Olympic Games.

[Dunedin]

On the last day of competition, Team GB finish in 4th out of 86 countries competing. Only the US, China and Japan have more Gold Medals. 😀

[Dunedin]

Spain and Brasil go into extra time in the Olympic Football Final. 😬


Brasil win  2-1 in extra time giving them 7 Gold medals. 😄

[Dunedin]

BBC has been dreadful. OK, they can only show 2 live events. But do they have to keep showing the same repeat interviews. This morning, they have shown the boxing live, then interview. Then repeated it twice more in 2 hours. No pentathlon. Diving and cycling, fine. But come on sane event shown 3 times in 3 hours

Totally agree 100%. Also in the past they have shown on their red button text what is coming and what time. I think it's a poor show this time from the management. They will use cutbacks as the excuse. But instead they should look to savings on the exorbitant wages they pay to some. They are having problems with the over 75's refusing to pay the licence fee. 😎

[felipe]

BBC has been dreadful. OK, they can only show 2 live events. But do they have to keep showing the same repeat interviews. This morning, they have shown the boxing live, then interview. Then repeated it twice more in 2 hours. No pentathlon. Diving and cycling, fine. But come on sane event shown 3 times in 3 hours

[Dunedin]

Table.of top 10 Gold Medals.

China,........... 34
USA...............31
Japan...........24
Team GB. ....20
Australia......17
ROC..............17
Italy..............10
Germany...... 9
Holland........ 9
France..........7


[/quote]

[Dunedin]

Team GB move up into 4th after our ladies dominated in the Madison track race. Now with 55 medals, 18 gold.

[Dunedin]

Spain got 2more gold medals today to add to the one they got last week. 😀

[Dunedin]

Team GB's 13 year old Skateboarder Sky Brown wins the bronze medal.
The door is open for Theim after Kat pulls up in the 200m with a archillies injury. On  the medal front they are still coming. Team GB are in 5th place just 1 behind Australia but with more mixed medals.

Table.of top ten Gold Medals.

China,........... 32
USA...............25
Japan...........20
Team GB. ....15
Australia......15
ROC..............14
Germany..... 8
France..........6
Italy...............6
Holland........6

[Dunedin]

Despite being banned for state sponsored doping, Russia have more athletes at the games than they did in Rio. 😡

[Dunedin]

It's all happening for Team GB this morning. We have overtaken the Russian Team and into 5th place with 13 golds and a 43 total with only China and the USA have more. 😄🇬🇧

Now a 43 total.

[Dunedin]

There is talk of a possible U Turn by Simone Biles and she may compete on the beam exercise. 😀

[Dunedin]

Yes a magnificent performance so far. We were both commenting on how some sprinters in the heats slow down nearer the finishing line. Don't repeat that to Ms.Jackson in the 200m, out of games for slowing down with a metre to go! The transwoman is out of the weightlifting already. Backed to win a medal before today.

Same with Lidia Velentin Perez. It's surprising how many of the top athletes have health problems of some sort or injuries at this time. Semone Biles and Dina Asher Smith to name just 2 who where expected to hit high in the medals. I just hope our track cyclists are on form and also Katrina Johnson Thompson. 😎

[Old Pedro]

Yes a magnificent performance so far. We were both commenting on how some sprinters in the heats slow down nearer the finishing line. Don't repeat that to Ms.Jackson in the 200m, out of games for slowing down with a metre to go! The transwoman is out of the weightlifting already. Backed to win a medal before today.

[Dunedin]

Team GB win against Spain on penalties and go through to the semi finals. Overall our little island is doing quite well against the larger nations with 11 golds so far followed by France and Germany both with 6 and Spain 1.
We need 2 more to go ahead of the ROC, (Russia Olympic Cheats) 😄😄

[Dunedin]

I can't believe they have continued on the track in the heavy pouring rain. Discus competitors are falling as it is in the hurdles. At least they have held the pole vault event. 🙄

[Dunedin]

The women's weightlifting today includes the first transgender and probably the strongest competitor in the 87+kg. category? I think the IOC have made a mistake in allowing New Zealand Laurel Hubbard to compete. Although Laurel is nearly twice the average age of her Tokyo 2020 competitors she has shifted 285 kg in qualifying and is also one of the "strongest" in the field. Before allowing her to compete the IOC took into consideration a research paper by Joanna Harper, a transgender woman and amateur runner. Her preliminary study of eight transgender women athletes who underwent hormone therapy showed subsequent declines in performance. In my opinion the IOC did not have enough data to make their decision in 2015. The IOC should have tracked transathletes in different sporting categories, monitoring changes in areas like weight, strength, stamina and speed before and after hormone therapy for long periods of time to see if their performance levels drop sufficiently enough that they are competing on an even level.

The negative reaction to Hubbard's inclusion was overwhelmingly due to people being misinformed rather than transphobic and the IOC have been blamed for not sufficiently educating the public on its 2015 decision.  Unfortunately for Hubbard she is currently in a no win situation even if she lands the gold medal. That is what every athlete dreams of. Just look at the two high jumpers who shared the gold yesterday-unfortunately Hubbard may not experience that high even if she wins?



