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Post by slowleftarmer on Jul 26, 2024 12:52:39 GMT
Technically the event started on Wednesday to let the poor footballers and rugby players begin their tournament so it can finish by the day of the closing ceremony. Whereas mens and ladies hockey will play just as many games but dont start til tomorrow.....
Anyway, in previous Olympics there has been the need to include a line showing the number of Yorkshire medals won - I seem to recall in 2012 Yorkshire may have done better than Australia France and a few other big nations.
So who are our competitors from our county and do any have cricketing connections?
One interesting athlete is George Mills from Harrogate who is a middle distance runner (5000m i think). He is the son of former Leeds and Middlesbrough footballer Danny Mills.
Another is cyclist Tom Pidcock from Leeds and a former pupil of Roundhay School (whose most famous alma mater may have been Liz Truss unless Tom can win a gold medal). He is clearly a very versatile cyclist and has just competed in the Tour de France.
Look North had an item on this last night and suggested there were 19 in the GB squad from West Yorkshire and then others from North and South but I missed their stats.
Will have a google and see if I can find out list so we can watch and cheer them all on
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Post by newby on Jul 26, 2024 14:47:32 GMT
Tom Pidcock is the reigning Olympic champion looking to repeat the Mountain Biking Gold medal he won in Japan. He's also pretty good on the road too, narrowly missing a 2nd Tour de France stage win this year and then unfortunately having to withdraw from the race due to a bout of Covid.
Not sure he has any cricket in his background but he's someone I'll be looking out for.
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Post by slowleftarmer on Jul 29, 2024 7:16:38 GMT
My wife tells me there is diver from Leeds too (a former pupil at the school where she works). But he is representing Jamaica! I can see a diving version of Cool Runnings in the offing..... Here is a link to Yona and his background! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0442s32 |
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Post by newby on Jul 29, 2024 13:45:43 GMT
Leeds boy Tom Pidcock had one heck of a race and managed to win another Olympic Gold. There are some hard sports, but watching that I have no clue how they can manage at that speed for 5 minutes never mind 80+.
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Post by Capybara on Jul 29, 2024 16:56:24 GMT
It's also hugely technical. The move that got him past the French cyclist was magnificent. This on top of losing 40 seconds earlier because of a puncture.
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Post by hawke on Jul 29, 2024 18:19:03 GMT
It's also hugely technical. The move that got him past the French cyclist was magnificent. This on top of losing 40 seconds earlier because of a puncture. yes overcoming a handicap of 40 seconds is amazing |
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Post by newby on Jul 30, 2024 7:30:19 GMT
Got up specially to watch the men's triathlon this morning but unfortunately a water quality issue has led to it being postponed. Showing that the Seine is fit enough to swim in is a bit of a vanity project by the French and it may end up biting them. Like London they might have been better off choosing a lake.
No more Brownlee brothers alas, but the British No1 Alex Yee is a worthy successor and in with a good chance. If all else fails I hear it could become a duathlon, just the bikes and the running, I hope it doesn't come to that.
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Post by slowleftarmer on Jul 30, 2024 8:15:24 GMT
Phenomenal effort to overcome a puncture and a 40 second gap. Mind you its a wonder they dont all get a puncture on every lap looking at that course. I was wondering where and how you overtake anyone in this sport but the manouvre he did going one side of a couple of trees whilst the Frenchman went the other showed class and quality and timing and patience all at once.
Very disappointing that his win was accompanied by the French crowd booing just because their guy had ended up in second place. i think it also happened at the medal ceremony and certainly not in keeping with the Olympic spirit
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Post by slowleftarmer on Jul 30, 2024 13:29:46 GMT
Some more Yorkshire good news as Tom Sorsby originally from Rotherham was called up overnight to the Mens Hockey squad after an injury to another player in the last game v South Africa.
Immediately into action today in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Netherlands with GB coming from 2-0 down to score 2 late goals.
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Post by newby on Jul 30, 2024 14:43:38 GMT
Men's hockey team looking likely to feature in the final stages, Women, not so much.
I've had a couple of goes at trap shooting over the years, my reactions have always left a lot to be desired. No such problem for Nathan Hales who was never seriously threatened and came through by hitting 48 out of 50 clays to win Gold. Well done him.
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Post by slowleftarmer on Jul 31, 2024 7:42:00 GMT
Yes the women have lost first 2 games, the second heavily to the Aussies. Looks like a last hurrah for many of the womens squad whereas the men are likely to be in a 3 way fight for the top 2 spots with Netherlands and Germany. Fantastic fightback in last 10 minutes yesterday, including a spell when they took the goalkeeper off to play with 11 outfield players and it worked as Lee Morton scored 2 great goals to secure a draw. Huge game now v the Germans on Friday night.
Women go again this morning v South Africa needing a win to have any hopes left of qualifying.
My man at the ground (son out there for a few days!) says its unpleasantly hot, even in the shaded seats, which may explain why so many of the seats appear empty on TV screens. The other reasons are people get a ticket for a 2 game session but only want to watch one game featuring their side (very similar concept to the Hundred over here at the moment it seems....). More fool them as they would have missed Belgium wallop the Aussies 6-2 last night!
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Post by newby on Jul 31, 2024 20:29:48 GMT
They managed to get the two Triathlons away thank heavens. Fantastic run by poker faced Alex Yee, he had me fooled
The New Zealand guy in the lead was consulting some kind of gizmo towards the end of the race, I presume he was running to some kind of schedule. Big mistake.
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Post by slowleftarmer on Aug 1, 2024 6:54:21 GMT
I think we can partly claim Alex Yee as one of ours too as he went to Leeds Beckett Uni and he has trained at the Brownlee brothers facility in North Leeds
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Post by newby on Aug 9, 2024 8:09:33 GMT
I've really enjoyed the Olympics on TV, but I think I've had enough now. If I'm still around for the next one I promise myself to stick to just a couple of hours in the evening.
That's if I haven't been packed off to bed at 7 O'clock by care workers who just want a quiet night shift of course.
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Post by newby on Aug 11, 2024 13:56:38 GMT
Good effort from Emile Cairess, Bradford and sounds it, managed 4th in the Marathon, sprinted home and appears to be have left a bit out there. I hadn't noticed he also came 4th in the London Marathon too. Hope he sticks around and learns from the experience for next time around.
I couldn't make head nor tail of the contest, but well done to Huddersfield's Caden Cunningham for his silver medal in the Taekwondo. Now that is a very hard watch.
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