Tokyo Olympics

For anyone else daft enough to be assuming that the BBC is showing much of this, turn to the myriad of Eurosport channels.

Interesting the interview with Jade Jones after her defeat in the Taekwando today, mentioning the empty venues (barring Coaches and Officials) and the lack of buzz as such…

It doesn’t feel like the Olympics watching it, so god knows what it feels like for the athletes.

It was always going to be tarnished with people not there because they test Covid positive but it had to go ahead to satisfy sponsors.

Gold rush!

Peaty’s interview a pearler!

Americans miles ahead in the shooting medals

As good as the Swimming and Rowing etc can be, it’s good to see the Athletics under way…

The high jump final came down to the last two opponents fighting for the gold medal. After three jump-offs they were still level, neither could clear a higher height.

The two jumpers agreed to call it a draw and both claimed a gold medal (allowed in the rules).

I see a lot of people saying how wonderful that was and it being in the true spirit of sport.

All I can say is RUBBISH! How the heck is that the true spirit of sport. The whole ethos of sport is to win, surely, isn't that what the gold represents, the winner.

I can just about get my head around why there are two bronze medals awarded in boxing but not the gold medal, that, to me, is just wrong.

If the high jumpers felt they couldn't be separated and wanted to call it a draw, surely two silver medals would be the right thing to do?

Good news. Laurel from NZ did nothing in the weightlifting.

So what happens if there is a dead heat in say the 100m?
Do the 2 of them race again, maybe over a longer distance, shorter distance, introduce an egg and spoon?
No they don't.
I personally thought it was a wonderful moment of sportsmanship and respect and am surprised Bumble with your attitude to this as I usually agree with your posts.

You’ll be wanting a penalty shoot out if a league match is a draw next. Right result I thought. Two lads couldn’t be separated so called it a draw. Done it plenty of times myself when I used to play a bit of poker.

Sometimes I surprise myself

I was actually surprised just how wrong I felt the decision. To me, it felt a bit of a cop-out, a settling for half rather than backing themselves to go for broke.

I am happy for the 100 metres or any race to be settled as a dead heat because that's the rule, they don't have "play offs", but there was something just wrong about that high jump.

The whole ethos of elite sport is to win. You ask about the 100 metres and to be honest, I can't say why I don't expect a playoff, I think it's because it's totally a one-off, whereas the high jump isn't, it goes up incrementally anyway, so extra jumps to find the champion isn't bringing anything new into the mix.

I do know I would hate it to happen in football. Just imagine the FA Cup, Chelsea and Man United 2-2 after 90 minutes, they prepare to go into extra time when the two captains step up and say, nah, we'll just agree it was a draw and both be winners. It just doesn't work.

I’m with Bumble I thought it was a bit ridiculous.

The height that they both cleared should be attempted again perhaps, who fails first loses or best of three?

I must admit some of the "sports" that now are included in the Olympics leave me cold especially those that require subjective judgement by a judge, some are art forms not sport e.g. Rhythmic Gymnastics, Synchronised swimming, ice dancing, synchronised diving...etc etc not arguing they are difficult but a sport???? whatever happened to their motto faster higher stronger??? and don't start me on skateboarding... what next... synchronised breakdancing..... Grand Theft Auto... fastest instagram posts.... ffs..

It’s who can jump the highest, not who can jump over the stick the most.

In the rare event that more than one jumper is stuck at the same height then it’s better to share the win than introduce some arbitrary play off malarkey

I felt the competitors were placed in a poor position here.
They were asked , do you want to share the gold (though you both get a gold) or go for your own gold and stuff the other gadgie.
If you said option B , you would have looked like a tit if you lost and a heartless [censored] if you won.
The rules need change but I completely agree it shouldn't be claimed as a great moment in sport.
Sport is the opposite of this.
More reminiscent of an episode of Golden Balls with Jasper Carrot and the lovely Amanda.
I did like Amanda.

Was weird seeing a Play-Off in the Golf yesterday morning. For Third place!

(Though I think Golf has no place in the Olympics!)

I watched that.
A bit ike the Football League play offs, the bloke who got the bronze, seeing off 6 others including McIlroy in a marathon play-off , got far more attention than the one who finished 2nd.

I couldn’t watch these sports all the time but the bmx freestyle I thought was amazing as was the gymnastics etc. Totally different skills to the gruelling triathlons for example.

I don’t get dressage at all though , very very clever but not a sport for me.

When's the synchronised hardsports on?


It's a crap atmosphere for the athletics. I genuinely tottered round the sheepmount in front of more people when I ran with the border Harriers

Regarding the high jump, didn't they both fail at the same height so were both eliminated. They then usually award it to the person who had the fewest fails during the competition. They were also tied on this too.
Why ask them to go higher still?
There are the occasional dead heats in other sports, so I don't see why some feel it was so wrong in this instance.
As for some of the 'random sports,' I think it is refreshing to see something other than football, cricket or rugby on tv.
I agree with Mullen the likes of the BMX freestyle and gymnastics made for superb viewing and even with sports that do not actually float your boat (yes even the sailing can be exciting and proved that Italian sailors are just as feisty as their football counterparts the way they blocked off the the GB boat the other day). Surely you do have to admire the dedication and sacrifices so many make to get as far as the Olympics and it is obvious to see what it means to them. Examples being the Italian high jumper and our female weight lifter today (she even beat a man to win her silver medal).
I know this is a footy board, but we should all open our eyes and appreciate that there is so much more sport out there other than football.

When I lived in the Midlands they were doing that 'no losers' thing in schools where winners were not announced or praised but everyone was praised for taking part and treated as equals.

I obviously didn't know the areas well when I moved down there but my missus at the time did and we ended up in this posh area that everyone seemed to aspire to move to, the people who lived there acted like they had 'made it' and looked down on most other people - a bit like Stanwix, these are the sort of places that put up with this nonsense, if there was a place in Carlisle that would accept this non winning nonsense it would definitely be Stanwix.

Was weird - your natural reaction is to cheer for your child, I did anyhow and just made out that I was cheering as encouragement for the lot of them.

He didn't win, but then again by their rules he may as well have done.

It was refreshing to find that in Carlisle that they actually recognise kids winning again and that is when the awards started flowing in - if anyone doesn't believe me I have the stickers that they give out as awards nicely stuck up in the trophy cabinet, they keep falling off mind you as some of them have got fluff and bits of grass stuck on the sticky side.

13yo and a Bronze Medal is some tale for when the lass goes back to School!

The athletics is a bit disappointing from a GB point of view a lot of below par performances especially from the men. Some countries have three people in each event we are struggling to put one in a lot of events.

Skateboarding, BMX, 3v3 Basketball... Really? Detract from the entire event.