Come on England (Olympics - NOT football)

Gail (Emms) and Nathan (Robertson) through to the badminton Mixed doubles final at the Olympics.

ROCK ON

Playing at reasonable level meself, I know how tough the game is. Most underated sport. Was on the same flight as the England team back from the World Champs in Seville couple of years ago, met Gail at Gatwick whilst she was waiting for a train back to Bedford. Really down to earth girl. Well deserved medal (guaranteed silver).

So many congrats to them both.

 

I used to play (fairly well) and in my view the best game there is.

Good luck to Gail & Nathan. Hopefully their success will improve the coverage of the game on TV.

 

Has anyone else just lost interest in the Olympics? I used to always watch as much as I could and this year I'm, like, "so what?". I might watch the mens 100m but beyond that I now really just don't give a toss anymore. I've even lost interest in the swimming which I used to watch avidly as I used to swim at national level in the UK and there isn't much other swimming on TV but it just seems to have passed me by this time. Not really sure why

Michael.

 

Maybe the hype hope and failure cycle - swimming, athletics (football :duck: )

 

the olympics is on?
when did that happen?
cheers


julian

 

Hi Jeff,

It's team GB, not England.

But I did watch the badminton and it was a very good performance. A gold is possible. Well done to the pair of them.

There was a bronze for Alison Williamson in the archery & one for Helen Reeves in the single kayak. The 3 day eventing team have won silver today as well. Also well done.

There are a number of people still in with a very good shout for a medal but it looks like the number of golds will be down.

I have watched quite a good bit of the Olympics and some of the events have been dull. But some have been very enjoyable. I quite enjoyed female beach volleyball.

SCIDB

 

Darn it, have missed it already?

Michael.

 

Having been a weightlifter in the past, it always annoys me when all you get is 5 mins on the TV. I would advise everyone to watch the super heavyweights, again the first event to be sold out.

 

I thought it was Great Britain?

 

Beach volleyball... yep, that's great viewing! Far more essential than us actually winning anything... well done to those that have done well though... lets just hope they don't turn into arrogant deluded bigheads with ideas above their station like Audley Harrison "I'm going to win the British Title within 5 pro fights then the world within 3 years" or something like that... where are you now? Still in the Conference league, that's where.

 

Hi Mo,

The Great Britain Olympic team is known as Team GB.

http://www.olympics.org.uk/teamgb/teamgb.asp

Hi Gazz,

There was good coverage of Michaela Breeze who represented Team GB in the womens weightlifting. I only saw bits of the other events in the weighlifting comp. I do like watching the super heavy weightlifting comp.

SCIDB

 

The badminton matches have been great. Hope the mix double pair manage a gold medal. Maybe then the media realize their are probably a lot more badminton players in UK then tennis for example. The UK players have made much progress over the years but these are unfortunately not been pick up the media yet.

The gymnasts are amazing. I know nothing about it other then that I could not do any of those jumps, twists and swings.

Still don't get beach volley ball. The girls have good figures but not really convincing sport.

 

The beauty of the OG is watching the stuff that never gets on TV normally! yesterday for example I got to watch canoeing, water polo, table tennis and sailing as well as the more commonly found sports, just brilliant. Helps not working right now so I have all day to watch, although its very interesting trying to follow Team GB when you are based in another country. What's the coverage like in Portugal Michael, don't believe they sent a huge team?

 

Has anyone else taken any interest in the first place?

 

Loads, currently averaging 5 hours a day TV time with an almost certain peak when the athletics starts.

 

Philip, the coverage here is pretty good. I don't think Portugal sent in a big team but everyone still watches it. They got a silver medal in one of the cycling events (the road race I think) which was an unexpected surprise.

Michael.

 

Woman single badminton on BBC Freeview channel at the moment. Amazing stuff.

 

Bit of background. Copy from a badminton website.


Mia Audina vs. Zhang Ning – The match of the decade
Written by kwun

Wednesday, 18 August 2004

Time 1994, location Jarkarta Indonesia , event World Women's Team Championship Uber Cup Final. China who held the title for the past decade is battling Indonesia for the victory. After two singles and two doubles matches, China 2 – Indonesia 2. Next to step on court was a young 19 years old Zhang Ning representing China and a younger 14 years old Mia Audina representing Indonesia.



After a 3 games battle between the two, Zhang Ning conceded the match and thus the Uber Cup to Indonesia with a scoreline of 11/7 – 10/12 – 11/4. China has to fight for 4 long years before reclaiming the cup again in 1998.



Zhang Ning will never forget that painful defeat.



10 years has passed and within this 10 yrs, these two players have had their good and bad days, Mia Audina saw the passing away of her mother and after a bitter disagreement with PBSI, she left Indonesia for The Netherland to marry her husband, Tylio Lobman. Now representing The Netherlands, she holds a pivotal position in the Dutch ladies badminton team.



Over the years her performance has gone up and down, she won the Silver medal back in 1996 at the age of 16. She didn't make any breakthroughs in the new millennium. Her stamina problem was exploited by her regular Chinese opponents. But in 2003, she overcame her stamina problem and captured the Japan Open and European Championship crowns.



Zhang Ning age 29 is the oldest players in the Chinese team. Zhang was an active player since the era of Susi Susanti and Ye Zhaoying, however, with the domination of other players like Susi / Mia / Gong / Ye / Martin / Gong, she has always been sidelined in the media. Despite being overshadowed by her opponents and teammates she never gave up training and fighting. While many younger teammates have already left the team, she fought on. Her hard work paid off in 2003 when she won the World Championship in Birmingham. Since then she has been on top of her game, winning one grand prix tournament after another. The year has been the year of Zhang Ning.



In these years, she has played Mia Audina many times, in fact, they have met 12 times and their head-to-head record is 6-6.



Time now is 2004, location Athens, event Olympics Women's Single Final, contestants, Zhang Ning and Mia Audina, now 10 yrs older and wiser. The foes faces each other again in undoubtedly the most important match of any badminton professional's career.



Both player have been in tremendous form, Mia has the upper hand for winning their last encounter and the most recent tournaments, Zhang Ning wasn't in great form during earlier matches but we don't know what can be in the veterans mind.



The battle will play itself out on August 19 in the Goudi Olympics Hall. Who will edge ahead and give the edge in their 13th encounter? Mia is looking to bring home The Netherlands' first ever Olympic badminton medal while Zhang Ning has the job of defending the WS Gold medal for her country.



It is definitely the match of the decade.

 

Ah Badmintoncentral.com. My second most frequented site - after this one, of course.

I'd love to see Mia win - she has the most extraordinary style, hardly ever plays a backhand overhead - almost always /"round the head" forehand. Increadible flexibility. She has the skill, but don't know about the fitness.

 

Intervel time. Nails biting. 1 set each.