OlympicsFan

You really have to admire China's guts ... first they bring this virus into the world, then they try to cover it up and then when it hits the rest of the world they earn a shitload of money selling their overpriced stuff ... that then turns out to be faulty ...

I think the most important things are: 1) Asian countries have been hit by viruses multiple times over the last 2 decades, so they have much more experience dealing with this. 2) Asian people seem to have a different sense for hygiene (most of them wear masks (mainly due to air pollution) + disinfectants everywhere) 3) In Europe and the US it is too late to just get by with mass testing ... i doubt that this will be the solution when you have 50k cases or more already. Germany is at 400k - 500k tests per week already and plans to get up to 2 million tests per week by the end of April, but at this point i don't see any chance that "we" will be able to solve this problem with testing and contact tracing alone ...

I hope for you that you didn't get the same "tests" as Spain and the Czech Republic, those with a 30 % accuracy ...

Are you seriously saying that Italy getting in this situation was only Bad luck? Please tell me that this is Not what you are thinking?

I guess thats what you get for helping other countries ... At least well informed italian people dont think like that ... Would you prefer it if Germany would send all the italian patients in a critical State that they already accepted back to Italy? Would you like to send back the 300 ventilators that Germany sent you? I cant believe that certain southern european nations blame other european nations for their own failures again and again, but i guess thats easier than admitting your own incompetence...

Any predictions for the top 3 (number of confirmed cases when all of this is over)? My prediction would be: 1) USA 2) Germany 3) Spain Also: Anyone else worried about Sweden? Their strategy seems rather "optimistic" ...

How do you know that? I always wonder why people for example take the brazilian or indian numbers seriously ... when you test noone you probably also won't find infected people ... I am not saying that this it the case in Ecuador/Burundi, but just because someone hasn't testes positive, doesn't mean that he/she isn't infected and might spread it. Personally i also don't know what should be done with a person like that? Where/how should they go into quarantine? What is the point of travelling to a foreign country when that country is in a lockdown?

I don't get the point of closing the borders (between Germany and France/Switzerland/Austria for example), especially in countries that didn't even bother to quarantine people from China/Italy (initially). I think in many countries it is too late to stop the virus from spreading.

Sorry, but to me this also sounds very "fishy". Weren't there millions of people who fled the Hubei region before the lockdown and therefore could have spread the virus all over the country? In my opinion there is absolutely no way that the problem is "solved" and that China won't have the same problems again in a couple of weeks/months. In my opinion the chinese government just realized that they can't shut down the economy forever and therefore they just decided to let the virus run its natural course (which is what all other countries should do too in my opinion).

It will be interesting to see whether GB can turn it around once again. They have shown some magical performances at the last 3 olympics and in some events they aren't too far off (especially on the women's side), but i think in men's sprint/team sprint and men's team pursuit the gap is just too big for them to catch up until the olympics.

Is men's 50 m pistol still an olympic event? Jin Jong-oh has won that event 3 times in a row, so if it still is an olympic events and he hasn't retired yet, then he might have a chance. He also won silver in 2004, so he was very close already. Dario Cologna also is an interesting case. He won the 15 km race 3 times in a row, 2010 and 2018 in freestyle and 2014 in classical style. He could win a 4th gold in 2022. Saori Yoshida was also pretty close, she won gold in women's -55 kg wrestling in 2004, 2008 and 2012, but "only" silver in the -53 kg category in 2016. Shaun White could also win his 4th gold in the halfpipe in 2022, but i don't know if he even plans to compete? Mijain Lopez won gold in 2008 (-120 kg), 2012 (-120 kg) and 2016 (-130 kg), so he could also win his 4th gold in 2020 (don't know if he is still active?).

I think Icho should count since there was no -63 kg weight class in Rio, so she had no chance to 4-peat.

Unlucky draw for Bötticher. He for sure isn't at his best, but i still think he could have beaten everyone except Hoogland/Lavreysen here. Kenny might be on a different level come Tokyo, but i think the two dutch guys are in a league of their own sadly and should definitely win gold and silver there (if the Games will actually take place).

I am sorry to hear that, i think your team could have challenged for a medal.

1) I would be surprised to see GB winning 4 golds or more because they are far off the top in at least 5 disciplines (men‘s team sprint/sprint/team pursuit and women‘s team sprint/sprint). A lot can happen in the 7 other disciplines, but in none of those british riders are favorites, so i would consider it rather unlikely that they will win more than half of those. 2) Bauge has been caught doping before and in general i dont want athletes who have been caught before to win and more medals after their return.

Who knows? I think the results here mean nothing for the olympics, there are probably 5 teams that could win gold there. What worries me a bit is that the german coach said that the focus clearly is on Tokyo and that they don't want to peak too early, but at the same time he said that it is difficult to hold the young athletes (like Hinze or Grabosch) back at their home world championships. If they went all out for this competition, then they might end up without a medal in Tokyo, considering how strong the field is.

The advantage of the dutch team in men's team sprint is really "fascinating". Team sprint should be about tenths of a second, but somehow they have about a second on all the other world class relays. Usually GB always pulls off a miracle perfomance at the olympics, but this time they need a really big miracle. In which events do they actually have a realistic shot at gold? Women's team pursuit, women's omnium and ... ? I would be very surprised if they would win 4 golds or more. I can't agree about Bauge, i hope that he will never again win a medal.

Really interesting results today: - The level in men's and women's team pursuit is absolutely insane. The german women's team was actually on a great pace but then they made a huge mistake, i think they still could reach the bronze final with a more concentrated performance tomorrow. - I know that GB always peaks at the olympics, but they might be too far away this time to do their usual thing? - Unless the Netherlands find a way to get disqualified, there is no way that they won't win gold in men's team sprint - Kind of surprising to see Germany win gold in women's team sprint, but there are easily 5 teams that could end up with the olympic gold, i am very surprised to see how good Canada has become

Yes! When was the last time that Israel was top 3 in a medal table at the olympics?

Yes, obviously ... my prediction would have been Switzerland ahead of Israel and France, but i wasn't sure ... Szollos wasn't quite as agressive as she usually is, which cost her the gold medal, while Klopfenstein as usually had a great technique and deservedly won the gold medal.

Seriously? I couldn't even find start lists for biathlon/cross-country/speed skating/ski jumping yet and you are telling me that you know who the favorites are? Let's hear it!

Interesting result in women's super G, sadly results at youth olympic games are a far worse predictor for future success than results at junior world championships. Just as the guy from Morocco who won gold in the super G in 2012 or the guy from Japan who won silver in the giant slalom in 2016.

Why do french female athletes nowadays always have such exotic names? Caitlin McFarlane, Melanie de Jesus dos Santos, Julia Pereira de Sousa-Mabileau ...

Does anyone have any clue who the favorites will be in alpine skiing? Never heard of any of those athletes ...

Is there any way to watch alpine skiing tomorrow? Thanks!