Anian

Only people in rich countries can afford to put their own careers on hold or uproot everything in order to support their children in sport. People in rich countries also have access to better facilities, specialist schools and alternative education methods. The US is one of the largest rich countries, so they get all that plus the population depth to support lots of minor sports.

Just having a child on a competitive team is a massive time-sink at the regional level, go above that and it's only those with the cash to afford multiple flights several times a year on top of all the hours.

The US also invests more in events that can earn larger numbers of medals. Swimming is a great example since one swimmer can enter 6 or so events for the same training cost as someone who does something like fencing where they can really only enter a couple at most. Then there's the sponsors, who want US faces on their products sold in the US even if the Chinese dominate the field. Big market = more money.

Steerpike

I agree with the general gist of your post. But how do you think this applies to Simone Biles, who does not appear to have come from a family with money? Presumably she had to travel all over, and I can't imagine her parents (grandparents, actually) could afford this (airfare, hotels, etc). Could it be that, once you get to that level of performance (beyond regional), there's 'prize money' to be had? Or sponsorship? I'm genuinely interested to know.


On another note - am I the only one driven to distraction by the swimming commentator? Not the 'main guy', but the second guy who gets so excited during every race as to become unintelligible?

SultanOfSwing

No, you're not. He's incredibly distracting. There was a great one I saw earlier where an Italian guy won gold (1,500 m I think) and he's going on about the American who won silver

On other matters, another great run by Mo Farrah today. Finally getting to enjoy some track and field

anotherlimey

Britain's first ever gymnastic gold was just won....

anotherlimey

And Simone does it again.

zzrmark

Men's 100m, boring choice but it's always been that one for me. Bolt goes like lightning again.

Would like to see the Men's K1 1000m (a sport this old goat used to participate in back in the early 90's) heats and finals but some of us have to work in the weekday mornings

I tend to find most of the events addictive if I start watching them (except golf which, as a spectator sport, is nearly as interesting as watching paint dry ). It's easy to appreciate the amount of effort and skill required to participate at Olympic level in any sport.

Anian

There are always outliers, but maybe she isn't one in this case. Just looked her up on wikipedia - seems that her grandmother co-owns a chain of nursing homes, so not that much to worry about money-wise it would seem. Plus, Simone has trained with the US team head coach since she was 8, so I guess she didn't really need to be talent-scouted.

Hiro11

ATCs make good money as do nurses. A good gymnastics program will run you $3K+ a year minimum and much more for elite athletes. Becoming an Olympic gymnast requires a major financial investment from someone. I'm not saying Biles comes from a rich family but they probably aren't poor either.

Swimmers almost all come from wealthy or even very wealthy families. Ledecky's family is notably loaded. Phelps is a bit of an outlier there.

Anian

The bit where it states that her parents (I assume they mean grand-parents) commissioned a huge gym for her kind of sounds like she is from the wealthier side of things.

MsElui

until a few years agho when it was successfully challenged by some country i cant remember, the regulations required the bikini and even went so nfar as to say the material over the hips could not be longer than 5cm. I think peoiple were glad when the rule was dropped as they all wore leggings and long sleeves when they did the london olympics lol

scrubbedexpat099

Semi finals tonight!

scrubbedexpat099

Currently on for those interested.

Hiro11

The empty stands for this entire Games have been a true embarrassment. Numerous articles have stated that the tickets are too expensive, the venues are too remote and too few Brazilians care. Cash-strapped Brazil built all of these venues for this this one purpose and now they'll rot having never been used. I love the idea of the Games but the wastefulness is hard to justify.

scrubbedexpat099

Lots of spare seats at the Football with Brazil playing.

Did anyone pay to watch the Dressage?