***Official 2024 Olympics Thread***

[Molehill]

That win at all costs mentality I think was identified as a major reason the team underperformed, especially in pressure situations, in London and Rio. They've actually gone to a Pat Cummins style "just go and have fun" type approach in the last two games (which is very common in Aus sport at the moment) and it's paying dividends so far.

Yep, you've obviously got to find the right balance.

Early signs from the cycling track is that the GB team are in a very good place.

 

[Ali TT]

Judged on qualifying times, GB look hot favourites for the Women's Team Sprint to be decided later.......we've been here before!!

GB have snatched a couple of golds which didn't seem likely (although Pidcock would've been unlucky not to win). But generally, feels like there's been an ability to throw away winning positions. Woods in the canoe then being a shocker having done the hard bit by getting in front.

I know RTB talks about just enjoying the sports, but I like to see a winning mentality in GB athletes (like Aussies do), it's been lacking a bit here.

**** me mate, we've won 51, 64, 67 and 64 medals at the last four Olympics - top 4 each time - and on course to win c60 this time. GB is an Olympic sporting superpower, so don't know where this winning mentality thing comes from. How much winning do you think these people have had to do over years just to get into position to have a shot for a medal and some of these events are decided by the tiniest of margins.

 

[Molehill]

**** me mate, we've won 51, 64, 67 and 64 medals at the last four Olympics - top 4 each time - and on course to win c60 this time. GB is an Olympic sporting superpower, so don't know where this winning mentality thing comes from. How much winning do you think these people have had to do over years just to get into position to have a shot for a medal and some of these events are decided by the tiniest of margins.

Yeah, we'll clearly get a similar number to that again. But in Golds we've gone 29, 27, 22 in the last 3.....we're not getting anywhere near that now unless we clean up on the cycling track.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

That win at all costs mentality I think was identified as a major reason the team underperformed, especially in pressure situations, in London and Rio. They've actually gone to a Pat Cummins style "just go and have fun" type approach in the last two games (which is very common in Aus sport at the moment) and it's paying dividends so far.

I feel like there should be an obvious middle ground between the extremes of "I must come first in this Olympic event or my life is devastated" and "I'm having such fun out here, love the vibez great experience". I feel like a lot GB athletes have given the latter sort of interview even after underperforming their ranking and I get Molehill's point that it rankles a little. It must be that they're coached to say only positive things in their post-event interview, but sometimes it's just weird/annoying. As a casual TV spectator I cared if they won or not, why are they acting like it didn't matter to them?

Maybe I'm too old fashioned but just going for the old "I tried my best but my competitor was just too good today" angle would land better for me.

 

[shortpitched713]

We all know that Gold at all cost, is just the Chinese Olympic team approach for individual Olympic sport specialization.

Is that really the model that countries like the US or UK want to follow? It seems like a lot of pointless hand-wringing for countries that honestly are highly successful in these competitions.

 

[Molehill]

We all know that Gold at all cost, is just the Chinese Olympic team approach for individual Olympic sport specialization.

Is that really the model that countries like the US or UK want to follow? It seems like a lot of pointless hand-wringing for countries that honestly are highly successful in these competitions.

Agreed, it’s nowhere near that. I think it’s more the not taking of winning opportunities which for Team GB there have been a few.

Men’s Team Pursuit looks like it could be another GB v Aus battle, Aussies slightly faster in qualifying with the two surprisingly clear of the others.

 

[weeman27bob]

Dutch look rapid in the men's team sprint

 

[Ali TT]

I feel like there should be an obvious middle ground between the extremes of "I must come first in this Olympic event or my life is devastated" and "I'm having such fun out here, love the vibez great experience". I feel like a lot GB athletes have given the latter sort of interview even after underperforming their ranking and I get Molehill's point that it rankles a little. It must be that they're coached to say only positive things in their post-event interview, but sometimes it's just weird/annoying. As a casual TV spectator I cared if they won or not, why are they acting like it didn't matter to them?

