was behind her in that quest, but to get a bronze was still fantastic and she really should not have felt the need to justify herself at all.

Brilliant post Hmm, I had wondered about the figures but am too thick to work it out for myself.

OP, YANBU.

The Alternative Medal Table Per Population.

This is as of the medal table at 8pm tonight. It HAS since changed.
I've only included nations who have a minimum of 3 Gold medals

1st New Zealand 3 Golds = 750 per billion people (13th in real table)
2nd Kazakhstan 4 Golds = 250 per billion people (9th in real table)
Joint 3rd South Korea 9 Golds = 188 per billion people (4th in real table)
Joint 3rd Netherlands 3 Golds = 188 per billion people (11th in real table)
5th GB 11 Golds = 177 per billion people (3rd in real table)
6th North Korea 4 Golds = 167 per billion people (8th in real table)
7th France 8 Golds = 123 per billion people (5th in real table)
8th Italy 5 Golds = 83 per billion people (7th in real table)
9th USA 24 Golds = 76 per billion people (1st in real table)
10th South Africa = 63 per billion people (12th in real table
11th Germany 5 Golds = 62 per billion people (6th in real table)
12th China 23 Golds = 23 per billion people (2nd in real table)
13th Russia 3 Golds = 21 per billion people (10th in real table)

Its actually quite interesting and I'm curious as to how this is going to develop.

Love the Alternative medal table Hmm

I can't believe us as a tiny little island can come third in the other medal table, but seeing it put per billion people makes it even better.

Them apologising must have something to do with the psychological preparation they do beforehand, plus the expectations they think other people have of them, which can help spur them on, could play a part?

Probably in part a reaction to the disgusting tweet sent to Tom Daley after they didn't make the podium in the synch diving.

Gosh hmmm,you are a human calculator so you are :)

I was going to post something similar. I find that the commentators are so negative if the athletes don't get anything but gold. Come on a silver or bronze medal at the Olympics are an absolutely amazing achievement which anyone can be proud of!

I'm going to have to update this after 2hrs aren't I?

Bastards! We keep winning golds! How dare we!

We've got high expectations of people vez, which is why we've got so many medals

I agree. I really felt for addington, bronze is still brilliant!

Well 13 Golds now pushes us up to 209 per billion.
USA now up to 82 per billion

I made an error on China before. They should have been 18 per billion eariler, but are now up to 19 per billion.

14 actually

Farah had to work hard for that gold!

Amazing bloke.

And one more!

Up to 14 gold and 225 per billion. Hello 3rd place in the alternative table!

If the person was highly favoured to get a gold I can understand it. If they were an outside they have nothing to apologise for.