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Those gymnasts start about six or seven years old,many of them. Some of those teenies doing acrobatics and after a few years in the Olympics. Talk about no accounting for others views
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EWhere to even start on this....Originally posted by philipo View Post
EDIT - there's nothing wrong with anyone not liking a sport. We're all different.
But to be denying the very real athletic prowess on show, as some seem to be doing, is frankly just absurd. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean that it is without worth.
I'm going to ask anyone criticising the BMX or skateboarding to post video of them completing even ONE of the tricks on show. When they do that, maybe then we can discuss whether the criticism is fair.Last edited by marra; 05-08-21, 14:35.Comment
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See I adore gymnastics and no real interest in watching skateboarding. HOWEVER, they're both marked sports. So I think either you allow marked sports or you make it all first past the post. -
I dont deny some of these sports you mention can garner great competition, but just because there are 'tricks' involved, doesn't make it more worthy (Denis Taylor could be a gold medalist in trick snooker if that were the case) what I question is whether many of these sports should be part of the 'Olympics' which is becoming far too bloated anyway. I studied karate for many years, but I challange a lay person to know what nuances made the difference in the kata between the two main protaganists in the women's final, because I couldn't, and that's coming from someone who strove to perform a decent kata. I just dont feel it belongs in the Olympics and there are a dozen other sports I would cut without any remorse (Football, Golf, Tennis top of my list)Last edited by carterhatch; 05-08-21, 15:47.
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I believe you have summed up the view of quite a few posters quite succinctly there.Originally posted by marra View Post
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Aren't there quite a few similarities between gymnastics and skateboarding? At least on the female side anyway? Both feature girls who started doing it when they were about 5 or 6 years old and win Olympic medals at ages when you aren't allowed to compete internationally in athletics, where you have to be at least 16 by the end of the year.
Big day for Belgium in the men's hockey as they beat Australia in the shoot-out to add the Olymoic title to their world one. Apparently, it was their first gold in a team event since 1920 (when they hosted in Antwerp).
Do enjoy the hockey shoot-outs by the way, much more multi-faceted than football ones.Comment
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Yeah, I'd agree and I'd extend that to diving, BMX and snowboarding as well. All are sports which rely on what I would call 'gymnastic' skill - ability to bend your body in weird shapes whilst flying through the air, with very real risk of serious injury if you get it wrong! All seems to share a similar age path as well - with teenagers/early 20s being common and those approaching 30 or older being the exception rather than the rule, unlike in many other sports.
Re hockey shoot outs, totally agree.
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Marra I never said the words without worthOriginally posted by MysteryBrick View Post
You represent the fashionable bandwagon person that proliferates on social.media which this is
The statements I make just indicate to me that the posters who now compare artistic gymnastics withe Bmx and skate boarders are just saying to themselves look at me I really am a progressive
I suppose you all love the rock climbing as well
Is every skill in the world worthy of being in the Olympics
NOT IN MY OPINION. After all I am not a self appointed progressive. How sad.Comment
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The so called progressives always shout out how progressive they are but nobody knows how many here or everywhere think the new so called sports are so frigging wonderfulComment
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33 separate sports
Fucking crazy.Comment
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There's two different discussions here.
One is what sports should or should not be in the Olympics. That's entirely a personal choice and there is no right or wrong answer. I've said elsewhere that I would expand the Olympics hugely, make it once every 5 years and make it a true festival of celebrating all sports. But that's just me. Others who want a more streamlined Games are perfectly entitled to that view.
The second thing is that we've had people describe some of the new sports as "a hobby", "non comparable to the effort and expertise athletes expend/achieve in other disciplines and chastising others for βcomparing sublime gymnastics which can take 15 years or more to perfect with skate boarding or Bmxβ.
Those comments to me show a lack of respect and, frankly, a seeming lack of understanding of what it takes to get to the top in those sports. Do people think the BMXers or skateboarders just took it up last week? You know the X-Games have been a huge thing in those sports for over 25 years now, right? Adding them to the Olympics is the Olympics deciding that it didn't want to miss out on popular sports, not creating a sport out of nowhere.
Again, I'm not saying that people have to like those sports. Each to their own. But there's a difference between not liking something and suggesting that it has no, or lesser, merit, based on no actual evidence to support that position.
Also, liking these new additions is not being "progressive". People have been climbing for centuries. Just because it hasn't been formalised and included in the Olympics doesn't mean that it just sprang up out of nowhere. Also, liking 'new' sports doesn't mean that you don't like old sports as well. It's not mutally exclusive.
carterhatch - I use 'tricks' because that's the term used in that sport. In reality, it's no different from a 'move' in gymnastics. Means exactly the same thing - it's the skill you are showing off.
SprintRelayFan - couldn't agree more. I'm personally a first-past-the-post type person myself as I find the vagaries of judging to be infuriating at times. But if you're going to have gymnastics/boxing and others use it, I don't have a problem with it in sports like this. Like you say, it is either or.Last edited by marra; 05-08-21, 16:04.Comment
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Much too balanced a post for this forum. Needs to be more reactionary, and preferably spread over 6 different posts... -
I am pretty sure climbing as a leisure/sporting activity was largely pioneered by wealthy Brits in the Alps in the 1800s. Obviously, there have been a lot of twists and turns before indoor climbing has become an Olympic sport but its origins are hardly "woke".
