Team GB Daily: Day 12

[G-ann 113]

Just catching up…!

 

I appreciate the frustration when we’ve been so close but some of the sentiment and obsession with gold is a disappointing read. Writing off our athletes achievements particularly when they’ve medalled regardless takes away from the fact that our athletes are actual people. People who have made huge sacrifices, managed a thousand other commitments and have still put in a shift of a lifetime for Team GB.

 

Very much hoping for a more positive day tomorrow and highly recommend reading this article from double Bronze medal winner Kimberly Woods for a snapshot into just one of the many journeys our athletes have been on to get to the games: Team GB article

[mpjmcevoy 362]

3 hours ago, Rich said:

Gutted for Matt. Love watching him. Same with Josh and Molly. But there's no divine right and I'm sure the two men would take their performance over Molly's. I'm equally sure both would have good words for her - they've lived through their own athletic disappointments.

 

The silvers are frustrating when so close, no question. But there is a reason that the target is about medals not golds and it's because GB success has been built on controlling the controllables. Sometimes, like tonight and yesterday, no matter what you do to prepare, no matter how extraordinarily fast you run, no matter how much you want it, somebody else is just better.  Medals not golds allows for that uncontrollable.

Matt has smashed the European record repeatedly to smithereens. It took a near miracle to beat him by 4 hundredths. There is no shame here whatsoever. And he still, hopefully, has a 4 x 400 coming up that with Dobson and Reardon looks very, very interesting. Josh is already gathering his thoughts for a crack at LA, having, it seems broken, Jakob mentally. He will now have to think about finishing speed - he's very good. He's better than Jakob or Nguse. He's not Hocker.

Molly and her coach didn't read the room in terms of a difficult qualification, but these mistakes will happen - she's till, lets be clear, very young, and should, with Keely, be around for donkey's years.

 

KJT starts tomorrow, the main relays are yet to start.

 

I'm pretty sure Australia - who are having an astonishing Games will pip GB on the medal table, though top 4 or 5 is absolutely still on offer. Some sports will, I fear, need a serious review...but that's not a bad thing either - recall just how dreadful Tokyo was for the rowers, and they've come storming back in Paris. The Cyclists are down a smidge on Tokyo, but not half as down as I would have predicted - if Katy Archibald was fit, we might have seen something ridiculous.

 

The Key problem children: IMHO

 

 

Archery - two really nice runs in the individual covered up a bit of a shambles. We did well to qualify but can't help feeling this is a sport that the UK Sport 'controllables' model is built brilliantly for - note how we've done pretty well in Shotgun shooting over the last few Olympiads - and yet, we seem to be drifting backwards at pace.

 

Boxing - one bronze is better than nothing, but it's been a rough cycle - that said, GB Boxing probably have enough credit in the bank to not demolish and start again, but there needs to be some reflection.

 

Badminton: poor, really. And with Squash arriving in 28, I feel both Badminton and table tennis may become rather unloved children

 

Basketball: Where do you start? not here. cf Rugby 7s

 

Canoe sprint: Slalom is in excellent shape, with several strong paddlers behind the Paris 4. But sprint has collapsed, and I just don't understand it.

 

Fencing: Do we even do that now?

 

Gymnastics : we could do with looking into the tendency to suffer injuries, but the future looks ok for a few Games

 

Hockey: Not as bad as sevens or basketball, would like to work out how to bridge the gap to the top

 

Judo : My next big problem child - disastrous cycle, seem to have fallen miles behind, especially on men's side. Current system is not working.

 

Sailing : seem to be having a pretty poor games, have not adjusted well to mixed boats and new events. Lots of credit in the back, but this has been a poor, poor regatta

 

Triathlon : Really decent results in context,,with GTB coming back from injury, Brownlee seemingly a spent force and no other men really coming through - Max Stepney looks a useful addition going forward, happy with Waugh coming through to keep the women's side of the game rolling nicely.

 

Swimming : We have not been succeeding at juniors in the way we were a few years back, and I worry a bit about what happens when the greatest generation ages out.

[Cinnamon Bun 541]

2 hours ago, RussB said:

Tomorrow is a big day:

- jade jones

- Bradley sinden

- Emma in the kite finals

- Emma finucane in keirin

- Ethan Hayter in Omnium

- kjt in heptathlon

- pentathlon - very important fencing round

- 2 boys in the 3m springboard final

- bainbridge in men’s kite semis

 

im still confident tomorrow sees at least 2 golds. With a small chance of a bumper day. Hopefully the mood on the forum will be far more positive in any case.

 

Think if Emma, Ethan, one of Jade/Bradley and kite Emma get gold the mood will be a lot better, another lot of near misses similar to what we've seen today than I think some of her will combust in resignation. 

[Cinnamon Bun 541]

2 hours ago, G-ann said:

Just catching up…!

