2008 Olympics: Beijing

[Grey_Wolf]

Its my opinion that Ara is head is too big for his shoes - so too speak - taking it as personal afront that the judges deemed the way they did.

And he doesnt realize that he is REPRESENTING Sweden as a country and is very PUBLIC - therefore makes us look ridiculous when he acts this way.

[Jonathan]

Mark Spitz's golden record is no more.

Michael Phelps did it!

[Mari]

My father was watching the women waterpolo game, but it was quite difficult to follow.
I wonder if we made it to the semi-finals...

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

Mark Spitz's golden record is no more.

Michael Phelps did it!

Michael's relay did it. That was awesome, and his schedule insane. But without those amazing relays, it would not have happened.

I *heart* relay swimming.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Did anyone see the reaction in Raven's stadium?

I think it's here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NDRuoYQMfQ

[Nurvingiel]

Eärniel, I want you to know I'm really rooting for Belgium to get a medal. What are your best events? Any Michael Phelpsian athletes you're pinning your hopes to?

Being a member of the excellent USA men's relay team, Michael Phelps has won his eighth gold medal. *carefully picks jaw up from floor*

I hope all the swimmers have that floaty new suit. I know the Canadian team does.

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Eärniel, I want you to know I'm really rooting for Belgium to get a medal. What are your best events?

I'll be following the Belgian athletes Kim Gevaert (200m) and Tia Hellebaut (high jump) anyway. Are they in good shape, Eärniel? It seems Gevaert missed out on the 100m final though. By the way, amazing tripple by the Jamaican women in that race! One gold and two silver medals

Edit: Oh, it seems like the Belgian football team has reached the semifinals by knocking out world cup champions Italy! Way to go

[Coffeehouse]

Wuhu Norway stands at 29th place in the Olympics so far Way to go!

*Hoping Norway wins Women's handball, kicking Swedish ass in the process*

[Jonathan]

How on earth could the Danish women fail to qualify for the handball tournament? Prior to these Games, they had won three Olympics in a row!

[Curubethion]

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

Michael's relay did it. That was awesome, and his schedule insane. But without those amazing relays, it would not have happened.

I *heart* relay swimming.

That's a very cool thought, too. He broke the record through being part of a relay.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Eärniel, I want you to know I'm really rooting for Belgium to get a medal. What are your best events? Any Michael Phelpsian athletes you're pinning your hopes to?

Hahah, if only!

At the risk of jinxing it, let's see, who's still in competition for Belgium? Lansink in jumping is doing rather well. Although I'm personally not a fan of horse sports. But if he wins a medal, we'd probably have to share with Mari. He's originally from the Netherlands.

We still got two in the sailing, in laser and tornado class, but I'm seriously doubting podium places for them. But I'm privately hoping for some sensation on the men 4x400m. They did very well on training, obliterating the previous Belgian record, and they're sharp and really looking forward to it. So it'd be a shame if they didn't get some return on their efforts. Three of them will also participate in the 400m, and the fourth runs the 200m. They run the trials tomorrow, if I'm not mistaken. The 4x400m is friday.

Sven Nys may do well in the mountainbike race on Saturday. He's got a few World and European titles on his name in bike sports. Pretty big name here in that discipline.

Originally Posted by Jonathan

I'll be following the Belgian athletes Kim Gevaert (200m) and Tia Hellebaut (high jump) anyway. Are they in good shape, Eärniel? It seems Gevaert missed out on the 100m final though.

She did, she messed up her start and that was fatal. Which is really unfortunate because she just got rid of an annoying, continuous muscle injury and her times were pretty good. A place in the final would have been a nice closing act since she's quitting athletics next year. Darn shame. She's so disappointed she might not participate in the 200m, I suppose to prepare better for the relay. So she will at least be in the 4x100m and I don't think she and the other girls will do badly there. That's on thursday.

Tia is difficult to predict how she'll do. She hasn't been at her strongest, I think. Has been a while since she cleanly passed the 2m. And she has had some problems lately with her run/start. But if I'm not mistaken and she and her competitors are pretty close to one another in scores. It can go all ways. But I don't think she considers a chance on an olympic medal herself.