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I am critical of skateboarding but not because I don't like it, there are other sports I have no interest in that I can say deserve to be there and can see the athleticism they possess and the sacrifices the athletes have made to hone their craft. I just don't see how a twelve year old rolling about on a skateboard is comparable.
i applaud their achievements but it's neither that impressive nor engaging.
As I said before if you asked me with one years dedicated training which event at the next Olympics I could qualify for, I would chose skateboarding, looks the easiest of the lot, I'm certainly not gonna be able to throw a javelin 80m or become a dressage expert in that time, but could I touch the end of my skateboard while going up a slight incline... Hmm might be able to give it a whirl.Comment
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If all you do is touch the end of your skateboard while going up a slight incline your scores will be far from competitive. I'd like to see you do a 'frontside tailslide'!
I really don't think anyone could possibly reach the level of the top skateboarders in one year.
Of course there are events in the Olympics where it may be possible for large numbers of people to reach the level of the top people if they devoted several years to developing their skills. There are also others where most people will never reach that level even if they did as they require a certain minimum level of physical aptitude. Most people will never throw a javelin 80m or run sub 10 seconds for a 100m for example.
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Well, the next Olympics is in 3 years time. If you're that confident about what you can do in one year, you should not only be qualifying in 3 years, you have a chance at making the final, surely?Originally posted by Dundee42 View PostComment
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I have no inclination to try, but are you seriously telling me that I would have a better chance in winning a marathon or pole vault. Took Holly a decade to get her medal, you are not seriously telling me that the effort expended by her is considerably more than a skateboarder doing a couple of jumps after primary school. Again I applaud them but it's a weak argument to just say ... Oh go and do it then
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This will sound harsher than I intend it but I think your chances are neither better nor worse in any of the events we've mentioned today. They are about the same as my chances - practically zero.Originally posted by Dundee42 View Post
If you think that the skateboarders haven't been practicing and perfecting what they do for years - just as all high level sportsmen and women do - I don't know what to tell you.Comment
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I know a lot of people that would say the same about athletics - βitβs just running, or running and then jumping into a sandpitβ etc. We know it takes more, but to outsiders of the sport, athletics is seen as one of the simpler sports, hence the mass participation levels worldwide (which also makes it harder to medal!) Holly taking this long to medal is irrelevant - Mondo was at the same level at a much younger age, Keely is 19 etc. As with many of the best sportspeople, they are making it look easier than it is. To assume itβs just something people do after primary school is disrespectful and ignorant of what they actually do - and I say that as someone who has no interest in the sport, in all honesty.Comment
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The president of the IOC includes as part of the closing ceremony, an invitation to the youth of the world to assemble again in four years time.
What's wrong with including events that the youth of the world can easily feel a part of?
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I think today could be a good day. Women hockey playing for Bronze. Good chances in the cycling, Women's Madison (Archibald & Kenny) & Men's Sprint. Kate French (ranked 6th after the fencing) praying for a friendly horse in the Modern Pentathlon Horror Show Jumping round. And the possibility of good athletics medals to finish, with a big dose of luck.
21:30 Athletics Men 50km Walk Medal Final
02:00 Beach Volleyball Women Bronze Medal Final β LAT v SUI
02:30 Women Hockey Bronze Medal Final GBR v IND
03:00 Table Tennis Men Team Bronze Medal Final KOR v JPN
03:00 Women Football Gold Medal Final SWE v CAN
03:30 Beach Volleyball Women Gold Medal Final β AUS v USA
07:05 Boxing Men Heavy Gold Medal Final
08:30 Athletics Women 20km Walk Medal Final
09:15 Track Cycling Women Madison Gold Medal Final
10:15 Wrestling Men Freestyle 74kg Medal Matches
10:15 Wrestling Men Freestyle 125kg Medal Matches
10:35 Track Cycling Men Sprint Gold Medal Final
11:00 Women Hockey Gold Medal Final NED v ARG
11:30 Karate Men Kata Medal Final
11:30 Modern Pentathlon Women Laser Run Medal Final
11:30 Table Tennis Men Team Gold Medal Final CHN v GER
12:00 Men Football Bronze Medal Final MEX v JPN
12:40 Karate Women Kumite 61kg medal Final
12:50 Athletics Women Javelin Medal Final
12:50 Karate Men Kumite 75kg Medal Final
12:55 Wrestling Women Freestyle 53kg Medal Matches
13:00 Athletics Men 5000m Medal Final
13:10 Sport climbing Women Combined Lead Medal Final
13:35 Athletics Women 400m Medal Final
13:50 Athletics Women 1500m Medal Final
14:30 Athletics Women 4x100m Relay Medal Final
14:50 Athletics Men 4x100m Relay Medal FinalComment
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