Oldira

3 minutes ago, dcro said:

That's why you follow it here.

 

https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian/2022/ecco-fei-world-championships-herning/resultlist_JT.html

https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian/2022/ecco-fei-world-championships-herning/resultlist_JI.html

Thanks. Soory I did now! Ireland in a measely 10th. Will be tough get in top 5 now. 

The FEI website is an utter joke regarding updates on Team scores.

I attended the games in Barcelona and London. I arrived in Barcelona on the Wednesday of the first week without a hotel or ticket and within an hour of arriving had a hotel and tickets for Tennis, Boxing,Athletics and Volleyball. There were plenty of tickets on sale for most events and there were plenty of hotel rooms even though the city was packed.

same with London...no issue with accommodation and while I had bought tickets in advance plenty of others became available online during the games and you could buy and then collect at ANY venue.

My advice is do not panic. There will be tickets floating about and Paris has lots of accommodation.

I gave an 8. I was very apprehensive in the lead up to the games and didn’t enjoy the opening ceremony and felt little of the normal excitement I’d feel in the lead up to an Olympics. However on Day 1 of competition everything turned. Seeing competitors delighted in winning or distraught when losing showed me that the Olympics is really all about the athletes. The crowds at the men’s road race also added a touch of normality. As the games progressed I barely noticed the lack of crowd and  following our athletes on social media showed that they were having the adventure of their lives. Thankfully no event was disrupted by Covid and by end of games. Covid  was barely a factor and although cases rose in Tokyo it doesn’t seem games related. 
In the end I am so glad the games happened if only for the sake of the athletes. Sad as I am now the fact the Paris is only 3 years away is a major help.

I’d agree with @dodge and @OlympicIRL . But appreciate the thought behind it. Thank you.

1/ 8/10. First time since 1932 that we won 2 golds by different competitors and the first time ever 2 Golds in different sports. 4 medals in total is our joint best result but we were so close in other events. With luck it could have been 7-8.

2/ Biggest surprise was Aidan Walshs bronze in Boxing and biggest heartbreak was Nadia Coyles horse refusing to behave in Pentathlon. Also Rowing where we were expected by most observers, to win 3/4 medals and ended up 'only' winning 2. Something happened our Double Sculls crew and I am sure we will find out later.

3/ Target was 3-4 medals and that was achieved. 2 Golds probably not expected.

4/ We invest (for political reasons) way to much in Horse Racing, Gaelic Games and Football. The latter because of financial mismanagement by the FAI rather than too much at grass roots level. We should invest a lot more in Boxing, Gymnastics and track cycling as in build a velodrome.

25 minutes ago, dcro said:

Bertram Allen clear too and qualified for the individual final.

 

I guess it's one of those Irish days.

Usually followed the next day by 'one of those OTHER days'!

On 01/08/2021 at 13:52, Adriano said:

I know a lot of people who don't approve of this competition, I agree that a lot has been done. But natural equestrianism is fashionable in many countries, without saddles, etc. This information is sad. Someone might think about throwing out cross and jumping, for example, leave the dressage.  Riding, according to some, and riding in the saddle, causes problems with the spine of the horse. The current trend is that animals suffer as little as possible and live in natural conditions. Players were punished for blood on the horse caused by special sharp training. Different riders teach the horse new things. In fact, we do not know what method each of the riders is. Some teach the horse by inflicting pain when the horse is wrong to remember better. 

Rubbish.

3 minutes ago, Orangehair43 said:

Rather hard - would require many of the top teams to suffer big errors and perfect performances from all three Irish competitors. 

Although with no discards this time there could be carnage if the Cross Country turns out to be difficult.

19 minutes ago, dcro said:

Team standings after two riders in...

 

49.4

56.1

58.6

59.1

59.3

61.0

62.7

62.8

63.5

63.8

67.5

71.5

72.3

72.5

80.6

How difficult for  to pull themselves into contention in the Cross Country?

2 minutes ago, Grassmarket said:

Always feel sorry for Ireland in the boxing.  They put so much of their limited money & effort into it & always end up getting ripped off by the central Asian cartels which dominate the sport. 

In fairness it was just hard luck at the draw. I don’t think they would rig the draw. 

8 hours ago, dodge said:

Bit of a disaster for Byrne and Doyle in the double sculls for Ireland. They expect to make the final and challenge for medals 

 

Just watched the race there (thank you discovery plus) and their start was awful and they never really got going at all. 
 

Hopefully just a flat day. Interesting that the heats and repechages only eliminate one boat

A bad 24 hours for us. Brutal boxing draw, Shane Ryan injured and the Double Sculls disaster. Can’t seem how they can retrieve this. One of best medal contenders in trouble already. They skipped the press conference too which is not a good sign. 

1 minute ago, dodge said:

Thought draw for all the Irish boxers except Kellie Harrington who avoided most of the dangerous non seeds until the semis at least. 

