Olympics 2012

[nakamura]

It does make you realise just how amazing the human body really is. Also makes me feel slightly guilty for not using mine properly, a bit like buying a sports car and never driving above 30 m.p.h.

Not me. Most of these guys and girls are fully trained and have the time to do it day after day.

[BaronSqwelch]

I don't think she has been accused of taking drugs. It's just some interview taken out of context where someone suggested than on previous occassions where someone blitzed a record, there has often been drugs involved.

I read the whole interview (I used to swim pretty seriously as a boy so still try to keep abreast of it) its not out of context. He isnt saying she is def on drugs but makes it pretty clear he thinks she is, might be sour american grapes but he is one of the most experienced coaches in the world. Pointing out that all the samples taken are kept for 8 years and in that time science will have moved on enough to catch them. The difference in the split times of the 4 strokes was suspicious too.

Its a shame she isn't doing more races, the longer freestyle events mainly! Seeing a 16 year old girl smash the mens world record would be hilarious I hope she is just good and not cheating. When they were all wearing those awful suits I nearly lost interest so its good to see someone so naturally good again!

If not though she can just do what Ben Johnson ended up doing (racing horses and cars/dolphins and boats)

[capcom_suicide]

Everyone in Scandinavia is thin and beautiful.

Apart from me.

[QualityChimp]

Not me. Most of these guys and girls are fully trained and have the time to do it day after day.

That's not strictly true, they make time to do it day after day. Early mornings and late nights, plus lots of dietary restrictions on themselves we couldn't keep up.

This tool wound me up on the radio yesterday. He was complaining that the opening ceremony had a lot of left-wing imagery (NHS, human rights activists, anti-nuclear signs), but they were worthless when associated with the right-wing elitism that the Olympics are.

He says:

The London Olympics are the most Right-wing major event in Britain’s modern history. Billions of pounds are taken from poor and middle-income taxpayers and service users to build temples to a corporate and sporting elite. Democratic, grassroots sport is stripped of money to fund the most rarefied sport imaginable. The police and the state are turned into the enforcement arm of Coca-Cola. How did this event suddenly become the toast of the Left?

I understand his stance on the Olympics and he's entitled to his opinion, but I find his claims that it's elitist offensive. Does he picture everybody is like Zara Phillips with the time and money to train to get to this level?

The amount of sacrifice most of these athletes make to reach the peak of their game is something most of us couldn't get our heads around.

[koopatroopa90]

Thing is no one is forcing these people to do what they do. From my experience "fit" people relish in punishing themselves and getting further and further in whatever it is they do. I think sacrifice is the wrong word.

[yesteryeargames]

An old friend from school will win Team GBs first gold tomorrow morning

[k0pp0]

Women's beach volleyball. Amen.

[MisterBubbles]

An old friend from school will win Team GBs first gold tomorrow morning

Well that's as clear as mud

[prinnysquad]

Ian Thorpe said that when he was that girls age he took 5 seconds off his best in the space of one year and broke the world record.

Quite like yon Thorpe lad. Decent analyst who clearly has a passion for what he's talking about.

[stevie vip 99]

Home from work just in time for our first gold!! Well done girls

[QualityChimp]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/the-thorpedo--cracking-pundit-dodgy-clobber-7995011.html

He's been getting a lot of praise for his enthusiasm and punditry, but a bit of a ribbing over his fashion choices.

Comes to something if Julian Clary takes a pop at your outfit...

[prinnysquad]

Anyone who criticises someone over something they wear is not worth listening to.

Tremendous performance by the rowing team!

[charlesr]

The teamgb website is a confusing mess...

[nakamura]

Thorpe has been a major highlight so far. Pity the overbearing BBC bias is taking the edge off.

[koopatroopa90]

Rowing was so disappointing...