Beijing Olympics Thread

[The Yen Man]

2008 is definitely not Federer's year. I can't believe he lost so early into the tournament. Ah well, I guess there's always 2009.

[HelloHockeyFans]

This recent run by Roger is REALLY aggravating me. The guy is capable of SO MUCH MORE... it's SO frustrating to see him consistently underperform of late as a fan. Yes, you have to give the opponent credit, but come on, even at Wimbledon, Federer made unforced error after unforced error vs. Nadal. Stuff he normally never does.

Didn't get to watch his match today vs. Blake, but if it's another re-run of him firing drives long with the opponent out of position, slamming cross-court returns waaaay wide or double-faulting every few serves I'm gonna scream.

[octothorp]

Since I can't find a decent update of athletes to keep an eye on anywhere, I'm going to continue to do my own:


Current Canadian Total
0-0-0-0

Current Canadian Prediction
4-2-6-12


medal favorites:

Karine Sergerie - Taekwando
Karen Cockburn - Trampoline
Adam van Koeverden - 500 kayak
Adam van Koeverden - 1000 Kayak
Marie Helen Premont - Mountain Biking
Men's Eights - rowing - qualified for final with fastest time
Frandsen and Calder - rowing - qualified for final with fastest time
Alexandre Despatie - 3m platform


medal hopefuls:

Sebastien Michaud -Taekwondo
Tonya Verbeek -wrestling
Gary Reed -800m
Mark Oldershaw -canoing
Women's softball team - 2-0
Samantha Cools - BMX
Cameron and Kok - rowing - qualified for semifinal
Women's eights - rowing - qualified for final
Chris Cook - sailing - 7th through 7 races
Synchro swim team
Simon Whitfield - triathalon
Annamay Pierse*- 200m breaststroke - qualified for final
Brent Hayden - no medal
Chris Brown - swimming - no medal
Men's synchro diving - no medal


On the bubble:

Jessica Zelinka - heptathalon
Men's double sculls - rowing
Men's fours -rowing
women's soccer - 1-1-1, in qfinal
baseball - 2-1
Blythe Hartley - diving

*newly added



Competing for medals tonight:

Annamay Pierse in the finals of the 200 m breast stroke; she had an excellent semifinals and her qualifying time has her in fourth, two tenths back of the third best qualifying time. Jones and Soni probably have gold and silver locked up, but Pierse should be one of four vying for the bronze.

Also, Keith Beavers swims tonight in the 200m medley, though with his qualifying time 1.2 seconds behind the 3rd place time, and 8th overall, he'll be in tough to be a factor even for the bronze.



Other Favorites and hopefuls in action tonight:

Women`s soccer: against the US. The US looks vulnerable, but then Canada hasn`t looked impressive either. If Canada plays their best game and the US continues to play as they have thus far, Canada has a real chance of winning.

Women's softball: they'll face China, and then resume their game against the US half-an-hour later. Two tough games. They could be 4-0 or 2-2 after today. The US will be playing Japan after their Canada game.

Mens fours and doubles rowing teams go in the semifinals, as well as the women's doubles. I like the women`s chances of getting to the final; the men`s teams look weaker based on past results and qualifying times, but maybe they can take some confidence by the excellent results that other Canadian rowing teams are posting.

Blythe Hartley in the 3m diving preliminaries.
Alexandre Despatie in the 3m diving preliminaries.
I'm nervous about these two, I think they have the highest chance of being tonight's disappointments, but part of that is the nature of diving.

Jessica Zelinka in the heptathalon. First four events go today. Her seaon's best hurdles time is 3rd best amongst competing athletes, highjump is 32nd, shotput is 5th, 200m is 6th. If she`s able to get those sorts of results after today, then she's seriously in the running.

Baseball - vs. South Korea. With Japan, the US, and Cuba as the likely top teams, the fourth qualifying spot should come down to Canada and South Korea. South Korea already beat the Americans, so thethis is pretty much a must-win game for Canada.

Most likely to disappoint tonight:
Blythe Hartley missing the semifinals in diving.

