"My main focus is on London 2012"
Discussion
I'm so tired of hearing this from our athletes over the past couple of days.
Don't get me wrong, there have been many great performances already, but we've got people finishing last in their finals (or not qualifying) and not appearing to be that bothered. They fall back to the same comments in the interviews, assuming that somehow everything will be better in 4 years. Does this frustrate anyone else or is it just me?
Don't get me wrong, there have been many great performances already, but we've got people finishing last in their finals (or not qualifying) and not appearing to be that bothered. They fall back to the same comments in the interviews, assuming that somehow everything will be better in 4 years. Does this frustrate anyone else or is it just me?
Unless you win, you're disappointed. Then the media stick a microphone in your face and you're live on (inter)national TV. So you say you're disappointed but take positive aspects out of it and will use it to build to next time. Seems like the best response to me.
As it happens a lot of our swimmers have been coming near the back of the finals or not even making the finals yet setting lifetime and National bests - a perfect stepping stone for the next levels of performance.
As said above, this is a young team, lots of Olympic debutants getting experience of the pressure and intensity. And yet we're still expected to do significantly better than we did in Athens. All looks good to me.
As it happens a lot of our swimmers have been coming near the back of the finals or not even making the finals yet setting lifetime and National bests - a perfect stepping stone for the next levels of performance.
As said above, this is a young team, lots of Olympic debutants getting experience of the pressure and intensity. And yet we're still expected to do significantly better than we did in Athens. All looks good to me.
Fair enough - it was just a few interviews I heard in succession that followed the same theme. I love athletics personally (used to run at Loughborough but wasn't at the standard to progress beyond that) and I've rejigged my sleeping patterns for the 2008 games!
The Beijing Olympics are so epic in proportion - I just want people to appear glad/honoured to be competing there, as it was my dream when I was a little younger.
The Beijing Olympics are so epic in proportion - I just want people to appear glad/honoured to be competing there, as it was my dream when I was a little younger.
CLK-GTR said:
This is something we hear from the football team alot. Every 4 years in fact...yet still they never win. But dont question our athletes or else the PH massive will be in here sharpish
Bizarrely the footballers seem to be getting worse, not even qualifying for the final stages of tournaments.ewenm said:
CLK-GTR said:
This is something we hear from the football team alot. Every 4 years in fact...yet still they never win. But dont question our athletes or else the PH massive will be in here sharpish
Bizarrely the footballers seem to be getting worse, not even qualifying for the final stages of tournaments.Especially given that it would pretty much be the England football team, according to a mate of mine who actually knows things about football.
ETA: Or are you talking about the world cup?
Edited by MrKipling43 on Tuesday 12th August 13:11
The athletes really have to look at the long game. one of my very good friend's daughters plays hockey at national youth level. She has recently being going through trials to get through to a selection squad for the 2012 Olympics (she will be 18 then), yet she is really targetting her best performance for 2016 .
As in many sports, the pressure at being at your first international event can have a detrimental effect on a sports persons performance, so they really need to get their first Olympics under their belt so that when they come back again. Once they are accustomed to being on the global stage & can really focus on the job in hand without the additional pressure of their "first olympics", they have a much better opportunity to put in the performance of their lifetime.
Re. all the people in Team GB at the Olympics - bloody good luck to all of you. We have a good medal tally at the moment and as previously mentioned, many personal & national bests.
As in many sports, the pressure at being at your first international event can have a detrimental effect on a sports persons performance, so they really need to get their first Olympics under their belt so that when they come back again. Once they are accustomed to being on the global stage & can really focus on the job in hand without the additional pressure of their "first olympics", they have a much better opportunity to put in the performance of their lifetime.
Re. all the people in Team GB at the Olympics - bloody good luck to all of you. We have a good medal tally at the moment and as previously mentioned, many personal & national bests.
Tony*T3 said:
What else would a positive person say....?
The 'other' diver who said his partner (the 14 year old media dream) was s**t, seems to be getting rather bad press today...
