London 2012 Olympics Thread

[BaldEagle1991]

These games have been so horrible I can't even believe.

It wasn't as bad as Athens

[Platypus]

With Ugandan gold in the marathon, we hit 85 nations...any chance of the 86th? Highly unlikely, but not impossible, I hope.

[Tender Branson]

With Ugandan gold in the marathon, we hit 85 nations...any chance of the 86th? Highly unlikely, but not impossible, I hope.

The mountainbikers are our last chance for a medal it seems, which would make Austria the 86th.

But of course this is only dreaming ...

[Hash]

Even Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait won medals at these games. Countries who didn't win anything should really feel crappy if even the Saudis and Kuweitis can win something and they can't.

[Platypus]

The Audtrian is in 7th on the course, so... Maybe doable.

[Tender Branson]

Even Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait won medals at these games. Countries who didn't win anything should really feel crappy if even the Saudis and Kuweitis can win something and they can't.

We'll gladly take those Arabs on in the Winter Olympics ...

The Audtrian is in 7th on the course, so... Maybe doable.

Yeah, but 17 seconds behind the leading pack.

[Tender Branson]

The men's Volleyball final is great.

Brazil led with 2:0 sets and had a few gold medal points, but the Russians won the 3rd set now after a long fight.

[Tender Branson]

The Audtrian is in 7th on the course, so... Maybe doable.

Yeah, but 17 seconds behind the leading pack.

Now over a minute back and 8th.

Forget it. These are officially the worst Summer games for us in 50 years.

[Tender Branson]

Olympics 2012: Austria laments worst Games in 50 years

Days before the London Olympics draw to a close, Austria was already lamenting its biggest washout in half a century on Friday, with no medals to show for and poor performances by some of its biggest hopes.

"Biggest Olympic disaster now official," a headline in the tabloid Oesterreich read, after the country's last big hope — canoe-kayak pair Yvonne Schuring and Viktoria Schwarz — finished fifth in Thursday's final.

"Olympics: it's over," the daily Die Presse also titled, while the Salzburger Nachrichten asked "What went wrong in London?" and spoke of a "lack of winning mentality" in the Austrian team.

A handful of athletes had yet to compete in the marathon, the modern pentathlon, mountainbike and rhythmic gymnastics, but the common conception was that the biggest medal chances had already come and gone.

The only other time Austria went home empty-handed at the Olympics was in 1964 at the Tokyo Games.

In an interview with the daily Kurier Friday, Sports Minister Norbert Darabos expressed his disappointment and called for a "total reform of sport funding."

After a week of competition, Darabos already deplored what he saw as "Olympic tourism" last week.

"Only travelling to the Olympics and enjoying the great atmosphere, that's not enough... the aim is to bring home medals," he said angrily.

This Summer Olympics fiasco is only made worse by Austria's regular brilliance at Winter Games, where it dominates alpine skiing.

Despite what was considered a poor year for the men's ski team, the small country brought brought home 16 medals from Vancouver in 2010, including four gold.

"But winter's coming soon... by then the flop from London will be water under the bridge," the Salzburger Nachrichten saw the silver lining.

http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_olympics-2012-austria-laments-worst-games-in-50-years_1726538

[Tender Branson]

LOL:

[BaldEagle1991]

Can't wait for the Closing Ceremony. I wonder what Rio has in store for their handover ceremony.

[Tender Branson]

The men's Volleyball final is great.

Brazil led with 2:0 sets and had a few gold medal points, but the Russians won the 3rd set now after a long fight.

Wow, Russia won the final 2 sets and the Gold medal ...

Plus: The US Basketball players are struggling against the Spanish right now.

Only up 59-58 after the 2nd quarter.

[Tender Branson]

Spain actually won the 2nd quarter by 31-24.

[patrick1]

The refs have really been taking the fun and flow out of this with all of the foul calls. Marc Gasol with 4 fouls already hurts Spain's chances for the upset but still definitely possible if US doesnt D up.

[Tender Branson]

Spain takes the lead ...

67-64

[Tender Branson]

This basketball final is amazingly good right now.

Game is tied at 80-80.

[Tender Branson]

85 medal countries, no new record. Austria, Nigeria, Vietnam, Israel ...

There are 195 or so countries at the moment.

So, we are on the side of the majority ...

[Tender Branson]

France defeats Sweden in the Handball final by 22-21 !

[Tender Branson]

The US finally beat Spain in the basketball final by 107-100.

[Tender Branson]

Croatia wins Waterball Gold.

So, there's only 1 contest left I guess (Modern Pentathlon).

[minionofmidas]

Bizarre to end the tournament with that joke.

Did Montenegro win a medal anywhere, they came fourth in Waterball (and why do Anglophones call it "Water Polo" anyhow?)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Bizarre to end the tournament with that joke.

The sporting equivalent of a kazoo or something.

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They won silver in the women's Handball. No idea about the second question.

[minionofmidas]

Oughtn't that to be "Hand Polo"?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Oughtn't that to be "Hand Polo"?

What do you expect? Consistency?

[Platypus]

Last podium sees a Brit and a Brazilian on ths podium, ehich is nice. Gold to Lietuva though.

Well, we cracked the top 10 both on the G-S-B and total medal counts. Behind what we're accustomed to, but certainly no disaster.