Topic: The XXIXth Summer Olympic Games (Beijing 2008)

[GBF]

most of the acts in the closing ceremonies in the past by those nations who were taking it in the following 4 years were not "olympic" related and has been always about what is the country/city is best known for.

[gjr1]

It's logical that someone who has never competed in the olympics should be an olympic representative?

That's...interesting logic.

The 8 min stuff was not about being an Olympian it was about icons of Britain and London.

Redgrave will light the flame in 4 years time. Probably given to him by Daley.

[Brian Blessed]

Like it or not he played a massive part in us actualy being awarded the Olympics,it's not like he only got involved after the fact.

Anyway fuck it bitch away it's a great British trait.

He made the judge push the wrong button when voting?

[SallyCinnamon]

He made the judge push the wrong button when voting?

Oooooo you cynic you.

[BIGdavalad]

He made the judge push the wrong button when voting?

He put up 15% of the cash for bribing the IOC with

[Brian Blessed]

He put up 15% of the cash for bribing the IOC with

Fair play to him then.

Depite my cyccism of picking celebrity over everything, I cannot wait for the games, and will hopefully attend an event or two.

So roll on the Games of the XXXth Summer Olympiad - David Beckham's 2012 London olympics.

[Eli_B (aka Badland Red)]

Olympic Demonstration Sports

So with the 29th Olympiad in Beijing all done and dusted. Not forgetting of course the 30th Olympiad will be in Lahndahn (London). There are five sport events that are in the pipeline for demonstration status in time for the 2016 Olympics:-

Squash
Golf
Karate
Roller Sports (roller blading - i think?)
Rugby (union) Sevens.

Squash and Karate failed to get the two-thirds of votes required to be included in 2012, and will fight for a spot with Baseball and softball. I reckon that both Baseball and Softball ( i'm sure that the IOC wanted to get rid of both of those sports in time for 2012) could be replace by Karate & Rugby Sevens - Twickenham would be the venue for 2012 (or possibly squash).

I know there's quite a lot of Rawkites who like cricket so do you reckon that the 20/20 format could be a demo sport? Lords, Egdbaston, Old Trafford or the The Brit Oval would be the possible venues if that ever happened. Also which sport would you like to see as a demo sport?

[slickman]

anyway to get xbox live event? for 2012? virtual sport? im usless at everything else

[kcbworth]

The Olympics is about the unification of nations across the world through sport. Cricket is played, seriously, by perhaps 20 nations across the globe, the other 200-odd either haven't heard of it, or have dismissed it as folly.

But maybe inclusion at the Olympics will be the catalyst to the game becoming truly global

[SallyCinnamon]

I love cricket and it's my job, but under no circumstances does it deserve a place in the Olympics.

The Olympics is about the unification of nations across the world through sport. Cricket is played, seriously, by perhaps 20 nations across the globe, the other 200-odd either haven't heard of it, or have dismissed it as folly.

Even in T20, the laws and nuances of the game are far too complex to explain simply, to a global audience.

It's all well and good players like Ponting coming out saying that it's almost certain that t20 will become an Olympic sport, but if it's unfairly biased towards a pocket of nations then it's not benefitting the games in any way.

There's no doubt that if the Olympics was contested just by the cricket playing nations then it would guarantee its position, but in the context of the Olympics as a whole cricket really has no place in the games.

In my opinion

The same could be said about Baseball no ?

[Redcap]

The same could be said about Baseball no ?

And baseball will no longer be an Olympic sport..

[SallyCinnamon]

And baseball will no longer be an Olympic sport..

20/20 it is then.

[b_joseph]

Bolt just cruised another in the Golden League btw. 9.83.

[[new username under construction]]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSpPaCIG0g

[alex.]

It's not the Olympics but...

Powell clocks second fastest 100m 
 
Powell could only finish fifth in the Olympic 100m final
Jamaica's Asafa Powell ran the second fastest 100m in history at the Athletissima Grand Prix on Tuesday.

Powell clocked 9.72 seconds to equal the old world record set by compatriot Usain Bolt in New York last May.

Bolt set the new record of 9.69 in winning the Olympic gold medal in Beijing last month.

The 26-year-old Powell, who held the world record between June 2005 and May 2008 with times of 9.77 and 9.74 seconds, finished fifth in Beijing.

