What ? No medals ?

[RM]

I was looking over the Summer Olympics medal count for the different countries and I saw no mention of Canada. It seems odd that countries like Togo would have 1, Zimbabwe 3, but 0 for Canada.

Are you guys even trying ?

[charlene]

trying..yep-fer sure they're trying..
we don't spend a lot of bucks on olympic athletes/training/accomodations etc. like other countries.we also don't reward with them with much of anything if they get a medal like other countries give their athletes. they enter and train and compete for the love of the amatuer sport aspect and to try for their own best in whatever sport in which they compete.
winter sports seem to garner more medals for canada..

[Nightingale]

That's funny, RM :)

Imagine that, Canada winning more medals for winter sports...

Hi to the vacation goddess :)

[RM]

Whew......the drought is over.......Canada picked up 3 (1 gold,1 silver, 1 bronze) in a span of 45 minutes. I'm not sure what the events were.

They just needed a little prodding.

[charlene]

women's freestyle wrestling-48kg - gold
men's pair-rowing-silver
women's freestyle wrestling-55kg - bronze

[Sundreme]

Wanna hear something weird? Of course you do.
In addition to the USA, I find myself actually rooting for Germany of all countries in some events. All because the lead singer of Rammstein almost made it to the Olympics on the East German swim team when he was a kid...I still can't believe it though, me, Germany...oy vey. Of course none of the other countries stand a chance in men's swimming with Michael Phelps competing.

[talbot10]

women's freestyle wrestling-48kg - gold
men's pair-rowing-silver
women's freestyle wrestling-55kg - bronze

Canada has got Charzo! They get a gold medal for that :)
Bill

[charlene]

Canada has got Charzo! They get a gold medal for that :)
Bill

lol - that's too funny Billyboy - especially considering i am THE least athletic person in the country..lol
but i do like seeing the athletes with the flag tattoos like mine..makes me feel like an olympian!

We were out on The Bluenose yesterday-barely a wind but some rain..so I feel like a real sailor now..
http://www.bluenose2.ns.ca/Legacy/index.html
she's the ship on the canadian dimes..beautiful.

[jj]

Canada has got Charzo! They get a gold medal for that :)
Bill

true, Bill!
but there is some controversy surrounding her urine sample - she's on stereo-oids! ok, agh

here is an article that may be of interest: http://www.thestar.com/article/479773

these summer events are for wusses ...we'll see real athletes (ie. the curlers!) and reep the medals in 2010

... seriously, all of these entrants are awesome...and mostly, great sportmanandwomanship for future generations to behold ...man, that Bolt is a freak of nature, either that or part cheetah

[RM]

man, that Bolt is a freak of nature, either that or part cheetah

Just this morning I heard a sports-talk host wondering why Jamaica seems to dominate the sprints competitions. He mentioned several past winners that represented different countries (e.g. Ben Johnson, although he was later stripped of his medal) but were born in Jamaica. According to a study he mentioned, it's genetic. Perhaps cheetahs do play a part.

[charlene]

it's amazing to see how fast they run..and it seems effortless!
hopefully drug free.
Ben was stripped right away -
American runner Carl Lewis thought he got away with his doping.even tho it was known he was using illegal drugs to enhance his times..as did Joyner - but they eventually got caught..after making big money with endorsements etc. for their monumental athletic achievements.that turned out to be achieved with banned substances they knew they were taking..
http://www.smh.com.au/olympics/articles/2004/06/18/1089484295807.html

i understand that 'samples' are being kept for several years for further testing that may strip medallists of medals won in china.

there will always be those who think they can't or won't be caught.

[Patti]

Another Silver for Canada in Men's Diving. :)

[Patti]

Bronze for Canada in Women's Hurdles.

[geodeticman.5]

I'l tell ya what they need a Canadian event for - show me a cigarette-smoking, previously never exercising American that can sea-kayak or canoe 600 -800 miles in sub arctic waters, and I'll retract this. Gord takes Gold here Emeritus. I understand he largely stopped in the 80's . Maybe that was sailing (that he stopped and sold boats), but I think it was trekking-distance canoeing. I'll bet he accassionaly slips out on flat water in his Canary Yellow Canoe !

~geo steve

P.S. It occurred to me after writing this, that someone would no doubt correctly point-out that there IS a kayak event in the summer games. I don't know about Bejing and resources, but isn't that question one of international funding anyway ?
The kayaking event I recall seeing, that Canadians should have a statistical edge on per-capita I would think, was an artificially-built sluice-run type of hydraulically-roiled white water, with a twist-turny crash-em-up course that was somewhat downhill, so gravity would provide amusement-park-like acceleration, and there were a LOT of crash and burns, and 360 rolls ( had to be deep enough to avoid head-bangers). There was the requisite Mountain Dew summer extreme-dude banners overhead and I believe sponsors too for professional kayakers ( obviously not in the Olympics). It was a hoot ! Infact, the Banners makes me wonder if what I am recalling was a professional, team-sponsoured event, versus Olympics. Anyone know ? Canadians would rule, I'd think !

[geodeticman.5]

Kayaking re-dux

It also occurred to me that IF there is a summer-games Kayak event that is what I remembered (Mtn Dew notwithstanding), it would HAVE to be in a contained, artificial run environment. Couldn't hardly have a 3,000 mile run "up" the MacKenzie river, ending at Inuvik, at the MacKenzie Delta at the mouth of the Beaufort Sea, if memory serves from "Ice Road Truckers" - which I understand Canadians do not get to see broadcast on the History Channel !?! That long of a run might make logistics a bit -INSANE- for cameramen et al along the distance. Not likely. This post was started for rhetorical reasons and humour only; and...BUT of course there would never be a natural run, controlled and televised in any event, or could there ? ;)

This makes me think of the logistics involved in the filming of, and distance and remoteness of: The Iditarod Sled Race - would seem to be quite similar in many regards to a Kayak race in natural waters; trekking distance. Canucks (sp?) or Alaskans please tell me - I heard Dog-slegging was or will be an Olympic Winter-Games event, True ? That would certainly pave the way for a possible natural-course Sea-kayaking course for a summer Olympic Game, but somehow, I doubt it, despite the remote and extreme environments of the Iditarod.
Money must not be there , or someone would have done it. :)

~geo steve

[jj]

Just this morning I heard a sports-talk host wondering why Jamaica seems to dominate the sprints competitions. He mentioned several past winners that represented different countries (e.g. Ben Johnson, although he was later stripped of his medal) but were born in Jamaica.

yeah, Johnson and Donovan Bailey were born there as well as the British winner in 1992

the high school track meets are huge events down there...alot of raw hard work (ok, and good genes, thank)

you can race Bolt here, ie. let your fingers do the walking, err running! lol

http://www.pumarunning.com/#EN/

[Sundreme]

Didn't Canada also win Gold in men's and women's synchronized politeness?