orangeman

Canada + China is a lot, plus three other countries. This sort of sounded like a good idea in the beginning, but I hope the athletes don't just get smushed together. The parade of nations is my favourite part. Full disclosure, I will not be able to watch live. I stupidly agreed to play in my nephew's parents vs kids paintball event this afternoon. Bad decisions, I've made a few.

I have not.

I think it's the correct choice for her and the team.

Embarrassing and stupid.

This is embarrassing and stupid. Such a taint on what was a proud legacy. I just hope Sinclair escapes clean. This also puts a damper on Canada's success at the recent Copa Americana. It's all just a lie now.

That was very entertaining.

The plot thickens...

Yay!

That's good.

Pretty sick of the commentator talking about how bad NZ is, how they're not getting points, won't get out of the group. It's 1-1. Calm down.

Well, that's good.

Sigh.

Don't dare them!

Well, the good news is that Eric Peters finishes in the same spot in qualifying (36th) that he did when he won silver at the 2023 Championships. It's fate, really...

Peters just doing worse and worse, mixed team is gone now. Oh well.

The good news for Canada is that both women swimmers have proven they can perform at the Olympics and do better than their entry times, while the men are on upward trajectories and should post even faster times in Paris. However, given the strength of the top teams I predict they won't put much stock into this race, just as they did in Tokyo, and field the B team for at least the prelims which might not be good enough to make the final. Liendo has his best hope at a gold/medal earlier that night, and the womens (and mens) medley relays go in the morning and the next day. Ultimately, I think it will depend on everyone's performance earlier in the week. If Masse and Oleksiak are on their best, and Knox is continuing to lower his times, the team might go for it. Or maybe they switch in McNeil on fly and Leindo on free, or maybe MSH or Pickrem or Angus is having an incredible meet and they put them in. I think the only given if they make the final is Masse on back.

We've all been there. I recently took a trip across the world, took about 24 hours to get there. Arrived in the evening, went out for some celebratory drinks and then to bed in my airbnb bedroom. Woke up at some point, pitch black, had no idea where or when I was. Took a while to even find my phone and figure things out.

I'm not going to give my opinion either way, but I think we can apply how Canada was absolutely jobbed by that Norwegian ref against the US in 2012 as retroactive punishment. How about we call it even now?

I was just thinking earlier today that it's the first Olympics with real crowds since 2018, and the first Summer edition since 2016. That's a long time. I can't wait for swimming, athletics and the more "electric" sports with crowds. I lived in Beijing in 2022 (and went to the OC, CC and a hockey game) and even though restrictions in the city were low at the time (they actually got way worse for a year later) there was absolutely zero atmosphere. I went to lunch right next to the arena that had a hockey game going on and they didn't even have it on the TV. The Olympic shops were sold out and closed. Even at the ceremonies and events they didn't allow people to bring in any flags besides Chinese or take pictures freely on the Olympic Green (people did these things stealthly, though). I hope to experience the Olympic hype vicariously through the TV this year! Edit to say: I have a lot to say about the restrictions and my experience at the 2022 Olympics, particularly the Ceremonies. For now, I'll just say besides flags, they told me I couldn't wear my Maple Leaf mask (I did for a while anyway), and some nationalities were even barred pretty last minute. They were also 12 hour days without any real food (no shops were open in the arena). If you watch the ceremonies, I was right below Xi and Putin, always somehow searching the ground for something I dropped whenever we were told to stand for them. I am super grateful I got to experience it all (for free!) but man did China go out of its way to squash any international enthusiasm. Covid was just the excuse they used.

Called (half of) it! Happy with the choices.

I just meant Canada generally.

If Canada gets 4th in all the women's relays I will.....sit here and take it like I have every other Olympics.

You did such a good job of summarizing Canada's chances, there's not much to add. Sometimes I think they'll get 30 with 10 gold, other times I think they'll be lucky to get 20 with 5 gold. So somewhere in there. Swimming will be the biggest indicator, as there are so many borderline medal opportunities there. Masse, McNeil, Kharoun and the women's relays could add up to 5 or6, or none at all. There could be other surprises there as well, since a few of our swimmers have been improving dramatically this year. Basketball, too. Could be 3 medals with a gold, could be no medals at all. Canada has so many potentials which will be very exciting to watch. Or very frustrating. If 4ths+5ths > 1sts+2nds+3rds again, I might lose even more of my hair by pulling it out.

If they were chosen, then I'm sure they'd be there. But we all know it's going to be Celine Dion.

Prediction: Male: Damien Warner or Andre de Grasse Female: Laurence Vincent Lapointe or a member of the W8 or Christa Deguchi