The Lounge 2

[looker-on]

What happened to Germany's bid mate.

I didn't even know there was one. Germany has never had a good record of hosting the Olympics, has it? In the last decades it became clear that, in contrast to your country, the population doesn't really want them. See the massive resistance in Hamburg (summer games) and Garmisch-Patenkirchen (winter). Also my town Leipzig (for the summer games) failed although there was more support because people were expecting the necessary investments in the infrastruture which were badly needed. Generally, people fear there may be more to lose than to win.
Our bid was half-heartedly made anyway. There was not enough early support by the authorities, and now there's the old buck-passing game. Laschet, PM of the federal state in charge, is a clown, a carnival enthusiast, who has just made one gaffe after the other and who will be replacing Merkel in September, is not really interested in sport. You can't expect the fox to guard the chickens.
A potential bid for the 2036 summer Olympics, a hundred years after the infamous Nazi Games in 1936, won't be easier for its symbolic power and the ambivalent feelings it might evoke.
Congrats to Brisbane! Good chance for the city to catch up with Melbourne and Sydney. Smart choice.

 

[Richie]

A potential bid for the 2036 summer Olympics, a hundred years after the infamous Nazi Games in 1936, won't be easier for its symbolic power and the ambivalent feelings it might evoke.

I see your point. Australia, in comparison with Germany and many other Euro nations, is young and enthusiastic. We are also sports mad. Yes the Olympics will signal the coming of age for Brisbane.

 

[Richie]

Sounds good to me

I bet Aussies win most Gold medals in the pool. We do have some good water sports athletes ourselves but the Aussies seem to shine in the pool

We probably lost one gold medal today with our world record holder in the female 200m Individual Medley pulling the plug due to lack of time between races. Drat.

Bet that was a fantastic experience

Sure was Jess. So many hilites but the biggest were the liting of the cauldron and singing We Are Australian at the Closing Ceremony with 40K other people... goosebump moment I gotta tell you

 

[BettyBoo]

We probably lost one gold medal today with our world record holder in the female 200m Individual Medley pulling the plug due to lack of time between races. Drat.

Sure was Jess. So many hilites but the biggest were the liting of the cauldron and singing We Are Australian at the Closing Ceremony with 40K other people... goosebump moment I gotta tell you

You seem very proud to be Australian Richie
I was telling my colleagues earlier about you pulling my leg over us Poms baking in a 30c heatwave they say the same as me, how do you cope in 40c heat

 

[Richie]

they say the same as me, how do you cope in 40c heat

Air conditioning or taking a cold shower.. oops that is for something else a dip in my pool then.

 

[looker-on]

	AUS	UK	GER
GOLD	2 (Swimming)	1 swim
SILVER	2 (Swimming)	1 Taekwondo 1 Triathlon
BRONZE	2 (Swimming)	1 Judo	1 synchronized diving 3m women 1 women's archery team

 

[Richie]

	AUS	UK	GER
GOLD	2 (swim)	1 (swim)
SILVER	2 (swim)
BRONZE	2 (swim)		1 synchronized diving 3m women 1 women's archery team

Your medal box is far classier than my effort mate. I do think we will need several lines for each medal if we want to describe the event.

 

[Richie]

Just had to write this. You have heard of American distance swimming queen Katie Ledecky.. unbeaten in last two Games. Australia's Ariane Titmus decrowned her today.

 

[looker-on]

Your medal box is far classier than my effort mate. I do think we will need several lines for each medal if we want to describe the event.

I do think we will need several lines for each medal if we want to describe the event.

Thanks, mate. You can add rows by clicking on the table and using the pop-up context menue saying "rows".

 

[Richie]

Thanks, mate. You can add rows by clicking on the table and using the pop-up context menue saying "rows".

 

[Richie]

There is a new team at Tokyo..ROC.. simply it stands for the Russian Olympic Committee, and it's essentially a loophole that allows Russian athletes to compete in the Olympics while their country is banned from the Games because of its doping scandal.

There are some specific rules the ROC has to follow to make clear it is not representing the country of Russia.

Under the ban, Russian athletes can still play as neutral athletes -- which means they do not technically represent a specific country -- if they can prove they had no link to the doping scandal. More than 300 athletes are doing that at Tokyo.

The team still bears the national colors of white, blue and red, and features athletes who have represented Russia in previous Olympics.

I find this kind of baffling. Loophole yes but if the 300 athletes are clean then no reason why they cant compete. But indirectly every medal these ROC athletes win is further glory and propaganda for Putin and the Kremlin.

 

[looker-on]

What are your views on this Thomas, Jessica, Sooz.

There is a new team at Tokyo..ROC.. simply it stands for the Russian Olympic Committee, and it's essentially a loophole that allows Russian athletes to compete in the Olympics while their country is banned from the Games because of its doping scandal.

There are some specific rules the ROC has to follow to make clear it is not representing the country of Russia.

Under the ban, Russian athletes can still play as neutral athletes -- which means they do not technically represent a specific country -- if they can prove they had no link to the doping scandal. More than 300 athletes are doing that at Tokyo.

