The 2008 Pre-Olympics thread

[Dodge]

So the Olympic games in Beijing are only a couple of months away I’d thought I’d start a thread that hopefully will lead up to an Irish medal or two. Realistically there aren’t too many medal hopes but anyway, here are the athletes/sports that have already qualified.

QUALIFIERS AS AT 18 June

Athletics
Male
100m, 200m – Paul Hession
400m – David Gillick
1,500, 5,000m, 10,000m – Alistair Cragg (will choose event(s) at a later date)
Marathon – Martin Fagan
20K walk – Robert Heffernan
50K walk – Jamie Costin
20k/50K walk - Colin Griffen (will choose event at a later date)

Female
100mH – Derval O’Rourke
400m – Joanne Cuddihy
3,000m SC – Roisin McGettigan, Fionnula Britton
20K Walk – Olive Loughnan
Hammer – Eileen O’Keefe

Badminton
Mens Indicidual - Scott Evans
Womens Individual - Chloe Magee

Boxing
Light Flyweight – Paddy Barnes
Bantamweight – John Joe Nevin
Light Welterweight - John Joe Joyce
Middleweight - Darren Sutherland
Light Heavyweight - Ken Egan

Canoeing
K1 Slalom – Eoin Rheinisch

Cycling
Men’s Road Race – 2 places
Men’s Mountain Bike – Robin Seymour
Men's Track Individual Pursuit - David O’Loughlin

Fencing
Women's Sabre - Siobhan Byrne

Rowing
Mens heavyweight 4 – team TBD
Mens Lightweight 4 - team TBD

Sailing
Mens 470 – Gerald Owens, Philip Lawton
Mens Keelboat Star - Max Treacy, Anthony Shanks
Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial - Ciara Peelo
Open Finn – Tim Goodbody


Shooting
Men’s Trap – Derek Burnett

Swimming
Breastroke events – Andrew Bree

Triathlon
Emma Davis

[DmanDmythDledge]

Badminton
Mens singles- Scott Evans
Womens singles- Chloe Magee

[Dodge]

Badminton
Mens singles- Scott Evans
Womens singles- Chloe Magee

Not confirmed yet. Evans should be soon. Magee was listed as a reserve in the last rankings

[DmanDmythDledge]

Won't be confirmed officially until May 1. Magee is 76 in world rankings so very close to the cut off- hasn't played many tournaments lately though which has pushed her outside the qualifying. Both are very young (Evans 20, Magee 18) and both hope to be pushing for a medal in 2012.

[Block G Raptor]

Hammer – Eileen O’Keefe
I've been hearing great things about Eileen, she's quite hotly tipped for a medal
she took silver in the WUG (http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cusai.ie/photos/eileen4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cusai.ie/displaynews.php%3Fid%3D3083&h=450&w=264&sz=26&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=J5jp6jnRet6MfM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=75&prev=/images%3Fq%3DHammer%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BEileen%2BO %25E2%2580%2599Keefe%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Do ff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN)last year

[Kingdom]

I was only talking about this to a friend the other day.
With athletics highly under the microscope currently, any Irish athlete who reaches the finals of their event should be lauded. I really used to love watching international athletics up to the Sydney games but find it hard to have faith in it at all now. I'd believe that the vast majority of our athletes to be clean, so I'd be delighted to see any make the final of their event and anything after is a bonus.

[pete]

I'd believe that the vast majority of our athletes to be clean, so I'd be delighted to see any make the final of their event and anything after is a bonus.

Making a final would be success. I would expect athletes to get close to or beat PB to justify Olympic place. Can see few if any medal chances (boxers if get good draw) but that is what attracts the publics attention. Unless athlete has chance of getting close to final maybe he/she should not at the Olympics?

