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TheLionKing wrote:Jamaican runners finished 1,2 and 3 in the 200 metres. They should be unbeatable in the 4 X100 relay

Canada had a surprising result in the 4 X 100 coming in second place behind the Jamaicans who didn't run Bolt of course in the qualifiers. However, GB who actually did finish ahead of the Canadians were DQ'd for a late baton change. GB was also seeded 4th and Canada did finish the race just behind them, so with a little more luck maybe the Canadians can squeak out one of those bronze medals that seem to be as good as gold to us.

Rammer wrote:

TheLionKing wrote:Jamaican runners finished 1,2 and 3 in the 200 metres. They should be unbeatable in the 4 X100 relay

Canada had a surprising result in the 4 X 100 coming in second place behind the Jamaicans who didn't run Bolt of course in the qualifiers. However, GB who actually did finish ahead of the Canadians were DQ'd for a late baton change. GB was also seeded 4th and Canada did finish the race just behind them, so with a little more luck maybe the Canadians can squeak out one of those bronze medals that seem to be as good as gold to us.

Canada finishes 3rd in the mens 4 X 100 relay, only to suffer the same fate as Great Britain with a DQ...very sad for the unexpected result. Canada can appeal, so stay tuned. It would have also been Canada's 19th medal after De Jonge won a bronze in kayaking. TV commentators are having trouble finding the fault, seems to be a runner that handed off stepped on a line...sigh.

Heartbreaking to have the medal taken away like that. Shouldn't they have review the race before posting the results. Total elation to utter disappointment in a few minutes

TheLionKing wrote:Heartbreaking to have the medal taken away like that. Shouldn't they have review the race before posting the results. Total elation to utter disappointment in a few minutes

REally tough when they got to run around the track with the Canadian flags only to see the DQ come up after they had been posted for third. Jared Connaughton (sp), touched the line between his lane 5 and lane 4 took the blame face on in front of the camera, you can only feel pride for what the 4 runners did and especially for him manning up about it.

Rammer wrote:

TheLionKing wrote:Jamaican runners finished 1,2 and 3 in the 200 metres. They should be unbeatable in the 4 X100 relay

Canada had a surprising result in the 4 X 100 coming in second place behind the Jamaicans who didn't run Bolt of course in the qualifiers. However, GB who actually did finish ahead of the Canadians were DQ'd for a late baton change. GB was also seeded 4th and Canada did finish the race just behind them, so with a little more luck maybe the Canadians can squeak out one of those bronze medals that seem to be as good as gold to us.

I can see the late baton exchange but stepping on the line is unthinkable. It is tough to get these relay teams in synch for the baton part of it but most runner know to stay in the lanes. Very strange indeed.

according to this

http://simon.forsyth.net/olympics.html

we are pretty bad.

that said, I do not want to see any more tax dollar spend on trying to increase our olympic success.

Glad that Sinclair got to carry the Canadian flag at the closing ceremonies, well deserved.

Has anyone seen Jacques Rogge smile ? He seems so glum all the time

TheLionKing wrote:Has anyone seen Jacques Rogge smile ? He seems so glum all the time

That is in the nature of the Swiss people. Serious. Serious justice system. Serious credentials for anything. Serious relationships. SERIOUS.

I don't want to be a sour puss but I am glad that this exercise in futility is done for another 4 years (not including the Winter Oly).

I am most impressed that Canadian athletes put most of their lives into these events but time after time, it is the same thing. Announcers talking about strong medal chances in this event or another and as often as not, seeing performances that are less than suggested or downright awful. A whole lifetime aimed at this one moment in time only to come up short badly when it really counts.

That is hard of course but in view of the way some other countries prepare for these events (many of the Asian and Eastern European ones esp) these games are more about which country is going to pull out the most medals than a celebration of an individuals accomplishments. The politicking is awful and when you see things like what happened in Badminton come to pass because the country puts so high an emphasis on winning it all, rather than the spirit of competition and fair play, then it is really beyond redemption. I was sickened by the story of a Chinese Athlete who was denied the knowledge that her grandparents had both died and her mother was fighting breast cancer because it might upset her training. Closer to home of course was the brutal officiating during the US-Canada game. In the past we have seen, score fixing, intimidation tactics, doping scandals, allegations of bribes and influence peddling. Followed up of course with the patently repetitive message about how great it is that the world can come together in friendship and healthy competion. That is farcical. For too many it is about winning at any cost and for that reason, I believe that most of the Olympic ideal has been lost irrevocably. So for the next 4 years most of these medal events will go unwatched and uncared about by the vast majority until the next time, we get to do it all again and watch the lions share of the medals get swooped up by the same countries once again. Same story, different names. Doesn't make for much suspense overall much of the time. Rant Over.

