TrentVilla Posted August 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2012 Other than the Aussie's obviously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 7, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7, 2012 Should be a couple more golds today. Triathlon and track cycling. We'll break 20 golds from here. Extraordinary stuff really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted August 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2012 It is remarkable when you consider our performance in China was our best since 1908. When I was a kid the Olympics wasn't that big a deal or didn't seem it but since Sydney it has just exploded. The legacy from hosting these games and our success in them should see our success continue in games to come. Other countries must be looking at us and asking how the hell we are doing it, I just hope they don't start throwing money at our coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 7, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7, 2012 But that's kind of what we did, isn't it? A load of our coaches are aussies and dutch etc So there's a good chance other nations might come and poach them. But it is remarkable. It's effectively our best performance ever, as back in 1908, as I understand it, it was always the home nation that totally dominated because of how difficult it was to travel to places. Can't remember exactly but I think in the olympics prior to 1908 we won something like 3 medals. When I think back to the first Olympics I can properly remember (Atlanta 1996, although I remember Christie winning in 1992 I have no other memories of those games) and we won ONE gold medal. And no-one really seemed that bothered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted August 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2012 Nobody was bothered but I guess success breads interest. Yes we've pinched a few coaches but that really is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the things that have gone into our success. It's down to investment in facilities, in science and technology, in identifying potential athletes and it's been about positive role models inspiring future athletes. I think it's fantastic the way the likes of Redgrave, Holmes and Lewis are still so involved and I hope the same happens with the likes of Pendleton. The role of lottery funding has though perhaps been the biggest single factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 7, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7, 2012 Absolutely, And money well spent, imo. There was an Aussie journalist on the BBC this morning and he was saying how jealous the Aussies were of our lottery funding for sport. It's obviously seen as a big factor by the rest of the world too. Incidentally, if Yorkshire was a country, they'd be 11th in the medal table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted August 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2012 Don't forget those round wheels as well, they have been crucial Stupid French Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 7, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7, 2012 Haha. Might have been mentioned but the commentator on the cycling yesterday said he knew for a fact that GB are still using the wheels they used in Athens 8 years ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Haha. Might have been mentioned but the commentator on the cycling yesterday said he knew for a fact that GB are still using the wheels they used in Athens 8 years ago! That was Chris Boardman who said that. He does a lot of the design work for the bikes on the track and has his own range of road bikes as well. The wheels they are using are the same wheels the French are using (made by a French company!) so I'm not sure what their problem is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Anybody else see Hulk Hogan running in the 3000mtr Steeplechase last night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted August 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2012 No it wasn't Boardman it was David Brailsford who joked that we had special round wheels and they fell for it seemingly forgetting that all the equipment used has to be commercially available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted August 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2012 No it wasn't Boardman it was David Brailsford who joked that we had special round wheels and they fell for it seemingly forgetting that all the equipment used has to be commercially available. When did that rule come in? Didn't Graham Obree used to make his own bikes out of washing machine parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 It is remarkable when you consider our performance in China was our best since 1908. When I was a kid the Olympics wasn't that big a deal or didn't seem it but since Sydney it has just exploded. The legacy from hosting these games and our success in them should see our success continue in games to come. Other countries must be looking at us and asking how the hell we are doing it, I just hope they don't start throwing money at our coaches. There is always a good showing from the home nation. Once a country wins a bid you have 7 years to identify 15 and 16 year old kids with some talent then get them in to coaching programmes for the next 7 years to peak at the home olympics. The olympics before the home games is usually strong as the athletes develop and the one after the home games is also very good but then after 2 olympic cycles the effect starts to wear off. Look at China in Sydney, finishing behind Russia but then once they won the bid they have become a sporting powerhouse. Australia had big hauls in Sydney then Athens and even looking as far back as Barcalona, Spain managed to come 6th in the medal table at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 No it wasn't Boardman it was David Brailsford who joked that we had special round wheels and they fell for it seemingly forgetting that all the equipment used has to be commercially available. When did that rule come in? Didn't Graham Obree used to make his own bikes out of washing machine parts? The bearings were yes. Correct. Obree with his tuck position and the Superman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 No it wasn't Boardman it was David Brailsford who joked that we had special round wheels and they fell for it seemingly forgetting that all the equipment used has to be commercially available. When did that rule come in? Didn't Graham Obree used to make his own bikes out of washing machine parts? There is a rule about bikes having to be commercially available but the only place you can get the British bikes is via a custom order from the British track cycling website and as you can imagion, they cost thousands of pounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Miss the 100m final? Well watch the "brick-by-brick" video here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choffer Posted August 7, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7, 2012 I've gone off Usain Bolt all of a sudden: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shillzz Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Haha, I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legov Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Liu Xiang pulls out again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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