I Never Realised The Olympics Is This Year, Sometime.

I think it still has merit, especially for the lesser known sports. Not all competitors have lucrative contracts or sponsorship - many are still very much in it for the love of their sport. You just need to listen to some of those who will be competing, especially for the first time, to see how much it means to them. And then there's the Paralympics, where the competitors are also very much worthy of recognition.

I just love watching athletes at the peak of their fitness revelling in their ability.

I love the Olympics....I love the diving...the gymnastics....the rowing...the pole vault....the decathlon....all of it really....its very significant to me

Well I’ll be watching I love dipping in and out of different sports the swimming and athletics are favourites. I think it’s still significant to a lot of people.

It starts this Friday and as it is in Paris at least we will not be watching a final at 2 am.

I'll certainly be watching the events that interest me

I'm rather giddy at the thought of Nadal and Alcarez playing doubles in the tennis.

I love it. The London Olympics were amazing: I’d love to relive those two weeks again. Having said that, the current one has rather crept up on me. I’m not sure if we have any outstanding sportspeople at the moment, especially as we no longer dominate cycling?

Well, there's Charlotte Dujardin, who could well become Britain's most decorated female Olympian if she wins another medal in Paris - I'd say that's fairly outstanding. She already has three gold medals, one silver and two bronze.

Which horse is she riding these days?

Dujardin released her autobiography, The Girl on the Dancing Horse: Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, in (2018). I read this book at the time. An amazing insight into her world.

MayBee70

I love it. The London Olympics were amazing: I’d love to relive those two weeks again. Having said that, the current one has rather crept up on me. I’m not sure if we have any outstanding sportspeople at the moment, especially as we no longer dominate cycling?

GBNI are aiming for 70 medals, and we have some stellar athletes.

We topped the cycling medal table in the last Olympics, and look set to do well this time. Watch for Emma Finucane in the track sprints, and Tom Pidcock in the road race and mountain biking.

In the water, it’ll be fascinating to see how both Peaty and Daley manage their comebacks; I have high hopes for Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix in the diving, and we’ve a clutch of world class swimmers.

Whitlock in the gymnastics, Glover & crew in the rowing, and Yee, Potter and Taylor-Brown are all good bets in the men’s (Yee), women’s and mixed relay triathlon. We have some excellent kayakers, and the skateboard team look more than promising.

In athletics; Keely Hodgkinson is outstanding, as is Josh Kerr. Matt Hudson-Smith set a new European record on Saturday, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a medal. Molly Caudery must be pole vault favourite, and the women’s sprint relay team is looking really good (less said about the men’s 4 x 100 team the better at the moment) and I think both 4x400 teams have a good chance. Can’t write Laura Muir off, and I cannot wait to see how the up and coming Louie Hinchliffe and Phoebe Gill do.

We’ve a good chance in both the men’s and women’s boxing, particularly the delightfully nam d Delicious Orie.

Oh, and injured or not, Katarina Johnson-Thompson is a big hope.

How could you miss that 🤷‍♀️
There are short programs on every day.
And I love it love it love it 🥰

MayBee70

Which horse is she riding these days?

It's Imhotep she's taking to Paris.

MissInterpreted Did you see her on the News tonight with her little girl kissing his nose? He looks lovely.

I think this year has come round quickly because 2020 had to be postponed. I will certainly be watching the gymnastics, can't wait to see what Simone comes up with.

MissInterpreted

MayBee70

Which horse is she riding these days?

It's Imhotep she's taking to Paris.

Thanks. I loved little Gio at the last Olympics. I was never interested in dressage till a friend ( who wasn’t at all interested in horses) phoned me up and said she’s seen Moorlands Totillas on tv and he was amazing.Then a friend who did dressage herself said there was a chestnut horse that was better than him ( never worked out who that was). I was surprised to read that Valegro was a gelding: I assumed he was a stallion and was now making lots of baby Valegros.

Deedaa

MissInterpreted Did you see her on the News tonight with her little girl kissing his nose? He looks lovely.

I think this year has come round quickly because 2020 had to be postponed. I will certainly be watching the gymnastics, can't wait to see what Simone comes up with.

I will be in Versailles for all of the dressage, flying out next Monday for a week of dressage delight. I am very excited to be going. Dressage is so difficult and training a horse to the top level is like winning the lottery. I do hope we get a team medal. video attached of what I think will be Charlotte and Imhotep's freestyle for anyone who wants to take a peek.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-qBmdWrbxA

Oh lucky you, foxie48, I am very jealous! I did dressage (at Pony Club level) when I was younger, and my DiL does dressage now with one of her horses. I don't think many people realise what an art it is and how much hard work goes into it - so many just dismiss it as 'horse dancing'.

MissInterpreted I feel so lucky to be going, a friend got tickets and asked me to go with her. It's been a bit of a consolation prize, my beautiful mare had to be pts following a field accident and I decided I was too old to start riding a new horse. A friend lent me a horse I knew well and trusted but I had a horrible accident on him in January which put me in hospital for two weeks so I decided that perhaps it was time to hang up my riding boots. I really miss riding, dressage was my "thing" I miss it terribly but the Olympics has really given me something to look forward to. Good luck to DIL, it is such a difficult sport but wow it's fab when it's going well.

Love it always have, I can remember watching it on the TV when I was young, those days it was limited cover, but watched with my Dad.
Even one of our School Houses was named after a Femail athlete Mary Rand.

I was luck enough to get selected as a 2012 Games Maker in London. It was an incredible experience.
I'm looking forward to seeing all sorts of events, having met a few athletes in 2012, I have nothing but admiration for these talented people.

My relative is there and will be participating. 👏👏

I’m looking forward to the tennis and rowing, but very sad that Steve Redgrave has no involvement in the games this time.

My future DIL, a keen netball player is furious that her sport isn’t included.

How exciting for you foxie48, please report back won’t you.

How could you not know the Olympics is on? There has been media coverage of the event and all the preparayions the French have been making for at least the last year.

I didnt know either!

May have heard something about Paris a few months ago?