Edit: Oh, it seems like the Belgian football team has reached the semifinals by knocking out world cup champions Italy! Way to go

Now here's sure one discipline I thought we'd be totally humiliated on. WTF happened to belgian football when I wasn't watching?

[Tessar]

I'm just waiting for the day those poor swimmers jump into the pool and the water parts around them like the red sea because their suits are so advanced about shedding the water .

[Jonathan]

Poor Liu Xiang didn't even come to a start at 110m hurdles. His foot injury got the best of him. Liu, if anyone, had the hopes of a billion Chinese to win a gold medal so this is a depressing anticlimax for the host nation. And it must be terrible for him, not to be able to fulfil the expectations

Originally Posted by Curubethion

That's a very cool thought, too. He broke the record through being part of a relay.

Mark Spitz was part of relay teams too. Without them he wouldn't have got his 7 golds.

[Valandil]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

Mark Spitz was part of relay teams too. Without them he wouldn't have got his 7 golds.

Yes - Spitz won (4) individual golds (100 & 200 freestyle, 100 & 200 butterfly) and was on the same (3) relays that Phelps was on - which is all the relays. Phelps had to win one more individual gold.

Phelps' win in that 100 fly was something. As people were saying, doing that 'half-stroke' usually kills your finish. But maybe it helped in his case because his hands touched with his arms near full extension as he finished it. So - maybe the swimming world should take note and encourage that half-stroke when a swimmer can reach full extension off it.

It WAS interesting to see the old Spitz footage from 1972: regular (albeit Speedo) swimsuits, hair out, no goggles. I swam competitively (but nowhere near Olympic level) in the late 70's. Most of us guys wouldn't wear bathing caps, but we usually swam with goggles. We could go without them for a race if we liked (your eyes never 'get used to' the chlorine, so the more you're in the water, the more you need the goggles). And of course, no full-body suits. I was surprised to see no shaved heads in the 1972 videos. I think that was being done by guys in 1976 at least. I never did it.

- - - - - - -

That men's 100 meter dash won by Usain (?) Bolt was... insane! I wonder what that guy can do when he just speeds on through the finish. He was just SO FAST. I suppose he'll be a favorite for the 200 - or if he's not, he'll make some noise there anyway.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Valandil

That men's 100 meter dash won by Usain (?) Bolt was... insane! I wonder what that guy can do when he just speeds on through the finish. He was just SO FAST. I suppose he'll be a favorite for the 200 - or if he's not, he'll make some noise there anyway.

Beyens, one of our runners, ran the 200m trials with Bolt and said it was almost discouraging to see the ease with which Bolt jogged through the trails. Running does indeed seem to come nearly effortless to him.

[Coffeehouse]

And our guy Ndure got a slight stretch it seemed just as he crossed the finish line in the 2nd heat, 200 meters He qualified for the semis but he may not run now

[Grey_Wolf]

YIPPIE! Elena Isinbayeva, Russia, takes 5,05m in the last attempt and not only wins the gold but also makes a new world record!!!

[Mari]

Just saw the trampolining. The Chinese girl looked amazing! But I felt sorry for the German woman.

[Midge]

The table tennis is on at 4 in the morning, our time. Or it WAS.

I realize that there is quite a time difference, but they always managed to get Phelps on the television when i am AWAKE, no matter when he swam in relation to my time zone. That's discrimination.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally Posted by The Gaffer

What about Bolt? Was a sprinter ever better named? What would his time have been if he hadn't started partying with 15m still to go? Blimey.

The thinking by the timing geeks was that he could have made a 9.59 if he hadnt engaged in all the chest thumping and arm raising before the finish. 9.59!!! Thats simply an unthinkable time! How any human can do that is mind boggling. They said at one point he was moving in excess of 30 miles an hour!

And how about the Jamaican women sweeping the 100. They sure have a fast bunch down there in the islands. Other than one British runner, BOTH mens AND womens 100 meter finals consisted of American or Caribbean runners.