The Tokyo Olympics, 2021 Summer Games

[mamselle]

We don't have athread on this, thought I'd start one.

I'm sorry both for Biles' difficulties, and those of the young male Japanese gymnast whose name I didn't catch before having to start a lesson.

I'm wondering if there are equipment problems with the springiness of the dismount mats, making a controlled landing hard, which is where she had trouble each time.

I'm happy for the synchronized divers, all six of whom I enjoyed watching, and the dressage contestants; haven't seen many other events, and I'm less interested in team sports, but after having thought they should just cancel, I think the decision to go on in this modified way seems to be working well enough.

Others?

What have you seen, what have you thought?

M.

[Hegemony]

I love the cycling when the leading woman was so far ahead that the pack didn't realize they weren't out in front. The fact that she is an academic and a mathematician is also gratifying.

[mamselle]

I love the cycling when the leading woman was so far ahead that the pack didn't realize they weren't out in front. The fact that she is an academic and a mathematician is also gratifying.

I hadn't seen that...very interesting!

What country was she from?

M.

[glendower]

Austria.

[mamselle]

Right.

I'd forgotten until it showed up on my YouTube links, I had posted something similar in response to one of the news clips and got a couple "likes."

Someone was trying to make it sound like, "how could she go back to math after this?" and I was basically saying, "maybe she's just a well-rounded person that excels in more than one area. Many people do."   

Meanwhile, in addition to cool swimming results:

1) Recent relays:

Medley:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqKwN11d47Y
   
and here, freestyle:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpuzRseheFg


THIS is the most amazing, outstanding thing I've seen in a very long time....

Courage, character, honesty with herself and everyone else...

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5MUNxYJIrA

Summarized here:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tQqMik5-SE

I also mentioned my thoughts about the dismount mats, and got these replies:

1)  "You've got a point. I remember in Sydney when the vault was messed up and so many people were having issues with their vaults. All because it was like an inch too low or something."   

2) "That's why the Russian team were using the mats of the same company for practice . Good planning."


And two others to be noted, of course:

Jade C's fluid dancerly work gives added to dimension to a technically strong performance; this clip shows better international context than many:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3gaOrLZsys

Skinner was pulled in at the last minute on vault, and did amazingly well:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w7kldbbndk

Suni Lee had both strong overall work, and one last, less strong moment--but she still carried through:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCAKft23PfE

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpy4s2wpTlM

And we have a new style of reportage.....conversational, bright, and....someone who listens?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBR8miL8_xg

Interested in others' takes: other sports, other countries....

M.

[mahagonny]

I'm proud to be an American!

Uh, excuse me; I'll stop trolling the Olympics now.

[mamselle]

Talent scouts for Japan have just located the next backstroke swimming sensation in time to start training for the 2024 games:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiBr46IEBSE

(Starts around 0.42)

;--}

M.

[Golazo]

The women's soccer disappointed, especially since I dragged myself out of bed early, with an assist from a kicking two year old, to watch some of the debacle.

[mamselle]

So, give the two-year-old four Olympiads, and all that kicking might redeem the situation, hunh?

;--}

I hadn't been following soccer (more an individual than a team sport fan, I guess)...any other observations?

What do you think was the problem, overall?

M.

[mahagonny]

So, give the two-year-old four Olympiads, and all that kicking might redeem the situation, hunh?

;--}

I hadn't been following soccer (more an individual than a team sport fan, I guess)...any other observations?

What do you think was the problem, overall?

M.

Possibilities that occur to me, in the realm of mental state more than physical readiness:
Depending on which individual we are talking about their heart is not in representing the USA or they felt pressured to 'take a knee' which would be a distraction that brings unwanted complexity to the experience. Or the issues of lower pay and associated conflict are sapping their drive somehow.

[ergative]

What do you think was the problem, overall?

Very generally speaking, I think the overall problem was that the other team scored more goals. Well, more goal.

[mahagonny]

That is the problem with sporting events. Someone loses. Not so with art.

[mamselle]

This 14-year-old Chinese diver just delivered more perfect dives than anyone, ever.

No splash, no fuss, just clean entries and beautiful form:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXg30_BgOEQ

So cool.

This ROC team, with lots of splashes, wonderfully timed gestures, and narrative intensity also made an amazing showing:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h-cgKCfYJY

I was slightly interested in this stuff as a kid (swam the last slot in breaststroke for 2 years, tried out for the diving team, didn't make it; our tiny local pool hosted synch-swim events but never had a team), since the connections with dance were there and I could see it might be fun to do.

But the routines were all very sedate and boring and didn't have the interpretive depth they carry now. It's good to see that, as with skating, not only technique, but communicative movement and formal shaping have become part of the work.

M.

[mamselle]

Double almost a week later, couldn't resist.

For Monty Python fans: An Olympics you could only imagine....

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgSzGIkFq2A

And for those who believe there's more to gymnastics than a pretty floor routine:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBPjhB9d3jc

The Belgian take on sports is always of interest (Les Freres Talouche + 3)

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u0EHAMtX-w

(The fellow at 5:35 supplying the coin for the toss is the then-Belgian Minister of Finance....)

M.