james89

4 hours ago, NearPup said:

So Canada has finally won an event at the Short Track world cup, the men's relay at the second competition of the season. The team did get some help from a fall by , but this is still a very nice result, since it still required beating and defending Olympic champion to the line.

It was a pretty impressive performance. 
 

Pascal Dion is on a bit of a roll too and I suspect his confidence is quite high after 2 medals consecutive medals in the 1000m. 

I'm not sure what the criteria was but Maggie MacNeil won an awards for female athlete of the 2020 Olympics. 

Canada wins the first wheelchair basketball game - Kady Dandernault scored 32 points!

i'm confused where this sentiment that Short Track is in a rebuilding phase - sure Girard's retirement was unexpected, but are we expecting Kim Boutin to be totally off form when she comes back? The first Canadian selection for the Olympic team is happening this week so we should have some early indicators. True it is more competitive than a number of years ago but I still think the Canadian team is in the mix for 4-6 medals. 

30 minutes ago, orangeman said:

I wouldn't give up on diving.  It was a disappointing Olympics, but there are several young men on the up and up.  

 

To me, canoe/kayak should be much better in Canada.  It is a popular sport in our country and I don't really understand why we're not more competitive internationally.  I didn't know people who did it competitively growing up, but half the people I grew up around did it recreationally.  Would it be that hard to find talent among all those people?  

 

With boxing, I feel like ever since Lennox Lewis Canadians think we're this big boxing country. In reality, Canada hasn't gotten a boxing medal since 1996, and no golds since Lewis in 88.  The inclusion of women was supposed to result in medals, and the only  reason why some of them have gotten close is because of the small field and guaranteed bronze for reaching the semis.  Even then, I can think of only 2 times they got one win away from a medal.  Simply put, it just isn't happening and more money isn't going to make it happen.  

 

For me, cycling is where it's at.  The RBC program produced two medalists in the track sprints, and we have a good record in the pursuit.  There is room there.  Not to mention good showings historically in mountain biking and potential in BMX.  

I wholeheartedly agree about Canoe/Kayak. I know so many people who Kayak recreationally, I imagine it is an issue of finding the right talent. It's bizarre to me that we aren't super competitive in either Sprint or Slalom. 

Cycling seems to be on the right track by identifying and developing athletes. I agree - big room for growth especially on the men's side. 

The issue with diving seems to be consistency - we have some of the best athletes in the world who can't perform on the day at the Olympics. While we still managed to win a combined 3 medals in the last 2 Olympics, this is a huge underperformance considering what could have been. The athletes coming up the ranks are really good (Zsomber-Murray and Wiens especially).

So I just read on Instagram that Drew Mechielsen raced in Tokyo and made it to the final with a broken foot she didn't know about till after she got home. 

15 minutes ago, NearPup said:

I am pretty dang sure that if we were offered seven gold medals coming in every single one of us would have taken it without a second thought. Best Canadian performance at the summer games ever, excluding the heavily asterisked 1984 games.

7 gold is truly unexpected - I think the middle week of the countless 4th place performances that ended with the terrible morning of the two back to back beach volleyball losses really dampened the mood. However, this is a fantastic result for Canadians and there's lots of young performers up and coming. It showed the continued legacy for swimming and athletics, rebuilding of the rowing program (slowly) and real young talent in many sports track cycling, diving, judo among others.

Looking forward to the Paralympics and 2022 Winter Olympics just around the corner. 

1 hour ago, intoronto said:

Maybe a surprise in the marathon 

Maybe a surprise in the Omnium too...

3 minutes ago, orangeman said:

In bad news, Z-M bombed his 2nd and 3rd dives and will finish 13th in the semis, will not move on to the final.  That's two in this event finishing just outside the cutoff.  It's the new "4th".  

There is real talent coming up. But we need to work on consistency. 

So happy for LVL and VIncent. It must have been such a challenge for them to even be there in this position. With other countries investing resources as women’s canoe is finally an Olympic event I’m sure they are just thrilled. 

The C2 boat doesnt look like they are a huge gold contender but who knows - they could have been holding something back for the final in a few hours. 

4 minutes ago, NearPup said:

I better not hear a single person in here complain about how Canada did at these Olympics after today xD

What a difference a couple days makes. 

This is truly insane. I definitely was expecting a silver medal with the faint hope of a gold. Going into this Olympics I wouldn’t have pegged Football as our best chance. 
 

Was that Canada’s 21st medal? The upcoming medal in soccer means we can’t finish was less medals than Rio. 

Being on the west coast I opted to just watch the second half of the game. And I just turned it on!!!! Woohooo

5 minutes ago, orangeman said:

C2 easily win their QF, but should be noted they were slightly slower that race than the heats.  They didn't need to go faster, so it's still unsure how they'll stack up in the semis.  

They seemed to pick it up near the end. But who knows really. 

So at the same time that Dunfee won the medal the C2 boat finished 3rd in their heat. I didn’t see the race but that doesn’t bode well. 

1 minute ago, Canada4thewin said:

I watched some of it, not entirely though.  

Neither did I. 

Absolutely unreal. I was watching without sound and he looked totally out of it. 

There’s our surprise! this is one of my favourite events in the Olympics and so glad Canada got it’s first medal in it. 
 

That being said Kelsey Mitchell looks absolutely dynamite and it’s unfortunate she got boxed in. Hopefully she can medal in the sprint. 

1 hour ago, intoronto said:

Dhesi looked good but couldn't expect the defending champion to lose

I feel like Dhesi’s a rising talent but the American beat the Turkish wrestler so no repechage for Dhesi. He’s 25 and I expect to see him around for awhile. 

5 minutes ago, NearPup said:

Canada is now 0-3 in wrestling. I have no idea when's the last time Canada hasn't won a single wrestling match at the Olympics but it must be an eternity.

Desi does have a decent shot at a repechage match 

I must admit that this was a much better day. Gold for a DeGrasse. Great day 1 for Warner and LePage. New National Record for the Men’s Team Pursuit. New National Record for Lalonde. PB for Lucia Stafford. Final for Gaby Debues Stafford. Things are looking better. 

12 minutes ago, Surlympics said:

It’s hard to stay positive after what happened yesterday , was so heartbreaking  wathching both the volleyball

girls teams out. But things will hopefully look up 

I appreciate your optimism. I wasn’t feeling particularly good about anything. I just feel like this team is so talented and just crumbling under pressure. We can’t celebrate our wins like a young talent finishing 5th in the hammer throw and the men’s team pursuit team smashing the national record. 

3 minutes ago, orangeman said:

It's frustrating because to Biles this is a nothing bronze she'll throw in a drawer and it would have meant the world to Ellie, gymnastics Canada and the country.  

 

Obviously Simone is right to compete and she did a great job, I'm just talking about perspective.  

I’m not sure if this is a nothing bronze to her given the sheer attention that’s been on her at these games. But you are correct that this would have meant the world to Ellie and gymnastics Canada. 
 

I feel like Canada went in with an extremely strong team across many sports and is just not landing in the competition.