The team still bears the national colors of white, blue and red, and features athletes who have represented Russia in previous Olympics.

I find this kind of baffling. Loophole yes but if the 300 athletes are clean then no reason why they cant compete. But indirectly every medal these ROC athletes win is further glory and propaganda for Putin and the Kremlin.

That very question has also given me some headache because I thought if 300 top athletes are supposed to be clean, how can there be talk of "state-sponsored doping" in Russia? All of a sudden there's allegedly no doping any more? As tragic as it may have been for the athletes banning them would have put enormous pressure not only on the Russian government but also on all those toying with the idea of doping.
It's one of those inconsistencies of sports policies which can be observed almost world-wide. Why would the European Football Championships be held in Asian Baku, the world cup in Qatar? Why do sports organisations like UEFA and others bow to the interests of those rulers? The answer is all too obvious.
Putin will not really enjoy the regulation about the ROC-team, though, because it officially, and that's what counts, does not represent him and the Russian government and state thus lacking all the symbolism that he likes and stands for.

 

[looker-on]

Yes a ding dong battle between your German girl and our Jess Fox mate. Jess went into the final with a time three secs better than anyone.. but two tiny touches cruelled her gold medal run. Congrats to your girl as evidently these two have had a long rivalry. Jess still has the C1 to race but her morale will now be rock bottom. Jessica's Team GB is going well. Pity she is not here to give us their precise medal score. They are ahead of my team at this stage.

 

[looker-on]

Richie wrote

Yes a ding dong battle between your German girl and our Jess Fox mate. Jess went into the final with a time three secs better than anyone.. but two tiny touches cruelled her gold medal run. Congrats to your girl as evidently these two have had a long rivalry. Jess still has the C1 to race but her morale will now be rock bottom. Jessica's Team GB is going well. Pity she is not here to give us their precise medal score. They are ahead of my team at this stage.

Did you know that Jessica Fox had to have her kajak repaired before the race?

 

[Richie]

Jess Fox's C1 gold was a win for the ages after having to overcome her devastation the day before. She also became the first ever woman to win a C1 Olympic gold medal. I see the English girl beat your K1 winner too to take the silver. Jess also vomited from nerves before her golden race, according to her sister and father. Not sure I'd want the world to know that detail.

 

[Richie]

Yes a ding dong battle between your German girl and our Jess Fox mate. Jess went into the final with a time three secs better than anyone.. but two tiny touches cruelled her gold medal run. Congrats to your girl as evidently these two have had a long rivalry. Jess still has the C1 to race but her morale will now be rock bottom.
update: Jess Fox finally wins Olympic gold. Great pressure race for her. Still nothing from Jessica and Team GB results.

We have had a gremlin in the works..can you post another medal box please mate.

 

[looker-on]

	AUS	UK	GER
GOLD	9 Swim: 50m free (E.McKeon) 100m ( E.McKeon) 200m (A.Titmus) 400m (A.Titmus) 4x100m relay (female) 100m back (K.McKewon) 200 back (K.McKewon) 200m breast (Z. Stubblety-Cook) 4x100 medley relay (female) 1 canoe slalom (Fox), 1 canoe sprint 2 rowing, men/woman 4s 1 sailing (B.Wearn) 1 sailing (W. Ryan & M. Belcher) 1 BMX freestyle (L. Martin) 1 skating (K. Palmer)	1 swim Total: 6 2 sailing	2 dressage 1 kajak slalom Total: 3
SILVER	5 1 Equestrian Eventing Team 1 female hi jump (N. McDermott) 1 beach volleyball	1 Taekwondo 1 Triathlon Total: 9	1 dressage, 2 rowing, 1 Judo Total: 4
BRONZE	21 1 Andrew Hoy Eventing Individual.	1 Judo Total:9 13 Gold, 13 Silver, and 13 Bronze!! (GB)	2 synchronized diving 1 women's archery team 1 swimming 3 kajak 1 Judo Total: 9
	Australia Final Tally: 17 Gold 7 Silver 22 Bronze 46	GB Final Tally: 20 Gold 21 Silver 22 Bronze 63	Germany Final Tally: 10 Gold 11 Silver 16 Bronze 37

[/QUOTE] Team GB too good. I concede. An Excellent second week by you Brits. Congrats Jessica. Third Games in succession you have beaten us from memory. A superb second week by your team Thomas. An empty feeling now it is over. We Aussies will be out for revenge in the Comm. Games next year.

 

[BettyBoo]

Air conditioning or taking a cold shower.. oops that is for something else a dip in my pool then.

But when you're out and about, say shopping or running errands, how do you stay cool then?

 

[BettyBoo]

I've lost track of our medal tally, I know we've won a few gold though so I'll have a catch up later

Such a shame Simone Biles has quit, she's an absolute gem to watch

 

[Richie]

But when you're out and about, say shopping or running errands, how do you stay cool then?

With great difficulty. Wear as little clothing as possible and avoid direct sun.