[Dodge]

Making a final would be success. I would expect athletes to get close to or beat PB to justify Olympic place. Can see few if any medal chances (boxers if get good draw) but that is what attracts the publics attention. Unless athlete has chance of getting close to final maybe he/she should not at the Olympics?
Think its just reward for any swimmer/boxer/whatver if they give up their life for their sport and represent their country. I absolutely despise armshari critics (who are usually no good at anything, saying that an athlete that ranks 30th in the world is a disgrace and shouldn't be in the olympics). Imagine if we a footballer who's 30th best in the world? We've one golfer in top 30 in world and about 10 of then would be well known.


And this isn't a reply to you Pete, just a mini rant

[pete]

And this isn't a reply to you Pete, just a mini rant

I know that. I think some sort of policy has been implemented in recent years where we don't send kids to the Olympics until they have proven themselves at "lower" championships. Compared to what is spent on some four legged sports its is fairly insignificant cost to sent athlete to the Olympics anyway.

[shedite]

While I was in america in January, I met a lovely girl in a bar, who turns out has 2 Irish parents. She's a marathon runner who ran 2:43 in her first and only marathon. She's qualified for the US olympic trials, but is unlikely to make their team for Beijing. I tried to convince her to run for Ireland, but she said she'll stay with America and hopefully make the olympics in 2012 or 2016. Michelle Gallagher's her name. One to keep an eye out for. Can't find anything on the net bout what time she'd have to run to qualify for Beijing for Ireland.

Oh yeah, she's pretty cute too :)
http://iona.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30388444&id=23000610#pid=30388444

[Dodge]

I know that. I think some sort of policy has been implemented in recent years where we don't send kids to the Olympics until they have proven themselves at "lower" championships
No, we send pretty much anmyone who qualifies

[pete]

No, we send pretty much anyone who qualifies

I thought they were putting younger athletes into Europeans & such before exposing to the Olympics?

Bad policy so. Pointless seeing sprinter eliminated in round 1 as bad for public image.

[Dodge]

I thought they were putting younger athletes into Europeans & such before exposing to the Olympics?

Bad policy so. Pointless seeing sprinter eliminated in round 1 as bad for public image.

the standards are very very high though. We'll have 15 athletes max, and all are there on merit.

[osarusan]

Bad policy so. Pointless seeing sprinter eliminated in round 1 as bad for public image.

Is it not worse for public image to have nobody representing us at all?

[Seagull-4-life]

I don't really get the Olympics

[pete]

I know the standard is high for Olympics athletics but I just think is bad PR to see someone lose badly in the first round.


I don't really get the Olympics

It is a big competition held every 4 years with the majority of sports represented e.g. Athletics, Swimming etc... There is a summer version & also a Winter one for snow & ice based sports.

[cavan_fan]

I know the standard is high for Olympics athletics but I just think is bad PR to see someone lose badly in the first round.



It is a big competition held every 4 years with the majority of sports represented e.g. Athletics, Swimming etc... There is a summer version & also a Winter one for snow & ice based sports.

Off the back of this slightly facetious reply, I remember some discussion recently that due to the falling popularity of the Winter Games and the rising scale of the Summer Games they wanted to change the Winter ones to be the Winter and Indoor Games. The idea was that Gymnastics, Table tennis etc would be added to the Winter Games to give them more global appeal (and probably to make room for Golf/Cricket/Rugby etc in the Summer Games). Not sure if anything is coming out of this.

[Dodge]

I know the standard is high for Olympics athletics but I just think is bad PR to see someone lose badly in the first round.
Lots of countries get "token" places in varios sports so in athletics, for example, its unlikely our athletes will "llose badly in the first round". Unlike some countries we only accept athletes with the A stnadard. Under IOC rules if we have no athletes with the A standard, we can enter one athlete in each event with the B standard. We choose not to use this.

