Another Pathetic Olympics

[nigel-harps1954]

Well hey, I suppose I'm just stupid then.

[elroy]

There was a letter to the Times last week which bemoaned the lack of sports facilities and variety in this country. Went on to lament the fact that many place more importance on a provincial final than success in international sport.

Everyone to their own opinion but I always have got greatest sporting satisfaction from international successes of our sports teams and persons. I think a policy of focus on certain sports is a good path to take from the perspective of medal successes. However it is a pity the country doesnt have a wider sports base, may help more of our youth stay away from anti social behaviour and alcohol.

[ramondo]

... now, 9 years later from the last post on this thread, and 17 years since I started it, let me give some context, as I did appear somewhat, ahem, opinionated at the time. (Or maybe just drunk.)

It was 2004, another year we got zero medals, after the late gold was dangled and then taken away, so I feel there was some justification for my disgust at the time. Plus I'd grown up in Ireland in the 70s and 80s, so I'd experienced:

1972 Munich 0 0 0
1976 Montreal 0 0 0
1980 Moscow 0 1 1 (and that sailing silver was definitely a boycott bonus)
1984 Los Angeles 0 1 0
1988 Seoul 0 0 0

But it appears things have improved in the meantime.

For 2021 well done to the rowers for the gold and bronze, and at the time of writing, at least a bronze in boxing.

Thanks to Covid for sparing us Ole, Ole, Ole on that gold win for O'Donovan and McCarthy. That reminds me, I had a look at the whole of Katie Taylor's gold-winning bout in 2012 for the first time last night. This was with sound but without commentary, you can find it on YouTube. And you know, she's obviously a great fighter, but I'm not convinced she won that one - the Russian wasn't entirely deluded by having her arms up before the result was announced. But the result's the result and they all count, ask De Bruin or Roche (ouch! sorry).

Also had a look at a lot of John Treacy's marathon in 1984 that's also on YouTube. It was really a great performance in a class field, especially as it was his first marathon. Impressive performance also by Jimmy Magee in the highlights video, where he remembers and names every Irish person to win an Olympic medal up to that point as Treacy runs the last 100 metres. Not so impressive that it only took him (Magee) 11 seconds.

Anyway, well done Irish Olympians, more please.

[OwlsFan]

Should this thread not be in Other Sports? Anyway, there was an Ole Ole Ole ! The Irish team sang it when they went back to the Olympic Village

[ramondo]

Should this thread not be in Other Sports?

Well, maybe my gripe was more with mental attitudes and lack of investment in Olympic sports? Hardly worth changing it now...

Anyway, there was an Ole Ole Ole ! The Irish team sang it when they went back to the Olympic Village

FFS.

[ramondo]

Here we go again. I see the runners have been doing great stuff lately, and swimmers. Do any better-informed-minds-than-mine know the best medal prospects for upcoming Paris '24?

[samhaydenjr]

Here we go again. I see the runners have been doing great stuff lately, and swimmers. Do any better-informed-minds-than-mine know the best medal prospects for upcoming Paris '24?

Well, things definitely look much brighter than they did when you posted in 2004, Ramondo - for starters, as of now, we have 122 qualified athletes, compared to 46 in '04. And there are more medal hopefuls - so many, in fact, that it will be somewhat disappointing if we don't top our haul from 2012. I've grouped them into three rough categories: serious medal contenders, who would be disappointed not to win a medal in a given event; those with a fair chance, where a medal is a distinct possibility but you couldn't quite say it's expected; outside chances, where we could get a medal if the relevant athlete/team plays out of their skins and/or some of their competitors underperform. So here is that list, as I see it:

Serious medal candidates:
1. Daniel Wiffenx2 - Swimming - 800m and 1500m freestyle - World Champion in both, World Record holder over 800m short-course, triple European Champion in short-course. Caveat for Wiffen - in the 2023 Worlds, he came fourth behind three swimmers who are about his age - two of them did not compete against him in 2024.
2. Rhasidat Adeleke - Athletics - 400m - her rise to the top has been stunning - she is already a superstar, with three European medals under her belt aged 21. Her PB of 49.07 would have won a medal at pretty much any Worlds, Olympics or Europeans. Caveat - Natalia Kaczmarek's stunning run to beat Rhasidat in the Euros means there's now four women in the field who have run sub-49 seconds
3. Rhys McClenaghan - Gymnastics - Pommel Horse - double World Champion, triple European Champion - undoubtedly the man to beat in his discipline. Caveat - underperformed in two major championships, including the last Olympics
4. Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan - Rowing - Lightweight Double Sculls - as a pair, Olympic Champions, double World Champions, Triple World Champions - made the German boat look like plucky underdogs happy to win silver in Tokyo.
5. Kellie Harrington - Boxing - Women's Lightweight - World, Olympic and European Champion - I thought she fought better in her final than Katie Taylor in 2012

