Leaderboard

To celebrate, tortellini in broth for everyone!

So WA changed some things around according to this: https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/olympic-games/the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391/athletes?urlSlug=the-xxxii-olympic-games-athletics-7132391&competitionGroup=olympic-games&disciplineCode=&sexCode=&countryCode= is now on men's 800. in women's 1500, in womens 400 hurdles, and in men's 1500, in 110 hurdles. doesn't have a female listed anymore, and is still in 100m. I don't know if any other changes where made.

I'm already traumatized by this thread and the games haven't even started.

To be fair, all disciplines are pretty much at their least predictable this time around, but I'll give it a try... This concerns especially the no-discard teams. In dressage, Germany is in the driver's seat for team gold. The other two medals will be decided between and maybe . The last two spots for the team final should be decided in a battle between . As for the individual event, people already started giving Jessica von Bredow-Werndl the gold after she swept the German championships in June, but then she lost to Werth at the final selection event. Any of the three Germans have a chance, plus Dujardin (GBR), Dufour (DEN) and maybe Gal (NED) and Lyle (USA). In eventing, one wouldn't bet against Great Britain for the team gold, but once again anything can happen with no discard scores. Other main candidates (in ranked order) include ... Ireland is bringing only one horse back from their 2018 WEG silver medal team. Sweden had a good Olympic cycle (two European podiums), but once again they have a meh team when it matters the most. United States are always hyped, but their cross-country riding has been sub-par since like Beijing 2008 really. As for the individual event, Jung (GER) looks good for a treble, but his horse Chipmunk can have a rail down in show jumping. Other main contenders are all three Brits and Australians, Daniels (IRL), Auffarth (GER). the Prices (NZL), Romeike (SWE), Tomoto (JPN), Martin (USA), and Hua Tian (CHN). As for jumping, it would be awesome if one of could snatch a team gold, and they both have a good chance. is kind of meh (for their standards), can win it for sure, have seen better days, has been looking for a valid third team member for years now (maybe they finally found it in Beat Mandli), can win gold on one day and finish 18th on another. have pulled upsets in this cycle and can surprise again. Individual jumping could end up in a big unpredictable jump-off, but let's mention Maher (GBR), Guerdat (SUI), Fuchs (SUI), Fredricson (SWE), Bruynseels (BEL), von Eckermann (SWE), Deusser (GER), Kukuk (GER), Farrington (USA), Ward (USA), Leprevost (FRA), O'Connor (IRL), Zanotelli (BRA), Diniz (POR), Nassar (EGY).

and they're finally married

Speaking from prior experience, the schedule for the next day is done the day before. The full schedule for first two days are available on the Tokyo 2020 website.

First time that tailcoats in colors other than black/dark blue are allowed at the Olympics... And the Dutch have jumped at this opportunity to present this atrocity... @heywoodu

TEAM ITALY With Sara Errani in, according to our NOC's site it's 371+14 reserves

Even with all the withdrawals it's a great field as most of the top 10 players will be there. And with less competition in the early rounds they should all reach the final stages of the tournament.

So over at www.Olympedia.org we have been given the entry lists by the IOC. If you see mistakes it will be the fault of the IOC not us....

are both in it too. Another player declined? @hckošice Who is the next in line?

Anna Lena Friedsam is in as the document says.. there's 64 participants now in women's single event https://www.itftennis.com/media/5353/tokyo-2020-olympic-tennis-event-entry-list.pdf

1 week to go until the Opening Ceremony.... Olympic Countdown Clock -----------------50------------------------------------ 25------------------------------------ 02----- --------49---------------48------------------27---------------24-------------------04--------------01- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --47--------------------------46-------29---------------------------22-------06--------------------------03 -------------------------------------36-------------------------------------- 16------------------------------- --45-------------------38--43----- 30--33---------------18--21-------08-13------------------ 05 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------44--------40---41----------------28--31-------20--23----------------10-11----- ---07--- -----------------42------------------------------------- 26------------------------------------- 09------------- ----------------------39--------------------------32-------19-------------------------- 12----------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------37----------------34-------------------17---------------14------------- ------------------------------------ -35-------------------------------------- 15---------------