 

I appreciate the frustration when we’ve been so close but some of the sentiment and obsession with gold is a disappointing read. Writing off our athletes achievements particularly when they’ve medalled regardless takes away from the fact that our athletes are actual people. People who have made huge sacrifices, managed a thousand other commitments and have still put in a shift of a lifetime for Team GB.

 

Very much hoping for a more positive day tomorrow and highly recommend reading this article from double Bronze medal winner Kimberly Woods for a snapshot into just one of the many journeys our athletes have been on to get to the games: Team GB article

I agree with what you're saying and tbh a lot of from people is heat of the moment reaction rather than completely writing of some of these athletes amazing accomplishments and I think once things calm down most of the people in question will be able to reflect on what has still been somewhat of a better games than expected (considering many felt this was a big reset ahead of LA). 

[Mkbw50 438]

Just realised I messed up a question asking whether Beckett would get gold, when I meant a medal. Will still judge it as asked though

[Orangehair43 251]

5 hours ago, mpjmcevoy said:

Matt has smashed the European record repeatedly to smithereens. It took a near miracle to beat him by 4 hundredths. There is no shame here whatsoever. And he still, hopefully, has a 4 x 400 coming up that with Dobson and Reardon looks very, very interesting. Josh is already gathering his thoughts for a crack at LA, having, it seems broken, Jakob mentally. He will now have to think about finishing speed - he's very good. He's better than Jakob or Nguse. He's not Hocker.

Molly and her coach didn't read the room in terms of a difficult qualification, but these mistakes will happen - she's till, lets be clear, very young, and should, with Keely, be around for donkey's years.

 

KJT starts tomorrow, the main relays are yet to start.

 

I'm pretty sure Australia - who are having an astonishing Games will pip GB on the medal table, though top 4 or 5 is absolutely still on offer. Some sports will, I fear, need a serious review...but that's not a bad thing either - recall just how dreadful Tokyo was for the rowers, and they've come storming back in Paris. The Cyclists are down a smidge on Tokyo, but not half as down as I would have predicted - if Katy Archibald was fit, we might have seen something ridiculous.

 

The Key problem children: IMHO

 

 

Archery - two really nice runs in the individual covered up a bit of a shambles. We did well to qualify but can't help feeling this is a sport that the UK Sport 'controllables' model is built brilliantly for - note how we've done pretty well in Shotgun shooting over the last few Olympiads - and yet, we seem to be drifting backwards at pace.

 

Boxing - one bronze is better than nothing, but it's been a rough cycle - that said, GB Boxing probably have enough credit in the bank to not demolish and start again, but there needs to be some reflection.

 

Badminton: poor, really. And with Squash arriving in 28, I feel both Badminton and table tennis may become rather unloved children

 

Basketball: Where do you start? not here. cf Rugby 7s

 

Canoe sprint: Slalom is in excellent shape, with several strong paddlers behind the Paris 4. But sprint has collapsed, and I just don't understand it.

 

Fencing: Do we even do that now?

 

Gymnastics : we could do with looking into the tendency to suffer injuries, but the future looks ok for a few Games

 

Hockey: Not as bad as sevens or basketball, would like to work out how to bridge the gap to the top

 

Judo : My next big problem child - disastrous cycle, seem to have fallen miles behind, especially on men's side. Current system is not working.

 

Sailing : seem to be having a pretty poor games, have not adjusted well to mixed boats and new events. Lots of credit in the back, but this has been a poor, poor regatta

 

Triathlon : Really decent results in context,,with GTB coming back from injury, Brownlee seemingly a spent force and no other men really coming through - Max Stepney looks a useful addition going forward, happy with Waugh coming through to keep the women's side of the game rolling nicely.

 

Swimming : We have not been succeeding at juniors in the way we were a few years back, and I worry a bit about what happens when the greatest generation ages out.

Archey, Badminton and Judo all at risk of being effectively cut off from funding and any focus I would imagine. Hockey will face a big cut (Talk of £5million) and might have to focus on one gender only. Sailing will face a big cut as well. 
 

 

Swimming is a big problem for the next decade. Won’t take much to get a Sydney no medal result. 

 

[G-ann 113]

1 hour ago, Orangehair43 said:

Archey, Badminton and Judo all at risk of being effectively cut off from funding and any focus I would imagine. Hockey will face a big cut (Talk of £5million) and might have to focus on one gender only. Sailing will face a big cut as well. 
 

 

Swimming is a big problem for the next decade. Won’t take much to get a Sydney no medal result. 

 

Got a source for this talk about the hockey? Asking for a friend.

[Orangehair43 251]

1 hour ago, G-ann said:

Got a source for this talk about the hockey? Asking for a friend.

 

[Orangehair43 251]

Sailing is so highly funded - surely needs a major review into where that money is going. 
 

Also we have out in double the money put in for Athens but won’t get double the number of golds. 

Edited August 8 by Orangehair43