# Olympics - How is Your Country Faring? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 31, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957 "2012-07-31T15:28:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/101 "2012-08-06T13:42:03Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > Yes, Australia have a perfectly respectable 20 medals, but with only 1 gold they are languishing in 24th in the medal table. And as we speak, they’ve just nearly doubled their gold ratio with a win in sailing. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/102 "2012-08-06T13:52:35Z")
That will catapult them into 16th, just behind Japan. I guess that result means Cyprus’ first Olympic medal is a silver then. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/103 "2012-08-06T15:29:20Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > The countries with the best ratio of golds are South Africa (3 golds from 4 medals, 75%, 13th), North Korea (4 golds from 5, 80%, 11th) and\*\* mighty-mighty-Kazakhstan-all-other-countries-run-by little-girls \*\*(6 golds from 6, 100%, 7th). Considering that 3 of Kazakhstan’s medals came in women’s weightlifting and 1 women’s triple jump, maybe Borat was on to something there… ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/104 "2012-08-06T17:19:23Z")
I dunno. Cycling at over 70km/h on a banking like that. With no brakes. Eeeek. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/105 "2012-08-06T18:05:59Z")
Team GB now up to 40 medals, including 18 gold. There are at least two assured medals to come in the boxing. Third in the table ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/106 "2012-08-06T21:02:01Z")
Live right now is USA vs. CAN, semifinal in Women’s Soccer, and a truly amazing match it is: Current state: 3-3 in the second overtime period… Sinclair for Canada has a hat trick, with the favored US equalizing after each one… incredibly tense. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/107 "2012-08-06T21:16:41Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Live right now is USA vs. CAN, semifinal in Women’s Soccer, and a truly amazing match it is: > > Current state: > > 3-3 in the second overtime period… Sinclair for Canada has a hat trick, with the favored US equalizing after each one… incredibly tense. Some crunching tackles flying in :eek:. And holy shit, USA have won it two minutes into injury time at the end of extra time! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/108 "2012-08-06T21:47:09Z")
I’ve just been catching up. How on earth can you persuade a horse to do that? To jump all over those big jumps? ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/109 "2012-08-06T23:06:08Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > I’ve just been catching up. How on earth can you persuade a horse to do that? To jump all over those big jumps? It takes effort and skill to persuade a horse to do that. That’s why it isn’t true that “the horse does all the work”, as is sometimes said about the equestrian events. That was brought home strongly when one of the reins broke for one competitor in the middle of his ride. Immediately he lost control of the horse, which started wandering randomly. Until he could grab the broken remnant. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/110 "2012-08-06T23:45:46Z")
What a heartbreaking loss for Canada in today’s soccer match. And I hate to say it, 'cause I’m not one to whine about that sort of thing, but they were playing against the ref, too. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/111 "2012-08-07T00:09:57Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > Traditionally, we’ve been pretty good at different sailing disciplines, as well as road cycling, handball & basketball (men’s), canoeing, tennis, field hockey & the occasional odd medal in other disciplines – I’ll also point out that outside of the Africans, Spanish 1,500 meter athletes have done very well over time & yet, this year all three of our runners were out in their first heat. Point being, ever since the '92 Barcelona Olympics a (highish) double digit count in medals was taken for granted – don’t see it happening this time around. So again, epic fail. > > Outside of the Olympics? [From Soccer to Tennis to Cycling, Spain Is Suddenly Dominating Sports](http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/06/from-soccer-to-tennis-to-cycling-spain-is-suddenly-dominating-sports/258837/)…and that’s not including MotoGP, Moto2 or F1. So yeah, we’d been spoiled as of late. Thank you, and all others who answered my question. How the hell did I manage to forget about Nadal? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/112 "2012-08-07T00:45:06Z")
> [@II\_Gyan\_II](#): > > And he ever so slightly slowed down towards the end. At the next meet, someone should tell him that the event is 120m. Odd fact but the fastest 100m runners SLOW DOWN at the end of the race. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/113 "2012-08-07T08:50:55Z")
