mpjmcevoy

Indeed, getting double bang on the venues they already built PLUS a cash bonus may seem like a win win...

Indeed. It seems to my admittedly biased eyes that the commonwealth games has actually been one of the few vaguely successful concilliatory mechanisms - and the move to recognise indigenous people explicitly going forward shows it knows that's the direction. In my own eyes, the UK competing as its four home nations, and all its islands and territories having autonomy, is a good thing, and a sign of attempting to find equality. Very far from perfect, but still, a good thing. Arguably the continent that rejected the trappings of Empire most fully is Arica- it has far fewer residual 'Commonwealth Realms' (countries that remained kingdoms and kept the British king) than the other Continents - and yet, they seem - in the main - to still enjoy having their voice heard in those Games, and all four non-empire countries that actively ASKED to join are from African - Rwanda, Mozambique, Togo and Gabon. (I understand Surinam may be next, but technically it was British Willoughbyland for a brief moment - certainly South Sudan and Burundi have made noises, so - unlike Asia where India always seems on the Brink of leaving- there still seems an appetite in Africa for whatever benefits CW and CWG can bring). India is a very big country with designs on being a nationalistic superpower - I can see how that continued Commonwealth membership doesn't really sit with that, but I think that's a pity in some ways. As for a possible Ghana 2026, there would be something rather pleasantly preparatory if Ghana got to host the first Africa Commonwealth Games, saved the event, and used money handed over by the Commonwealth, from a 'white dominion' to do it!

Would solve a lot of problems, including helping reposition the Games as explicitly 'post-colonial' - i.e far from celebrating Empir, they now celebrate the END of empire.

Curiouser and curiouser - rumours now that CGF are about toward TWO games, in succession, to West Africa - Ghana has apparently offered to host 2026 using African Games venues (which makes obvious sense), with government approval, while Nigeria is interested in 2030. Tempted to wonder if a combined ghana nigeria 2026 would be better, but whatever works.

It's an interestingly bullish statement. Suspect from this statement they may bite the bullet and separate the Games out into individual Championships for 2026, and style it out, before swinging toward a centenary games in 2030

I thought this weeks excuse was geopolitical tensions?

I would like to see more of this CH4/BBC working together ( in some ways they are a better fit than BBC/ITV - ITV, oddly, fit better with Sky and pay TV) - the way that the two channels sort of deferred to each other in their area of expertise was excellent, and adding the MC para swims did a great job of bulking out the timetable, keeping things moving, and helped introduce major Paralympic players to an audience who might not follow them. I'd say this format might work pretty well in cycling and athletics for GB too

Not so sure about Hanlon as a relay only swimmer, because realistically they don't need female breaststroke back up - the women's medley is not going to win anything, and they are not going to swim a female breaststroke in the mixed. Wilby is different because he actually is back up for Peaty in two medal possible events. However, it might be McMillan who misses out if the Litchfields and Bird are considered adequate 4 x 2 backup. Guy and Dean can definitely swim the heats. In a good world both Scott and Richards get a rest, but this is not a good world. However, if you could find other places to rest those two (4 x 100 free heats using whittle and possibly guy or even Proud) and men 4x1 medley using dean), you could put one in the 4 x 2 heat alone with Guy and Dean, and they would almost certainly be able to carry Bird or Max Litchfield in that scenario and still make the final. FWIW I'd prefer to take 31 and bring Hanlon for insurance.

I wonder are we in a situation where they try and put together the women's medley from 'existing resources'...Poor anna's gonna be knackered if she's doing 12 swims, and they'll want her to prioritise mixed medley, I suspect. Freya A's obviously not at her best. However, that was no bad swim in that context, and she probably doesn't need to swim quite as many relays as previously...

The issue here is that it involves a minimum of two discretionary picks.

Hopkin needs to swim 52.69 for the medley relay to get in. Bizarrely, Mixed medley is already safe as the FMFM version squeaks under consideration time

She looks in very good nick already.

Are you counting the confirmed relay swimmers in the 25 - Cahoon, Joe Litchfield, Medi Harris and Leah Hope?

