London Olympics

[Old Croc]

One other problem was the lack of team GB members. Only four guys riding for Cavendish and there is no way that few can control a race for 250kms.

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There are only five members to a team in this competion, Stannard, Froome, Wiggins and Millar, & Cavendish, but you are right they cannot bring back a break away where no one wants to help.

Why would other countries want to help get Cavandish a gold medal? Everyone knows he's the fastest rider on the planet and would slaughter everyone else in a final sprint. And Cavandish is not exactly Mr Popular of cycling.

The Germans possibly could have thought their sprinter, Greiple, had a chance for silver and maybe should have worked with the Brits.

Australia had a good rider in the breakaway, O'Grady, he finished 6th, so no reason to try to bring them back.

Team GB, got it wrong, they didn't have a plan B. They thought they could cruise along at the front of the peleton, like in France, and others would bring back the breakaways.

Gold medals only happen on one day, not over three weeks.

Agree about the crap coverage, no commentry for the race on True HD, so had to watch on SD, but a few kms from the end of the race they cut back to Weightlifting!

Edited July 29, 2012 by Old Croc

[Cobalt60]

Nice view from the camera following the back of the ladies cycle race.

Its raining today, hope they stay on in these conditions.

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[Mossfinn]

One other problem was the lack of team GB members. Only four guys riding for Cavendish and there is no way that few can control a race for 250kms.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

There are only five members to a team in this competion, Stannard, Froome, Wiggins and Millar, & Cavendish, but you are right they cannot bring back a break away where no one wants to help.

Why would other countries want to help get Cavandish a gold medal? Everyone knows he's the fastest rider on the planet and would slaughter everyone else in a final sprint. And Cavandish is not exactly Mr Popular of cycling.

The Germans possibly could have thought their sprinter, Greiple, had a chance for silver and maybe should have worked with the Brits.

Australia had a good rider in the breakaway, O'Grady, he finished 6th, so no reason to try to bring them back.

Team GB, got it wrong, they didn't have a plan B. They thought they could cruise along at the front of the peleton, like in France, and others would bring back the breakaways.

Gold medals only happen on one day, not over three weeks.

Agree about the crap coverage, no commentry for the race on True HD, so had to watch on SD, but a few kms from the end of the race they cut back to Weightlifting!

In the main I absolutely agree, excepting Greiple has a chance of taking him in a sprint, even so, if not a Silver, It is an Olympic medal after all. I didn't see all of the race so still don't understand why they allowed such a large group, with at least seven good bike riders within it, that i noticed with the poor coverage.

I haven't heard the interview, but if he attacked the Australians, little short of stupidity, with O'Grady in the group, a 16 time Tour de France rider, why would they, so agree there also.

[stoneyboy]

The Thai guy just got shafted in the boxing big time,what a travesty.

[el jefe]

Controversial Winner

Vinokourov, the 2000 Olympic silver medallist who served a two-year ban after doping in the 2007 Tour de France.

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Why controversial?

If there was no controversy over Vino qualifying, why do you think there is a controversy over his win?

i didn't see anything wrong. I thought he rode a brilliant race. A fitting end to a great career.

[David48]

I hope the commentary is ok as its utter garbage on most of the events I've watched so far,I've not heard one word since the woman's weightlifting started about 10 minutes ago,am I doing something wrong or is this how's it going to be on these additional ESPN channels.

Who are these ESPN people? Are they Americans?

Their broadcasting standards are lamentable.

It was hard to follow what was happening with the cycling

Pity the Beeb aren't doing it for free. Shameful actually.....

Actually we Australians are blessed with the services of a certain Phil Liggett a British Commentator (OBE).

In cycling terms, his voice is familiar to us cycling fans as Sir Richard Attenborough.

Thankfully he also commentated the men's road race for our TV network.

Why, on Earth, the CH9 network, who are the Games station here in Australia didn't get him to do the Opening Ceremony, I'll never know.

He can make the most mundane seem interesting.

Edited July 29, 2012 by David48

[David48]

I'm surprised that the cyling TV coverage doesn't include continuous presentation of key statistics: distance to go, time lag from the person shown to the leader etc. With this technology thing, that should be straightforward...

I don't really see what the British cyclists are complaining about. If they hadn't wanted someone else to win, they should have stayed in the leading group. If their strategy for the race relied on the support of others outside their own team, it was a pretty shakey strategy, surely?

SC

Our coverage actually had some of those stats, but one was bemusing in that the gave the time difference between the break-away group and the rider at the rear of the peloton, not the lead rider in the peloton ...

One of the important differences between the Olympic Road Race and say the Tour de France is that in the Tour, all the riders are 'wired up' and can freely talk and discuss tactics with their coach/manager in the team car.

Where’s in the Olympic Road Race they are all electronically 'deaf' and a rider has to drop back to Team car for update for the race status and change to the team tactics.

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[David48]

Great story for TEAM GB

The defending Olympic Champion and TEAM GB swimmer Rebecca Adlington has won bronze in the women's 400 metre freestyle final.

Even though she won her qualifying heat, her time was just enough to sneak her into lane 8 much to the delight of the patriotic British crowd.

