The 2008 Olympics Thread

**Dodge** · 11/08/2008, 2:43 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Boxers & female badminton seem to be the only performers so far as the remainder of the results have been poor (taking rankings etc... into consideration) so far...

Bit harsh.

Canoeist is ranked top 15. He's made the top 15.
Cycling; performed as expected (and neither oof our lads would be top 100 in the world)
3 Day eventing; Team was ranked 11th coming in. Currently 8th. None of our riders ranked inside world top 40

Fencing; Lowesr ranked in her section. Lost to a woman who went on to beat 3rd seed by similar score

Rowing; Heavyweight four performed exceptionally well. 5th best time for a team ranked 10th in the world. Even the Lightweight 4s had the 5th best time overall (ahead of the British crew who win their race). Remember that they gained the 13th and last spot in the Olympics

Shooting; Performed better than he has in last two world championships. Was obviously far worse than last Olympics.

Swimming; Bree set a new IR in his 2nd event. None of the others have raced their best event yet.

Sailors; performing to the rankings

**Magicme** · 11/08/2008, 3:02 PM

My nut-job sons have switched themselves to Chinese time so that they can watch all the action live. Got a phone call bout an hour ago from them telling me to be quiet when I get home from work as they were heading to bed! Loonies. Wont see much of them over the next while and gets me out of cooking duties!

**Dodge** · 12/08/2008, 9:49 AM

Eoin Rheinisch finished 4th in the kayak Slalom.

**Torn-Ado** · 12/08/2008, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Eoin Rheinisch finished 4th in the kayak Slalom.

Great effort. Very unlucky.

**Angus** · 12/08/2008, 10:14 AM

Am I going mad or did I read that yet another Irish sporting organisation has screwed up getting the right gear to the competition on time ?

http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics2008...11/nocher.html
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...477341674.html

This girl apparently normally wears her goggles inside her swimming hat. It appears as if moments before the race they identified that her hat was not compliant because of a logo issue and she then had to scab one from some other bloke.

But this blokes hat does not allow for goggles to be worn inside, hence she wore them outside - result being she is totally flustered and her goggles leak.

"There was a bit of confusion," acknowledged Swim Ireland head coach Keith Bewley last night. "The Irish logo was fine but we had two Speedo logos on the hat and you are supposed to have one. We have used these hats at meets before and there has been no problem but the Olympic rules are a bit different."

Bewley said that he expected the newly-ordered hats with the Irish shamrock logo to have arrived in Beijing tomorrow and added that if necessary, they could blacken one of the illegal logos prior to the next Irish race - Andrew Bree goes in the 200 metres breast stroke this evening.

Just read this from Swim Ireland - we have used these before and they were OK - aka we did not read the rules or do anything like the kind of preparation you need to compete.

He is now contemplating blacking out the offending hat - what is this ? Black tape ? A Black felt tip pen ?

The line I love is "There was some confusion" - no, there was just the usual level of amateurish preparation.

I am sure Genesys are standing by licking lips for a hefty contract !!

**pete** · 12/08/2008, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Angus

The line I love is "There was some confusion" - no, there was just the usual level of amateurish preparation.

I am sure Genesys are standing by licking lips for a hefty contract !!

Seems to me like footballer wearing incorrect boots. Credit when it is due but criticism when due also.

Great result by canoeist even if he sneaked past each cut off. I did not see the final but RTE pundit did not think he was performing well this morning in the semi final. Due canoeist take drugs? Any chance of a positive sample getting him a bronze?

RTE pundit seemed to be talking up Bree a lot saying he is better than his PBs. I don't think as Irish we like guys getting talked up so much

Watching the rowing repechage this morning & couldn't help feel the GAA back door system inspired by rowing.

You have 3 heats, throw all the losers into the back door repechage & then put of those 4 into the semi final - 12 out of 13 make the semi final.

**Angus** · 12/08/2008, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Seems to me like footballer wearing incorrect boots. Credit when it is due but criticism when due also.

Agree but what is the point of having anybody from Swim Ireland there if it is the swimmers responsibility ?

**pete** · 12/08/2008, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Angus

Agree but what is the point of having anybody from Swim Ireland there if it is the swimmers responsibility ?

Don't know whose fault it is but a woeful mistake whatever way you look it.

AFAIK the thing about the swimming caps was discovered with the first Irish swimmer.

**ramondo** · 12/08/2008, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Eoin Rheinisch finished 4th in the kayak Slalom.

Was still in the lead with 5 rowers to go, then third with the last rower to go, and the Togan went and did the third best time for the bronze - Togo's first ever Olympic medal.

Unlucky in some ways, but had he won a medal you could say it would have been one of the luckiest ever, considering how he got to the final.

Disheartening though, to sit there and watch what may have been our best chance of a medal slip away... but there was a dreadful inevitability about it.

"There was a bit of confusion," acknowledged Swim Ireland head coach Keith Bewley last night. "The Irish logo was fine but we had two Speedo logos on the hat and you are supposed to have one. We have used these hats at meets before and there has been no problem but the Olympic rules are a bit different."

Bewley said that he expected the newly-ordered hats with the Irish shamrock logo to have arrived in Beijing tomorrow and added that if necessary, they could blacken one of the illegal logos prior to the next Irish race - Andrew Bree goes in the 200 metres breast stroke this evening.

Aah, that's more like it.

**pete** · 12/08/2008, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by ramondo

...the Togan went and did the third best time for the bronze - Togo's first ever Olympic medal..

If I had to guess Togos first Olympic medal I would not have picked canoeing. I see he is French born but picked country of his parents so maybe less of a surprise.

**Dodge** · 12/08/2008, 11:07 AM

Jokeshop about the hats, but then its being blown way out of proportion too.

Rheinisch didn't actually perform better in his secind run to his first, its just that the lads below him all messed up. He'd have needed the Togo guy to hit two gates to geta bromze. That was asking too much. His ranking from round to round went 18-15-10-4. Fabulous sport to watch. Got hooked by it with ian Wiley doing well in previous Olympics.

Bree will probably shatter his irish record today but he's till only ranked about 25th in the field, with 16 to make semis.

**Dodge** · 12/08/2008, 11:10 AM

Oh, and on the rowers. The repechage system works well in other events (World Cups etc) with laods of boats in there. As there is a limited field, it’s a bit much. BTW the Irish were ranked 5th fastest the other day. They just happened to have 3 of the faster boats in their heat.

**joe_barry80** · 12/08/2008, 11:41 AM

Bree wins 200m Breaststroke Heat

**bennocelt** · 12/08/2008, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Eoin Rheinisch finished 4th in the kayak Slalom.

Pity, but to be fair 4th was about right, the Togo guy was awesome, man did he attack in the semi's
At least Eoin R will be back for another Olympics

Bree just after smashing the irish record, wow he looks half decent

**MariborKev** · 12/08/2008, 11:57 AM

Anyone see the Brits in the mixed badimton there now?

Phenomenal game.

**pete** · 12/08/2008, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by joe_barry80

Bree wins 200m Breaststroke Heat

Maybe the hype is justified. I make him 12th fastest into the semi final. Genuine chance of a final place I presume...?

**Torn-Ado** · 12/08/2008, 12:29 PM

Finally get to see some Irish Olympians in action on TV. The two Irish riders in the Showjumping each racked up 12 faults and probably will be down the field.