Just how good will the Olympics be?

[AndrewT]

And where are Pat Sharp and Mick Brown? #showingmyage

[TightEnd]

Helen Skelton though.

[tikay]

Have they managed to have a single BMX race without a crash yet?

Lord Bok strikes again.

[TightEnd]

Back to the investment figures The Camel put on the thread...

GB Swimming will have to answer questions of its relative return at these Games, when you consider the lottery funding thrown at it?

three medals, is this simply down to less talent, or can we add relatively poor administration/coaching (compared to cycling/rowing etc) to the problem here?

[Dino]

BMX funding must be really dire, not one of them can afford a bike that is big enough for them.

[Ironside]

Fml in hospital with freeview choice of horse ballet or men in a pool trying to rip each others trunks off how I miss my sky and my internet and the wacky bmx

[TightEnd]

Lion King guarantees us a medal in the horse disco.

How is this an Olympic sport?

[Longy]

Let me know when we have won something in horse dancing. The BMX is hugely entertaining and is holding off my olympics fatigue.

[Woodsey]

Lion King guarantees us a medal in the horse disco.

How is this an Olympic sport?

Posh people usually have friends in high places  

[Marky147]

4th was a great effort for Payne. Horrible event really, tough tough tough

I am currently torn between Horses tiptoeing to Phil Collins, or Radio 1 DJs commentating on BMX. Olympic fatigue setting in

Horses giving it big licks around the sandpit

[AndrewT]

Back to the investment figures The Camel put on the thread...

GB Swimming will have to answer questions of its relative return at these Games, when you consider the lottery funding thrown at it?

three medals, is this simply down to less talent, or can we add relatively poor administration/coaching (compared to cycling/rowing etc) to the problem here?

Many of the swimmers not only did not swim PBs, but actually swam slower than they did in the trials back in March. That means it's either a psychological thing at not dealing with pressure/big crowd or their training plans were not right so they peaked at the wrong time.

Either way, questions have to be asked at the organisation.

[Longy]

Back to the investment figures The Camel put on the thread...

GB Swimming will have to answer questions of its relative return at these Games, when you consider the lottery funding thrown at it?

three medals, is this simply down to less talent, or can we add relatively poor administration/coaching (compared to cycling/rowing etc) to the problem here?

It has to be considered a poor showing and question have to be answered. Only Jamieson performed over and above expectations, everyone else was at or below.

Is the fact that swimming is a lot more competitive worldwide especially for the olympics than rowing or cycling. It is pretty much the 2nd sport at any olympics so all the traditional power countries at the olympics will be throwing money at it.

I think we have been pretty shrewd putting money into sports like cycling where x amount of money was likely to gain more medals and therefore exposure for the sport. The knock on effect has been private sponsorship (sky) has increased the snowball effect. Cycling is a great sport to promote to all sections of society to increase fitness and therefore long term take some strain off the NHS etc.

[Graham C]

Is the sucess of the cycling team anything to do with Team Sky?  I guess they are putting in a hell of a lot of money into cycling, certainly for Wiggins/Cavendish, but are they involved in the track guys too?

[Tal]

Re cycling (see what I did there?), I think we made more finals than normally, which is an indication of us developing more individuals of the elite standard. That is likely a product of the grass roots investment.

We simply don't have the talent at the top right now. Tancock is unlucky that his event isn't in the Olympics, but we have a handful of others who are very good but not top dog on the big day.

The fact we've been more competitive in more events this summer is easy to overlook.

[TightEnd]

Is the sucess of the cycling team anything to do with Team Sky?  I guess they are putting in a hell of a lot of money into cycling, certainly for Wiggins/Cavendish, but are they involved in the track guys too?

Yes, they sponsored the team at the World track champs

Brailsford manager of Sky team and national team