Maybe it was the roar of that crown that helped her medal because at the half-way mark, she was not in medal contention.

Camille Muffat of France won the gold with a new Olympic record of 4 minutes, 1.45 seconds, while Allison Schmitt of USA came second.

No British swimmer has ever retained their Olympic title.

Adlington will be in action again on Friday in the 800 metre final.

With some help from here

[7by7]

Pity the Beeb aren't doing it for free. Shameful actually.....

They're doing it for free where I live; in the UK.

I understand that their contract with the IOC prevents them from doing so outside the UK.

[David48]

I'm just enjoying the ladies' beach volleyball from yesterday. I can imagine that the weather must have a significant effect on how cheerful the participants look...

I was sorry to see that the competition is being staged in London, rather than somewhere with a more beachy sort of a tradition; but the weather does look nice

SC

Yes beach volleyball on Horse Guards Parade,when the UK has 11,000 miles of coastline seems a little silly to me also.

It seems strange to play it late in the evening rather than in the blazing heat of the mid-day sun, as well...

SC

(blazing heat of the mid-day sun - you have to laugh, really!)

Ha ... you can but dream to live in the Tropics ...

I'll see what I can dig up about the volley ballers.

At school, I was very lucky as my mate was in the Queensland Volleyball team and his older brother was the coach of the Australian Team ... but school was a long time ago!

[David48]

As StreetCowboy mentioned the Beach Volleyball Team is interesting to watch.

It was questioned why hold it in Central London and not at the Beach.

Maybe logistically, because it can be accommodated in an area the size of a Basketball Stadium.

The Olympics are also about creating a legacy for the host City and somehow, given the British Summer, a permanent outdoor multi-million pound Beach Volleyball Stadium, might not get the year round use that it would get in say Australia, Thailand or the West Indies.

What is nice is that the sport has a strong entertainment element to it and can be equally enjoyed by participant and spectator alike.

Here are some lassies entertaining the crowd between the sets.

Can't believe it's England from this view!

I doubt the sand at Brighton Beach is of the consistency required for the competition so it would have to be imported … so why not central London.

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Edited July 29, 2012 by David48

[David48]

Some sport can be easily expressed in a photojournalistic exercise ... non better then Beach Volleyball.

Introducing TEAM GB

Mrs Mullin and Dampney

Plus half of the Australian Team.

Natalie Cook and Tamsin Barnett

The USA is the Team to beat in this sport and, according to yesterday's commentary, they have never dropped a set at this level of competition.

So, with some pride the Australian pairing above pushed the USA Team losing each set my only 2 points after holding the lead several times.

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[David48]

Here is the event stadium that stoneyboy mentioned ...

To explain some terms that is used to describe the game.

and

You ‘serve’ the ball, typically a flat handed serve.

and

Receiving the serve you typically 'dig' the volleyball, basically take the speed off the ball.

Sometimes you dig at full stretch

You can also ‘set’ the ball, which is a two hands in contact with the ball simultaneously and pushing the ball up, typically for an aggressive strike shot next.

With the ball in the air from the 'set', akin to a tennis 'toss of the ball' a spike is a usual shot next.

The defence to the spike is either a block at the net or a dig as explained above, both of which are shown in the 2 photos above.

Also similar to tennis, you can never touch the net.

Now it might appear that I have deliberately have chosen the fairer sex for these sporting example, but just Google 'Olympics beach volleyball' and they are the large majority of the images on display.

Team signals and tactics below ...

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[David48]

Lastly, there are many team tactics to be employed when receiving the serve ... none more important then the strategy for the team position within the court which changes the moment the ball is served.

Various signals in field use as explained in the instructional video above.

or

In use at the London Olympics

Beach Volleyball Tactics Montage

Hope that helps and yes ... I 'dig' volleyball ...

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[Cobalt60]

David48, I am getting the idea, I dont quite know where from, but an idea is forming, that you are finding a reason, admirable that it is, to post pictures of cute ass's

I might have mentioned once that I was watching the ladies cycle race for similar reasons, but that was a joke, i am into cycling of all forms

[David48]

David48, I am getting the idea, I dont quite know where from, but an idea is forming, that you are finding a reason, admirable that it is, to post pictures of cute ass's

I might have mentioned once that I was watching the ladies cycle race for similar reasons, but that was a joke, i am into cycling of all forms

I can understand what you have concluded above however ...

Now it might appear that I have deliberately have chosen the fairer sex for these sporting example, but just Google 'Olympics beach volleyball' and they are the large majority of the images on display.

.

So I can only work with what material is available ... and the Female Beach Volleyballers were, for some unknown reason, the most photographed ...

[Cobalt60]

David48, I am getting the idea, I dont quite know where from, but an idea is forming, that you are finding a reason, admirable that it is, to post pictures of cute ass's

I might have mentioned once that I was watching the ladies cycle race for similar reasons, but that was a joke, i am into cycling of all forms

I can understand what you have concluded above however ...

Now it might appear that I have deliberately have chosen the fairer sex for these sporting example, but just Google 'Olympics beach volleyball' and they are the large majority of the images on display.

