rafalgorka

Looks Iike I will have less usual work as a lawyer in coming 3 weeks, so I may have more time for my olympic hobby. Maybe we could try to update our day-by-day predictions, but this time I will try to focus only on a few sports which I am interested the most. I don't feel I know much about e.g. archery, taekwondo, track cycling, fencing, shooting, weightlifting etc., so maybe our forum experts on that sports could add their thoughts, too. We will see. I know June 2021 would be better time for this kind of predictions but I expect in June I will have to focus on my work, to be able to have 3 weeks off for the games.

Looks like noone cares about this thread anymore, but at least I will have my fav olympic videos stored in one place. ;-) One for yesterdarday: #214 - Torino 2006 - Biathlon - M Mass Start - Tomasz Sikora finally getting his well-deserved olympic medal. RACH! CIACH! CIACH! My good friend was there as an important part of Polish olympic biathlon team, I heard some insider's anegdotes, a very emotional story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLeLZfBI-7g&t=1404s And one for today: #213 - Barcelona 1992 - Football - M Final - POL vs ESP. We were already preparing ourselves for an extra-time and then... But this is still the last Polish olympic medal in team sports. Until August I hope, and our volleyball final heh. And here the same, my good friend was there as a part of Polish olympic football team, I heard some insider's stories, a lot of things were going on there. A lot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJoHpQxbfT8

https://swimswam.com/bulgarias-17-yr-old-miladinov-rips-5108100fly0for02-inthe-world/ Looks like we heve new contenders in 100 fly behind Dressel - Josif Miladinov BUL and Noe Ponti SUI

This is so sad. But she will always be one of my favourite olympic swimming champions ever.

I know this is countdown to the summer games, but I think winter memories are allowed, too. Actually, it is December now, isn't it? :-) #215 - Sochi 2014 - Speed Skating - M 1500 m - Zbigniew Bródka beating Koen Verweij by 0,00000000000000000001 sec. ;-) https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/video/detail/men-s-1500m-speed-skating-sochi-2014-replays/

But it's also sad that she had these kind of problems as well. https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/ruta-meilutyte-facing-potential-doping-suspension-for-testing-accessibility-rules/

She was such a talent. It's a pity she has finished her career so quickly.

I wonder who has the most chances to get a medal in Tokyo as a "dark horse", as a new star who will be born this summer? Benedetta Pilato is my choice here in 100 m breastroke. Jemma Reekie in 800 m in athletics is another one.

I don't know if it is a loss or not. But we all remember where this pandemic has started so you should understand I am cautious with your covid stats right now. By the way, I just love Liu Xiang performance in Athens, his joy when he won was unforgettable - good to know every nation has his sports heroes who didn't have any doping issues.

I will not come to China or Tibet soon because I don't believe in Chinese coronavirus statistics at all. So I'm too afraid to come.

I know it is not going to happen, I only have my hopes. And I support Free Tibet more because I really see a huge difference in the way China treats Tibetan nation if you compare it with Basque or Catalonians in Spain. So I wish them especially well.

and Italy and Poland, too. I think everybody is more or less guilty in this matter. ;-)

I hope Tibet will be able to participate in the olympics as an own NOC in my lifetime.

I agree. But I think a punishment for one and only one missed test by not being there, should not be that severe. A mistake can always happen. But if you mistake twice or three times in a row... Like a yellow card and red card. And I think there should be a lifetime olympic ban punishment for the most severe doping violations for individual sportsmen. Maybe they could participate in world championships after some years but never go to the olympics. I couldn't stand watching e.g. Adrian Zieliński in Tokyo or in Paris.

@rybakBut the Kenyans athletes who were not found guilty of doping violations should be allowed to start,

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/dec/17/russia-doping-ban-halved-but-name-and-flag-barred-from-next-two-olympics-court-of-arbitration-for-sport-world-anti-doping-agency

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/17/sports/olympics/russia-doping-wada.html

That would be good. Winning our beloved medal in volleyball without Russians (... and Italians) in competition would not taste the same.

Benedetta Pilato is extremely impressive. I wonder how much faster than today she will be able to swim in Tokyo. A medal looks more and more within her reach. That would be something. Ruta Meilutyte was 15 years old when she won in London, remember?

I wonder if Russians will be able to complete in Tokyo and Beijing in team sports as kind of neutrals, like they did in Pyeongchang with hockey team

#216 - Beijing 2008 - Basketball - M Final - USA vs Spain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZY5cZWGWKE&t=6635s

@ahjfcshfghb the article is very good. I only wish you wrote something about cycling men's road race - 90 riders in a race is not enough. I understand they try to change something, but they shouldn't mess with the most classic events, the core of the games. A race with 150 riders would be much more interesting. But anyway, I hope that both Tokyo and Paris will be fascinating to watch, too.

#217 - Barcelona 1992 - Athletics - M 1500 m Final - Fermin Cacho!!! https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/video/detail/spain-barcelona-1992-fermin-cacho-athletics-1500m-men/

#218 - Athens 2004 - Swimming - W 200 m Butterfly final - The one and only Polish olympic gold medal in swimming. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpQ5qbVlaY0&t=18s

#219 - Beijing 2008 - M 100 m Butterfly Final - Swimming - Cavic vs Phelps. Unforgettable. https://youtu.be/dDGKoGEPYks