[Dodge]

Robin Seymour confirmed as our Mountain Bike cross country entry

david O'Loughlin finished 6th in the Individual Pursuit at the Track Cycling World Championships last week and now looks like being selected. if he keeps his rate of improvement up he's a genuine medal chance

[Block G Raptor]

Official Site Here (http://en.beijing2008.cn/)

[ifk101]

Irish swimmer fails dope test.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/other/2008/0402/breea.html

[Block G Raptor]

Irish swimmer fails dope test.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/other/2008/0402/breea.html

makes this story (http://www.rte.ie/sport/swimming/2008/0306/breea.html) seem a bit sus now. probably missed the euro's hoping to avoid being tested

[ifk101]

makes this story (http://www.rte.ie/sport/swimming/2008/0306/breea.html) seem a bit sus now. probably missed the euro's hoping to avoid being tested

Yeah it looks that way unfortunately.

[Dodge]

makes this story (http://www.rte.ie/sport/swimming/2008/0306/breea.html) seem a bit sus now. probably missed the euro's hoping to avoid being tested


He's more likely to get tested in the US collegiate system. Its not like he would've medalled in the euros

[paudie]

I think the old "I didn't know what was in the medicine" excuse doesn't hold much water these days. Don't all athletes get a list of banned susbtance (if not they should make it their business to get it).

Not sure what the swimming authorities attitude is to these supposedly accidental positive tests.

[pete]

I think the old "I didn't know what was in the medicine" excuse doesn't hold much water these days. Don't all athletes get a list of banned susbtance (if not they should make it their business to get it).

I have to agree. I thought world sport had moved away from allowing individual countries accept excuses. A professional athlete should never purchase any medicine over the counter unless on an approved list. Probably deserves a ban for being so stupid. Just because a skier got away with 3 month ban does not make it right. I thought the IOC was very strict about this will minimum 2 year bans for all?

Recently read Game of Shadows (http://www.gameofshadows.com/) & excellent insight into world of drug cheats.

Interesting to hear the calls from some people for Olympic boycott because of Tibet. Did not notice similar calls when China won the Olympics bid. The IOC claiming Tibet is getting greater publicity because of the Olympics in China.

[Dodge]

I thought the IOC was very strict about this will minimum 2 year bans for all?
IOC don't give any bans. its the individual sports federations that issue bans. In this case, it'd be FINA

Agree with the gist of your post though

[pete]

IOC don't give any bans. its the individual sports federations that issue bans. In this case, it'd be FINA


The IOC have some influence? I remember not long ago FIFA stalling on updating their procedures. If a skier can get only 3 month ban then clearly still some discretion.

[Dodge]

IOC made everyopne agree to a certain drugs testing programme, but the bans are up to the Sporting Federations

[paudie]

Interesting to hear the calls from some people for Olympic boycott because of Tibet. Did not notice similar calls when China won the Olympics bid. The IOC claiming Tibet is getting greater publicity because of the Olympics in China.

Calls for a boycott (half hearted in general I admit) are a joke.

If ,for example, the US were to call for an Olympic boycott without imposing trade sanctions on China it be the most blatant political stunt ever.

[paudie]

http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/pressandpub-news-latest-article.aspx?article=c3ff49f9-74c9-4d0b-a987-234dec3668eb

Ciara Peelo has qualified for the Olympics in the Laser class.

[Torn-Ado]

Three more boxers qualify for the olympics. Good stuff. The biggest boxing team since 96.

[paudie]

Siobhan Byrne (a fencer!) qualifies for the Olympics.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/other/2008/0426/fencing.html



Ladies Hockey team currently team currently playing in the last qualifying tournament in Canada. 6 teams in it. All play each other once and top 2 then play off for the one qualifying spot.

Have won their first 2 games against Malaysia and Canada.
Ireland are 2nd ranked team in the tournament after Korea.