Josif Miladinov (swimming) )will be the second Bulgarian flag bearer during opening ceremony. He will accompany Maria Grozdeva

World Rugby Media Guide: https://resources.world.rugby/worldrugby/document/2021/07/15/1ac69341-5c6a-47d2-94c0-c10a873f098e/WRSEVENS-Media-Guide-v05a.pdf

A couple of withdrawals in jumping... NED Harrie Smolders & Dolinn (out) -> Willem Greve & Zypria S (in) New traveling reserves - Harrie Smolders & Bingo du Parc NZL Sharn Wordley & Verdini d'Houtfeld (out) -> Uma O'Neill & Clockwise of Greenhill Z (in) New traveling reserves - Tom Tarver-Priebe & Popeye

But it’s not special treatment from the IOC really. If someone is a citizen of, say, Brazil or Netherlands or Malta or whoever they can represent them That’s how it works for Ireland and GB. The people of Northern Ireland are entitled to citizenship of both and that’s that really. It’s nothing new

Nice look at the Odaiba Marine Park & the rest of Tokyo.

Varillas confirmed.

Jonnie Brownlee is a romantic hoice, but not a rational one - frankly, Alex Yee is a MUCN likelier winner at the moment - if he makes the front group on the bike after the swim - and that IF is the key - , on current form, he's slight favourite - Vincent Luis is not close to his form leading up to the Pandemic. Mola of course will always be a threat. Brownlee, however, will be in his element in the relay - he's actually much stronger over sprint distances than Ali Brownlee ever was, and stick him after the superswimmer Learmouth....

Building number 6. 14th floor. In total 79 beds in two and three-room apartments. We will share the building with & obviously who else

Luisa Stefani e Laura Pigossi in women doubles

yes, it's "adaptive"... by the way, it doesn't require a super-wide bandwidth to work at max rate, the problem is that it's not working the same way on all devices... basically, if you want to be sure at 100% to reach always the top picture quality, you must have an apple tv 4K (last and forelast generation)... in particular, it doesn't work well at all on the android tv/android box devices and on the amazon firesticks (even if on this last device the reports are controversial, some people can see the streams at 1080p/50fps, but many others can only go up to 720p/25fps -which is my case, despite I have a 1 GB FTTH broadband connection and my devices are all connected with cable, no wifi)... moreover, some streams are actually uploaded at 25fps frame rate by discovery*, so, it's not up to your device/internet connection...it's their fault... *here in Italy, they only kept 25fps streams for all the euroleague/eurocup games without Italian teams on the floor, for instance... or for some more sports with minor interest in the average spectators (very exigent people like me don't count at all in Italy, as we're such a minority)... our main tv/tech forum is full of people complaining against discovery, but it looks that they don't care at all...

They weren't the "worse team". They deservedly beat Germany, just like the have the other 2 times they've played them this year in competitive games In fact The Netherlands have won every international trophy they've competed in for the last 10 years except for when England/GB have beaten them on penalties and 2 defeats to Argentina in Argentina. So yeah, it's safe to say they're far superior

Pretty safe golds: Swimming: Ledecky (women’s 1500 free) Titmus (women’s 200/400 free) McKeown (women’s 200 back) Australia (womens 400 free relay) Peaty (men’s 100 breast) Rylov (men’s 200 back) Milak (men’s 200 fly) GB (men’s 800 free relay) USA (men’s medley relay and mixed medley relay) Top 5 are probably: Australia in women’s 400/800 free relay, Peaty, Milak and Ledecky (1500 free)/Titmus (200/400 free)/McKeown (200 back)/GB (men’s 800 free relay) Athletics: Holloway (men’s 100 m hurdles) Duplantis (men’s pole vault) Crouser (men’s shot put) Stahl (men’s discus throw) Vetter (men’s javelin throw) USA (men’s 4x100/4x400 m relay) Miller-Uibo (women’s 400 m, if she runs it) McLaughlin (women’s 400 m hurdles) Mahuchikh (women’s high jump) Rojas (women’s triple jump) Jamaica (women’s 4x100 m relay) USA (women’s 4x400 m relay) Top 5 are probably: Duplantis, Crouser, Vetter, Rojas, USA in men’s 4x400 m relay/Stahl

