Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

l was talking to my Mum and Dad the other night about 20 years ago when the Olympics were in Atalanta when sadly we came away with one paltry gold and how much of a upturn there has been in our Olympics fortunes since then.:)

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Maybe having weeded out all the drug cheats we're competing on equal footings now.

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

It's official that the UK will finish second in the medals table ahead of China for the first time ever. Talk about punching above our weight! What a fantastic result. :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/37085511


:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

---------- Post added at 16:36 ---------- Previous post was at 16:35 ----------

You recall the days of the E. Germans too then... :D

---------- Post added at 16:39 ---------- Previous post was at 16:36 ----------

Well I know my neighbour and a number of her athlete friends were greatly inspired by the prospect of the London Olympics and she's now well on the way to being a gold medalist next time around.

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Sadly there are still some cheats around old bean as l don't think we will ever have a drug free championships no matter how hard one tries.

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Sadly you're right Den. I should have said most rather than all.

Still top marks to team GB for their results.

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

I don't think it's that surprising considering the amount of funding Olympic sports get. I read that on average each medal cost £5.5 million in funding, I doubt any other country puts as much funding into Olympic sports as we do.

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Is that stat right? Seems higher than what I have heard.

It is the funding that's helped though. They increased funding at targeted it better at sports where we're more likely to win Gold. A good article here suggests we're reaping the results of decisions made by John Major: https://www.ft.com/content/0ba195cc-...c-7b39cbb1138a

We can't quantify the economic benefit of the investment in sport but the feeling of the country this week and the feeling 4 years ago from London 2012 is worth it in my view. Who'll forget the Saturday 4 years ago when we won three golds with Mo Farah breaking away from the pack on the final lap? Or the woman's hockey team winning on penalties now? Even if there is no economic or social benefit, the feeling is enough by itself.

Also I love the BBC's coverage of us finishing 2nd. It seems written in a 'go UK!' way. First this is the picture they used to highlight it:

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2016/08/7.jpg

then paragraphs like this:

:D

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Missus made a good point last night - large amounts of that money are being spent in the UK, on skilled jobs such as the nutritionists and sports scientists that are driving our athletes' performance.

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Yes it is the expertise being brought into the various disciplines which has made much of the difference and success breeds success as we know. The cycling model has been copied into other sports and we're seeing the results.

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Here comes the usual clamour to give these(stars,heroes,legends)an honour.Sir this,Dame that,Obe here,Mbe there.These honours are so devalued these days as they are handed out to uncle tom cobley and all.A bit like university degrees,everybody has one.Some of these athelete's have/will become very rich and will do very nicely on the "celebrity" cooking/gameshow circuit.Just not sure honours are warranted for winning a medal.

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Depends which medal table you looks at. I know the ones in the USA and China no doubt (!), rank by number of medals which puts China second. However we got more golds and silvers than them, so stuff them they can keep all the bronzes !

Whichever way you look at it its a brilliant performance, however it did cost £5.5 million per medal. Can't help feeling that would would have been better directed at the NHS but then I guess the lottery money just becomes another tax... If it encouraged more to get into sport it would be great, but we're more lethargic than ever.

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Why not? There are footballers who will earn far more than the Olympic team ever will and some of whom demonstrate far less sportsmanship than our Olympians..
Not every one of them will earn real fortunes..

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

I agree. see thread in 'Sports'

Martyh doesn't agree. see thread in 'Sports'

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

that's reassuring, we rarely agree on anything :D

Re: [UPDATED] Team GB beats London 2012 medal haul
 

Don't get me started on these prima donna's.Pampered overpaid tattooed stupid haircut clowns.And i used to love my football.Now the games are on in the background with the sound turned down so i do not have to listen to the drivel spouted by the overpaid as well "pundits".I just love the tattooed gangbanger hard man look and then they fall down at the slightest touch and sometimes no touch at all like dying swans.Pathetic.