Team GB Debrief

[G-ann 113]

2 minutes ago, Olympicsnell said:

At least you have a shot at the Excel World Championships, top work!

I have actually looked at the practice questions before and it’s something I’m genuinely considering… need the actual excel job to stabilise but I’ve got my sights on the 2025 qualifiers. 

[Olympicsnell 298]

Olympics: British Olympic chiefs target men's football side at LA 2028 - BBC Sport

A positive little post games noise, but i've heard this one before, we can but hope

[Jon 43]

Further media articles which bodes quite positively about the review work that will be undertaken across sports and reflections from Dame Grainger re the gold medal count: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/aug/12/uk-sport-chair-happy-with-team-gb-medals-but-work-to-do-on-gold-count

 

https://inews.co.uk/sport/olympics/team-gb-olympics-target-la-2028-funding-3223062

 

Also a target once more to try and get a men’s team to go in the football:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/cpqjleg8p57o

[El Analyzer 190]

6 minutes ago, Olympicsnell said:

Olympics: British Olympic chiefs target men's football side at LA 2028 - BBC Sport

A positive little post games noise, but i've heard this one before, we can but hope

Deja Vu 

[Nickyc707 376]

I think the key thing is that we have maintained the London level of success now for four consecutive Games. This is something that no other host country has done. Compare this with Australia who dipped after Sydney and are only now on an upward trajectory again as they prepare for Brisbane in 2032.

 

Some sports had poor Games by their standards but that doesn't mean they can't achieve a quick turnaround as rowing did in Paris. Sailing had a major change in boat classes and many retirements after Tokyo, while the conditions at Marseilles probably didn't favour us. Boxing meanwhile had a relatively weak cycle in terms of talent which we were probably due. That every bout involving a GB boxer was a split decision that almost invariably went against us didn't help either. If the latter is still part of the programme for LA both sports have the capacity to turn things around.

 

The additions of baseball/softball, cricket, lacrosse, squash and flag football(?) offer more medal opportunities in most cases, although I know some remain devastated at the loss of breaking from the programme. We could potentially have a much bigger team in LA if the RFU resumes support for the sevens teams and the women's football team doesn't blow qualification again. Cases can be made for gaining qualification in all the new team sports.

 

 

 

Edited August 13 by Nickyc707

[Nickyc707 376]

23 hours ago, Olympicsnell said:

Went to get in my car for the first time in 17 days this morning, battery was dead *sigh*

If you don't keep up the training results are bound to drop off.

[Nickyc707 376]

16 hours ago, Epic Failure said:

I dislike that Yorkshire gets its own segment but the right side of the Pennines just gets lumped into "North West".

A reflection of the innate modesty of Lancastrians compared with their neighbours on the dry side of the Pennines, perhaps!

[mpjmcevoy 362]

4 hours ago, Nickyc707 said:

I think the key thing is that we have maintained the London level of success now for four consecutive Games. This is something that no other host country has done. Compare this with Australia who dipped after Sydney and are only now on an upward trajectory again as they prepare for Brisbane in 2032.

 

Some sports had poor Games by their standards but that doesn't mean they can't achieve a quick turnaround as rowing did in Paris. Sailing had a major change in boat classes and many retirements after Tokyo, while the conditions at Marseilles probably didn't favour us. Boxing meanwhile had a relatively weak cycle in terms of talent which we were probably due. That every bout involving a GB boxer was a split decision that almost invariably went against us didn't help either. If the latter is still part of the programme for LA both sports have the capacity to turn things around.

 

The additions of baseball/softball, cricket, lacrosse, squash and flag football(?) offer more medal opportunities in most cases, although I know some remain devastated at the loss of breaking from the programme. We could potentially have a much bigger team in LA if the RFU resumes support for the sevens teams and the women's football team doesn't blow qualification again. Cases can be made for gaining qualification in all the new team sports.

