Zika, drugs, and medals: The Rio Olympics thread

[celedhring]

I tuned in to watch Biles and the Spanish TV served me up some idiotic horse jumping race where the lone Spaniard competing didn't even finish near the top. Yay Spanish TV!

[Valmy]

It is pretty fortunate that we have both the greatest male and female Olympians in US history in the same Olympics eh?

[Eddie Teach]

Simone biles maybe the greatest female gymnasts but it's premature to call her the greatest female Olympian.

[celedhring]

Yeah, what makes Phelps great is that he's been owning the place since 2004.

Gymnasts careers are way too short for Biles to replicate this kind of record, although she should still be up for it in 2020.

[Liep]

Norman wins the scratch discipline.

[Liep]

Norman wins the scratch discipline.

He took the bunch by a lap, but only got a few points to show for it against the other favourites... I wonder if it's wasted energy.

But he won it!

Next up: time trial.

[DGuller]

Yeah, what makes Phelps great is that he's been owning the place since 2004.

Gymnasts careers are way too short for Biles to replicate this kind of record, although she should still be up for it in 2020.

Also a lot of your success depends on how lucky you are with injuries and their timing.  Mustafina just won another gold, and she's a shadow of her former self.  How much better would she be had she not torn her ACL early into her career?  There are probably quite a few great ones like that who never survived in the sport long enough to show their talent.

[garbon]

Yeah, what makes Phelps great is that he's been owning the place since 2004.

Gymnasts careers are way too short for Biles to replicate this kind of record, although she should still be up for it in 2020.

Also a lot of your success depends on how lucky you are with injuries and their timing.  Mustafina just won another gold, and she's a shadow of her former self.  How much better would she be had she not torn her ACL early into her career?  There are probably quite a few great ones like that who never survived in the sport long enough to show their talent.

You know you live in America, right?

[DGuller]

Yeah, what makes Phelps great is that he's been owning the place since 2004.

Gymnasts careers are way too short for Biles to replicate this kind of record, although she should still be up for it in 2020.

Also a lot of your success depends on how lucky you are with injuries and their timing.  Mustafina just won another gold, and she's a shadow of her former self.  How much better would she be had she not torn her ACL early into her career?  There are probably quite a few great ones like that who never survived in the sport long enough to show their talent.

You know you live in America, right?

I believe I do know that.

[Eddie Teach]

That's okay. She's cuter than the American gymnasts.

[Liep]

Norman wins the 4k pursuit and sets Olympic Record!

[Liep]

Norman is eliminated first in the elimination race.

[Liep]

Omnium is such an unfair sport.

[Sheilbh]

One a day-by-day basis, Team GB is ahead of its 2012 medal win schedule, surprisingly.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36970388

Still doing well. Currently ahead of China in the medals table

[alfred russel]

Bolt wins the 100m, but with a time of 9.81, that had he put up in London, would have left him off the podium. Not sure what the wind was doing. I suspect a new generation of sprinters will take over by 2020.