OLYMPICS 2021

[Star555]

Haven't found a thread for Olympic sports discussions so I'm starting one. This thread is only for discussions of the actual sporting events as they happen over the next few weeks, not the unfairness of IOC's rules/philosophy (e.g. allowing a male athlete to declare himself a woman and compete in the women's category...which is immoral, unscientific, and wholly unjust, but that topic already has multiple separate threads).

Although this will be an Olympics like no other, I'm excited for the opening ceremony tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing gymnastics and swimming especially!

@Antsinyourpanta

I always wonder how people get into race walking..? It looks really uncomfortable on your hips, to me.

Watching Hal in Malcolm in the Middle?

m.youtube.com/watch?v=HUxbnadlIz4

All the race walkers look incredibly fit and athletic and it looks incredibly hard work but I still can't really understand why we have it as an event its just odd.

Back to my bugbear, I've seen loads of news reports saying how Sky will represent Britain in skateboarding and surf, how she is the next bright thing, how she has crafted a millionaire lifestyle. This is in the backdrop of Simone Biles explaining the immense pressure on her, of Peaty saying it's relentless, of Daley saying he can compete now without pressure as he has grown and has depth to his life. The BBC is in raptures over her, putting adult adulation on a child's shoulders, from watching the skateboarding she already had plenty of males living vicariously through her, I'm not convinced anyone else should be encouraged to do so.

😂😂😂 I love that episode of Malcolm in the middle, without watching the link o can see him in the lycra suit and speed shape helmet 😂😂😂

Here I am again, watching some niche sport late at night..... the marathon walking, so bizarre! The French competitor, Diniz, keeps stopping and having a drink or nipping off to the loo, then starting off again. And somehow he seems to catch up with the main group. It's just the weirdest thing.

Glad I'm not the only one who is driven mad by Steve Cram saying Katrina Johnson Thompson. He's always done it! I had to change to Eurosport yesterday. Very sad to see her go out.

Bunnyberries Yes, I don't dispute that they are genuine friends and happy for each other. I just think the same is true elsewhere too (pole vault for example). I have no issue with the skaters or the skateboarding. The athletes seem great and I enjoyed watching a moderate amount of it. But I think the BBC heavily favoured it over everything else (3 full heats and a final on the main BBC feed of something GB weren't even in today) and they were almost sycophantic.

Race walking - so weird!

Is anyone else watching the showumping part of the pentathlon? The riding is appalling!!! Those poor horses having their mouths hung on to!! And the commentator said earlier that the horse tail swishing is a sign its enjoying itself - where's the head in hands emoji?!!

Go Kenny and Archibald? . Had no idea what was going on - didn't even know the race had finished

@blobby10

Is anyone else watching the showumping part of the pentathlon? The riding is appalling!!! Those poor horses having their mouths hung on to!! And the commentator said earlier that the horse tail swishing is a sign its enjoying itself - where's the head in hands emoji?!!

Yes I can't get over how bad they are at this level!

LouMoo13 I've never watched it before and am stunned at such a low standard of riding! I wasn't expecting professional level but some of these athletes ....................................

God yes - tail swishing is so not a sign of the horse enjoying himself! The horses all look pretty competent and are just being thrown at the fences on all kinds of weird strides, some of them are being really clever in managing to get over them.

Well I thoroughly enjoyed the 50km race walk last night , pity it’s not going to be included in future .

@blobby10 it's like some of them have never been taught how to ride properly, they've just been taught how to cling on to a jumping schoolmaster IYSWIM?!

I’ve just turned it on. What a disgraceful example of riding from this rider

I am enjoying the cycling 🚴‍♀️ Kenny and Archibald were amazing.

I can’t watch this. It’s quite frankly awful riding

That grey horse with the Egyptian girl did so well to take her round - she was dreadful but had apparently improved so much since last time!

@Polkadotties

I can’t watch this. It’s quite frankly awful riding

We get the popcorn in for this.

Can't wait for it to be cancelled though.

I agree. This needs to be cancelled. It portrays equestrian events in a shocking light. You can’t even compare this showjumping to what Ben Maher etc do

Yes I know people who do it in RL

They wanted dds horse a few years ago absolutely no way

I mean they wanted it for the sj phase of modern pentathlon in Bath

I very much doubt it will make Los Angeles Olympics
If it gets to Paris I'll be surprised

It’s a shame - I’m sure in years gone by the competitors were at least competent in the equestrian phase?

I'm loving the cycling this morning. The women are fantastic.