Olympic Success

[lenfish]

Bit of a difference between painting a postbox to honour an Olympian and personally abusing one in public view.

Regards,

Len Fish

[AndyUK]

Why personal abuse or otherwise causing offence should be a criminal matter is beyond me though. Are we all getting too thin skinned or is a 'human right' not to be upset or offended by anyone or anything?

Andy L

[Easilyconfused]

And the 200m final was won by someone who could waste time by looking behind and by taking their foot of the gas. Personalities aside, I'd rather see someone run through the line. I'm sure that next year I might not have any legs to run on. What a waste to not run as fast as you can. Perhaps the winner should have entered the long bow archery event. My hero does what they can to the best of their ability. Not what is just needed. We all have our idols, and apparently the x-factor won.
The 100m and 200m world records are still up for grabs for anyone that can be bothered to run them as fast as they can. It should be out of anyone's reach in the near term.

Having been in Canada for most of the games I missed the 200m final but don't forget that Bolt still had the 4 * 100 relay to go where the Jamaican team annihilated the world record - we got home on Saturday in time to see that.

I can echo what Paul said earlier in the thread - being in Canada for the from before the opening ceremony until Friday afternoon we had lots of questions about the UK and tourism there. People wanting to visit next year when the games aren't here but wanting for example to know how long it takes to get from Heathrow to Cardiff to see something at the Millennium Stadium - or if you can drive from London to Dublin since they wanted to see England and Ireland !

What was I doing in Canada ? Well, in between catching the odd bit of Olympic coverage in various hotels this fine pair of VIA Rail beasts hauled us from Toronto to Jasper. Then a few days coach tours leading to Banff and then The Rocky Mountaineer over the Kicking Horse Pass to Vancouver.

I'll post more shots when I get the time in a separate thread to not derail this one too badly.

[gswindale]

Why personal abuse or otherwise causing offence should be a criminal matter is beyond me though.

It's a form of bullying & should not be tolerated. If arresting people is the only way to try & stamp it out, then so be it. Would these people have done the same if they'd been speaking directly with Tom Daly? I doubt it very much!

Anyway a huge congratulations to the entire TeamGB squad (and also to everyone else involved). Let's see what Rio comes up with now in a few years time!

[paulz6]

Maybe I was being too harsh. The 4x100 was amazing and more than worthy of a world record. I am sure the change over could be quicker, and even the runner ups equalled the world record! But what about the guy who run with a broken leg?
An amazing games, and an inspiration to all. Thank you for the nations that are thankful for the all our achievements.

[CaptainBazza]

But what about the guy who run with a broken leg?

To quote Tom Jones, "It's not unusual." All the horses I've ever bet on have raced with such an impedement.

Cheers Bazza

[rufuskins]

Despite suggesting I wouldn't post again on this thread, I have changed my mind.

One legacy that I would like to see happen is the reintroduction of competitive sports in all schools. Since life is competitive the moment you leave school, I could never understand the thinking behind having no losers over the last 30 odd years.

I believe the following quotation is still relevant

"'Tis better to have fought and lost, Than never to have fought at all." ~ Arthur Hugh Clough - probably adapted from "'Tis better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all."

Alec

[theokus]

But what about the guy who run with a broken leg?

To quote Tom Jones, "It's not unusual." All the horses I've ever bet on have raced with such an impedement.

Cheers Bazza

Anyone could yet see that there were "some errors" in the judging.
Specially in boxing and horse riding (dressage).

[ianmacmillan]

Why the medals for horse riders?

Surely they should have gone to the horse.

The horse dancing (dressage) was hilarious.

[paulz6]

Why the medals for horse riders?

Surely they should have gone to the horse.

The horse dancing (dressage) was hilarious.

Some of the Olympic sports made me laugh and question what it is about. I suppose in terms of the equestrian events, then you could argue that the controlling of the horse is a skill which takes many decades to master. The dressage was something so hilarious that it could only be matched by track cycling, where some old geezer run around on an electric cycle for several laps before the real competitors went for it. The pace 'probably' was not fast enough to take it out of the cyclists legs, so why waste peoples spectating time for something that was really nothing more than a sprint?

[jbilton]

Despite suggesting I wouldn't post again on this thread, I have changed my mind.

One legacy that I would like to see happen is the reintroduction of competitive sports in all schools. Since life is competitive the moment you leave school, I could never understand the thinking behind having no losers over the last 30 odd years.

I believe the following quotation is still relevant

"'Tis better to have fought and lost, Than never to have fought at all." ~ Arthur Hugh Clough - probably adapted from "'Tis better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all."

Alec

Hi
I agree Alec... although I believe inter school matches and leagues are very much alive and well .... and always have been.
The introduction of additional non competitive sports was done to enable the inclusion of all pupils regardless of sporting abilities.

"Keeping the Flame alive ".... its not going too well

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi ... ields.html

"Keep the Flame Alive: A million pupils could lose sports fields
More than a million pupils could lose sports facilities as thousands of schools come under pressure to build new classrooms on playing areas, government figures suggest.
Yesterday, The Daily Telegraph disclosed that the Coalition has relaxed the rules requiring schools to guarantee a set amount of space for team sports.
Campaigners have warned that the move threatens to undermine the Olympic legacy and could lead to more development on school playing fields.
In an article for The Daily Telegraph, Mr Gove insisted that he had made changes to the rules in legislation in February 2012 which required schools to seek permission to build classrooms on playing fields.
However, a government consultation document, dated April 2012, advises schools that they do not need to apply for approval for such a change in use.
It took the Department of Education more than 24 hours to identify the relevant change in legislation and the debacle threatens to call into question the basis on which the consultation was undertaken.
Last night the Department’s website, which offers guidance to schools, still made no reference to the apparent change in the rules.
Stephen Twigg, the shadow education secretary, said Labour would force a vote in Parliament demanding the Government reinstates protection for school playing fields. Labour will table a motion when Parliament returns in September allowing MPs to debate the changes, which the party claims ministers attempted to “sneak through” while MPs were on holiday."

