Didn’t they already cancel the qualifiers? Presumably they need to fit it in a busy schedule somewhere?
Didn’t they already cancel the qualifiers? Presumably they need to fit it in a busy schedule somewhere?
Associate
Yep the quallies got axed due to the wind, so they all got two runs in the final. Crazy conditions, very lucky they're weren't any big injuries out there.
Soldato
So USA men and women both winning the snowboard slopestyle. Makes sense, they invented it.
Just found out that snowboarding was invented in the 1960s and skateboarding in the 1950s. Amazing, I thought they were new crazes created around the 1980s or 90s.
Just found out that snowboarding was invented in the 1960s and skateboarding in the 1950s. Amazing, I thought they were new crazes created around the 1980s or 90s.
Caporegime
The commentator for the snowboarding is absolutely awful. He talks such **** 90% of the time.
Man of Honour
In the case of Mr Elistratov it seems a bit more complicated than that. Since he did fail a test he presumably did take meldonium at some point before it became a banned substance and one of the things that is poorly understood is how much of a long term benefit there is to having taken drugs. However if he stopped taking it at the time or before the time it became a banned substance then it would be unwarranted to punish him for that since retrospective sanctions are more difficult to justify.
It's a bit of an awkward situation all round, the various governing bodies can't seem to agree on a united viewpoint about how best to tackle the issue of Russian doping and some have essentially abdicated their responsibilities to make hard decisions. One of the problems with state sponsored doping is knowing where it starts and stops and how pervasive it has been - in Russia's case it perhaps wasn't as blatant as East Germany or their own previous doping scandals but that might just been they've been a bit more devious about it. Another issue is that it's extremely difficult to know if the athletes are actually clean or if they simply haven't been tested enough - that's one of the really sad things about this, there will always be that additional doubt for the athletes who do compete here about whether they have achieved it in a clean way (and I've no doubt some have) or whether the testing techniques just haven't caught up with them yet. Of course also some training supplements that are legal now may become illegal in the future but a national organisation (rather than just a rogue coach or athlete) swapping urine samples is always going to cause outrage and the punishment has to be sufficient - I'm not totally convinced it is but obviously that's up for debate.
Soldato
My point was more that it could well be the same groups and coaches that are responsible for doping still being involved, in essence they could still be Olympic winning coaches and then haven't really lost out anything themselves.
I appreciate that the clean athletes shouldn't be punished but the people behind, if responsible should be.
Caporegime
The problem with state sponsored doping is that the chances are good that most athletes are doing it even if they can't prove it.
When all the news broke about team armstrong and their team, one of the things that came out of that was that the team wanted everyone doping not just for the performance but because you then have a vested interest in keeping quiet about the whole thing.
When all the news broke about team armstrong and their team, one of the things that came out of that was that the team wanted everyone doping not just for the performance but because you then have a vested interest in keeping quiet about the whole thing.
Caporegime
Oh ffs, what is it with Christie and Olympic finals.
Man of Honour
Argh, just watched it live. I was hoping for a replay to see what happened properly but it looked like her skate just slipped from under her. It seems a bit odd having five in the final when the previous rounds were of fours but maybe that's the normal way of things and I don't watch enough speed skating to know.
Caporegime
I know Elise has done some awesome things in the speed skating world, but she really struggles in Olympic finals. Also, she always gets over emotional after. The girls great but I wonder sometimes about her mental toughness for the highest of pressure moments like Olympic finals. She tries but it gets too much for her and after it going wrong she just cannot handle it and breaks down. She is very timid in herself.
Will be interesting to see how she gets on in the 1000 and 1500m.
Will be interesting to see how she gets on in the 1000 and 1500m.
Elise's male BBC interviewer was a bit crass with his "positives to take away" comments, which she picked up on;
although I am not convinced the funding to the likes of the GB cycling team was worth it (discounting #metoo) if the performance director and psychologist they had, were similarly available for such competitors that could help.
I have not seen any articles on the funding that Winter athletes need in comparison to 'summer' athletes, presumably larger; if the funding authorities persist with this 'medal factory' strategy though, that they think the UK population wants, this will not help GB winter Olympic athletes.
although I am not convinced the funding to the likes of the GB cycling team was worth it (discounting #metoo) if the performance director and psychologist they had, were similarly available for such competitors that could help.
I have not seen any articles on the funding that Winter athletes need in comparison to 'summer' athletes, presumably larger; if the funding authorities persist with this 'medal factory' strategy though, that they think the UK population wants, this will not help GB winter Olympic athletes.
Soldato
Simple put not good enough. If it happen once that may be considered unfortunate but to happen twice it demonstrates a lack mental strength. She reminds me of Paula Radcliffe in that regard, fabulous long distance runner and very talented but just couldn't cope with the pressure in big events.
Soldato
Well the mens halfpipe final was an interesting watch. I wasn't sure SW was going to pull it off as he had a hell of a challenge to beat. Ayumu Hirano really didn't look happy on the podiums.
I don't think that is true about Radcliffe at all. She did win the big events, winning a marathon major like London, New York and Chicago is a much bigger deal than the Olympics. She has been the World Champion at the Marathon, half marathon and cross country events, and is still the fastest women Marathon runner of all time. She has won more major marathon events than most people. Sure, she doesn't have a trove of Olympic medal, bu that is relatively meaningless when looking at her overall runnign resume. She has 7 wins at Marathon majors, that counts as more than 7 Gold medal at the Olympics for most. her Olympic performances are mostly a result of injury and sickness.
Where her mental side might have become a problem was later on after many years of injuries, child birth and set back, she came back to training and was still one of the best in the world but realized she might be fighting to get on the podium rather than destroying the field and setting course records. She lost some interest then and retired.
Soldato
Well this year has been entertaining viewing so far but my God, can they please just stop with the Torvill and Dean!! I'm fed up of them already, they were decades ago and their routines, compared to today's skaters, are really boring. Yes, they won, but please just give it up already.
Ready for the flaming
Ready for the flaming
Associate
I don't think any commentator doesn't get statements that they are awful on the internet.
I enjoy those commentators. I don't think they are awful.
Associate
I think it was win or nothing for her. So when she found she couldn't win she would pull out. A of things have to come together to put in a marathon win at high level.