Off-topic fun facts: 10 Slovaks will travle to Tokyo as referees, official or judges. The most unusual and interesting person will be Vladimír Miller (in Modern Pentathlon) he will be the guy who will have to pick the 18 horses and 4 more reserves for the Modern Pentathlon competition to ensure the competition to be fair. This is huge " My task is to select eighteen horses and four reserves, which will be at approximately one level of performance, so that no competitor is favored in the Modern Pentathlon riding part. " Artistic Gymnastics: Ľuboš Rupčík will be the head jury in M Horizontal Bar. Volleyball: Juraj Mokrý will be again one of the first referees and Ľubor Halanda will works as technical delegate in some matches Basketball: Ľubomír Kotleba will be one of the of disciplinary panel members Canoeing Sprint: Miroslav Haviar will be the head referee of the races Canoeing Slalom: Lucia Záhorská will be one of the gate judges. Boxing: Radoslav Šimon one of the judges. Rhytmic Gymnastics: Ivana Motolíková one of the execution panel judges and @dcro for the first time in history there will be a official representative in Equestrian: Silvia Govorníková will serve as one of the Eventing judges panel

Yes, I'm far far more confident in picking medallists than gold medallists! There are also some imponderables like who still makes it as far as Tokyo including competitors from other nations, who avoids health issues when they arrive and how athletes deal with the weather conditions in outdoor events, especially after so little competition during the past two years. The potential for surprises is probably greater than at any OG I can remember. PS Talking of imponderables I'm really looking forward to seeing how Tom Pidcock performs in the MTB.

For , maybe... - Our flag bearer Clarisse Agbegnenou, -63 kg in Judo, 5-times world champion. - Mixed relay in Triathlon - I don't really know the sport, and I understand that the team's results lately weren't the best, but we are twice world champions in a row. - Charline Picon, former olympic champion for RS:X. I read on this forum that there are 3 girls who are above the field, and Charline is one of them ! An honorable mention for our 3x3 women team in basketball.

The game that the Netherlands won 2-0 without really trying? Yeah I watched that one... The Dutch are by some distance the best team around. They lost in a shootout in Rio, so shocks can happen but anything other than gold for them is a shock

Apart from those you've mentioned, Kurt Walker in boxing, the Mens Double in rowing, the golfers and both sailing crews (We know Annalise Murphy turns up at the Olympics) are all potential medalist. Outside chances include Jack Wooley in Taekwondo, the Fletchers in Judo, rugby and hockey teams (0-0ing their way to another final), Natalya Coyle in MP and even the track cycling boys are all outside bets. It is genuinely the first time Ireland have had so many contendors Obviously the vast majority won't medal but I do think that with average luck (ie no illness, injuries, falls or dodgy decisions), The Lightweight doubles, Puspure, Harrington and McClenaghan should medal.

I see a lot of that for GB actually - they'll be in a scrap for gold, which they might lose, but hard to see no medal at all - both Duncan Scott's events fall into that class, for example, as do both Triathlon relay, Women's Omnium, Madison and Team Pursuit (the latter maybe less of a battle)

Cycling.

Another 8 athletes flew today to Tokyo. So it is now 13/41 Bon Voyage and stay safe. Good luck and enjoy the games ! from left: Richard Nagy (Swimming 200 fly & 400 IM), Martina Hrašnová (Athletics W Hammer) Barbora Mokošová (Artistic Gymnastics), Danka Barteková (Shooting W Skeet, our IOC member), Gabriela Gajanová (Athletics W 800m), Emma Zapletalová (Athletics W 400 H) and Juraj Tužinský (Shooting Air Pistol) the 8th Marcel Lomnický (Athletics, M Hammer) is missing in this pic. Lomnický 3rd from right

It's of course not likely that Slovakia being Slovakia has any effect on the whole thing, but damn that sucks So typical for a sports federation to fuck things up like this. I know it's always possible perhaps a national federation did actually misread something, but way more likely ISSF just screwed up and the athletes are the victims. At least now I have a team to cheer for in the mixed event, go Slovakia!

