Beijing Olympics 2008

[Ramseth]

The United States have become the second country to cross 20 gold medals. One of which is in the men's 400m hurdles. Mmm...wonder what would be the result had Liu Xiang of China contested...

 

[Ramseth]

Germany have become the fifth country to cross double-digit gold medals with a win in men's triathlon.

 

[Ramseth]

Britain is consolidating it's 3rd position on the tally with an almost clean sweep of cycling medals. Makes me wonder, with so many Chinese cyclists on the roads of China, and so few or almost none in Britain, why British Olympic cyclists are better than Chinese? Nevermind, perhaps the Chinese are too busy winning other medals. They're still far and away tops. No way can the US or Britain or others catch up now.

This shall be the first time a non-caucasian nation tops the Olympic medal tally.

For those with affectionate memories of old British colonial days, this is the first time in a century that British athletes have managed to hold on to a top three position for more than 3 days, and looking like all the way.

 

[Ramseth]

For Asian supporters, good news is that China seem be unstoppable at the top. Bad news is that Japan and South Korea seem to have stagnated in the lower top ten.

 

[Ramseth]

The English-speaking countries (USA, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica) have a combined population less than half of China's, but have a combined gold medal tally of 57 versus China 42. Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei haven't contributed any gold medal yet to the Chinese-speaking circle. I don't know whether to count Singapore as English-speaking or Chinese-speaking. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Singapore haven't won a gold medal too.

 

[Ramseth]

he said dat, ah? ...

whole world gt 6.5b ppl ... gt so many medals @ stake meh?

He picks up one silver happy like picking up ox penis.

 

[johnsgp1]

Meaning take income tax and GST to buy Olympic medal? Ministers themselves so rich, if they want medal why don't they pay for it themselves? Or is it true that the majority of Singaporeans are willing to pay income tax and GST for Olympic medal?

That is why Lee Jia Wei wanted so much to thank singaporeans for our support, for the sake of S$750K,and she will do her best in the olympics to win 2nd place....didn't u see how relax she played in the finals?

 

[hughgrant]

i think the prize has to be split into 3, so technically she only get $250k

 

[Ramseth]

She still has another shot at S$1m in the singles.

 

[hungary fighter]

if she get another million or 750K from the singles event.....she can finally retired & enjoy life.....no need 2 play table tennis anymore.....

 

[Ramseth]

Russia has also crossed double-digit gold medals. Now they look more like in place on the tally, at 4th. If we add up Russia, Ukraine and Georgia, for a hypothetical resurrection of the Soviet Union, they would be 3rd now. So, the performances of ex-Soviet nations are roughly in line (or only a little off) with what could have been had they remained as the Soviet Union. Interestingly, German performances have dipped and dipped after reunification. In the 70s and 80s, West Germany and East Germany could both hold down two top 5 placings. Reunification should have meant combined medal count and challenge for top placing. However, this hasn't been the case. The unified Germany is now winning less gold medals than what West Germany and East Germany had managed seperately in the past.

 

[po2wq]

if she get another million or 750K from the singles event.....she can finally retired & enjoy life.....no need 2 play table tennis anymore.....

if she get another million or 750K or so, tink she wil emigrate ... :p

 

[Ramseth]

The best improved country on the medal tally now is surely Britain. They have their traditional share of a few gold medals here and there. But this time, there's an obviously concerted preparation and effort at cycling, rowing and sailing, resulting in a double-digit gold-medal haul. I think it's a lesson for Singapore to learn if Singapore want a gold medal. Don't count on sports with entrenched superpowers (e.g. table tennis and badminton) and concentrate on a few disciplines with better chances.

Of course, Singapore can't do it on a scale like Britain. But taking the idea and scaling it down, Singapore may win a gold medal in future.

 

[Ramseth]

While the US, Britain and Australia are basking among the top placings of the medal tally, the underperforming English-speaking country is once again Canada. They seem to never recover from that Ben Johnson doping scandal in Seoul 1988. With a population of 30m+, they're still on only 2 gold medals, equal to New Zealand with a population of 4m+.

 

[hungary fighter]

if she get another million or 750K or so, tink she wil emigrate ... :p

emigrate 2 us of a???!!!!.....don't think she will go back 2 china.....

 

[Ramseth]

I think that she'll probably stay here and enjoy life in celebrity status. She'd be nothing more than a speck of dust in a big country like the US, as she has obviously already realised when she was growing up in China.

 

[hungary fighter]

id she moves 2 the us of a....she can enjoy some privacy.....in s'pore too much media attention on her......remember the time she & susilo break up.....it became national news.....

 

[Ramseth]

问题不大，多她一个不多，少她一个不少，政府钱一大把。

 

[hungary fighter]

but government money is our money collected from tax & gst & erp &.....etc....

 

[Ramseth]

What to do? They have 82 seats out of 84 in Parliament, can charge the people whatever they like and use the money anyway they like. And anyway, talk Olympics and sports here lah. Talk politics in the other threads.