Lidia must fancy her chances as she has elected to compete in a weight category above her usual competition class, which you can do if you think you will perform better. 😎

[Old Pedro]

The women's weightlifting today includes the first transgender and probably the strongest competitor in the 87+kg. category? I think the IOC have made a mistake in allowing New Zealand Laurel Hubbard to compete. Although Laurel is nearly twice the average age of her Tokyo 2020 competitors she has shifted 285 kg in qualifying and is also one of the "strongest" in the field. Before allowing her to compete the IOC took into consideration a research paper by Joanna Harper, a transgender woman and amateur runner. Her preliminary study of eight transgender women athletes who underwent hormone therapy showed subsequent declines in performance. In my opinion the IOC did not have enough data to make their decision in 2015. The IOC should have tracked transathletes in different sporting categories, monitoring changes in areas like weight, strength, stamina and speed before and after hormone therapy for long periods of time to see if their performance levels drop sufficiently enough that they are competing on an even level.

The negative reaction to Hubbard's inclusion was overwhelmingly due to people being misinformed rather than transphobic and the IOC have been blamed for not sufficiently educating the public on its 2015 decision.  Unfortunately for Hubbard she is currently in a no win situation even if she lands the gold medal. That is what every athlete dreams of. Just look at the two high jumpers who shared the gold yesterday-unfortunately Hubbard may not experience that high even if she wins?

[Dunedin]

For those following the games, the Track Cycling starts tomorrow in their veladrome. A sport worth a watch tomorrow is the Women's Weightlifting and features Spains Lidia Valentin who will be a favourite for a medal. She has held World Records in the past. This attractive blonde female is not a typical shape in this sport. 😄

[Dunedin]

More medals overnight to retain Team GB in 6th place with 10 golds and a total of 32 medals. 😊

[Dunedin]

Dina Asher Smith out of the 100m final due toa slight injury and the high level of sprinters competing. 😬

[Dunedin]

Two more gold medals for Team GB overnight and a now world record in the pool. Johnny Brownlee says that he will retire from International competition after receiving the gold medal today. TEeam GB won the gold in the mixed meadly relay in the pool. The medal count is now 27 and still in 6th place. 😎

[twojaysalmeria]

Only dipping in and out of the Olympics but I have to say that the sportsmanship of the various ladies' teams has been oustanding.

Best quote so far was in the women's rugby sevens where a GB player was described as being 'like an eel dipped in olive oil.'

Agreed, GB doing really well so far - let's hope that continues.

[Dunedin]

Another half a dozen medals overnight to retain the position in the table. 🇬🇧😀

[Dunedin]

Australia go ahead of Team GB pushing the team down into 6th. More medals gained since and now at 18.
Track and field events start tomorrow. 😊

[Dunedin]

More medals for team GB in both gold and silver overnight keeping the team in 5th place in the table. Today the biggest upset is for the U. S. after Simone Biles pulls out of the competition. 🙄
Day 5 starts tonight with GB having 13 medals so far, which is the best start in GB Olympic6 history.

[Dunedin]

So the medals are coming for team GB putting them 5th in the medal table just behind the Russians. Many more wins today in sports like Rugby Sevens, Hockey and Judo. 😀

[Dunedin]

Tom Daly and Matt  Lee take the gold and the title Diving Champions. Adam Peaty also takes gold in the 100m  breaststroke final..😄

[Dunedin]

Skateboarding (IMHO) is NOT a "sport".

A sport is something where there is a winner and a loser.  Not judged by the subjective views (open to bribery - oops controversial) of a few "judges".

IMO, to be a sport it has to be where active energy along with a skill is needed, which is is why I consider darts, snooker and golf etc to be pastimes rather than sport. 😀

[byrney]

Skateboarding (IMHO) is NOT a "sport".

A sport is something where there is a winner and a loser.  Not judged by the subjective views (open to bribery - oops controversial) of a few "judges".

[Rtis]

GB rowing 8 , what a disaster, they were 2 strokes down throughout !! Steve Redgrave must be tearing the rest of his hair out !!

[Dunedin]

One of the youngest Olympicians to perform is the GB skateboarder Sky Brown and she has only just turned 13 last week. She starts her Olympic journey today. 😄

[Old Pedro]

What a shock watching an Austrian win the road race, a ten minute lead at one point and under no contract at present. Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury for gold after Andy Murray declared he is not playing in the singles and the impressive win over the French seeds.

[Dunedin]

Predict the gold is a little competition we could do on here. My local sports people are running one where you predict 2 from your own country and 2 from 2 other separate countries.
My selections were,
Adam Peaty and  Dina Asher Smith  from GB and Lydia Valantin from Spain and Simone Biles from the USA.

Who would you choose.?

[Dunedin]

GB Ladies football top their group after today's win over Japan. In the pool Adam Peaty wins his 100m heat.

[Old Pedro]

Poor old Geraint Thomas after his team mate's front wheel came off, and took out Geraint as well. Heartbreak at Rio five years ago for Thomas as well. He recovered from this recent crash but has withdrawn now.