Mega Thread RIO 2016 - General Discussion Thread for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games (3rd Aug to 21st Aug)

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Forward Press

Premium Platinum
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Posts
26,422
Likes
33,701
Location
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Man Utd
Each to their own. I don't care much for athletics, respect it yes, but I'll be happy to get some sleep next week. Will watch the cycling and rowing only.
Which are both sports that the richer nations do much better in. Here's another one - how many medals have been won in rowing and cycling by an African nation that isn't South Africa?

Sorry, but if you want diversity it's athletics all the way.
 

JackNah_8

Hall of Famer
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Posts
35,140
Likes
31,017
AFL Club
Richmond
Which are both sports that the richer nations do much better in. Here's another one - how many medals have been won in rowing and cycling by an African nation that isn't South Africa?

Sorry, but if you want diversity it's athletics all the way.
I agree, it's great seeing the African countries win medals in the athletics.
 

BobbyMorri

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
May 4, 2009
Posts
6,333
Likes
4,547
Location
Tasmania
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Scunny, Furth
Which are both sports that the richer nations do much better in. Here's another one - how many medals have been won in rowing and cycling by an African nation that isn't South Africa?

Sorry, but if you want diversity it's athletics all the way.
black man diversity . USA, Africans and the Caribbeans dominate the track.

Judo has a surprising different lot of winners.

rowing is a white mans sport. cycling has been, but the Chinese will win their first gold medal this year IIRC and have great female sprinters. not discounting the Colombians.

anyway, every sport has a bias. Track and field is one of the sports with least bias
 
Last edited:

(Log in to remove this ad.)

jameses

All Australian
Joined
Jun 29, 2016
Posts
617
Likes
1,421
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Diversity? Hahaha.

Americans and Jamaicans are basically a sure thing for short, the Kenyans for long. What are you talking about?

At least in the pool we have the Australians, Yanks, Canadians are emerging, Dutch, Germans, Chinese, Japanese and a few strong swimmers from Britain, France, Sweden and Denmark.
 

Quinz

Chief Club Folder
Joined
May 31, 2005
Posts
33,846
Likes
28,451
Location
On a Wing and a Prayer
AFL Club
West Coast
Moderator #1,916
So from what the media was talking up as a day we could win 5 or 6 gold, from Fox, Larkin, the men's quad sculls, women's double sculls, Taylor McKewon and the Campbell sisters we won three silver and a bronze. A decent effort but a long way from what was possible. Add to that McEvoy and Seebohm missing finals, rugby sevens crashing out and the track cycling beaten in the bronze it wasn't the best day unfortunately.
 

FlowersByIrene

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Posts
16,623
Likes
17,633
Location
Perth via Carlton Land
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Knicks, Giants, Man U
So from what the media was talking up as a day we could win 5 or 6 gold, from Fox, Larkin, the men's quad sculls, women's double sculls, Taylor McKewon and the Campbell sisters we won three silver and a bronze. A decent effort but a long way from what was possible. Add to that McEvoy and Seebohm missing finals, rugby sevens crashing out and the track cycling beaten in the bronze it wasn't the best day unfortunately.
This is feeling like London again.
 

JackNah_8

Hall of Famer
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Posts
35,140
Likes
31,017
AFL Club
Richmond
So from what the media was talking up as a day we could win 5 or 6 gold, from Fox, Larkin, the men's quad sculls, women's double sculls, Taylor McKewon and the Campbell sisters we won three silver and a bronze. A decent effort but a long way from what was possible. Add to that McEvoy and Seebohm missing finals, rugby sevens crashing out and the track cycling beaten in the bronze it wasn't the best day unfortunately.
We should get a medal from Anna Meares.
 

Carl Hooper

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Posts
5,550
Likes
2,473
Location
Vic
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
West Indies
No there isn't enough swimming. Should have the 50m sprints in each race and the 1500m women and the 800m mens. Luckily the last two are going to be added for the 2020 Games.

Athletics is fine, but there is the same countries dominating really. The US/Jamicans and the Kenyans in the longer distances.

Actually prefer the cycling/rowing the most as all countries have somewhat of a chance.
This nikka is trolling now haha

Talkin bout same countries dominating a sport.. Can't be serious.
 

Forward Press

Premium Platinum
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Posts
26,422
Likes
33,701
Location
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Man Utd
Diversity? Hahaha.

Americans and Jamaicans are basically a sure thing for short, the Kenyans for long. What are you talking about?

At least in the pool we have the Australians, Yanks, Canadians are emerging, Dutch, Germans, Chinese, Japanese and a few strong swimmers from Britain, France, Sweden and Denmark.
Top 100m sprinters in the past have included Canadians, Namibians (and several other African nations) and even St Kitts and Nevis. And this is just 100m. Kenyans, Algerians, Tanzanians, Ethiopians in the middle and long distances with loads of other nationalities winning medals. Even Australia has had pole vault, hurdling and walking gold medallists in recent Games.

I was more referring to the idea of rowing and cycling somehow having competitive South American, Asian and African athletes and being more diverse than track and field. That's laughable.
 

Illinois Nazi

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Posts
15,102
Likes
19,833
Location
Why? You stalking me?
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Whoever's winning
Top 100m sprinters in the past have included Canadians, Namibians (and several other African nations) and even St Kitts and Nevis. And this is just 100m. Kenyans, Algerians, Tanzanians, Ethiopians in the middle and long distances with loads of other nationalities winning medals. Even Australia has had pole vault, hurdling and walking gold medallists in recent Games.

I was more referring to the idea of rowing and cycling somehow having competitive South American, Asian and African athletes and being more diverse than track and field. That's laughable.
It's more a case of the events that come under "track and field" being more diverse than any other sport.
 

Forward Press

Premium Platinum
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Posts
26,422
Likes
33,701
Location
Perth
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Man Utd
It's more a case of the events that come under "track and field" being more diverse than any other sport.
Swimming has loads of similarities between its constituent events and there is a good spread there of different nationalities from many continents winning medals.

Possibly more the idea of sports requiring less specialised equipment and specific locales attracting a more global spread of athletes. Just my theory. I read somewhere that the Italian eights in rowing spent $50,000 just to fly in their boat to Rio. Won't attract many international competitors from the third world with expenses like that.
 

Illinois Nazi

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Posts
15,102
Likes
19,833
Location
Why? You stalking me?
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Whoever's winning
Swimming has loads of similarities between its constituent events and there is a good spread there of different nationalities from many continents winning medals.

Possibly more the idea of sports requiring less specialised equipment and specific locales attracting a more global spread of athletes. Just my theory. I read somewhere that the Italian eights in rowing spent $50,000 just to fly in their boat to Rio. Won't attract many international competitors from the third world with expenses like that.
I have a feeling we actually agree with each other, so I'm not going to argue any more.
 
Top Bottom