Epic Failure

It's important to remember that a quicker stroke doesn't always mean a cleaner stroke.
 
Also some crews prefer to sprint, others prefer a constant pace. At the end of the day, if you have got your effort right, you'll have exhausted it by the end of the race whichever way you prefer.

I'm not sold on the repechages as a system but equally fastest losers is a flawed system and no fastest losers increases jeopardy for a faller etc.
 
I guess from the perspective of WA if their goal is to try and get the best 8 in the final, this set up is more likely to achieve that. I'm not sure there is a perfect system.
 
The one advantage of this system is that every athlete gets to compete twice at a Games, I guess.

I suspect Tom will be slightly disappointed. Not in relation to Leon or Duncan but there was a bronze up for grabs there. Still, 5th is a solid performance.
 
Pleased for Katie and Honey. Those are both fine performances in a tough event.
 
The pool is obviously not going to have the golden shine that Tokyo had. But we're still at 1G and 4S which is a perfectly respectable haul, with small chances of adding to it in the men's relay, the women's 200m IM, women's 50m free and women's relay in that order.
 
Shame for Beth, she had her one bad start of the week and got caught in the pack. Wonder if the longer hold at the start spooked her.
 
Just under halfway through the competition and we're firmly on track to be somewhere in the 50s total medal wise.
 
I reckon we have 87 medal shots left in my patented Fail-o-meter, ranging from the Keely down to some much more speculative ones. For reference, the medals we've got thus far have been from 65 medal shots.

I think that's an interesting point about the psychology of it all and what difference that might make.
 
You could well be right about that. But, of course, maybe she *is* getting everything out of her body and this is just her way of controlling her emotions to ensure she puts out the best that she can.
 
Personally I'm not convinced that body language etc matters that much. I've seen KJT look miserable but still perform and I've seen countless sprinters look like they could fight the world and then trail in last. But I do agree that it could matter somewhat.

Probably Gigolo, Isabelle Werth's horse in the dressage.

I need to remember to breathe during these Gold medal chances. If I try to hold it for Wilson I doubt ill make it.

The Big three acknowledge his place among them. That's probably good enough. for me he is something else, something maybe less grand, but more noble. He was the one mortal who bridged the gap to the three gods, even if only for a while. Twice he made 'the catch' - in 2013 when he won 2 of four slams and the Olympics in one year, and the miracle end of 2016 with another grand slam/olympic double along with ATP finals and World number one, and a deep run in the Davis Cup - on both occasions he was unquestionably in a 'big four' - and on both occasions injury intervened to curtail his run, the second time permanently - he was brave post 2019, but never the same player - that's what happens when mortals challenge gods - ask Odysseus, or Prometheus.
 
But  by the gods, he loved trying, and no story of the reign of the Big Three in years to come will be possible to tell without him.
 
And in the end, he left on his own terms, as himself. Raging against the dying of the light, manufacturing little miracles out of sheer will, and loving being THE olympic legend in the men's side of the sport. Rafa owns the clay, Djok the Australian, and with Fed, Wimbledon. But The Olympics, that odd little add on, belongs to Murray. He was Olympian, and that's good enough.

Both Canada and the US have long histories in rugby culture. In fact the most recent Rugby World Cup was the first world cup not to feature either team. Canada had been at every WC since the inception in 1987 and the US had been at all but one (1995).
 
On the women's side, both teams have a strong 15s team. The US were in fact the first ever women's World Cup winners and Canada have been runners up. In fact Canada are currently the 3rd ranked side in women's rugby, behind only England and New Zealand.
 
 
Domestically, the US has been playing rugby since the late 1800s, primarily in universities, which is where the majority of North American rugby players find the sport, on both the men's and women's side. In the last 20 years it has received a surge in popularity and is regularly cited as one of the fastest growing sports in the US. In fact the 2031 Men's World Cup is going to be held in the States, with the women's WC in 2033 also hosted there.
 
Women's rugby has historically received little investment and support, even in the countries where it is popular. That fact is similar to women's football until relatively recently.
 
World Rugby has started showing support for the women's side more seriously in recent years and, sure enough, the game is growing at pace. The addition of 7s to the Olympics for both men and women is part of that.
 
Incidentally, the 7s this week set a record for a stand alone women's rugby tournament, with an attendance of 66000 people.
 
So it's not 'just there for gender equity reasons". It's there because people enjoy it.

Solid evening in the pool. Duncan, Tom and Ben all got the job done with little fuss. Honey and Katie both did excellently to make the final.
 
The 5th place in the relay is about as good as we could have hoped without misfortune for one of the teams above us. Same with Laura really, she might have been 1 or 2 places higher but she was never going to be in medal contention.
 
The big "what if" is Greenbank's DQ the other day. Not sure he'd have had the pace to medal but we'll never know...

I don't think Olympicsnell was *expecting* a gold in the road race. They were using that as an example of the events which are a lottery and which can determine whether this is a 'good' Olympics or a 'great' Olympics.
 
Hell, the BMX racing is another one. Shriever has looked great but the event has so many crashes that you wouldn't expect a gold from it, even if you have a strong contender. You can easily get taken out even if you do nothing wrong. It's not like, say, swimming, where the chance of being taken out should be pretty low.

I don't think Olympicsnell was *expecting* a gold in the road race. They were using that as an example of the events which are a lottery and which can determine whether this is a 'good' Olympics or a 'great' Olympics.
 
Hell, the BMX racing is another one. Shriever has looked great but the event has so many crashes that you wouldn't expect a gold from it, even if you have a strong contender. You can easily get taken out even if you do nothing wrong. It's not like, say, swimming, where the chance of being taken out should be pretty low.

I don't think Olympicsnell was *expecting* a gold in the road race. They were using that as an example of the events which are a lottery and which can determine whether this is a 'good' Olympics or a 'great' Olympics.
 
Hell, the BMX racing is another one. Shriever has looked great but the event has so many crashes that you wouldn't expect a gold from it, even if you have a strong contender. You can easily get taken out even if you do nothing wrong. It's not like, say, swimming, where the chance of being taken out should be pretty low.

i can't be the only one that allways hears Capybara? 

And I get to see them on Monday!!! Peak excitement!!!

Must be your favourite day then 

Can you tell me what Olympic sport you excel at?
 
Whilst I'm sure she's disappointed, 10th in the world is still damn fine.

McIntosh having what can only be described as a disaster in the standing. She's going to miss the final by 1 place.

I hope not. If we had to give medals to place of birth, I think might lose a bunch of medals over the years.

I hope not. If we had to give medals to place of birth, I think might lose a bunch of medals over the years.

My apologies to the entire Horse Disco community.

“Horse dancing” 
 
I believe the correct term is Horse Disco 🕺🏼 
 

Gold! Gold! Guatemala ! I am not crying!!!

Spain is now badly regretting ever giving Guatemala up.

I hope not. If we had to give medals to place of birth, I think might lose a bunch of medals over the years.

I hope not. If we had to give medals to place of birth, I think might lose a bunch of medals over the years.