Maybe I'm too old fashioned but just going for the old "I tried my best but my competitor was just too good today" angle would land better for me.

I think there's a lot of brave faces. The most obvious example of what you describe was Shrieve, the woman BMX rider, who was all "it's cool, just having a great time" after her disastrous final, but her eyes betrayed her. Perhaps it's just a little cringe these days to be seen to have wanted it too much.

I expect it's common for all the big nations but we've had a few medal hopes suffer with injuries or loss of a parent coming into the games, which might have cost us a few medals/higher coloured medals.

 

[Ali TT]

Yeah, we'll clearly get a similar number to that again. But in Golds we've gone 29, 27, 22 in the last 3.....we're not getting anywhere near that now unless we clean up on the cycling track.

Forecast 17 gold this games, so should be close to that?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

woof thank **** NL didn't choke in the hockey

 

[weeman27bob]

Yeah, we'll clearly get a similar number to that again. But in Golds we've gone 29, 27, 22 in the last 3.....we're not getting anywhere near that now unless we clean up on the cycling track.

If you compare golds in the events that have happened so far:

• Swimming: Paris - 1, Tokyo - 4, Rio - 1 - Tokyo looking like the outlier here, and definitely helped from peak Peaty. Realistically we should never be winning the mixed relay either. But we were 0.02, 0.02 and 0.05 off also getting 4 goals this time around.
• Rowing: Paris - 3, Tokyo - 0, Rio - 3 - Basically on line with what you might expect.
• Gymnastics: Paris - 1, Tokyo - 2, Rio - 1 - Whitlock's unexpected floor gold being the difference here
• Equestrian: Paris - 2, Tokyo - 2, Rio - 2 - In line where we've been recently.
• Golf: Paris - 0, Tokyo - 0, Rio - 1 - Pretty random all things considered
• Diving: Paris - 0, Tokyo - 1, Rio - 1 - Need to get lucky and be good to be the Chinese here
• Cycling: Paris - 1, Tokyo - 3, Rio - 0 - The two BMX events being the outlier here. We got silver in the freestyle and got unlucky in the final
• Tennis: Paris - 0, Tokyo - 0, Rio - 1 -Lack of peak Murray means medals are always going to be hard work there
• Canoe Slalom: Paris - 0, Tokyo - 0, Rio - 1 - Disappointing to come away with 4 medals this time but only 1 gold
• Triathlon: Paris - 1, Tokyo - 1, Rio - 1 -Basically in line with where we've been recently.
• Shooting: Paris - 1, Tokyo - 0, Rio - 0 - Not bad!

Difficult to compare sailing as they're different events a bit this time.

Not a perfect comparison but that puts us at 10 for Paris, 12 for Tokyo and 12 for Rio for the events that have happened so far.

 

[weeman27bob]

That's not to say we haven't had some disappointing/unlucky finishes, but we definitely haven't been horrible all things considered.

 

[howitzer]

Nice.

 

[howitzer]

Actually a perfectly executed team sprint.

 

[weeman27bob]

That's seriously quick from the team sprint, 3 world records in 3 rides

 

[Ali TT]

Hopefully cheer up the misery guts on here

 

[Molehill]

Hopefully cheer up the misery guts on here

Watched it on the X Trainer at the gym, they got another 20 mins out of me!! Superb performance and you’d think Finucane is going to take some beating in the sprint.

Dutch were something else in their sprint, Harrie Lavreysen looks a proper star.

 

[Smudge]

Great race that for the men's. Execution under pressure for the NZ fella.

Finn Butcher joins the Alexandra/Maniototo sporting hall of fame alongside Peter Petherick, Andrew Hore and Shayne O'Connor.

Honestly, can't think of many others (it's not a well populated area. Maybe former Black Sticks captain Mandy Smith.

 

[howitzer]

Perfectly controlled by Hodgkinson there.

 

[weeman27bob]

Great run from Hodgkinson!