In no particular order: Men's Eight (Rowing), Women's Team Pursuit (Cycling) and Adam Peaty - 100m breaststroke (Swimming). Ten others who I'm confident will medal, again in no particular order: Dina Asher-Smith 200m (Athletics), Pat McCormack - Welterweight (Boxing), Lauren Price - Middleweight (Boxing), Liam Heath - K1 200m (Canoeing), Helen Glover & Polly Swann - Women's pair (Rowing), Giles Scott - Finn class (Sailing), Men's 4x100m medley (Swimming), Jade Jones - 57kg (Taekwondo), Georgia Taylor-Brown (or either of her teammates) (Triathlon), Mixed relay (Triathlon).

To be fair, Archery had an established Mixed Team legacy in World Cups and Championships. ISSF had no such event and had to create 3 Mixed Team events from scratch to retain 3 Gold medals. If you look at Mixed Team events in the present Olympic cycle, this thing is visible a lot. There has been a lot of changes in their format. And ISSF is already developing Mixed team events for other disciplines as well, so that for the next Olympic, they can try and add 3 more Gold medals without any increase in quota places. I agree that instead of giving out Mixed team quota and allowing the same athlete to win 2 quotas was simply wrong. They should have simply given the Mixed team quota winners a quota in each of the individual events (like Archery) but at that time, nobody knew how the Mixed team events would develop. So, in my opinion, the main problem was the hurried manner in which Mixed team events were rushed in Olympics.

It's the same with Indian Archery, highly decorated archers, lots of world championships medals but no Olympic Medal. Be it Indian Archery or Thai badminton this is absolutely necessary to open the account. If it still doesn't happen the sport could fail to get the youth and future might be dark. Let's be optimistic that it can happen.

You're right that a badminton medal is long overdue for Thailand, considering that even less decorated countries in badminton like the Netherlands, Russia and Spain for instance have won a medal. But there's a reason why Thailand hasn't won a medal in badminton yet and that has to deal with Thai athletes' inability to deal with pressure when it counts the most in general. When the tough gets going, they usually lose and go home. So if anyone were to win a medal for Thailand, that athlete has to be really mentally strong.

Opening Ceremony outfits for the US team in Tokyo

Abidine (5000m) and Houleye Ba (100 m)

Gaurika Singh (Swimming) https://nepalnews.com.np/s/sports/gaurika-singh-to-be-nepal-s-flag-bearer-at-tokyo-olympics Natalia Bernardo (Handball) https://governo.gov.ao/ao/noticias/jogos-oli-mpicos/ Amel Tuka (Athletics) and Larisa Ceric (Judo) https://sport.avaz.ba/ostali-sportovi/666649/amel-tuka-i-larisa-ceric-nose-zastavu-bih-na-otvaranju-igara-u-tokiju Arianna Valloni (Swimming) and Myles Amine (Wrestling) https://www.cons.sm/2021/07/12/tokyo-2020-presentata-la-delegazione-sammarinese/?fbclid=IwAR3Gv4SzCM3gmphUOCn-hIpesnLo3BW6UZNkoGOUTCAKsK6jFx-LzLnpJ9E Atabek Azisbekov (Wrestling) https://sport.kg/other/olympic-games/64979-atabek-azisbekov-budet-kapitanom-sbornoj-kyrgyzstana-na-olimpiade-v-tokio.html

Amel Tuka and Larisa Ceric for Bosnia

After the whole debacle about not being allowed to take his wife to Tokyo, are we sure Medina will win a medal? I'd say 1 medal is probably a safer bet.

well this year is a bit different, other countries are in trouble for different reasons and China had the luxury of picking 8 weightlifters from the pool of World Champions. I believe all of them will win the gold unless they bomb out.

hey, this is not a tactic. it's called realistic pessimism, it is a proven prevention of mental health. You expect nothing. so you can not to be very disappointed, you can be only pleasantly surprised....well, Hopefully

Purchased ESP Player last night, now it only needs to work good during the Games :D

I’ll always be partial to Rio’s lime green. So far I’d uncharitably describe Tokyo’s look of the games as “discount PyeongChang”.

Out: Modern Pentathlon In: Squash If forced to pick 3: Out: boxing, weightlifting In: cricket, softball I also think Climbing, Skateboarding and Surfing should be permanent additions. They are low cost, require few athletes, have very well developed professional circuits, have high participation numbers and have the potential to reach a new audience.