Most likely to surprise tonight:
The rowing teams. This has already been a good Olympics for rowing with three Canadian teams through to the finals. In 2004, Canada had just one rowing medal and four finals appearances. After tonight, they could have six finals appearances.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by browna

Canada had the bases loaded, one out in the top of the 8th but only got 1 run out of it.

Looks they can run with anyone...its going to come down to winning the 1/4final and semi final game though.

There is no quarterfinal. Top four teams in the round robin make the semifinals. They should be able to finish ahead of China, Chinese Tapai, and Netherlands, but they need to find a way to pass one of South Korea, Japan, Cuba, or the US to finish top four.

[TimSJ]

Great Recap Octothorp

[flamesaresmokin]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

It's over, lost 7-6

I managed to catch two innings before work and Canada was definitely not overmatched by the cubans. We are definitely becoming a pretty powerful baseball nation with our international showings over the last half decade or so. I'd be very suprised if this team is not a medalist.

[evman150]

I've been telling people this for a while, this Canadian baseball team is extremely talented. They are very close if not right there with the Americans, Cubans and Japanese.

The difference between this year and 2004 is the addition of two absolute studs (Michael Saunders and Scott Thorman) in addition to guys like Nick Weglarz who just mash. But a kid like Saunders, who is a five tool guy destined for a long and most likely very successful MLB career, is the huge difference on the team.

[evman150]

Canada plays Korea tonight/tomorrow morning at 4am MT for those interested.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by evman150

Canada plays Korea tonight/tomorrow morning at 4am MT for those interested.

Thanks for posting that. I was just about to try and figure out what time it's on.

Looks like I'm waking up a little early for work to try and catch most of the second half of the game.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by JayP

Thanks for posting that. I was just about to try and figure out what time it's on.

Looks like I'm waking up a little early for work to try and catch most of the second half of the game.

Be careful. Canada plays USA in soccer at the exact same time and I would guess a QF would be shown ahead of the baseball.

[evman150]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Be careful. Canada plays USA in soccer at the exact same time and I would guess a QF would be shown ahead of the baseball.

TSN is showing it live.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by evman150

TSN is showing it live.

Woohoo! Looks like I might have to get up at 4 and flip back and forth!

[Machiavelli]

octothorp, great recap!

There's also a Canadian competing (along with Phelps) in the 200 m backstroke finals tonight.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

octothorp, great recap!

There's also a Canadian competing (along with Phelps) in the 200 m backstroke finals tonight.

Oh, you must mean Beavers in the 200 m medley? Yeah, I should add that, thanks! That should be a great race, simply because it's probably going to be Phelps' toughest test against Ryan Lochte.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Haven't gone through the whole thread, but has there been even one day of sunshine in Beijing so far?

I've always been sorta interested in going to China, but the visuals I'm getting so far from these Olympics would make me steer clear of Beijing. Pollution, weather, a bit of both?

Either way, it's gotta be the most depressing atmosphere I can recall seeing at any Olympics.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Either way, it's gotta be the most depressing atmosphere I can recall seeing at any Olympics.

Haha.. soon to be outdone by no snow and 16 straight days of rain in Vancouver

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Oh, you must mean Beavers in the 200 m medley? Yeah, I should add that, thanks! That should be a great race, simply because it's probably going to be Phelps' toughest test against Ryan Lochte.

Yes, that's who I was thinking of; thanks. Not sure what his chances are, though.

I hope that Lochte can steal away the gold from his countryman.

[Bertuzzied]

Wow what an awesome tribute to Don Whitman by the CBC. Those track and field calls will never be matched.

I must have watched that 1988 100 metre final in Seoul 30 times that day. My VCR was going to overheat and I almost puked when I found out Ben Johnson got busted.

Since 99.9% of the sprinters were or on drugs anyways Ben Johnson has to be the best sprinter in history.

[browna]

Classy CBC tribute to Don Wittman before the track started tonight...the first time in my life, and in 40 years of Olympics, he's not calling track on the world's biggest stage for this country.

[Slava]

Octothorp I think that you should add Tyler Christopher to your list. IIRC (and got the name correct!) he is the reigning world champion in the 800m. Hopefully he can translate that past success into a medal here!