Gold Coast Comm Games

Was just perusing the team, and while there are a fuckton of names I do not recognise, I'd say the NZ team has high hopes for a swag of medals this year.

Top medal chances: Obviously the cyclists, they have a super strong and experienced team both for the velodrome and on the track/road. Sam Gaze will be pumped after winning his first title (and beating the world champ/series champ to do so), will be interesting to see Hamish Bond with his ass on a bike rather than in a boat. Tom and Eliza in athletics, plus Dame Val now she has popped her kiddie. Should get some shooting medals (Nat Rooney, Sally Johnston) and something in boxing (David Nyika) and bowls (Jo Edwards). Sophie Pascoe will probably clean up in the paralympic stuff. Joelle King in squash.

Maybes: Weightlifting (Richie Patterson), netball (In the past I would have had them as a strong medal chance, but they've been bloody average lately, and the English, Saffers, and Jamaicans will be gunning for them.) Andrea Hewitt in triathlon. Robertson brothers on the track.

Unlikely: Rest of the swimmers I wouldn't put money on because they are too prone to choking at the big meets. Don't know anything about the wrestlers.

A real shame that Nick Willis has had to say nope because of injury. I tried to type pull out or withdraw, but it made me snort laugh.

Who have I missed?

7s?

@mokey said in Gold Coast Comm Games:

Who have I missed?

Laurel Hubbard?

@kiwimurph I wondered about 7s, but they aren't on the team page. Maybe not named yet?

@mokey Yeah I think you are right. Must be soon.

@duluth I know the selection is controversial, but don't know about medal chances. Is this something other athletes could protest, or once you're in, you're in?

@mokey

I think ranked number 1 going into the tournament?

There was an unsuccessful protest a couple of weeks ago. That would have prevented Hubbard turning up. Not sure if more protests are possible.

So technically a great medal chance

@duluth Righto, cool.

Also hockey is another sport with teams not named. Guess it depends which NZ sides turn up, the gritty hardarses of round robin, or the chokers when it counts.

Every Comm games I think it is so stupid that rowing/kayaking/canoeing isn't one of the sports. Sigh.

@mokey said in Gold Coast Comm Games:

Was just perusing the team, and while there are a fuckton of names I do not recognise, I'd say the NZ team has high hopes for a swag of medals this year.

Top medal chances: Obviously the cyclists, they have a super strong and experienced team both for the velodrome and on the track/road. Sam Gaze will be pumped after winning his first title (and beating the world champ/series champ to do so), will be interesting to see Hamish Bond with his ass on a bike rather than in a boat. Tom and Eliza in athletics, plus Dame Val now she has popped her kiddie. Should get some shooting medals (Nat Rooney, Sally Johnston) and something in boxing (David Nyika) and bowls (Jo Edwards). Sophie Pascoe will probably clean up in the paralympic stuff. Joelle King in squash.

Maybes: Weightlifting (Richie Patterson), netball (In the past I would have had them as a strong medal chance, but they've been bloody average lately, and the English, Saffers, and Jamaicans will be gunning for them.) Andrea Hewitt in triathlon. Robertson brothers on the track.

Unlikely: Rest of the swimmers I wouldn't put money on because they are too prone to choking at the big meets. Don't know anything about the wrestlers.

A real shame that Nick Willis has had to say nope because of injury. I tried to type pull out or withdraw, but it made me snort laugh.

Who have I missed?

Netball may be an outside chance for bronze

@mokey said in Gold Coast Comm Games:

Every Comm games I think it is so stupid that rowing/kayaking/canoeing isn't one of the sports. Sigh.

Perfect place to have those events too. No Germans or Hungarians, but Aus, NZ, England and Canada are big guns in those sports. Really weird.

@booboo said in Gold Coast Comm Games:

Netball may be an outside chance for bronze

Mens or womens?

@duluth this is an interesting one, usually any prior controversy gets overtaken by national pride if we medal, this one I don't think will, most seem to think it isn't right.

@taniwharugby

Bigot!

Yes, I suspect most people think it is ridiculous and wrong. How many of those people would be willing to say that publicly?

@rancid-schnitzel said in Gold Coast Comm Games:

@mokey said in Gold Coast Comm Games:

Every Comm games I think it is so stupid that rowing/kayaking/canoeing isn't one of the sports. Sigh.

Perfect place to have those events too. No Germans or Hungarians, but Aus, NZ, England and Canada are big guns in those sports. Really weird.

There isn't the depth though. I'd suppose every race would have to be a straight final, with no heats. Although for some of the smaller crewed races some countries could put out 2 or 3 boats each.

England, Aus, Canada, NZ. Are quality rowing countries.

SAF have some tradition, don't know about the politics though.

Celtic countries could make up some crews probably out of the GB squads, but they'd be making up the numbers unless they had a quality single or doubles outfit.

So you'd have an expensive sport to host, without much content.

It must be workable at some point though as it has happened before though. Edinburgh 86 was the last games to contain rowing (Kayaking has never been in).

Historically, 95.4% of all rowing medals (G, S & B ) had been won by 4 countries.

@rapido said in Gold Coast Comm Games:

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Historically, 95.4% of all rowing medals (G, S & B ) had been won by 4 countries.

Which is really the case for other sports as well. What is the breakdown for swimming for example? What would be cool with Rowing, kayaking etc. is that you can at least get multiple crews/competitors from the same country which I believe is not something you get at large international meets. How cool would it have been to see Drysdale and Waddell go at it for example.

@rancid-schnitzel said in Gold Coast Comm Games:

@rapido said in Gold Coast Comm Games:

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Historically, 95.4% of all rowing medals (G, S & B ) had been won by 4 countries.

Which is really the case for other sports as well. What is the breakdown for swimming for example? What would be cool with Rowing, kayaking etc. is that you can at least get multiple crews/competitors from the same country which I believe is not something you get at large international meets. How cool would it have been to see Drysdale and Waddell go at it for example.

And those 4.6% of medals won, over 50 years, by countries others than those 4, were all bronzes.

Swimming. 87.5% of medals have been won by the top 4 countries (Aus, Eng, Can, Saf)
Freezing, frigid Scotland have a better record than NZ in Commonwealth swimming.

It's Boxing, Weight Lifting, and Wrestling where you get the most even competition across the commonwealth.

Athletics pretty good. 65% won by the top 4 (which this time includes Kenya).

Studied with her at Uni. Was training for Olympics in London and did her Hammy 6 weeks out. did crossfit for rehab then about 6 months later was at regionals....came like 9th or something thought she had bad asthma during the event. Turns out she was in hospital the next day with pneumonia!

Transitioned to weightlifting and apparently controversially missed out on the team after setting a new NZ record and would have really pushed close at the olympics.

Really hope she kills it at these games. Complete professional with her approach to training etc over the years.

In other news will get some insight behind the scenes at the games misses and I are both working as physio's at a couple of training facilities....she gets weightlifters and para weightlifters....I unfortunately get beach volleyball, netball and track I think.

Tough life!