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JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Australia, U.S. swimmers face strong rivals at Games

Olympics Aug. 05, 2008 - 11:43PM JST ( 27 )

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27 Comments

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ExPrinceskaAug. 06, 2008 - 08:38AM JST

I would cheer for all swimmers but the australians, since I am disappointed with thorp who used doping and retired to cover the drug scandal. If an American beats Australia, I will be very happy. Go USA, do not give any chance to Aussies to take medal to Australia!!!
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rajakumarAug. 06, 2008 - 08:42AM JST

The country that gets most swimming medals has always been USA.

Swimming has 34 golds.

Winning many golds in 2 disciplines that is swimming/athletics only, has helped USA top in medals total, in many olympiads.
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huberts2Aug. 06, 2008 - 10:46AM JST

To exprinceska

You ought to be ashamed; and you are also showing your ignorance. Thorpe has been absolutely cleared of all newspaper (one newspaper ) gossip and satisfied all testing and analysis. Do you want to share the penalties which the French newspaper will pay for defamation?
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pathatAug. 06, 2008 - 10:50AM JST

Rajakumar:

What is your point, other than thinly-veiled grumbling about the U.S.?

Japan, under a provision since abolished, used its prerogative as host of the Games in 1964 to get judo introduced-not only to show some Japanese culture to the rest of the world-but also to help it improve its medal chances.

Japan used its money and influence to get women`s wrestling introduced for increased medal opportunities.

All countries want to see certain sports they are traditionally strong in in the Olympics to enable them to move up the medal standings.

Japan so desperately is working to get baseball and softball readmitted as sports in 2016 because it has so few other medal opportunities in large numbers besides swimming and judo. The slogan, "Baseball in 2016," is part of the advertising on the Nippon Professional Baseball site, for example.

If you look carefully at the history of swimming in the Olympics, you will find that other countries have done very well, even better at times, than the United States.

Perhaps with a lot of the same successful techniques and training regimens being used the world over, as well as the same equipment, there might not be much of a gap between the best anymore.

My guess is that the U.S. will win the most medals in swimming again. Australia and Russia will do well, too. Some other countries will surprise, but, Japan, outside of Kosuke Kitajima and couple others, will disappoint. Anyway, we will see how things play out soon.
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TonyUSAug. 06, 2008 - 01:20PM JST

A lot of hype, let's just see what happens.. :) I am a little bias though. I do not want to see China go away with the highest total.. hahah

It seems to me it would just be fulfilling the CCP goal of trying to use the Olympics as a show of superiority as was stated earlier in reports of the mentality of the communist leadership, in line with Nazi Germany.. Why China has such mentality among its leaders?????? They have a long way to go to become a normal country seen from the outside.
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ExPrinceskaAug. 06, 2008 - 01:25PM JST

You ought to be ashamed; and you are also showing your ignorance. Thorpe has been absolutely cleared of all newspaper (one newspaper ) gossip and satisfied all testing and analysis. Do you want to share the penalties which the French newspaper will pay for defamation?

sorry but I read the story in the newspapers about Thorpe. Am I guilty that it was written scandalous things about him?!?!??!
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huberts2Aug. 06, 2008 - 03:52PM JST

exprinceska Yes of course you are. Your words, "I am disappointed with thorp who used doping and retired to cover the drug scandal." You didn't just pass a tedious blogger's opinion, you stated that as a fact. Obviously someone else in a newspaper office once threw away a line about Thorpe and now you and a few others believe. You have continued the "lie". Your only defence is that apart from you almost everyone else knows he did not use drugs and others are less likely to be influenced by your ignorance - consequently damage to him from your 'factual' statement may be less and your penalty reduced.
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ExPrinceskaAug. 06, 2008 - 08:21PM JST

Huberts, Thanks for the explanation. I think I would like mostly the representatives of coutries not so strong in swimming to win, and also I will cheer for the American and Russian team because I find American and Russian swimmers more charismatic. Also it would be good if Japanes swimmers win some medals. Last Olympic games Kitajima won spectacularly. It will be nice competition.
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roomtemperatureAug. 07, 2008 - 03:29PM JST

"Some other countries will surprise, but, Japan, outside of Kosuke Kitajima and couple others, will disappoint. Anyway, we will see how things play out soon."

And in the meanwhile you keep wishful thinking, don't you Pathat.