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So I can only work with what material is available ... and the Female Beach Volleyballers were, for some unknown reason, the most photographed ...

Fair point

[Mossfinn]

Pity the Beeb aren't doing it for free. Shameful actually.....

They're doing it for free where I live; in the UK.

I understand that their contract with the IOC prevents them from doing so outside the UK.

Could you elaborate? The BBC actually doing the broadcasting that is?

[7by7]

Not sure what you mean.

The BBC have the rights in the UK, though I notice that Eurosport are also showing them on one of their satellite/cable channels.

You can't get away from them on the BBC; blanket coverage on BBC1, BBC3 and Radio5 and Radio5 extra.

Plus you can choose your sport via the red button.

List of 2012 Summer Olympics broadcasters

The 2012 Summer Olympics in London will broadcast around the world, with Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), an agency of the International Olympic Committee, serving as the host broadcaster.^[1]

The host nation broadcaster will be the BBC, which will broadcast all 5000 hours of competition through various channels

[stoneyboy]

The Thais take their first medal of the games with a silver in the woman's weightlifting,it's been decent viewing to be honest,with a possible world record attempt now.

Edited July 30, 2012 by stoneyboy

[bonobo]

The Thais take their first medal of the games with a silver in the woman's weightlifting,it's been decent viewing to be honest,with a possible world record attempt now.

They also took a fourth in the event as well. That and the fourth they took by their number 2 in the lightest weight class helps take away the sting of the injury which took out one of their best medal hopes in that class.

[Mossfinn]

A 'floorless', performance on the Floor exercise see GB take over the Silver from the Japanese, but they have protested.

Japanese win the protest and are elevated to Silver, great drama.

[Mossfinn]

Not sure what you mean.

The BBC have the rights in the UK, though I notice that Eurosport are also showing them on one of their satellite/cable channels.

You can't get away from them on the BBC; blanket coverage on BBC1, BBC3 and Radio5 and Radio5 extra.

Plus you can choose your sport via the red button.

List of 2012 Summer Olympics broadcasters

The 2012 Summer Olympics in London will broadcast around the world, with Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), an agency of the International Olympic Committee, serving as the host broadcaster.^[1]

The host nation broadcaster will be the BBC, which will broadcast all 5000 hours of competition through various channels

What I mean, is that i don't think the BBC are doing the actual pictures they are purely a 'host' and delivering them via the OBS, because the OBS or should I say the IOC, believe it is not possible for the TV companies of all countries to have their own broadcasting facilities. The reason why I thought the BBC were not doing the actual pictures is because the BBC OB of sporting events is very good and the road race was almost unbelievably incompetent.

The BBC should have done the actual pictures and sold the rights to the other countries, everybody would be happy.

[David48]

No major sporting event is without controversy but the gold Medal for the best thus far would have to be ...

Fencing controversy forces Korean to sit on piste for ages, eventually costs her medal

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The Olympic fencing tournament was thrown into an incredibly emotional, dramatic and elongated controversy when a semifinal bout of the woman's individual epee competition was won on a final touch with 1 second remaining and the losing fencer launched an appeal of the decision which eventually cost her a place on the podium.

Yet it was the appeal of the decision itself which led to incredibly acrimony and one of the lengthiest delays in recent Olympic memory. Here's how everything unfolded: ... HERE

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[David48]

Thanks to Mossfin and Stoneyboy for contributions thus far ... podium finish for you two.

My gf arrives here (Australia) today and I hope to get her searching for Thai related stories so that I can add to what you guys contribute and maybe compliment it with a photo or two.

To Mossfin, can you please replicate the post you did over in General here please?

The Thread will be richer for it.

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[MAJIC]

A 'floorless', performance on the Floor exercise see GB take over the Silver from the Japanese, but they have protested.

Japanese win the protest and are elevated to Silver, great drama.

But looked like he fell off to me,or at the very least a very poor less than perfect finish landing ! and to be elevated from 4th place to 2nd place.....Hmmmm, how many other results could be overturned on appeal, in this manner ?

Edited July 30, 2012 by MAJIC

[Mossfinn]

Yes he fell, but he had the understanding to realise that if he made a good job of it, they would have to give him a statutory mark of a dismount.

The argument being was it a proper dismount, he won the appeal, so the Brits who were elated at fighting for Bronze, were ecstatic at winning Silver, are now deflated at winning the Bronze they gave a 'floorless' performance for.

[Mossfinn]

To Mossfin, can you please replicate the post you did over in General here please?

Fully understand the criticism David, it wont happen again on this thread

[David48]

To Mossfin, can you please replicate the post you did over in General here please?

Fully understand the criticism David, it wont happen again on this thread

Mate ... sorry, you lost me with that response.

Here is the members link I was hoping to have here.

It's a complete run down of the Thai Olmpic Sporting Team with photos.

Thanks to Mossfin for the originial post which I transferred the information from.

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[David48]

Cycling

I didn't catch the Ladies road race.

TEAM GB won a Silver ... ???

Cadel Evens has pulled out of the time trial citing fatigue.

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