Fair Chance at a medal:
1. Mixed 4x400m relay - Athletics - European Champions, bronze at the World Relays - an amazing few months has put them really in the mix - I'm almost tempted to upgrade them to Serious contenders. Caveat - if Rhasidat's coach decides she should focus on the individual 400m (had she broken 11 seconds in the 100 at the National CHampionships today, that would have created a scheduling clash)
2. Ciara Mageean - Athletics - 1500m - European Gold in 2024, silver in 2022, fourth in Tokyo. Also close to being a serious contender, but with Faith Kipyegon almost a lock for the gold, that leaves her competing with a number of other talented runners for the minor medals
3. The Golfers - any of the four could win a medal, but given the nature of golf, I wouldn't expect a medal from any of them, not even Rory. He does have as good a chance as anyone else in the field and a better chance than most.
4. Men's Rugby Sevens - third in the 2022 Sevens World Cup, second in the 2023-24 Sevens Series, coming second or third in four of the seven tournaments. However, they didn't win any and never seemed to top their group
5. Rowing - we've been picking up medals in rowing at Worlds, Europeans and Olympics, even when Paul O'Donovan isn't in the boat, so there's definitely a fair chance of a second medal in rowing.
6. Boxing x 2 - Apart from Harrington, six of our boxers have won medals at major championships

Outside Chance:
1. Women's 4x400m relay - Athletics - European Silver Medalists but with the Americans and Jamaicans also to compete, they may have to go up another level to claim hardware
2. Sarah Healy - Athletics - 1500m - stellar underage, hasn't quite translated it into senior success yet, but has started reaching major finals - you never know
3. Boxing x 2 more - if they have a really great meet
4. Rowing - a third medal if they have a really great regatta
5. Lara Gillespie - Track Cycling - Omnium/Madison - multiple medals at underage championships. Came fourth in the Omnium and sixth in the Madison at this year's senior Europeans, competing against much more experienced riders. This year may be too soon but you never know.
6. Equestrian - have disappointed on a number of occasions but capable of winning medals if they can keep the horses off drugs and get them to dance better (but why is Bertram Allen omitted again?)
7. Women's Rugby Sevens - seventh in the World Series, but did win one tournament - would need to produce at least two upsets to medal, but that's possible
8. Mona MacSharry - Swimming - Olympic finalist, multiple medal winner at major short-course and underage Championships - would need to up her game but not impossible
9. Ellen Walshe - Swimming - similar to MacSharry, but not as many medals and not yet an Olympic finalist
10. Jack Woolley - desparately unlucky to be beaten by a semi-finalist in 2021 - has since won two European medals
11. A second golfing medal - Rory plus one of the others

So, in total, I make that six medals where we have a serious contender, seven where he have a fair chance, and twelve where there's an outside chance. So if everything went our way, we could be looking at 25 medals, although 6-10 is a more realistic goal, which would still be fantastic.

[ramondo]

Good analysis there Sam. And good call on Daniel Wiffen and especially Mona MacSharry - as of writing we have a gold and bronze in swimming, which is a major result from a historical perspective. (Notwithstanding there people who still believe Michelle DeBruin's 3 golds and a bronze were not drug-assisted - go figure.)

With swimming, boxing, athletics, and rowing still to be completed, it looks promising.

[ramondo]

Serious medal candidates:

1. Daniel Wiffenx2 - Swimming - 800m and 1500m freestyle * Correct - Gold and Bronze*

2. Rhasidat Adeleke - Athletics - 400m *Unlucky - 4th*

3. Rhys McClenaghan - Gymnastics - Pommel Horse *Correct - Gold*

4. Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan - Rowing - Lightweight Double Sculls *Correct - Gold*

5. Kellie Harrington - Boxing - Women's Lightweight *Correct - Gold*


Fair Chance at a medal:

1. Mixed 4x400m relay - Athletics - *Good effort, but Adeleke opted out, as you predicted.*

2. Ciara Mageean - Athletics - 1500m

3. The Golfers - I wouldn't expect a medal from any of them, not even Rory. *Good call*

4. Men's Rugby Sevens

5. Rowing - we've been picking up medals in rowing at Worlds, Europeans and Olympics, even when Paul O'Donovan isn't in the boat, so there's definitely a fair chance of a second medal in rowing. *Correct - Bronze*

6. Boxing x 2 - Apart from Harrington, six of our boxers have won medals at major championships *Harrington apart, disappointing*


Outside Chance:

1. Women's 4x400m relay - they may have to go up another level to claim hardware *Unlucky 4th - good call*

2. Sarah Healy - Athletics - 1500m

3. Boxing x 2 more - if they have a really great meet

4. Rowing - a third medal if they have a really great regatta

5. Lara Gillespie - Track Cycling - Omnium/Madison

6. Equestrian - have disappointed on a number of occasions *You don't win Aga Khans with time faults...*

7. Women's Rugby Sevens

8. Mona MacSharry - Swimming - Olympic finalist, multiple medal winner at major short-course and underage Championships - would need to up her game but not impossible * Correct - Bronze - great call*

9. Ellen Walshe - Swimming

10. Jack Woolley - desparately unlucky to be beaten by a semi-finalist in 2021 - has since won two European medals

11. A second golfing medal - Rory plus one of the others

So, in total, I make that six medals where we have a serious contender, seven where he have a fair chance, and twelve where there's an outside chance. So if everything went our way, we could be looking at 25 medals, although 6-10 is a more realistic goal, which would still be fantastic.

Great Olympics '24 for team Ireland, and top marks to samhaydenjr for the predictions.