On Monday, the 25-year-old Powell said Bolt's thrilling run at the Olympics has inspired him to target a time of 9.59.

"Two years ago I said to myself I could go 9.65 or faster but based on how Usain is running it's my aim now to go below 9.6," said Powell.

 Who knows? Maybe I'm not the guy for those big championships?

Asafa Powell
"Usain can obviously run very fast but I'm not going to put him out of my reach."

The 21-year-old Bolt stunned the sporting world two weeks ago when he knocked 0.05 seconds off Powell's previous mark despite easing up to celebrate before he crossed the line.

"I'd say in the Olympic 100m it looked like Usain could have run 9.63, 9.65 maybe," said Powell.

"I was shocked to see what he did in the race, it was ridiculous.

"I can't imagine the times he's capable of running at the moment. He's the man to beat right now but before it was me and if I can break another world record then I'll be the one back in the spotlight."

Powell, who also finished fifth at the 2004 Athens Olympics despite going into the Games as favourite, said he had not written off his hopes of winning an individual gold.

 606: DEBATE
Why does Powell always produce his best outside of major championships?
"The 2012 London Games will be my last opportunity and Beijing was certainly my best chance but you never give up," he said.

"I've got no idea why I'm always winning on the circuit but then finishing fifth at the Olympics. Maybe if it was just a one-off race without the qualifying rounds I would have done better.

"Who knows? Maybe I'm not the guy for those big championships but just the guy to compete in the Grand Prix and Golden League meetings. It's just unfortunate."

 __

Made up for him, hope he can beat the record soon and we see some good duels between him and Bolt

[Sopp]

Always seem to choke on the big occasions unfortunately. When the pressure's off though he's great to watch. His last leg of the 4x100 in Beijing was amazing.

[GBF]

Maybe one of them goes to the big events, and the other goes to the golden league meetings...

he ran so fast that he travelled through time

[GBF]

and you think FIA is a cock....the officials at the Paralympics seemed to try to top FIA recent decisions...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/7605052.stm

The International Paralympic Committee has ordered a re-run of Monday night's T54 womens's 5000m final after a dramatic crash on the penultimate lap.
Six of the 11 athletes in the field were left felled with Britain's Shelly Woods going on to win silver behind Canada's Diane Roy in the Bird's Nest.
Three countries protested against the result, and the athletes have been told to return their medals.
The race is now set to be re-scheduled for Friday morning.

[Eli_B (aka Badland Red)]

Unbelievable decision by the race officials at the Paralympics! Tha Canadian Diana Roy (the winner of the 5k metres wheelchair race), and Shelly Woods for GB who got the silver and the American who was third will be gutted to say the very least that they have been ordered to return their medals. Not forgetting there will be a re-race on Friday!

[The Manhattan Project]

Amazing performance so far by the Paralympic team.

14 golds already.

[SwedenRed]

Check out all the highlights here... http://www.paralympics.org.uk/
The bowling is amazing... doesnt matter what dissability you have, there is a sport for all.

[The Manhattan Project]

21 golds now for the British Paralympic team.

[Fanxxxxtastic]

Really enjoyed watching the Paralympics this past week.  Fantastic showing by all the athletes involved.  Some brilliant performances too.

Great to see team GB doing the business yet again.

[.adam]

Really enjoyed watching the Paralympics this past week.  Fantastic showing by all the athletes involved.  Some brilliant performances too.

Great to see team GB doing the business yet again.

Agreed. They're doing fantastically well. The thirteen year old winning the swimming way amazing, the girl who won the cycling really stood out for me 'cos she's from the same village as my GF.

Awesome performances all round.

[Monkey Red]

Can hardly get to see the Paralympics on German TV, just snippets here and there. It's fucking disrespectful and pisses me off. Well in for GB with all those medals, all those countries with millions more people to choose from and little GB leading the way.

[Regi]

Quick mention to Michael McKillop who won Ireland's first ever gold in the Paralympics in the 800m yesterday, slicing nearly 3 seconds off his own world record.
Annhilated the field...3 seconds over 2 laps is unreal

[RigBon1892]

Quikc mention to Michael McKillop who won Ireland's first ever gold in the 800m yesterday, slicing nearly 3 seconds off his own world record.
Annhilated the field...3 seconds over 2 laps is unreal

Yep was a brilliant result for him, saw the highlights on RTE last night