Olympic/Team Sprint

Guest

How good were the qualifiers for the olympic/team sprint.  Go England.

I'm affraid that Aus will have to go slower to go faster.

Its interesting that Aus uses its national squad, whereas the GB riders are split up between the home nations!

Anyway all eyes on the finals.

drewjc

what other team would u expect Australia to use? The state teams...? This would maybe make the contest a little more equal in terms of medals but i don't really think that it is necessary for Australia to split itself into even smaller population groups, on account of British riders being split into their respective nations, still containing greater populations than Australia. It doesn't make any sense to me, what point u r trying to make?

Above all, the racing at the commonwealth games has been fantastic to watch, especially if u r an Aussie (especially the team sprint and team pursuit finals!).

Guest

What the?......... ???

Guest

Sorry, not making an issue or any point of the games.  Obviously every team wants to get the best result and I wouldn't want them to spilt up their squads.  I didn't mean to cause offence!

I was just getting excited for GB, who are developing a depth of world class riders (i.e. enough to share about the home nations).  The GB team only targets World Champs and the Olympics (but especialy the olympics) because of funding (C'games has no effect on GB funding).  I was looking forward to Athens when the GB team would be reunited in their main targeted event, with the pressure of millions of spectators and increases/decreases in GB funding.

It used to be that sprinting was a weak event in the UK (no depth of talent) but now its all different.  As for the home nations having a greater population than Australia, good on them!  But as all of the other countries they too have to battle with social and economic problems in each country.  Scotland and Wales have issues with funding, i.e. they don't get much, also the English team coaches are the GB team coaches.  Welsh and Scotish riders have to work with different coaches for the games and don't have such a history of performance/developement/quality coaching/facilities in cycling.  Remember, that we are all biasd (particularly me).  Just look at some of the other countries that are in a worse situation socialy/economicaly and how their performances represent this.

All in all, Aus's cycling was awesome (enough for me to want to emigrate), but the GB team riders have had some ace performances too!  That Jamie Staff guy has only been riding a track bike for 7 months, he was BMX world champion prior to that.

Check out www.thisiscycling.org.uk to learn about the England development plans for kids (really good site).  This is coined as the future of GB cycling, but it is only being implemented in England.

Guest

Forgot to mention, great ride in the final for Aus.  

Well done Aus (in the cycling), better luck next time England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Isle of man (I think I've forgotten some).

Guest

Sorry, became interested in this:

Population of UK = 59,756,000
Wales = 2,946,000
Scotland = 5,115,000
Northern Ireland = 1,698,000
England = 49,997,000

Population of Australia = 19,357,594 (July 2001 est.)

When the games is over I'll try and work out medals per head of population.  Obviously Australia has done well, but the other nations might provide interesting results.

drewjc

sorry 2LAP, i was pretty excited about the cycling at the games, and the games as a whole were spectacular to watch on TV (especially for us Aussies). I s probably shouldn't have written what i wrote i was just excited after the Aussies won the race. I must mention that i was doubly excited during these games as a mate and former training partner was a member of the record breaking pursuit team.

Up the Aussies!

Guest

who??

drewjc

Mark Renshaw