2016 Olympics Thread

pmcuk · August 9, 2016

I'm starting a new thread for the Olympics to catch it all as it happens.

I'll set the ball rolling by pointing out that I'm getting itchy for some action! Just over a week to go......

Anything to report yet?

hdr_ric · August 10, 2016

looks like its going to be windy down there first day or two. should be interesting....

pmcuk · August 11, 2016

In the UK golf coverage is starting on the BBC, mens first. Course is flat with a lot of water. Some undulations in the ground, but not much in the way of hills or trees. Used to be a swamp - doesn't sound promising for avoiding mosquitos...

Argonne69 · August 11, 2016

In the UK golf coverage is starting on the BBC, mens first. Course is flat with a lot of water. Some undulations in the ground, but not much in the way of hills or trees. Used to be a swamp - doesn't sound promising for avoiding mosquitos...

Problem solved.

pmcuk · August 11, 2016

Love it!!

Watched the mens round 1. I was getting very bored with the course - there's very little variety in it.

It's quite odd to see some of the pairings - nothing like you'd typically see on tour. The announcers are trying to do their best with the lower ranked golfers, saying how good they were last century, or referring to their wins on the Pacific Rim Tour etc..... Still - a lot of these more rarely spotted birds are seeing off some of the stars like Rickie Fowler, who's having a 'fouler' day than he might have expected....

I'm getting wary of Olympics overload - I can't bring myself to watch the canoeing or swimming or diving, or the underwater basket weaving finals.... Still, I do get surprisingly hooked by some events, like the shooting for instance. Grown men making pink puffs in the air. And the womens rugby sevens was terrific. God those girls are fit! I actually met some of the GB team at my local range. One of them - Danielle Waterman - was firing a hybrid off 200 yds. again and again. She was terribly well spoken and nice, but clearly an animal on the pitch.

Argonne69 · August 11, 2016

I record the majority of the coverage, and then checkout the various sports in small doses. I don't think I could manage an entire game of rugby, but I'd fast forward until I saw a score change, and then rewind a minute and watch the scoring play unfold. I've been fast forwarding through the swimming heats, and watching the medal races.

A bit of fencing, table tennis, field hockey, archery, and weight lifting has been cool. Amazing to watch a 110 lb woman snatch 80 kg.

mallrat · August 12, 2016

Having been a big volleyball player growing up, I really enjoy watching the men's games. Love soccer but can't get into it here.

Based on yesterday when Netherlands plays Switzerland in women's beach volleyball, everyone wins.

Argonne69 · August 12, 2016

Having been a big volleyball player growing up, I really enjoy watching the men's games. Love soccer but can't get into it here.

Based on yesterday when Netherlands plays Switzerland in women's beach volleyball, everyone wins.

Watching the men play is downright scary. One of the players had a reach of 12 feet I believe they said, which is close to touching the top of a basketball backboard.

ClairefromClare · August 12, 2016

Just for heck, I'll say something about the Olympics.

They really should have expanded the field to 64 and run it as match play. Maybe in 2020?

And yeah, we know the qualifying rules are the qualifying rules, but an Olympics where Fabienne In-Albon qualifies and So Yeon Ryu doesn't?

pmcuk · August 13, 2016

I've watched 3 rounds of the men so far and wondering if it's possible to make any predictions on this basis. There's a lot of scrubby waste land, so helps to be accurate off the tee. But having said that, a lot of time is being spent chipping and pitching onto the green and playing out of the sand - wedge stuff. Oh yes, and the greens are big and undulating so needs a pretty sharp putter.

Sounds like a good all-round game! Hard to predict who that favours except the top Rolex ranking players in general.

But in terms of motivation, playing for your country seems to inspire some players more than others - the men aren't following the Rolex rankings too closely...

Course for the women will be set up for 5,944m, which is 6,500yds. The average yardage for an LPGA Tour golf course is between 6,200 and 6,600 yards, so that's on the longer side.

http://www.igfgolf.o.../olympic-venue/

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Tailgater · August 14, 2016

The USA men got to terrible starts. Lexi, Stacy, and Gerina can't do the same.

pmcuk · August 14, 2016

The USA men got to terrible starts. Lexi, Stacy, and Gerina can't do the same.

Well - anyone can start badly....

Justin Rose's verdict after day 2, "it's about the long and medium putts..."

The winner will need huge confidence, a fearless finish, and probably some experience of winning already. And the putts will HAVE to go in...

It all seems to favour Ariya, Lydia and maybe Brooke on top form, or one of the proven Koreans this year like Sei Young Kim or Ha Na Jang.

Previous winners like Stacy and Nordqvist might be in with a shout - who knows. Experience will help in high pressure situations. But they have to sink putts.

The unpredictable factor is rising to the occasion when representing your country. Might put some fire under players like Carlotta Ciganda...