YOU complain about others grumbling? OMG, the joke of the day!!
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ChimpsAheadAug. 07, 2008 - 03:37PM JST

I don`t have any doubt that the US will complete an almost clean sweep of medals in the swimming events. Also from news i have heard, the US team is the only one that is likely to be drug free.
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dennis0bauerAug. 07, 2008 - 03:41PM JST

There are always strong rivals every 4 years
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ChimpsAheadAug. 07, 2008 - 03:43PM JST

I still feel US will dominate the womens and mens events.
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StorenoseAug. 07, 2008 - 11:26PM JST

It is too bad we don't have Thorpe with us this time, but the rest of the team is looking very strong.
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ExPrinceskaAug. 07, 2008 - 11:31PM JST

I really wonder what Australia will be able to do without Thorpe. Who is the star of the Australian team now?
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JackDorffAug. 08, 2008 - 02:20PM JST

Exprinceska - Did you read the article?

Grant Hackett - 1500m freestyle world record holder chasing his 3rd straight 1500m title. Star material perhaps?

Without Thorpe, Australia will probably still get a few medals. Probably not as many as the US, but more than New Zealand.
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TheCodeAug. 08, 2008 - 02:35PM JST

ChimpsAhead:

I don`t have any doubt that the US will complete an almost clean sweep of medals in the swimming events. Also from news i have heard, the US team is the only one that is likely to be drug free.

Actually, U.S. swimmer Jessica Hardy was already caught doping, and thus will miss the Beijing Olympics.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/olympics/view/doping-cheats-caught-before-they-get-to-olympics
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ExPrinceskaAug. 08, 2008 - 03:47PM JST

Thanks JackDorff, I will watch for Grant Hackett. The article says he is the captain of the team, the captain is usually the oldest athlete, not obligatory the one in best shape, that is whay I asked who is the greatest star in the team.
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Blue_TigerFeb. 05, 2010 - 06:37PM JST

To the JSA: YOU DID IT!!!!! You are to be congratulated! You are victorious over your greatest opponent. Despite the power, strengtm, and tenacity you went up against, you OVERCAME! Despite your own lack of stategy, underhanded tactics, and wimpy handslaps, the likes of which would embarrass Chiyotaikai, you were TRIUMPHANT over your opponent, focusing on irrelevancies and attackign them with "correct" righteous fervor!! You pushed him out of the ring and off of the Dohyo FOREVER! CONGRATULATIONS! You have cleared away the "stain" from Sumo forever, showing once again your STRENGTH, COURAGE, and POWER! These forieng upstarts will now and forever understand that EMBARRASSMENT to the National Sport WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!!!! You took out Asashoryu; now you must prepare for Hakuho, Kotooshum, Harumafuji, and Baruto, men who will UNDOUBTEDLY bring SHAME on the National Sport! You have once again showed the world your true colors! WELL-DONE!!! King Pyrrhus would be proud!

To Asashoryu: FOR SHAME!!! You have for the last time brought EMBARRASSMENT to the National Sport! How dare you embarrass Sumo by dominating the sport from the very day you were "promoted" to Yokozuna?!? PATHETIC!!!! How dare you bring shame on yourself and on Sumo by cracking into the top 5 all-time Basho wins with 25?!? HORRENDOUS!!! How dare you win so often that you embarrass yourself by getting on-pace to smash most -- if not all -- of Sumo's most cherished records?!? TREACHEROUS!!! How dare you take The National Sport and turn it into something Fun?!? BLAZES!!! Is the sport called "Fun"-mo or SUmo?!? It's not supposed to be FUN, but HARD, BORING, DOLDRUMOUS WORK!!! Pumping your fists after a victory?!? SCANDALOUS!!!!! Laughing while accepting the Emperor's Trophy?!? DISGUSTING!!!!!!! Do you not realize that Sumo isn't just a "sport" to be enjoyed, but a "life" that is meant to be "endured"?!? Yet you made it "fun", insomuch that Fans FLOCKED to the BASHO in RECRD NUMBERS!!!! TRAGEDY! How dare you, Asashoryu, literally run roughshod over every Japanese opponent (we KNOW you FEAR them! Yes, dominate them, but you FEAR them, too!), having overwhelmingly victorious records against all Japanese opponents?!? SACRELIGE!!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU?!?!?!?!?!? After all, had you merely risen to the rank of Maegashira, Komusubi, Sekiwake, or even Ozeki -- insrtead of racing to the top of the sport in record time -- yet remained obscure and/or mediocre, you would have been accepted. Yet, you had to embarrass yourself not only by becoming the youngest Yokozuna in history at the time of your promotion, but you had to win a record number of Basho! You're only bringing this ebmarrassment uponyourself, and it is WELL-DESERVED!!!!!!
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SargeFeb. 05, 2010 - 09:49PM JST

This is seriously screwed up. I click on "Mongolian officials blast JSA over Asashoryu's resignation" and end up here on "Australia, U.S. swimmers face strong rivals at Games."

Blue Tiger at 6:37 PM- Good one.

Moderator: Sorry, there is a glitch.