Nickyc707

The GB squad. Rosalind Canter - Lordships Graffalo Laura Collett - London 52 Yasmin Ingham - Banzai Du Loir Tom McEwen - Toledo de Kerser Oliver Townsend - Ballaghmor Class Reserves: Sarah Bullimore - Corouet Rosalind Canter (2) - Pencos Crown Jewel Kirsty Chabert - Classic VI William Fox-Pitt - Little Fire Kitty King - Vendredi Biats Oliver Townsend (2) - Swallow Springs https://www.britishequestrian.org.uk/news/british-equestrian-announces-definite-entries-for-fei-eventing-world-championship?s=09

As has been mentioned by others many of your facts are wrong. Your assumption that athletics is the only interest of African and Caribbean nations for example when team sports like cricket, netball and rugby sevens are also played in many of these countries. Indeed you decry lawn bowls even though it is played in the southern and eastern African countries as well as the small Pacific nations. It was noticeable that when India hosted the Games it promoted its own intetests by including sports like archery and tennis which have little following in Africa, the Caribbean or the Pacific. Not a good example to set. Again as others have said wrestling has not been removed and 14 titles will be at stake in Birmingham. The number of weightlifting medals has been reduced to bring it into line with other multi-sport events but there will still be more medals available than at the Olympics, say. Shooting should be in the Games but it is an optional sport and Birmingham were perfectly entitled to exclude it just as other hosts like Delhi have been to choose the sports programme for their Games in the past. In any event, Indian "domination" of the sport at the CWG is a myth as British shooters have won more medals than India at each of the last six Games, albeit the home countries compete separately. While I can accept an argument that the inclusion of triathlon is orientated towards the five dominion countries and bits, I think the inclusion of judo is a positive thing. It is one of the Olympic sports in which medals are most widely distributed and is a relatively cheap investment if you are seeking to develop a programme. The CWG is an opportunity for countries to improve their performances in the sport. Overall the programme does lean towards the five dominion countries but that in part reflects the fact that they are largely the ones who host and invest money in the Games. They want a programme of sports that will attract spectators and viewers which I guess is one of the aims of any sporting event. When other countries like Malaysia and India have hosted the event they have not chosen to vary the programme hugely although they have had the opportunity to do so.

It's complicated though isn't it. Rugby and hockey are run on an all-Ireland basis but players from Northern Ireland are not permitted to compete for Great Britain even if they consider themselves Northern Irish and British unless they switch to competing from Ireland to England, Scotland or Wales as 4-5 players have had to do in recent years.

Meanwhile, in unrelated news, the Belgian team has announced they will 'boycott' the next European Championships to be held in due to fears of flooding. 😎

Surprised they haven't suggested a mixed eights as an alternative given the IOC's love of such events.

Wasn't aware of that! Would not be happy at what I think of as one of the blue riband events being discarded.

Checked through the records and the GB/Sweden aggregate score of 23 appears to be a record since the sport returned to the OG in 1998. The best previously appears to have been a couple of 21 point matches. However, at the sports only previous appearance in 1924 - only France, GB and Sweden competed - the matches were played over 18 ends rather than the current 10 and produced aggregate scores of 28, 45 and 50.

In a sense I agree with you but I wonder if GB really were the underdogs against Sweden. Last November the same Scotland/GB team beat the same Swedish team 8-5 in the round-Robins and 7-4 in the final of the European Championships. They then followed that up with an 8-2 win in the round-Robin in Beijing so the form line actually favoured GB.

Four years ago lost to in the semi-final and in the bronze medal match. This time they beat in the semis and play in the final.

I'm predicting 12-11. You heard it here first!

You spoke too soon! 11-11

The two experts helping with commentary on the BBC both said that picking up a four on the first end might actually cause Sweden to make the mistake of changing their tactics in order to defend their lead from too far out. They did and it looks like they're going to pay the price.

It was 's best result since Terry Monaghan finished 5th in the 10,000m at Squaw Valley in 1960.

Me too!

50 The BOC have confirmed the addition of long track speed skater Ellia Smeding to the team bringing the numbers up to 50. She's Britain's first female competitor in this sport since 1980 when Grassmarket was barely out of his teens. 😊 https://www.teamgb.com/article/team-gb-confirm-50-athletes-to-compete-at-the-beijing-2022-olympic-winter/50QdmW5g8PlO6iYRySH0wN?s=09

GB finished the World Para Snowsports Championships with ten medals (2-4-4) so their Paralympic Games target of 5-9 is well within reach.

A belated happy birthday to Félix Sienra of who competed in sailing at the 1948 Games in London where he finished 6th in the Firefly class behind Danish legend Paul Elvstrøm. Yesterday was his 106th birthday which makes him the third longest lived olympian in modern Olympic history.

Can confirm the figure is 49 after the alpine, cross country and freestyle skiers together with the snowboarders were announced by the BOA this morning. Sadly, for the first time since 1956 GB does not have a representative in the biathlon. However, on a more positive note they have their first long track speed skater at the Games since 1992.

Fence sitter! 😊

That's why I said at the outset it may not work for everyone and of course there are lots of other factors that come into play as well not least having athletes with talent. Without that setting high standards is meaningless.

Is that what they use in Croatia? 🤔

It may not work for everyone but setting tougher qualification criteria seems to have helped GB Swimming improve standards. I'm sure there are many other examples around the world as well.

3-7 seems more realistic than the 5-12 they talked about in 2018. All three curling events are possibilities and both of Hall's bobsleigh drives. Bankes and Ormerod in snowboarding and perhaps something in freestyle skiing and/or men's skeleton. Unfortunately ski jumping is set to be a big fail again. 😊 The Para targets should be achieved mainly through alpine skiing but they could also win medals in snowboarding and wheelchair curling.

I find it quite relaxing to watch provided there is a scenic well treed route.

The first ever combined World Para Snow Sports Championships begin at 9am (GMT) today in Lillehammer, and continue until 23 January. Most of the sports covered by the Paralympic Games - alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country skiing and snowboarding - are included so we should get a good idea of who is in contention for medals in Beijing. https://www.paralympic.org/lillehammer-2021 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_World_Para_Snow_Sports_Championships