Another noteworthy first Olympic medal for a country yesterday. Grenada’s [Kirani James](http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18909277) won gold in the 400m. He is only 19, it’s thought he may be able to challenge Michael Johnson’s famous world record in future. Granada’s population is about 110,000. > [@PaulParkhead](#): > > How the hell did I manage to forget about Nadal? On a similar note, how the hell did I manage to forget about Fernando Alonso? ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/114 "2012-08-07T09:23:37Z")
New Zealand is having a pretty good olympics - 10 medals so far, and probably more to come. It seems they’ve exceeded (or rather, will exceed) the pre games target! WOOT! The atmosphere I see coming out of NZ is also very different to what I see in Singapore, and makes me very homesick. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/115 "2012-08-07T09:59:49Z")
Another couple of golds and a bronze yesterday for GB. And Sir Chris Hoy had a good run in the first round of the keirin this morning, thanks to this British team’s amazing new piece of cycling equipment: [round wheels](http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/doubts-raised-over-great-britains-magic-wheels). 😛 ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/116 "2012-08-07T11:51:22Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Odd fact but the fastest 100m runners SLOW DOWN at the end of the race. If you’re racing just to win, sure. But it is Bolt’s ambition to run a 9.4. Now in an unofficial 150m at Singapore, he ran the last 100m in 8.7 and his 200m record is 19.19 which is equivalent to 9.595s per 100m. So he certainly has the juice to maintain speed for some more time. Since every hundredth of a second counts, if he were to delay the brakes slightly, he would have broken the WR again. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/117 "2012-08-07T12:32:10Z")
Speaking of slowing down, Alastair Brownlee just won gold in the men’s triathlon and was so far ahead of the next racer he actually walked the last bit and then stopped to look back for a few seconds before stepping over the finish line. His brother Jonathan took bronze about thirty seconds later (Javier Gomez of Spain took silver). ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/118 "2012-08-07T12:33:20Z")
That’s not uncommon in Tri. The course is always diff so it’s not against the clock. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/119 "2012-08-07T14:25:54Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > Thank you, and all others who answered my question. My pleasure. > [@](#): > > How the hell did I manage to forget about Nadal? Perhaps because he didn’t make the games due to his bothersome knees? Defending Gold Medalist, he was due to be our flag-bearer as well. Pau Gasol ended-up with the honor. > [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > Another noteworthy first Olympic medal for a country yesterday. Grenada’s [Kirani James](http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18909277) won gold in the 400m. He is only 19, it’s thought he may be able to challenge Michael Johnson’s famous world record in future. Worth noting the silver medalist as well, who had a horrible start – [**Luguelin Santos**](http://www.iaaf.org/Mini/wjc12/News/NewsDetail.aspx?id=65385), from the Dominican Rep, all of 18 years old and breaking every youth record left behind by James. With the added merit of being completely home trained thus far – no US college scholarships, just local coaching which I am afraid is not exactly top-shelf. Methinks we’ll be seeing a lot of those two for the next decade or so. > [@](#): > > …On a similar note, how the hell did I manage to forget about Fernando Alonso? More than likely in his finest year as an F1 driver. > [@Gyrate](#): > > …His brother Jonathan took bronze about thirty seconds later (Javier Gomez of Spain took silver). A bit of restitution for Spain this morning, what with a dominant gold in women’s RS-X (windsurfing in layman’s terms) by [Marina Alabau](http://s4.as.com/prom/201208/pro_photo1344348389.jpg) and [Javier’s silver](http://estaticos02.marca.com/imagenes/2012/08/07/jjoo/triatlon/1344341766_extras_portada_1.jpg). As an added bonus, the woman’s handball team defeated Croatia to make the medal round. Still far behind expectations though. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957/120 "2012-08-07T14:36:31Z")
Our women’s handball team managed to get through their quarter-final match by some miracle, in spite of being six goals down at one point. If they can keep playing like that, they might actually bring home some shiny things… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olympics-how-is-your-country-faring/629957.md?page=7)