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The Official Olympic Thread

scaramanga said:
Seriously though, don't you find the whole "Aren't they so brave/courageous/special/etc?" a little condescending?

I'm pretty sure most people who'd qualify to enter want to be treated equally to everyone else. In which case they're competing in a slightly less interesting version of the only very mildly entertaining Olympics. I find the whole "oh, I'm so proud of that little wheelchair one" epidemic nauseating.
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You know me I take the tinkle out of anything and everything but I genuinely have listened and read a lot of these atheletes stories and they are massively inspirational

We had it on all day at work today and didnt find the coverage condescending at all, Jon Snow lastnight was a bit of an arse with his comments
 
scaramanga said:
Seriously though, don't you find the whole "Aren't they so brave/courageous/special/etc?" a little condescending?

I'm pretty sure most people who'd qualify to enter want to be treated equally to everyone else. In which case they're competing in a slightly less interesting version of the only very mildly entertaining Olympics. I find the whole "oh, I'm so proud of that little wheelchair one" epidemic nauseating.
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Absolutely. What I would really like the commentary to focus on is setting out the physical constraints these athletes operate in. For example I want to know what it's like to live train and race with cerebral palsy, without which I could not come close to appreciating what they are doing.
 
Incredible that the entire thing is sold out in advance bar 10k tickets they are releasing each day. Absolutely amazing, never ever happened before. Really do have to hand it to the Brits.

Got athletics tickets for Tuesday night, should be good. Looking forward to seeing stadium.
 
Just seen Ellie Simmonds win her swimming event, broke the WR for 5 secs wow...

Watching that made me massively well up, am staying away from the helm fest in spurs news and views tonight, random a lot safer
 
Amazed to see almost next to no interest in these games it seems, very sad state of affairs really

Look at some of these moments below, its brilliant to watch

Oscar Pistorius smashing the 200m WR

http://paralympics.channel4.com/vid...tml#oscar-pistorius-smashes-200m-world-record

Jason Smyth the worlds fastest paralympian

http://paralympics.channel4.com/vid...ex.html#jason-smyth-wins-gold-in-world-record

Richard Whitehead's amazing comeback win

http://paralympics.channel4.com/vid....html#gold-medalist-richard-whitehead-feature

and of course Ellie Simmonds beating the WR by 5 secs

http://paralympics.channel4.com/video/key-moments/videoid=1235315/index.html#ellie-simmonds-montage
 
I went to the Excel Centre yesterday, primarily to watch the Table Tennis. We ended up sat near the family of Paul Karbardak, I think, although my brother only told me this later in the day. They had known a lot though about the sport and I'd been trying to piece together who they were.

Overall it was a great experience, the atmosphere probably helped by being near the family. The three of us, plus lots of the crowd around us, gave the athletes more support than it sounds like a lot if fans were giving to Spurs yesterday.

And there were good wins for Will Bayley, Paul Davies and Ross Wilson whilst Robert Davies came close in a 5 set thriller!

We went on to watch some Sitting Volleyball which was an interesting sport which looked easier than it probably was. Not sure who won in the end, Germany or Russia as it was at 2 sets all when we left.

Lastly, we tried to watch the Judo. We stayed for couple of bouts but not really understanding the rules we felt out of place and so left.

Overall, I'm delighted to have been there, the competitors were highly skilled and pushed each other to the limits of their individual ability. Wish I lived nearer London and had greater finance as would have wanted to go next weekend too.
 
markysimmo said:
Amazed to see almost next to no interest in these games it seems, very sad state of affairs really

Look at some of these moments below, its brilliant to watch

Oscar Pistorius smashing the 200m WR

http://paralympics.channel4.com/vid...tml#oscar-pistorius-smashes-200m-world-record

Jason Smyth the worlds fastest paralympian

http://paralympics.channel4.com/vid...ex.html#jason-smyth-wins-gold-in-world-record

Richard Whitehead's amazing comeback win

http://paralympics.channel4.com/vid....html#gold-medalist-richard-whitehead-feature

and of course Ellie Simmonds beating the WR by 5 secs

http://paralympics.channel4.com/video/key-moments/videoid=1235315/index.html#ellie-simmonds-montage
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I've watched some of it, it's alright, but I just don't find it as exciting to watch, can't help that.
 
I think some of the excitement was lost in having a gap between the end of the Olympics and the start of the Paralympics, some of the Olympics fever had subsided with people leaving less interest as this event had been done in their minds. I would like to see the 2 almost interlinked but I realise that this may not be so straightforward and come with its own difficulties in terms of the required nature of the facilities and there are those individuals who sadly have no interest at all in the Paralympics plus sponsor deals and whether the Paralympics prefer to have a unique identity.
 
Just watched David Weir win gold, was bloody exciting nearing the end, going to see the goal ball tommorrow and wheelchair basket ball on friday, which should be great.
El Guepardo tbh, I see it as the olympics anyway and I get the same enjoyment out of it, I just wish it was on the bbc not channel 4.
 
markysimmo said:
Amazed to see almost next to no interest in these games it seems, very sad state of affairs really
Click to expand...

Oh, I'm interested:

120273-kelly-cartwright.jpg
 
Saw the goalball at the Copper Box today, was okay but, a bit boring spent most of the time trying to think of ways to jazz it up a bit but, it looked fun to play although I'd be terrified playing with a blindfold seeing as I fall over a lot anyway. First time in the olympic park, I must say it is a sight to behold.
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I think both the Olympics and the Paralympics have been amazing. First time I've really got in to the paralympics but it's just as good I think. Nice comment on channel 4 the other day saying how good it is when you stop seeing the disability and just see it as the sport. Awesome seeing so many spectators there too.
 
I think one of the great things about the Olympics in general is how you get to see different sports, ones you wouldn't normally watch. The Paralympics is just an extension of that in that many are different sports or variants. They are primarily genuine sporting competition. Racing in wheel chairs is not fundamentally different from racing on a bicycle, one uses arms to propel a wheeled vehicle, the other uses the legs. Running on blades instead of legs is just a more extreme version of switching swimming stroke, a different way of moving form A to B. Watching the athletes compete makes you realise that "differently abled" isn't just a euphemism for disabled, but an accurate description.

Its also interesting to see some of the technology. I've been amazed at the mobility of the wheelchairs used by the rugby, basketball and tennis players. How the tennis players in particular change direction so quickly is astounding. The blades used by the runners are also amazing and demonstrates that losing a limb doesn't have to be the end of a mobile lifestyle. Watching the runners with blades has began to seem normal, perhaps in the future people can wear them in the streets without a second thought or second glances from passers by. It makes you wonder how many disabled people have been condemned to limited lifestyles through an absence of imagination and old thinking on what they can do. An attitude change and technology can really change how disabilities affect people's lives.

I caught a bit of the Brasilian blind football yesterday. One of their players had incredible close ball control. Again amazing skill.

I still don't get dressage, though.
 
We have been a credit to ourselves with how we have managed to pull of these two events and be pretty damn successful when it comes to the medal count too.

I will miss the Olympics. Footballers behaviour in general leaves a lot to be desired given how the athletes at the games handle themeselves.
 
GHod i hate Cold Play....i thought this was meant to be a celebration not a wrist cutting exercise!!
 
Lol I love Coldplay and I love the hatred people seem to have for them.

This is the best closing ceremony I've ever seen!
 
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