 

Aidan Walsh is now our best chance of a men’s medal but his sisters draw is so tough

 

Gone from hoping for 3/4 medals to thinking we’ll get one now

Yeah. Exactly my thinking too.  Definitely O'Rourke and Michaela will find it hard to medal now. Although if O'Rourke does win she should medal. Walker, Irvine and Brennan got brutal draws as well.

Still in 2016 I though we were certain of 4 medals and that collapsed on the eve of the Olympics opening.  As of now I'd be ecstatic with two boxing medals. Indeed very happy with one.

1 hour ago, Benolympique said:

yes it is weird indeed, these olympic games are going to be a carnage with this covid. I'm afraid it will distort the results

Not as much as the doping by countries like East Germany did.

6 minutes ago, Dunadan said:

The first true medal contender was British 

Maybe not a surprise either........

I see  are 80/1 to win the Gold Medal in Eventing. Is that not a bit high for current WC silver medallists?

I really don't understand why all teams did not arrive in Japan at least two weeks before competing and then remain in their various bubbles. So far it looks like all cases were contracted before or en route to Japan.  There are going to be cases. There were some during Euro 2020 and in some qualification events and competitors will have to live with that. Hopefully cases are kept to a minimum which to be would be 1% of competitors. But obviously some teams are NOT observing all the protocols. There will be hard luck stories but they happen in every Olympics its just this time there will be more than usual.

2 hours ago, dodge said:

Despite what some in the media would have you believe, it seems the athletes are all enjoying the village.

 

I follow a lot of Irish athletes on instagram and they're all posting pictures of how happy and proud they are to be there.

Noticed that too. Athletes knew from months out there would be restrictions Few if any were going 'just to party'. Its the pinnacle of their sporting careers not a jaunt. They seemed to have been treated well by locals at their training camps. Too much doom being thrown around by journalists.

That said poor lads like Jack Wooley will be expected to be out of village by next Monday and on the way home with two weeks of the Games still to go! Not that he will mind if he medals.

25 minutes ago, Gianlu33 said:

A passenger tested positive for covid on the flight of a delegation of Italian athletes

All our competitors travelled first class so this would have lessened the risk. I’m sure the Italians did the same.

Oh ffs. The naysayers are really having a field day. 140,000 at the British Grand Prix today. Britain had 54,000 cases today and are still opening up. There were football matches in Japan yesterday with thousands in attendance. The anti-Olympic folk are using Covid as excuse to attack the games. Same as Zika before Rio in 2016

8 hours ago, dodge said:

Apart from those you've mentioned, Kurt Walker in boxing, the Mens Double in rowing, the golfers and both sailing crews (We know Annalise Murphy turns up at the Olympics) are all potential medalist. Outside chances include Jack Wooley in Taekwondo, the Fletchers in Judo, rugby and hockey teams (0-0ing their way to another final), Natalya Coyle in MP and even the track cycling boys are all outside bets. It is genuinely the first time Ireland have had so many contendors

 

Obviously the vast majority won't medal but I do think that with average luck (ie no illness, injuries, falls or dodgy decisions), The Lightweight doubles, Puspure, Harrington and McClenaghan should medal. 

Would agree with all of this and add that my big Olympic bet will be in rowing on the W4. For Gold. They will certainly medal along with  and . Currently 6/1 for Gold. 

1 hour ago, CCB said:

I think it's a little tricky to consider a medal as a safe one, especially a gold medal in sailing. It's just how the wind blows . For me the only safe gold medal is the women's hockey team. Like @heywoodusaid: we have to wait and see which superbikes the British will show up with, so not very sure of the gold medals for the men's team and Harry Lavreysen, but a medal should definitely work. 

 

Another more or less safe medal for Laura Smulders (BMX) and the W4- rowingteam (although I fear that Ireland will win the gold). 

 

I think for our Belgian neighbours and friends there are a lot more 'safe' gold medal picks: Evenpoel and Van Aert in the men's road race and time trial, Thiam in the heptathlon (athletics), Derwael at uneven bars (gymnastics) and the men's hockeyteam. 

 

Not so sure will win gold. The Australians are odds on favourites. But I think  and  will medal in W4

18 minutes ago, dcro said:

Euro had spectators which helped a lot. With empty stands, the event will look more forced.

Definitely in some sports alright. Once the medals start arriving hopefully we wont notice.

1 hour ago, sanjaydas said:

Will the reserves also get to stay at the Games Village.

Definitely Yes for Team sports and they can be part of the match day squad as far as I know. Not sure about alternates.

If you look back to 2016 a poll in Brazil in Mid July had 67% of Brazilians against the games taking place. Over 100 medical experts called for the games to be cancelled. Now I realise the Covid situation makes things different this year but I expect when the games get going and assuming all goes well regarding Covid interest will be as big as ever. I know my excitement is a lot less than for previous Olympiad but I expect once the games start it will rise.

From reports from Team  they say that they are receiving a very warm welcome from locals in their training and holding bases and no negativity. A lot of the negativity in Japan is political as there is an election in the Autumn. Thee was not a lot of excitement in the build up to Euro2020 but as the tournament started the interest mushroomed. Hopefully the Olympics will be the same and help lift the Covid gloom.