2012 London Olympics - Official thread

[Capt Pat]

Nope they just said on rte he lost the appeal.

[Capt Pat]

Thats true. I think over the years I have become very cynical with the olympic games. All the cheating that has gone on. It os over blown and over hyped and it thinks it is morally superior to other events. I think after this olympics are over with and Katey has her gold medal I am going to turn my nose up at olympic boxing just like I do with the tour de France. The corruption in amateur boxing is too much to take.

[Wildweasel74]

Brazil look tasty, i take it Argentina are involved? is messi with them??

[imtommygunn]

Who are the genuine Irish medal prospects?

There's the boxer girl.

What about mens boxing - any real contenders? I assume Barnes is - anyone else?

[Bingo]

Dick Clerkin tweeting there - looking forward to the Olympics but he wonders if there wasn't GAA in Ireland would we get on better in the track and field events.

To me, thats way off the mark and kinda would be a bug bear of mine with the modern GAA intercounty star, where they believe that they are so "out there" in terms of training and commitment, that no-one else compares.

I fail to see how their could be a link, completely two separate fields and the margin to be an elite athlete at Olympic is crazy ridiculous, fail to see how he thinks that non playing of GAA would suddenly put Ireland in a stronger position. Every country has other sports that would compete with Track and field for athletes.

[Capt Pat]

Who are the genuine Irish medal prospects?

There's the boxer girl.
What about mens boxing - any real contenders? I assume Barnes is - anyone else?

.

It depends on the draw in boxing but I think O Neill and Nevin should. Conlon and Nolan could but are a bit more raw. Barnes might have problems with the draw because apparently he is not seeded. He should be but as long as he avoids the quarter of the draw with the Chinese boxer he should get a medal. I hope he gets another shot at the Chinese boxer after he got humiliated by the judges at the last games.

In the other events there is no big talk of people being medal contenders. However there are a number of competitors who if they perform to their full potential by rights should finish in the fourth to sixth type of range. That would give the a chance of a bronze medal as at the olympics a lot can go wrong for their opponents in one off events. I think people who could be  or are in this category are Morrison in womens triathalon, Grainne Murphy in swimming, Burrowes and O' Leary in sailing, Burnett in shooting, Loughnane and Heffernan in womens and mens walking,      and maybe derval O' Rourke in the 100 meters hurdles if her opponents clatter hurdles and Rheinisch if his opponents in the canoes clatter poles.

We always seem to say we should get somewhere in the equestrian events but it never happens.

Obviously Katey Taylor should win gold in the boxing.

London summertime temperatures range between 20- 30 celsius with rain a possiblity. Hopefully with a bit of luck in the key endurance events we might get a west of Ireland type day to help the walkers.

[imtommygunn]

Cheers Pat - interesting. Yeah I forgot about the walkers as it seems we have a few good ones.

Bingo if it wasn't GAA it would be soccer or rugby so not sure it is particularly relevant. Also while I love the GAA and understand it takes massive commitment at county level I suspect athletics at that level would take considerably more. Yes some are professional but not all.

[Bingo]

Cheers Pat - interesting. Yeah I forgot about the walkers as it seems we have a few good ones.

Bingo if it wasn't GAA it would be soccer or rugby so not sure it is particularly relevant. Also while I love the GAA and understand it takes massive commitment at county level I suspect athletics at that level would take considerably more. Yes some are professional but not all.

Yeah, that would have been my initial thought on it. No doubt he is just stirring but the guy is getting very fond of his media status and maybe is looking the debate. Watched him play a club match the other night and he practically ref'ed the game himself, was worse that the ref allowed him to do so.

[imtommygunn]

To be honest the fella's behaviour on the pitch leaves a bit to be desired at times and he's not one I would have much respect for so wouldn't pay much attention to him. Seems to have set himself up on a pedastal but then so has Joey Barton. Social networking seems to do this to these kind of people.

There are some guys play GAA and their attributes would be very transferrable to athletics. Brian Dooher would have been some marathon runner and Darren O'Sullivan would be some 100/200 runner. Best not to get into who'd make good divers...

[Evil Genius]

Who are the genuine Irish medal prospects?

I'd say this guy's about the pick of them:
http://www.britishrowing.org/gb-rowing-team/biographies/alan-campbell

And I'd guess this pair have a decent chance:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/northern-ireland/18522387

Away from the water, this girl seems confident:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18966794

And this Irishman    might just get onto a podium in the Hockey, though I suspect it will take a large dollop of Home Advantage:
http://www.greatbritainhockey.co.uk/player.asp?itemid=7385&itemTitle=Mark+Gleghorne&section=1091

[Capt Pat]

I was just reading in the examiner that Michael COnlon in the boxing was doing spectacular things in the sparring and is being talked up a lot as somebody who could go far.

[ballinaman]

I was just reading in the examiner that Michael COnlon in the boxing was doing spectacular things in the sparring and is being talked up a lot as somebody who could go far.

I know a lad who has sparred with him a few times over the last few months and he said the same. In cracking shape.

[Capt Pat]

The olympic boxing draw is on now between 2 and 4 pm I beleive. I don't know if it can be followed live anywhere or if we have to wait till 4 to get the new.

[ludermor]

https://twitter.com/OFlynnPaul

Paul O'Flynn is doing live updates.
Katie due to meet Queen Underwood (US) or Natasha Jonas ( GB) in the quater finals and then Dong in the Semi final . That would leave Ochigava in the final which means she would have to beat all of the contenders to get gold, about as tough a draw as she could get id imagine.
https://twitter.com/RonLewisTimes is decent updates

[Capt Pat]

That would mean Underwood or Jonas go out at that stage. gold for Taylor all the way.