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**alfie** · 29-07-21, 02:24

Wonderful performance from the Irish pair ! Delighted for them.

Glover and Swann will be disappointed to be so near and yet so far. Thought they might have got a minor medal there after their good semi final row but it was too much to back up today...another fourth place for GB.

And then another as Craig and Grant miss a medal by one hundredth of a second...That was a heck of a race , the Dutch seemed to have it won all the way until the last couple of strokes .What a finish from Italy !

Afraid this has been a bit of a disaster of a regatta for GB.

**philipo** · 29-07-21, 02:27

Originally posted by marra

4th by 1/100th of a second, half a second from Gold. That's heartbreaking.

I know people will criticise the medal haul from the rowers, but that's their fifth 4th place. On a different day etc...

Sadly different days are the ones that didnt happen: need a big step up for Paris 24

**philipo** · 29-07-21, 02:29

That's why I wonder about our track cycling medals in due course

**Taffy2** · 29-07-21, 02:31

So the Germans by and large decided tovsitcout the euro champs in swimming? Their decline in several sports is alarming.

**alfie** · 29-07-21, 02:42

OK it has been disappointing , of course. But as marra points out , five fourth places shows they were often not that far away. I think a large number of these crews were at their first Olympics so it is not unreasonable to hope for a considerable improvement over the next cycle.
Plus of course the pandemic has made a lot of sports a bit less predictable than usual. Heaven knows where everyone will be next year let alone in Paris.

Big step up needed , yes. Guess big steps are what is always needed to get results at Olympic Games though so nothing new in that.. I'm sure there will be a bit of agonizing over these results but it doesn't mean the sport is going to fall off a cliff. Sort of : back to the drawing board...

**alfie** · 29-07-21, 02:45

Originally posted by philipo

That's why I wonder about our track cycling medals in due course

Not sure the rowing events have much influence on cycling ? Wouldn't be an Olympics if you weren't worried , Philipo 😊 Lets wait to watch and enjoy it , eh ?

**marra** · 29-07-21, 02:48

Originally posted by philipo

Sadly different days are the ones that didnt happen: need a big step up for Paris 24

Clearly they didn't, but the point is that a big step up is NOT needed. A minor step up is needed.

If we were missing finals left right and centre, that would imply that we need to go back to the drawing board. These results show we need to make adjustments but not that we need to burn the whole thing down.

Also, being below par in rowing doesn't mean we can't do well in other sports.

**marra** · 29-07-21, 03:07

So reading Matthew Pinsent's twitter, someone has pointed out that under the world cup scoring system they use to determine which nation 'wins' a regatta, we're joint 2nd at this point - Dutch on 35 points, us and Aussies on 28 points, Italy on 25.

It's just that our consistency hasn't been punctuated by the medal results.

As I said, improvements are needed and they will know that. No doubt about that. They'll be back in Paris, I'm confident about that.

**Taffy2** · 29-07-21, 03:21

Positive spin at it's best from pinsent.

**alfie** · 29-07-21, 03:39

Given the fact that most crews were competitive -generally making A Finals (though often the hard way via repecharge) and a lot of fourth places - so seemingly just missing the finer touches needed to actually win events : it would be somewhat naive to overlook the coaching upheaval - which surely had a large detrimental effect.

So work to do on that front , I think. Doesn't mean the good times are gone forever.

**marra** · 29-07-21, 04:42

Another good session in the pool - no medals but we weren't really expected to today. All of our expected medal chances get safely through to their finals tomorrow and Abbie Wood/Anna Hopkin arguably outperform their rankings to join them in a final.

**marra** · 29-07-21, 05:01

Well, that 4x200m free relay was bonkers. Aussies were huge favourites coming in, but possibly messed things up with their selection. USA were nowhere but a truly epic final leg from Ledecky pulled them to silver but, somehow, China were out there in front of them both. All three broke the previous world record from 2019.

**marra** · 29-07-21, 05:25

One of our trap shooters Matthew Coward-Holley is through to the final.

**alfie** · 29-07-21, 06:25

Indeed that relay was a fantastic race : I thought Aussies were certain to win this but Chinese shocked everyone... Strange that the Aussie commentators here were almost disregarding the Chinese throughout despite them constantly taking the lead at changeovers : were still focusing on Ledecky as the danger to Australia even on the last couple of laps - almost as if the Chinese were invisible.
Three teams all inside the old WR - remarkable.

Men's 100 was all it promised to be. Dressel brilliant as the Yanks were surely hoping. Their women still can't take a trick apart from Ledecky though... And another gold for Australia 👍

Have to slightly disagree with marra about that being a good session for GB : I would call it "decent" Perhaps I am being tpo picky , but I had hopes for Wilby after his semi though it was always going to be tough - think sixth was a little down on expectations. And although both women are into the 200 breast final I reckon Renshaw will disappointed to find herself so far off the pace of those that will be in the middle lanes . She looked great yesterday but will need to lift if she is to get the medal that must be reasonable expectation on her ranking and form. Wood and Hopkin aren't going to be threats in these finals but indeed massive prospects for the future so that is a plus.

Scott was excellent. Can he find anything extra for the final ? Looking forward to tomorrow...

**alfie** · 29-07-21, 06:30

And in one area GB might be getting some (overdue ?) lucky breaks : in the teams events . First the women steal their pool game in the sevens right at the death ; then the men come back from 2 down to the Dutch in the hockey to ensure qualification for the knock outs. That was some comeback ! Two goals in the last quarter and then had to defend four penalty corners in the last forty seconds. They will surely take some confidence from that.

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