No predictions but U.S. eyeing top Olympic spot

[Pete]

No predictions but U.S. eyeing top Olympic spot

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...86O1OY20120725

"(Reuters) - The United States may routinely issue forecasts for the number of jobs being created or home sales but there will be no bold predictions about the number of medals American athletes might win at the London Olympics..............."

Go Team USA - although I have a warm spot in my heart for Cav and the boys in the Road Race.

[Badger52]

In most cases I have to respect the efforts of all the athletes who get to that point. However, the bride & I watch a fair number of int'l comps as well, and watched alot of the US team trials.

Some optimism at this point; they look pretty good as a team & a walking 55-gal drum of whupass in several specific areas.

[greenberetTFS]

Keep an eye on Lolo Jones,she's a gal that can use all the support we can give her......

Big Teddy

[Stargazer]

Rhode, 33, became the first American athlete to win five medals in an individual event in five consecutive Olympic Games. She earned a gold medal in women’s skeet on Sunday, setting an Olympic record and tying the world record by hitting 99 out of 100 targets. She also became the first woman to win three gold medals in Olympic shooting.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/sp...g-records.html

Congrats, Kim! Go USA!!

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by Stargazer

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/sp...g-records.html

Congrats, Kim! Go USA!!

That was really cool, just saw her on camera, very gracious and, besides the usual talk of the hard work, perserverance in the midst of other 'normal' distractions, and support of those around her, spoke of the honor of representing her country and bringing home the Gold for the USA.

Again, there's ass & there's the Class exhibited by Ms. Rhode. Well-earned and Salud ma'am.

[Guymullins]

Yes, USA first and China putting up a good fight for second. Watch Australia punch way above its weight. What will be interesting is to add all the new countries together that used to make up the USSR and try to establish whether freedom has improved their performance over Communism. Our South African standings will again be crippled by Affirmative Action and quotas in teams but we will be really proud of Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee who made it into our relay race after having been shafted by complaints about his prosthesis' at the previous Olympics. Can you imagine what kind of able bodied athlete would protest against a double amputee competing against him?

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Guymullins

.................. Can you imagine what kind of able bodied athlete would protest against a double amputee competing against him?

Depends on who he beats and by how much.

If he places in the top ten but without a medal many may say no harm to foul.

But the question then becomes "How fast can he go with a better set of springs?" and then "How much of it is him and how much technology?"

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Guymullins

....... Can you imagine what kind of able bodied athlete would protest against a double amputee competing against him?

Karma is a real bitch sometimes. For crossover running He was forced to run on his Olympic blades.

Oscar Pistorius angry at shock Paralympics 200m loss

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...ius-angry-loss

"..............The twist in the story is that it is the very fact Pistorius wants to run in the Olympics and other able-bodied competitions that cost him here.

To do crossover like that, he can only run on blades that have been cleared for use by the IAAF, the sport's governing body. Longer blades, of the kind Oliveira used, are only legal in Paralympic events.

If Pistorius switched, he would not be able to run in non-disabled competitions. Besides which, he would undermine his own argument that his success is about the body above the knee, rather than the technology below it. In a sense, he is a victim of his own ambition. ...................."