Peaty needs the cover - if there's any space on the boat/plane/train, Wilby goes. some of tonight's results, particularly the 2-3 in the 50 free and 1-2 in the 200 IM take a certain amount of the pressure off, tomorrow they'll want the obvious 4 for the 4 x 200, so they'll be keeping a nervous eye on Guy - if he's top 4, a lot of the issues resolve. Tomorrow they'd like one of the three key breaststrokers to punch the ticket, Luke Greenbank to hit his straps, and no shocking surprises in the freestyles. Id Blocksridge did a miracle, that would be ice but it's not really likely. Bt my raw count, we have 24 guaranteed or 2nd with consideration time. Tomorrow they'll want Guy, Greenbank, Hanlon or Evens to do likewise, and would quite like Freya Anderson to swim - she is listed, all the other 4 x 1 major players are already on the boat. That would, in theory, bring the team up to 28. After that, if its me, I'm bringing Wilby, I'm bending the rules by saying Tobias is an openwater quota place, and then its a toss up for me between Bird and Blocksidge, leaning toward the latter. I think in that scenario, Whittle and Cox lose out.

Orangehair can meet with victory and defeat and treat those two imposters both the same...that is, he can be ridiculously, wildly wrong in both directions!

I think Cox (and Wilby) is closer than Whittle on the simple basis that the 100 and 200 free relays will already have cover, but Dawson (and Peaty) won't for the medleys. Dawson and Peaty, in particular, are likely to be pulling double duty as I think GB will be going WMMW again for the mixed medley, so it makes sense to cover them. We are also getting to the part of the week, however, when Richards, Scott and Dean, and possibly Guy start piling up quotas in 100 fly, 200 fr and 200 IM, which may relieve some of the pressure.

The fact Freya Colbert has already stated she doesn't intend to swim the 200 free in Paris only makes it more likely that Freya will get her seat, and Abbie, who is already in as a 4 x 2 free relay leg will come with her. Meanwhile Colbert is on the plane as a relay swimmer, thus may get to swim 400 I'm whether or not she makes the time. Of those who have missed the time, Bird is at the greatest risk - I'd be stunned if Wilby is not included at a minimum as a relay only swimmer just to take heat off Adam - his sub minute 100 is already within Olympic measure, and he could well get the 200 time. For my money, the 4 relays girls, Adam, James, Keanna, Laura are already all but on the plane, with Freya A almost certain if she regains full fitness. The notable thing so far is the number of 2nd place finishers getting the British Q time. That's a step up, I think on recent times outside the men's free 200.

If Freya is genuinely fit in time, she's going, no questions - she's too useful as a relay swimmer (where she tends to excel) - and cannot be completely rules out as an individual medal shout, albeit an outside one. If that means ticking upward slightly from 30 so be it. So far the Champs have been absolutely on fire, suggesting the 30 limit will be tight. Trust me when I say that limit will magically vaomoosh if genuinely competitive swimmers exceed it - it was only ever there to allow GB to turn down individuals with no relay worth, and no real risk of top 8, who clawed in to the Olympic Q time. If, as looks possible at the moment, we might be on the crest of something special, that limit will prove a moveable feast.

Yep. Treat a troll as a troll, and ignore their attempts to engage.

Technically, yes, but given Anderson's Swiss Army knife relay quality, it's not a hard decision - the only issue is will she be race fit.

2 seconds beneath the relay Q time combined, they're in. Anderson, if regains fitness and form, will slot in as Colbert won't race the 200 Free in Paris, so won't take up an excess quota.

Outside the superstars in the medal hunt, a sub 1.00 Breaststroke is absolutely motoring, several relay teams in the medleys won't match that.

Have to; if Peaty's progress from 59.1 to 57.9 continues toward PAris, both the medley's become fair game - and that would require giving Adam a bit of rest.

I'm not 'disappointed' in that, in context. 58.53 in the heat may not be Peaty at his absolute best- that may not return - but it's pretty blooming swift - Gold in this years worlds, and more importantly, silver in last years.

1:27.05 being better than the world record, but because its a mixed international team, will not be credited as such. Alfred, Adeleke and Dina all clearly on scorching early season form...