 

 

 

England (for which read GB, obviously) are ranked 6th in the world in Men's Lacross and 3rd in the world in Women's. They are the top European side in both, and their closest European rivals are, Italy aside, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The 6th place ranking also includes the Haudenosaunee who I hope are included as USA 2, but not convinced.

 

Which is a long winded way of saying I'm pretty confident GBR can qualify for both men's and women's across, and will be at least competitive for a medal.

 

Cricket speaks for itself, obviously, and the only issue is how small the field is (6 teams). Clearly the host will want in, India and Australia are certain, that only leaves three spots on men's side. I'm imagining short regional tournaments for the last three places - possibly West (Americas, Africa, Europe) and East (Asia-Pacific), with one winner from each qualifying, and possibly next two in each going to a final IOC qualifier - So England, South Africa, Jamaica, Guyana, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and possibly two 'qualifiers' in West, and Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE, Afghanistan, New Zealand + 2 in the East. You might end up with South Africa and Pakistan Qualifying, and a final Qualifier tournament of England, Jamaica, New Zealand and Afghanistan...

 

6 teams is REALLY too small for cricket, eight would have worked better

 

In flag football (dear sweet jesus) GB are the number 4 ranked women's team, and top European behind three North American teams. That looks a good bet.

In the men's however, they only lie 15th.

 

Finally in baseball/softball, both GB sides are actually pretty decent, but might struggle to qualify in a small field.

 

And in squash, obviously, while not the dominant power, British players are well represented in the rankings of both men's and women's

 

 

I am managing my grief on an hour-to-hour basis about breaking. I may have watched the clips of 'B-Girl Raygun' attempting to clean the floor with her head  while crying with laughter more often than is entirely healthy.

Edited August 13 by mpjmcevoy

[Nickyc707 376]

3 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

England (for which read GB, obviously) are ranked 6th in the world in Men's Lacross and 3rd in the world in Women's. They are the top European side in both, and their closest European rivals are, Italy aside, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The 6th place ranking also includes the Haudenosaunee who I hope are included as USA 2, but not convinced.

 

Which is a long winded way of saying I'm pretty confident GBR can qualify for both men's and women's across, and will be at least competitive for a medal.

 

Cricket speaks for itself, obviously, and the only issue is how small the field is (6 teams). Clearly the host will want in, India and Australia are certain, that only leaves three spots on men's side. I'm imagining short regional tournaments for the last three places - possibly West (Americas, Africa, Europe) and East (Asia-Pacific), with one winner from each qualifying, and possibly next two in each going to a final IOC qualifier - So England, South Africa, Jamaica, Guyana, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and possibly two 'qualifiers' in West, and Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE, Afghanistan, New Zealand + 2 in the East. You might end up with South Africa and Pakistan Qualifying, and a final Qualifier tournament of England, Jamaica, New Zealand and Afghanistan...

 

6 teams is REALLY too small for cricket, eight would have worked better

 

In flag football (dear sweet jesus) GB are the number 4 ranked women's team, and top European behind three North American teams. That looks a good bet.

In the men's however, they only lie 15th.

 

Finally in baseball/softball, both GB sides are actually pretty decent, but might struggle to qualify in a small field.

 

And in squash, obviously, while not the dominant power, British players are well represented in the rankings of both men's and women's

I agree eight teams are warranted in the cricket competitions. Assuming, pretty reasonably I think, that flag football and lacrosse won't survive beyond LA hopefully that'll be the case in Brisbane. 

[mpjmcevoy 362]

I've been trying to work out which big hitters we (GBR we) may (or may not) be about to lose to a well earned retirement before LA 28. Thoughts, additions, welcome..

 

Bryony Page - intends to join the circus (And I am here for that, friends!)

Tom Daley - announced retirement, some vague mutterings he might be persuaded to one more go for LA (I kinda hope not)

Jack Laugher - hinted at retirement on health grounds

Andy Murray - rode into the sunset on a horse with no hip. Several of the tennis team will probably not be around

Jimmy Guy - adamant he's gonna keep going, excellent

Ben Proud - hinted he may have one more Games in him, which was a pleasant surprise