[Dodge]

David O'Loughlin didn't qualify for the Individual Pusruit in Team Cycling (despite finishing 6th in the World). He's on standby apparently

[pete]

Siobhan Byrne (a fencer!) qualifies for the Olympics.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/other/2008/0426/fencing.html


Might had this discussion here before but if you were to try to qualify for the Olympics what sport would you choose? :p

I believe mine was Archery was quiet a small pool of participants in Ireland & relatively inexpensive to compete :cool:

[Dodge]

I believe mine was Archery was quiet a small pool of participants in Ireland & relatively inexpensive to compete :cool:
Its fairly expensive actually. A friend of mine was involved with a girl who arched (I believe thats the technical term ;) ) and it cost a fair whack for the equipment

[pete]

List of Olympic sports. (http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/index_uk.asp)

Aside from maybe shooting & Fencing finding it difficult to find a rival to Archery. I wonder what the qualifying standard for Archery & Shooting are...

While Athletics & Swimming are probably the biggest (football might get big crowds but doesn't get the publicity) Olympic sports it is good to see Irish qualifiers in minority sports as easier to have an interest in them.

[Block G Raptor]

I Played Olympic Handball in Primary School and was a Dab-Hand at it so to speak
I often think back to it now when watching football, I sometimes wonder has modern football become over complicated in the sense that the object of the 2 games are very similar and yet Olympic Handball is so much more Direct and un complicated. a couple of quick passes and a shot at goal... Sometimes they go in sometimes they don't
I wonder if football was played in the same direct manner would we see more goals

[Dodge]

Aside from maybe shooting & Fencing finding it difficult to find a rival to Archery. I wonder what the qualifying standard for Archery & Shooting are...


Usually top 16/32 in the world. We have a genuine medal chance in the shooting...

[pete]

Usually top 16/32 in the world. We have a genuine medal chance in the shooting...

The shooting jokes are just to obvious... ;)

Softball must be nominee for worse Olympic sport. It would be like adding tag rugby. :D

[Dodge]

Its also part of a decent quiz question. one of only 2 sports in Olympics that Men don't compete at (Rythmic gymnastics is counted as part of Gymnastics in case anyone was wondering)

[paudie]

Usually top 16/32 in the world. We have a genuine medal chance in the shooting...

Yeah. David Burnett from the midlands somewhere.

I have to read the Piece about him in "Mad about Sport" in the Tribune on sunday.

[paudie]

I Played Olympic Handball in Primary School and was a Dab-Hand at it so to speak
I often think back to it now when watching football, I sometimes wonder has modern football become over complicated in the sense that the object of the 2 games are very similar and yet Olympic Handball is so much more Direct and un complicated. a couple of quick passes and a shot at goal... Sometimes they go in sometimes they don't
I wonder if football was played in the same direct manner would we see more goals

For some reason Olympic Handball doesn't appeal to me at all

[paudie]

David O'Loughlin didn't qualify for the Individual Pusruit in Team Cycling (despite finishing 6th in the World). He's on standby apparently

I saw that. He's ranked 9th in the world this season. Don't know how he doesn't qualify.

Time for Pat McQuaid to pull a few strokes I think;)

[Schumi]

Yeah. David Burnett from the midlands somewhere.

I have to read the Piece about him in "Mad about Sport" in the Tribune on sunday.Is he the guy who did well in the last Olympics?

[Torn-Ado]

Its also part of a decent quiz question. one of only 2 sports in Olympics that Men don't compete at (Rythmic gymnastics is counted as part of Gymnastics in case anyone was wondering)

Is the other synchronised swimming?

[paudie]

Is he the guy who did well in the last Olympics?

He came 9th but was only 2 hits(?) from getting into the final 6.

http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2004/Results/Shooting.pdf

[Dodge]

Burnett has won medals at world events too.

yeah Synchronised swimming is the other non testiculur sport. A couple of male only sports too, if we're in the humour for quizzes?

O'Loughlin lost out to a number of "team entrants" as the top 4/5 teams could nominate two riders each. The winner of the World B championships was also given a spot

[Schumi]

yeah Synchronised swimming is the other non testiculur sport. A couple of male only sports too, if we're in the humour for quizzes?Baseball is the easy one, given earlier posts. Is wrestling another? Is the Steeplechase still male only?

[Torn-Ado]

boxing is one