London 2012 Olympics Thread

[Platypus]

I know it must be a bit blase for him by now, but some pretty disrespextful podium work by Phelps for the 200m medley.

As far as Australia in the swimming goes, I'm disappointed for Seebohm, but the way Magnussen has been acting for tge last few months was, at least to me, much more embarrassing for Australia than having 5 silvers.

[Platypus]

MAHE DRYSDALE GETS OVER THE LINE! What a legend! Great regatta for the kiwis, third gold. Drysdale looks like he's about to vomit from exhaustion.

A silver and a bronze for Australia, but the first of the two big 'ashes' contests is yet to come in the men's 4, and later on the team pursuit at the velodrome, which I suspect will be one of the most exceptional moments of these games.

edit: the rowing is tomorrow, sorry.

[Platypus]

Britain destroyed us. Learning to love Silver, but... we really wanted that one. Still, second to a World Record isn't bad... but seriously, we're well overdue for a second gold. This is a weird games from an Australian viewpoint... plenty of great results, and lots to be proud of, but not quite golden. We're ahead of where we expected to be by now by one medal, but with only the single gold. Not sad, definitely not embarrassing, but just a dash frustrating.

Looks like we're looking like a gold or silver in the women's keiren though, Anna Meares is in great form but so is Victoria Pendleton.

[Platypus]

Well,















.

[Platypus]

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

[Platypus]

I hate when people are overconfident and assume success, but that was a really disappointing night for Australia at the velodrome. Only good news is that the women's team pursuit qualified in the top 4 and have avoided drawing the Brits.

[Platypus]

Swimming awful. Cycling very disappointing. Athletics good. Rowing good. Boxing bad.

Not a great day for Australia, but at least some wins and draws in the team comps, some next-stage qualifications, and a few medals, which is wobderful, but not quite what we wanted.

Over 50 countries now have medals, which is nice.

Would try and give a sh**t about the shotput and womens 10km, but it's bed time.

[Platypus]

Points of interest: the US is ahead of China in both golds and total medals, 53 countries have medalled, and at this point of Vancouver 2010 we had more golds than we do at London.

[Platypus]

We've got a bit of snow, but the golds came in snowboarding and aerials. We actually have a bit of heritage in the latter.

54 medalling nations, btw. It'll be close to Beijing

[Platypus]

Great women's triathlon.

Men's four...the Brits were better.

Another silver to Australia, along with a nice bronze.

[Platypus]

Great women's triathlon.

Men's four...the Brits were better.

Another silver to Australia, along with a nice bronze.

Australia have medals in 5 disciplines. If you work up the table only Japan has as many medals in as many disciplines until you hit the top 10. So in terms of winning medals you have a good spread. It just so happens that other nations are excelling in specific sports. Those nations will stay stagnant as their sports finish and if Australia bag a a few golds you start moving up.

Yeah, it's hard to complain. In tge rowing, we've made the vast majority of finals, which is excellent. In the sailing, things are looking very, very good for a clutch of medals. Doing acceptably in quite a few team sports, and should progress through in just about all of them, especially on the women's side. But the swimming has been below expectations, and we're not looking great in the fight sports.

As for the cycling... Still plenty to come, but we were fully intending to be toe to toe with the Brits and we simply aren't.

We're doing very, very well...but we're accustomed to doing incredibly well. We still might, but top 5 is gone and top 10 difficult. Should get there in total medals though, which really is welcome news, and nothing to be disappointed in.

[Platypus]

Women's trap was good, we came equal last but finally made a shooting final, and the winner set a new world record off 99/100. She'll be on a lot of newspapers tomorrow, she's very very good looking and her rendition of the anthem was great to watch.

Oh, and Canada grabbed it's gold in the women's trampoline.

[Platypus]

One sport that truly deserves inclusion is Squash, and it's one of a few sports up for inclusion, alongside, iirc, rock climbing and wakeboarding.

I'd love to see Netball at the games, but the medallists would almost always be Australia, New Zealand, and one of Jamaica, South Africa, and Great Britain. It's a better sport than basketball, but less universal. Although if you look at the regularity of medallists in that sport... Particularly for women...

[Platypus]

Currently forced to decide between Channel 9's all-Aussie, all the time delayed/live mix, along with live weightlifting mens 94kg, with an Iranian with an impossible name on London 8; the boxing delayed on london 7; the men's long jump live on london 6, the women's discus live on london 5, the track programme live on london 4,; the team fencing final on london 3; Britain v Australia live in the men's basketball on london 2, and the swimming live on london 1.

I reckon we definitely win the olympics coverage gold medal, especially given the time zones.... I've been running on four hours sleep for the whole thing

Al: the finals of the netball at the world champs and commonwealth games were both in my all-time top 10 sport events, with the kiwis winning in Delhi in double overtime and us winning the cup in single overtime. No glitz, no cheats, just great athletes and incredible competition.

[Platypus]

The problem with the londons is that they don't keep you ipdated on the other events; the problem with 9 is that they do...but only if there's an Aussie.

[Platypus]

So much silver. Which is lovely, of course. Mitch Watt gets silver in the long jump, behind a pom and above a yank  Great day for Britain, looking strong for third on the medal tally, because Russia are in the same position as us, but three times better.

Gold to Mo Farah... great day to be a British olympian.

[Platypus]

I just came across this:

http://www.afterellen.com/content/2012/07/london-olympics-opening-ceremony-includes-lesbian-kiss-seen-around-world

First same-sex kiss on TV in maybe 50? 80? 120 countries? Noice.

[Platypus]

And Rugby 7s, which is a crap sport but does give nations like Tonga and Samoa genuine medal chances, and if not, at least something to watch.

Golf shouldn't be there, at least not at the expense of Squash, as it was in the inclusion vote.

[Platypus]

Men's badminton final is crazy good.

[Platypus]

The Age has changed their medal tally... Australia is now labelled Agstralia

[Platypus]

Australia win a penalty shootout, just escaping the quarters against China in the women's water polo. Nervous moments, but we're still undefeated...fingers crossed.

[Platypus]

Kazakhstan just won their 6th gold medal. No silvers, no bronzes, just six bloody golds. How do they do it?

Unless something unbelievable happens, looks like a no-medal day for us, which is broadly what we expected, but not particularly welcome. Looks like 65 countries could be cracked though, if Botswana, Grenada, and the Dominican Republic get medals as expected in the 400ms.

[Platypus]

Botswana 4th

[Platypus]

Men's 400 final has a weird distribution: 5 Caribbeans and 2 Belgians. Who appear to be twins. (and an Australian.)

The Australian is jewish, just to make it better

Oh, Bolt won the 100m by the way.

[Platypus]

Watch me. Seriously.

Ignore the twitter stuff, the video is at the bottom. I almost choked I was that shocked.