Well the press seem to be making a lot of fuss over nothing.The 'other' diver who said his partner (the 14 year old media dream) was s**t, seems to be getting rather bad press today...
A 14 year old in the olypics in middle of event has a pop at team mate. It is quite a lot of pressure for a 14 year old. It wasn't just this country who he was getting press from, it was all countries. SO nerves is kind of expected.
ewenm said:
Bizarrely the footballers seem to be getting worse, not even qualifying for the final stages of tournaments.
The difference is an under performing footballer at club level will quickly be dropped.There is an interesting difference between national support, which is run by governmnet or bodies that need government support or commercial clubs.
A commercial system quickly determines who is simply making up the numbers and gets shot of them.
I think 4 years is a long time, and they should realise that lots of things can happen in 4 years. Hell they could be dead by then.
They should try and win an every oppurtunity. They obviously do I think, and then this is the easiest palm off in the interview, when secretley they are probably majorly pissed off.
They should try and win an every oppurtunity. They obviously do I think, and then this is the easiest palm off in the interview, when secretley they are probably majorly pissed off.
By and large, our athletes don't seem to be as good as those they're competing against. I don't know why this is, or whether it will be any different in 2012.
It seems odd that a country like, say, Australia (with a population of, what, 25 million?) can regularly beat us in all manner of sporting events.
I suspect we will get better over the years. The fact that we're hosting the next Olympics means we've had to invest heavily in sport, no bad thing for prospective UK medallists.
It seems odd that a country like, say, Australia (with a population of, what, 25 million?) can regularly beat us in all manner of sporting events.
I suspect we will get better over the years. The fact that we're hosting the next Olympics means we've had to invest heavily in sport, no bad thing for prospective UK medallists.
Risotto said:
By and large, our athletes don't seem to be as good as those they're competing against. I don't know why this is, or whether it will be any different in 2012.
It seems odd that a country like, say, Australia (with a population of, what, 25 million?) can regularly beat us in all manner of sporting events.
I suspect we will get better over the years. The fact that we're hosting the next Olympics means we've had to invest heavily in sport, no bad thing for prospective UK medallists.
We do appear to be worse for no real apparent reason... Its not like we don't have the training and resources for most things, yet there are much better people out there that have come from none of these..It seems odd that a country like, say, Australia (with a population of, what, 25 million?) can regularly beat us in all manner of sporting events.
I suspect we will get better over the years. The fact that we're hosting the next Olympics means we've had to invest heavily in sport, no bad thing for prospective UK medallists.
Why is that Phelps guy so good at swimming? Just natrual talent, and big hands and feet?
Risotto said:
By and large, our athletes don't seem to be as good as those they're competing against. I don't know why this is, or whether it will be any different in 2012.
It seems odd that a country like, say, Australia (with a population of, what, 25 million?) can regularly beat us in all manner of sporting events.
I suspect we will get better over the years. The fact that we're hosting the next Olympics means we've had to invest heavily in sport, no bad thing for prospective UK medallists.
I personally don't have an issue with our overall standard. We're a small country, and often being the underdog makes it a big deal when we get a gold.It seems odd that a country like, say, Australia (with a population of, what, 25 million?) can regularly beat us in all manner of sporting events.
I suspect we will get better over the years. The fact that we're hosting the next Olympics means we've had to invest heavily in sport, no bad thing for prospective UK medallists.
I didn't mean to come across anti-athlete in my OP, as I think they're all great. I just don't want the Chinese to think we're disrespectful by not taking their competition seriously.
MrKipling43 said:
ewenm said:
CLK-GTR said:
This is something we hear from the football team alot. Every 4 years in fact...yet still they never win. But dont question our athletes or else the PH massive will be in here sharpish
Bizarrely the footballers seem to be getting worse, not even qualifying for the final stages of tournaments.Especially given that it would pretty much be the England football team, according to a mate of mine who actually knows things about football.
ETA: Or are you talking about the world cup?
Edited by MrKipling43 on Tuesday 12th August 13:11
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