Nickyc707

The Team Skeet silver will also be a challenge given that they haven't actually qualified a male skeet shooter yet. On the other hand Gracenote has underestimated GB's medal total at the last three Games so their value has to be taken with the proverbial pinch of salt.

Looking across the last three OG even the teams with the greatest strength in depth haven't taken more than 12 divers to fill the 16 quotas freeing up spots for others. China: 2012 - 12, 2016 - 12, 2020 - 10 GB: 2012 - 12, 2016 - 11, 2020 - 12

Didn't Austria's qualification as European Games winners represent the continental quota in the duet, Josh?

I wouldn't discount Eden Cheng getting in ahead of Tolson in the individual platform.

Depends where you are. In 2012 hockey was second only to football in terms of crowd attendances among the team sports.

I think you have Ice Hockey way to high.

How much does that equate to in tyre width?

The Olympic sprint programme has changed since 2004 and the men's squad did medal in the kilo that year as they had four years earlier. It would be fairer to say that it would be the first blank since 1996 if they don't pul something out of the hat in Paris.

Reading the threads on Swimswam the concensus seems to be that Ceccon has broken the breaststroke rules repeatedly at this meet. Have no idea if this has been the case in previous events and don't pretend to know whether they are correct or not although I would say that they are mostly longstanding contributors to the publication and do seem to know their swimming.

There doesn't seem any will to succeed off their own backs. They constantly make demands for money and complain about the financial support given to other sports while ignoring the fact that unlike basketball they've actually done something to earn it. Basketball just doesn't seem willing to put in the hard yards despite being a professional sport with the advantages that brings. Perhaps if the clubs stopped filling their ranks with American also rans rather than developing British qualified players it might help. I went to a school with a long history of providing women (field) hockey players to Leicester, England and GB. It encouraged fresh generations to aspire to do the same thing. The same applies to the local football and rugby clubs, particularly Leicester Tigers. Basketball needs to develop a similar culture if it is going to have greater success and build a place in local communities as football, cricket and rugby of both codes have.

Lol. Pity the same cannot be said of Belgium. The stats between England and Scotland a team who had only beaten them once ever: possession 64-36%, shots at goal 22-9. Meanwhile in the Netherlands game against Belgium who had beaten them in their previous match in this tournament: possession 71-29%, shots at goal 32-6. To cap it all they played eight minutes of overtime to make sure the Netherlands got the goal they needed. If there was a questionable game tonight it wasn't between Scotland and England.

It's interesting isn't it. In the previous game between the Netherlands and Belgium the latter won 2-1. Now suddenly they seem impotent with just one shot at goal in the first half compared with the Netherlands' eleven and just 24% possession. It's almost as if the Belgians are trying to help their neighbours.

So much for the "Auld Alliance", Ben. Nothing, nothing woujd make Scotland throw a match against England in any sports match. It's a long time since Scotland have beaten England and prior to the two most recent matches between the sides England beat them 6-0. England haven't played well in this tournament but they're not duffers as recent World Cup finalists. UEFA have a lot to answer for for having put the players of all four countries in this group in such an invidious position. It isn't fair on anyone and does the reputation of football no good whatsoever.

All those additional mixed events! 🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️

Worth pointing out that race walking began in an English speaking country that also produced many Olympic champions and medallists in the sport during its long history.

ARTHUR Cisse, Josh?

Thanks. I was going by the rankings as they were on 8/11/23. I guess they must have been updated since then.

Not sure your numbers are right. Woolley came here with a 16 pt lead over the Iranian and picked up another 15 pts by reaching the quarter-final.

I think Cunningham has already done enough to qualify. All his closest rivals lost early too. Three of the four semi-finalists could overtake him but only if they win and he can afford to drop one spot. Just a cursory look but I think he's okay. Age is on McGowan's side and the writing has perhaps been on the wall for Cook (Walkden) for the past two years with her rival picking up podium finishes at the 2022 and 2023 World Champs.

I'm not disputing that basketball in GB is appalling badly run but it was Wales not England or Scotland which resisted a merger of the three federations. https://www.bbc.com/sport/wales/18558227

It doesn't have to go on. There is a simple solution, albeit it is apparently beyond the competence of UEFA, and that is to ensure that England, Scotland and Wales don't compete together in the same qualifying group. It isn't rocket science as football always manipulates its draws for the major competitions to ensure countries aren't draw together, e.g. World Cup finals.

You may be right but Belgium has already beaten the Netherlands in the reverse fixture. Don't write off Scotland. They've already held Belgium to two draws, the Netherlands went to Scotland and only managed a single goal while they held England to 2-1 in their first meeting in Sunderland. I really do think any of the three contenders could still qualify although the Netherlands are clear favourites. As I and others have already mentioned any Scottish (or English) team that threw a match between the two in any sport would go down in infamy - think Chicago White (Black) Sox, 1919 but much much worse.

Scotland and England basketballl didn't seem to have any problem uniting as GB for the Olympics. After all English and Scottish clubs compete together in the same league. The country with the issues this time is Wales. The issue only really arises in some team sports and has more than 150 years of sporting competition behind it with the first recognised international matches in both sports being between England and Scotland - rugby union (1871), football (1872).

In one sense you're right. For the sake of probity England, Scotland and Wales should never be in the same group when Olympic qualification is at stake. Why UEFA has allowed it is beyond comprehension. In another sense you're worrying about nothing. Neither England or Scotland would EVER roll over for the other in any sporting contest no matter what was at stake, particularly when they are the home side as Scotland are on this occasion. They would never be able to return home again. Anyway don't exclude Belgium from this. If they complete the double over the Netherlands and Scotland/England is a draw they'll be going to Paris not GB or NED.

If you mean the Grand Prix it's the first ever win for GB although they have previously won eleven medals of other colours in ice dancing.