Olympic Games Paris 2024

[LlynTegid]

Starting a thread as it is only weeks away.

The Welsh cyclist who I saw win a medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the raising of the Welsh flag will be there- Emma Finucaine, one of the fastest women in the world on a cycle.

Oh yes DMT is fab to watch my DD used to do it much preferred it to regular trampoline competing, she does Acro Gym now but has her eyes on trying driving after watching the Olympics, if she can find a university with a club nearby that does what she wants to do I expect it will be her next sport.

One of my nieces turned to diving after gymnastics , and some of her diving friends became national champions.

Bronze for Noah Williams in the diving , he qualified in last place for the final so quite the uplift.

Laura Kenny really isn't letting up on Ethan Hayter, is she?

'A thigh strain, you say, Hazel? Would that be from slipping out of his saddle in that critical race?'

thats good to know, she already competes nationally in gym but it’s so niche and with university in the next couple of years is looking at how else to continue training in a sport as she really enjoys that routine. Unfortunately we don’t live near a dive center at the moment so if you can recommend any good university team options for diving she is going to look into it. Was a swimmer too but too short to be competitive.

Noah was brillant in the diving

the main pools which cater for top level divers are Edinburgh, Leeds, Sheffield, london, Plymouth.

lots of the GB coaches have left over the last few years though so it depends what she wants. She may need to contact a few and trial before she selects a uni if she’s aiming to do it seriously, as spaces are at a premium.

Futher warning if she’s looking to aim high much of the training is in the day between 9-5. It’s almost impossible to train to elite and attend uni.

if she’s looking more for fun/age group comps there is also Bradford, Aberdeen, Manchester. I think Dundee has 5m as well. There’s the new pool at Sandwell but that’s only just starting out.

left field but it may be worth checking out US universities. Several will take ex gymnasts on diving scholarships. You can’t compete GB if your train abroad though.

Questions need to be asked about Team GB cycling after these games finish. Injuries aside it's been quite poor from the GB riders, especially tactically in a few races. Especially on the men's side tactics haven't been great. I don't want to be negative but it's been a real disappointment. 😕

Is that a diving specific rule that you can't compete for Team GB if you train abroad? I'm sure Louis Hinchliffe went to an American University to train?

Yes it’s in the GB aquatics policies. You can’t be nominated for the world class programme unless you train in the UK.

they do say they make exceptions, but I think the only diver I’ve seen allowed to train abroad was Tom Daley before this olympics.

@Changedmynameagain84 thanks that’s really helpful and lots to think about.

Ingebrigsten well done

I was rooting for him at the end

What a great win

It's different for athletics because of the colllege programme and experience they get for certain sports

So amazing to get a bronze in that final

Yes, he deserved that win. I was very pleasantly surprised by the uncharacteristically humble and gracious things he said after the 1500m. Maybe he has learned a valuable lesson about talking smack about other athletes?

The US college experience for divers is also excellent. Lots of other countries allow their divers to train there. Many of this years Olympians are at US universities.

there are a lot of GB or close to GB level divers opting for it as if you aren’t already on the WCP, you have no source of income, you can’t really train around uni, or train around full time work. Once you’re 18 you’re out of the junior programme so no support at all unless you’re one of the few selected for WCP . Which btw, there is no policy for, it’s completely discretion based.

we’ve lost a lot of potential divers to the US system as they decide that free uni and training for 4 years is a better option than the GB system.

Yay! I was shouting my head off at the end of the 1500m. Well done Georgia Bell!

Ans so close for Laura Muir, she did so well to catch up.

@burblish yes I think he's learnt his lesson so good for him for that.

He's definitely made himself noticed on a global platform.

So maybe future needed endorsements etc

@Changedmynameagain84 yes it's weird isn't it the diving thing

Is it the same for cycling ?🚴

High jump is getting exciting !

Kerr is spent !

Agree. Such a difference from when they both decided to accept gold.

I don’t know about cycling.

from what I’ve also seen of diving, where the selections are usually decided at a young ag, it’s a control thing. Do what we say or you won’t get funded/selected.

if an athlete trains in the US they lose control of that athlete as US coaches aren’t dependent on the GB system for their jobs.

several of dd’s gymnast friends switched to diving and are now in the US

I think Kerr wanted to share, I wonder how long it could go on for.