[Venkatesh]

Amul special doodle Indian shooter wins historic bronze at Paris Olympics!

[am1m]

What.A.Shot!

https://sports.ndtv.com/olympics-202...me-ndtv_sports

This is the reason some people put up with all this. Why some children wake up without being pushed at 4 am on cold winter mornings to get 2 hours of training in before school. Why some teenagers live like monks for 4 years so they can have under 10 seconds for a shot at glory. Knowing fully well that over 90% of them will not make it. Why closer to home, competitors from rural areas arrive the day before a national selection competition in the big city, and find that they are also expected to clean the training area and the place they need to sleep the night before the competition. Despite crores being sanctioned for competition facilities.

This represents why we need new and youthful sports like surfing to replace irrelevant events patronized by royalty, like whipping horses during training. (And why some sports administrators need to be whipped instead!)

Why people play on injured knees, refuse to believe they need to retire, lie to themselves that a couple of painkillers will be more than enough.

Because sport, even if it's at an amateur level, can raise you. Even on a neighborhood playground twenty years later, you remember being in 'the zone'. How you just 'saw' that pass being completed and being unstoppable before you actually did it. Executing it was just a formality. You just knew and loved being in that rarest of states, in the moment. When done often enough, sport grants you access to that. Occasionally.

And when it's at Olympian levels, like in the photo, it shows us that we can also walk on water.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by am1m

What.A.Shot!

And when it's at Olympian levels, like in the photo, it shows us that we can also
walk on water.

Was watching a video yesterday on Olympic photography and how it has changed over the years and the thought being put in to it.

Bit long, however interesting.

https://youtu.be/4gSptkAs8qk?si=0kIKHQOVEsZ_UJDz

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by NomadSK

Fair points as per the businessman who wants to invest in sports. Now hear me out while I wear the sports person's glasses...

I understand your heart is in the right place, so let me present my arguments too

Originally Posted by NomadSK

...Sports wise India is a poor country. If you ask today, no one will be ready to invest big money, but if there will be an marquee event like Olympic it will give the right impetus to invest money in the infrastructure for the development of the sports be it government or corporate sector...

That's akin to saying "I don't know how to cook. But instead of learning how to cook, I'll throw party because that will give me an impetus to learn how to cook.
Quite a circuitous way, isn't it? At the end, tax payers are paying for it, so let's pay for the sports infra and athletes instead of throwing a party.

Originally Posted by NomadSK

...Only when you will have the infra, then you can expect top level international athletes to come over. It's not a one day wonder...our athletes were training bare footed when their counterparts had heart monitors and what not attached to their bodies...

That's precisely my point. Spend at the right place.

Originally Posted by NomadSK

...In 80's cricket ...after 30 odd years we are reaping the benefits of money in cricket...

Holy Vishnu. This is a very biiiiig topic.
I believe, the Indian cricket revolution started after we won the 2007 WC and IPL started. The money it brought to BCCI was invested across India and in to the facilities for the team. A decade later, we started winning tests across the world and today we have approximately a pool of 36 cricketers to pick from. But we digress.

Originally Posted by NomadSK

...Now how that infra can be used for later generations is a point that needs to be brewed upon while finalizing and how best ROI can be achieved. I'm sure there will be consultants who are supposed to this job...

Well majority agree that the infra mostly rots and hosting the Olympics is a big mistake financially. The fact that in the history of Olympics no city has ever profited (except one) is a clear signal how bad of an idea it is.
Yes, there are consultants who'll tell you it's a great idea but they'll be the same selling snake oil as well. But hey, don't believe me, read studies online and decide for yourself.

Originally Posted by NomadSK

...And lastly we cannot have an agreement between an Economist and any sportsperson. Just like On a car enthusiast forum, how many times the money takes the back stage when we decide our cars.

No worries. We can discuss ad nauseam but in the end we both want the same thing.
More facilities, training, coaching and money for the athletes.

I don't want that athletes should try to win medals only because it guarantees them a government job.

[DetectiveMiles]

Swapnil Kusale wins Bronze in 50m Rifle category taking the tally to 3.

Swapnil Kusale, a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) with the Pune Railway Division, claimed India another medal at Paris Olympics from the shooting ranges.

News: https://indianexpress.com/article/sp...le-3p-9488522/

[deathwalkr]

Meanwhile a 51 year Turkish shooter stands out for his no frills no drama approach

https://sports.ndtv.com/olympics-202...-media-6237728

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Meanwhile a 51 year Turkish shooter stands out for his no frills no drama approach

The man is a five time Olympian and is ex-military man which explains his cool demeanour.

