Winter Olympics

this means that she's a target for the rest as they fear her. Stop the favourite at all costs is the name of the game at this level.

I am puzzled then why it is her getting disqualified, and not the others.
She seems to be the 'hands on' one according to the videos.
 
The speed and power are phenomenal. They are putting a colossal amount of pressure through the edges on the skates on to ice whose conditions change slightly on each lap as it gets carved.

The margin between success and error that impacts another skater is minute. It isn't deliberate, just an aspect and nature of the sport. It is fast and furious and very physical. Such mistakes do however have to be penalised. Disqualification is a constant risk, as is being taken out by another competitor.

It is remarkably easy to criticise. I bet few of us could even stand and walk on the ice in shoes without falling over never mind skating a corner at 30 mph that we wouldn't do in our cars! These are people at the pinnacle of their sport.

Anyone working at this level is clearly dedicated and talented. However, the form of these Olympics events are slightly different to World Championships. The temperament to perform under different situations has to be considered. Maybe that was a contributory factor here, and, if so, what was all the support around the teams doing to manage that? Then add the pressure of media expectation and then add cr*p doled out by people who only watch and comment every 4 years. It is lonely out there at the sharp end of anything.

That said, any sporting body deciding to not take a current and in form world champion and world record holder to the olympics really has to be sure of its decision.
There is a big team involved in preparation for an event that lasts but a few seconds. Lots of parameters involved in the decision.

Future funding will take in to consideration all recent performances. That is a brutal reality of much sports funding. That funding is only available based upon success and the likelihood of future success.

And of course, hindsight is a perfect science. Easy to be wise after the event.
 
I think more questions should be asked about our 4-man bobsleigh teams. Despite their funding they could only manage 17th and 18th and didn’t know their equipment would break the rules. Yet the women self-funded and came 8th.
 
Are you allowed to say 4 man bob sleigh????
Shouldn’t it be 4 person with dangly bits, and was it the dangly bits that broke the rules????=))
 
Are you allowed to say 4 man bob sleigh????
Shouldn’t it be 4 person with dangly bits, and was it the dangly bits that broke the rules????=))
Yes...perfectly ok as there were four men in it....and there isn’t a comparable event for women.
 
Are the men's team still from the Army like they used to be? They were successful in the past IIRC.

Tony.
 
Are the men's team still from the Army like they used to be? They were successful in the past IIRC.

Tony.
I don’t think so. They seemed to be from various backgrounds and apparently didn’t know who would be in each team until a couple of weeks ago. Sounds like team management was closer to being team mismanagement.
 
Sure does Gail.:( When will they realise that as a country which doesn't regularly have snow and ice we need better funding not less to be able to compete in Winter sports.

Tony.
 
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