Of course it may not matter too much .... if the amount of medals gained is all that is counted.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi ... ately.html

"London Olympics 2012: four-in-10 Team GB medallists 'educated privately'
Almost four-in-10 British Olympic medallists were privately educated, new figures show, prompting fresh concerns over the gulf between independent and state schools
Some 37 per cent of those with medals at the London games attended fee-paying schools, even though the sector educates just seven per cent of the population nationally.
Research by the Sutton Trust, a social mobility charity, also shows that more than a quarter of Britain’s gold medallists were from independent schools.
It marks a decline on the proportion of British medals claimed by privately-educated competitors at the Beijing games but still means the sector is significantly “over-represented” in Team GB.
The disclosure comes just days after Lord Moynihan, chairman of the British Olympic Association, called for an urgent overhaul of school sports policy amid fears the state education system was failing to produce enough top-level competitors.
The Sutton Trust report warned that sport was “not a priority” in too many state schools."

Cheers
Jon

[lateagain]

Hi Alec,

I'm not a great sports fan (of the sport that generally gets any TV coverage that is) but I like cycling, rowing, sailing and the white water sports. The saving grace of the Olympics for me was that we got to see that. It's great that our competitors enjoyed such success but the BBC's coverage was ruined by some dreadful commentary and random channel changes when you were following a specific event.

HOWEVER, to spring to Jon's defence and shout down those who continually rail against any reality in these discussions, on what is an OPEN forum, and if you don't like open discussion don't have an open forum, there is a harsh reality here.

Personally I thought the Olympics were best when they were limited to Amateurs? However there is no turning back the clock and the Corporate greed fest has come to rule the games for the foreseeable future. THAT however is just the games. The real issue that you and Jon have both raised is the legacy. Not the hot air "we'll all look good if we stand next to athletes and say legacy a lot" legacy but the harsh economic reality of providing ANY legacy. Those impressed by what's been built in East London should read up on what happened in Sydney, arguably the best games ever until this year? An exact parallel there of a facility built to regenerate an area with the idea of an after games legacy. Google it and make your own minds up.

I come from Ilford originally and my family from Stratford and East Ham. I knew the East side of London very well, but for the last 30+ years have lived in West London. West London was home to a large number of sports grounds. 40 years ago all the major banks and larger corporations owned sports facilities for their staff and their families. The GLC (and I believe the other Metropolitan authorities) owned large sports grounds with football, hockey, rugby and cricket pitches and even grass running tracks which were for the public to use and enjoy. The one that I walk my dog on even had long jump etc. pits. When Thatcher destroyed the Metropolitan Authorities (that's historic fact NOT politics) these large and expensive facilities, along with many other GLC owned facilities were "dumped" on the boroughs in which they happened to be geographically located. Obviously this was a massive finacial burden and one which the boroughs just couldn't be realistically expected to bear? At the same time recession after recession, and the loss of thousands of jobs meant that virtually none of the privately owned sports fields still exist. The ex-GLC one I walk my dog round (good exercise for me and him in a safe area where he can't annoy anyone else) is about to be sold off by the borough that's now responsible for it to a premier league football club for a practice ground! Having befriended a few of the guy's who work there, they tell me the same borough is also closing down several other sports facilities, including a "swimming bath" that they've only just finished a million plus refurbishment of.

All of this quietly going on whilst "fat cats" and other "self publicists" sit basking in reflected glory of a so-called Olympic legacy!!

Well unless they start an Olympic event for "Grumpy Old Gits", I'm never going to stand on any podiums BUT for heavans sake listen to the likes of Jon and I because we actually care about what's going on. I've done my campaigning but if we don't fire up the younger generation all will be lost to them without them being aware that it's under threat.

Geoff

As a postscript:
My daughter went to a school within 1/2 a mile of the Thames. When I asked if they did rowing I was treated like some simple minded idiot! Rowing!!! Rowing? Scoff .....The cost!? The Risk Assessment!? The Health and Safety!? The staffing?! The Curiculum!!!!! The Transport?! The Equipment?!
My only rebuff in the face of such ridicule was to loudly say "You missed one! ..Really? ...Yes! You missed the will to make it happen.

[lenfish]

Well unless they start an Olympic event for "Grumpy Old Gits", I'm never going to stand on any podiums

When they analyse the medal winners in the "Grumpy Old Gits" event, they'll find they all came from the UKTS forums.

Regards,

Len

[mickbat]

Haven't watched the Olympics at all
But i agree well done to all the British athletes it takes a hell of a lot to be good enough to represent your country let alone win an Olympic medal.
Regards mick.

[paulz6]

It seems that the Paralympics these days are held in the same host city as the Olympic games. Is this a good thing?
Sheffield held the Paralympics in 1991. We got an Olympic size swimming pool, and athletic facilities second to none (well not quite). Would Sheffield have held the Olympics? Are secondary cities missing out on an opportunity to improve their sporting facilities for all of their citizens?