Robbie wrote:How do you think Canada will do in the 2012 Summer Olympics compared to the past results since 1976?

Year - # of Gold Medals - # of Total Medals
1976 - 0 - 11
1984 - 10 - 44
1988 - 3 - 10
1992 - 7 - 18
1996 - 3 - 22
2000 - 3 - 14
2004 - 3 - 12
2008 - 3 - 18
2012 - ? - ?

In the end, it was 1G 5S 12B = 18 medals.
Tied with 2008 and 1992, and more than 1988, 2000 and 2004, but fewer gold.

Rammer wrote:Glad that Sinclair got to carry the Canadian flag at the closing ceremonies, well deserved.

No offense to Christine Sinclair, but who feels that the privilege should have gone to the only Canadian gold medalist, Rosie MacLennan?

Sir Purrcival wrote:I don't want to be a sour puss but I am glad that this exercise in futility is done for another 4 years (not including the Winter Oly).

I am most impressed that Canadian athletes put most of their lives into these events but time after time, it is the same thing. Announcers talking about strong medal chances in this event or another and as often as not, seeing performances that are less than suggested or downright awful. A whole lifetime aimed at this one moment in time only to come up short badly when it really counts.

That is hard of course but in view of the way some other countries prepare for these events (many of the Asian and Eastern European ones esp) these games are more about which country is going to pull out the most medals than a celebration of an individuals accomplishments. The politicking is awful and when you see things like what happened in Badminton come to pass because the country puts so high an emphasis on winning it all, rather than the spirit of competition and fair play, then it is really beyond redemption. I was sickened by the story of a Chinese Athlete who was denied the knowledge that her grandparents had both died and her mother was fighting breast cancer because it might upset her training. Closer to home of course was the brutal officiating during the US-Canada game. In the past we have seen, score fixing, intimidation tactics, doping scandals, allegations of bribes and influence peddling. Followed up of course with the patently repetitive message about how great it is that the world can come together in friendship and healthy competion. That is farcical. For too many it is about winning at any cost and for that reason, I believe that most of the Olympic ideal has been lost irrevocably. So for the next 4 years most of these medal events will go unwatched and uncared about by the vast majority until the next time, we get to do it all again and watch the lions share of the medals get swooped up by the same countries once again. Same story, different names. Doesn't make for much suspense overall much of the time. Rant Over.

If you think the Olympics are bad and it is all so cynical, don't follow pro sports or even amateur sports with all their politics!

Sinclair was an ok choice too. She has toiled for a lot of years on Canada's national team and she did put in a pretty spectacular show against the US.

Robbie wrote: No offense to Christine Sinclair, but who feels that the privilege should have gone to the only Canadian gold medalist, Rosie MacLennan?

Doesn't really matter what I think but I do think the honour should have gone to Rosie. Yes, Christine showed a lot of skill and leadership. I'm not sure how other countries choose their flag-bearer. Considering the gold medal is the best given and we only had one gold medaller, Rosie should have carried the flag, IMO. Sinclair was a great choice also though. IIRC, this was the first medal Canada had gotten in a team sport in decades...... (during a summer olympics)

notahomer wrote:

Robbie wrote: No offense to Christine Sinclair, but who feels that the privilege should have gone to the only Canadian gold medalist, Rosie MacLennan?

Doesn't really matter what I think but I do think the honour should have gone to Rosie. Yes, Christine showed a lot of skill and leadership. I'm not sure how other countries choose their flag-bearer. Considering the gold medal is the best given and we only had one gold medaller, Rosie should have carried the flag, IMO. Sinclair was a great choice also though. IIRC, this was the first medal Canada had gotten in a team sport in decades...... (during a summer olympics)

Either selection has its merits, however, given that Sinclair proved to be the best female soccer player in the World, should also be considered. Then topping it off with her US performance, leading an underdog team to the verge of the unthinkable, yes I think that she is deserving. Add to that which name you will recall in 4 years, and that selection is the correct one.