CCB

Well, bye bye to our chances of winning a (bronze) medal in the team event. The Dutch federation finally found the missing link for a decent team result, but after this misstep, we definitely can forget a medal. So Edward Gal and Hans Peter Minderhoud are searching now for a third rider. Don't know yet who qualifies as the third Dutch team member.

Raisa Schoon (19y) and Katja Stam (21y) won the Dutch play-off today. Based on the results of the Continental Cup, they really deserved the ticket. And they did: 21-11 21-13 against Ypma/van Iersel. Very happy with this result!

At the CEV Continental Cup for Europe won the last women's quota (after a very intense battle with Russia) and won the last men's quota (after a big fight with The Netherlands). I've seen so much nice matches this week, absolutely love this sport! Qualified for Tokio: Women: Ypma/van Iersel or Schoon/Stam (play-off tomorrow) Men: Heidrich/Gerson

No idea if she's already healthy again. Last news about her was december 2020 (ACL-injury).

Epke and Ranomi would be amazing, but both have to compete at the first day. I think Lobke Berkhout has a great chance, as well as Jean Julien Rojer (tennis) and Churandy Martina (athletics).

Ah, now I understand. Thanks for your explanation. In that case only Koolhof and Rojer will compete in the men's doubles.

Well, if that's the rule, you should call Bertens and Schuurs. They are good friends, especially Schuurs is already three years begging Bertens to play doubles with her. I think she would know that rule ... but maybe you're right. Then the solution is to withdraw Bertens for the singles.

Dutch team: Singles: Kiki Bertens Doubles: Kiki Bertens/Demi Schuurs Singles: - Doubles: Wesley Koolhof/JJ Rojer and Robin Haase/Matwé Middelkoop

The most fun for me would be a gold medal in track cycling men's sprint (realistic), a medal for Sharon van Rouwendaal (open water swimming, sort of realistic) or a medal in women's handball (not realistic though).

I'll cheer for Pernille Blume (swimming), Damian Warner at the heptathlon and the women's volleyballteams of and .

@NearPup @intoronto Given the disappointing results at the American trials on the 100 freestyle (women), is there a chance that Canada will make it difficult for Australia to win the 4x100 freestyle? With Oleksiak and Ruck that should work?

When is the first realistic medal chance of the Games for your nation? When do you think your nation will get their first medal and in which event? Day 2, when the women's cycling road race take place. But as always, nothing is sure, definitely not the road races. Still I expect the first medal here for Netherlands (with Vos, Van der Breggen, Vollering or Van Vleuten). Is there a bumper day for your nation where you expect more than one or a few medals to come? If so, what day? Day 5 with the women's time trial (although I expect gold for Chloe Dygert), some rowing finals (M2x, W4-) and the biggest chance on a medal at the judo tournament (women's -70, men's -90) Is there a day when you expect to have not so much competitors from your nation competing or no chances for medals? Not a particular day, but at the end of the competition, most of the Dutch teams will be eliminated (e.g. handball, football, waterpolo).

Sjöstrom already decided to take part in the freestyle events only, so no 100 butterfly for her

team women Ranomi Kromowidjojo - 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 4x100 freestyle Femke Heemskerk - 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 4x100 freestyle, 4x100 medley, 4x100 mixed Kim Busch - 4x100 freestyle Marrit Steenbergen - 4x100 freestyle Kira Toussaint - 100 backstroke, 4x100 freestyle, 4x100 medley, 4x100 mixed Maaike de Waard - 100 backstroke, 4x100 medley Sharon van Rouwendaal - 200 backstroke, open water 10 km Tes Schouten - 100 breaststroke, 4x100 medley men Jesse Puts - 50 freestyle, 4x100 freestyle Thom de Boer - 50 freestyle, 4x100 freestyle Stan Pijnenburg - 100 freestyle, 4x100 freestyle Nyls Korstanje - 100 butterfly, 4x100 freestyle, 4x100 mixed Arno Kamminga - 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, 4x100 mixed Caspar Corbeau - 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke Arjan Knipping - 400 medley Ferry Weertman - open water 10 km

Former world number 4 Kiki Bertens (WTA 20) announced today she stops playing tennis after the Games. So we will see her in Tokio in the singles tournament and doubles with Demi Schuurs for the last time.

Estavana Polman - - Handball MVP of the women's WCh 2019; knee-injury

4 or 5? Eh ... is this a Gracenote Prediction or what? The last gold medal for The Netherlands in athletics was in 1992 (Ellen van Langen, 800 meter). We will already be very happy with one or two medals. Only Hassan has a chance. Depends on which distances she chooses. On the 5 and 10 km she is favourite for a medal, but Gidey is a bigger favourite. She owns the worldrecords now. I prefer Hassan running the 1500 meter. Other Dutch athletes: Dafne Schippers - what happened with her? She won't medal at 'her' 200 meter. Nadine Visser - injured, so not sure if she will compete in Tokio at the 100 hurdles. Femke Bol - well, she is a big talent, but I expect the Americans a lot better at the 400 hurdles.

No, unfortunately, the Dutch Judo Association has already appointed Franssen, after Vermeer suffered a serious injury in 2019. In retrospect, that was not so smart, because Vermeer has been much better than Franssen this whole year. But yes, the Dutch Judo Association often makes blunders ... for example sending Sanne van Dijke to the Olympics instead of Kim Polling without convincing arguments. If the differences are small, a tie-breaker would be the best solution (like Japan did in the men's -66kg).

Will the draw be 1-8, 4-5, 3-6 and 2-7 in quarterfinals? Or will the top 8 placed randomly?

Niet te vergeten het wereldrecord van Ilse Paulis en Marieke Keijser in de lichte dubbeltwee op de wereldbeker roeien in Italië! Is een beetje ondergesneeuwd in al het sportgeweld van vandaag. Het slechtste nieuws van vandaag is wat mij betreft de (op het oog vrij ernstige) schouderblessure van Nycke Groot, die nét deze week aangaf haar carrière als handbalster in Tokio te willen afsluiten, maar nu waarschijnlijk al is uitgespeeld.

But on the other hand, Nycke Groot will make a comeback in the Dutch team and replace Estavana Polman at the Games. And she's already vaccinated!

1. I love to see everything, but this year especially track cycling (men's sprint), hockey (both men and women) and handball (women). 2. 3. From a Dutch point of view: Inge de Bruijn (swimming, 2000-2004), men's volleyballteam (1996) and Epke Zonderland (high bar, 2012) My favourite foreign athletes: Pernille Blume (swimming) , Carolina Kluft (heptathlon) and Anni Friesinger (speedskating)

Voor mij zeer verrassend. Dat hele OKT is een beetje langs me heen gegaan, omdat ik de meerkamp in Götzis van de eerste tot de laatste minuut gevolgd heb. Maar leuk voor die gasten dat ze erbij zijn in Tokio. Vooral de overwinning op de VS klinkt mij als verrassend in de oren. En ik lees dat de dames volgende week nog een kans hebben op het laatste OKT. Dus deze week zes nieuwe namen in de Olympische ploeg: 4 basketballers, Diane van Es en Anouk Vetter.

Didn't even know that The Netherlands had a chance to qualify for this sport. Nicely done by the Dutch team. Very very unexpected

Netherlands won't try the 4x200 meter. They concentrated on the 4x100 free.