Dikeç’s early life combined a commitment to education and national service. He completed his primary and secondary education locally before earning a degree in physical education and sports from Gazi University in Ankara. His military career began in 1994 at the Military School of Gendarmerie in Ankara, culminating in a role with Jandarma Gücü, the Turkish Gendarmerie’s sports club in Ankara, where he blended his military service with his passion for shooting.

Also, I would have ideally liked to counter some points which fellow member ValarMorghulis has written above about the cricket part and regarding the use of tax money for hosting events but then this thread would get derailed.

[saket77]

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/expl...ndtv_topscroll

“Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who failed a gender eligibility test last year, knocked their Italian opponent out in 46 seconds in the 66 kg women's boxing category ”

Unfortunate. It’s time people think about it.

It’s not only unfair but also downright dangerous. But then common sense is not so common, and these days it often gets lost in the sea of technicalities.

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by saket77

Unfortunate. It’s time people think about it.

It’s not only unfair but also downright dangerous. But then common sense is not so common, and these days it often gets lost in the sea of technicalities.

Left to IBA, they disqualified both the boxers due to not meeting the eligibility criteria in the previous two world championships. It is because IBA is now not involved in the Olympics, gave the boxers the opportunity to participate. I hope the IOC reviews its own eligibility criteria and gives a level playing field. Although to be fair to both the boxers, it’s isn’t their fault that they are producing more male hormones than an average female. It’s just that criteria every where should be same.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

Although to be fair to both the boxers, it’s isn’t their fault that they are producing more male hormones than an average female.

Yes, not the fault of either of the athletes. It is the fault of the Olympics Committee. And a reflection of what the 'extra-liberal' mentality of some societies can lead to.

My heart goes out to the athletes who lose such contests. For us, it might be just a sport or even entertainment. For them, it is their career, their reputation and their pride. And nobody should be forced to compromise on their years of hard work in guise of such absurd classifications. Very unfortunate.

[srini1785]

He seems to be the toast of the town.

[NomadSK]

What a lovely intriguing hockey match with Aussies !! We finally managed to break in through their defenses.

Shreejesh the beauty, he was the wall between losing and winning.

3-2 final score at Paris, from 1-7 drubbing at Tokyo !! Proud moment.

Edit - Wow, just came to know, India Beat Australia For The 1st Time In 52 Years, after Munich 1972 !!

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by NomadSK

Edit - Wow, just came to know, India Beat Australia For The 1st Time In 52 Years, after Munich 1972 !!

Just a correction - it's their first Olympic hockey win since the '72 games, although Australia has thoroughly dominated us. Who can forget the painful loss to them in the 2018 champions trophy finals.

[PreludeSH]

Saw that Sajjan Jindal will give a MG Windsor (Cloud?) to every medal wining member of Indian olympics team. Good way to also announce the name of the car !

https://twitter.com/sajjanjindal/sta...24941448077479

[ex-innova-guy]

^^ Nothing but PR stunt.

Reminds me of a great post by @ABHI_1512 da.

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

every company and politicians jumping onto the bandwagon after the success of individuals is playing the cheap part of marketing. As I have already mentioned in this thread, it’s derogatory to the sponsors who stood by these athletes when no one supported them. Although, to be fair to Mahindra, he isn’t making it trend at least !!

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

Unfortunately, these gifts do nothing for their careers. It would have been more than helpful if some so called corporates came with a sponsorship plan for the athletes.

Nobody wants to invest in the athletes but all come to bask in the glory when they win medals. Mind you, winning an Olympic medal is no joke at all. Athletes need proper training with best equipments and coaches to be able to win medals. If the corporates want, they can sponsor the athletes but no, they will not. Instead, they will try to hog the limelight when these very athletes, with their hard work and determination win medals.

Athletics start today. The events and athletes to look out for:

1. Men’s 100m and 200m: Noah Lyles created a lot of noise last year after winning the double in the World Championships. Will he be able to do the same?
2. Women’s 100m: Sha’Carri Richardson vs the Jamaicans. Would be interesting to see if she Sha’Carri can win this one.
3. Women’s 400m Hurdles: Femke Bol vs Sydney McLaughlin. Bol has broken a lot of records in the past few years but Sydney is on a whole different level. Let’s see how this race pans out.
4. Sifan Hassan: She is set to compete in 5000m, 10000m, and the marathon!