Paris Olympics 2024

Sport
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I died a little reading this press release. It’s a Tour De France of corporate PR bullshit. Lord Coe should hang his head in shame.

World Athletics and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee (LA28) today announced a historic shift in the competition schedule.

In an unprecedented move, athletics will now take place during the first week of the Olympic Games at the iconic LA Memorial Coliseum, which will make history as the first stadium to host events at three Olympic Games. This change, aimed at optimising the venue master plan, promises to elevate the Olympic experience for athletes and viewers alike, as the world’s greatest track and field athletes give the Games their most electrifying start in history.

“We are excited to support this visionary timetable change for LA28,” said Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics. “This change underscores our commitment to innovation in athletics and elevating the global profile of our athletes. By prioritising athletics in the first week, the Games will witness the most thrilling of starts, captivating audiences worldwide and setting the stage for an unforgettable Olympic journey for global audiences.”

World Athletics and LA28 are confident that this schedule adjustment, which sees swimming events move to the second week, will unlock unparalleled opportunities for athletics in pre-Games promotion and Games-time viewership. The first-week scheduling positions athletics at the forefront of the Games, ensuring a strong start and sustained excitement throughout the event. The historic marathon events will remain over the last weekend, with medals presented during the closing ceremony – a tradition that befits an event that has been part of the programme since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

The swap allows athletics, for the first time in memory, to benefit from the high level of interest and excitement provided by the opening ceremony. And not just any opening ceremony, but one crafted in the storytelling and creative capital of the world in Los Angeles.

"Over the past months, LA28 has worked closely with World Athletics, World Aquatics, the IOC, and OBS to assess the opportunities around this competition schedule swap,” said Janet Evans, Chief Athlete Officer of LA28.

“We believe the positive effects of this change will extend beyond the two sports involved, strengthening the LA28 Games as a whole and ultimately benefiting all sports in the LA28 sport programme."

The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will be held from 14-30 July 2028, featuring over 10,000 athletes from more than 200 nations competing in 35 sports currently in the LA28 sport programme. This marks the third time Los Angeles will host the Olympics, following the 1932 and 1984 Games.

6449

Lolz

6450

Jesus that really is horrendous scutter

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6451

What utter nonsense.

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6452

The Athletics will be held in SoFi Stadium, the home of the LA Rams and LA Chargers. I assume they need it back for the start of the NFL season so athletics is on first

6453

The Athletics is in the Coliseum. Swimming is in So-Fi Stadium.

6454

That’s the long and short of it and they have seb come out with that badger dung :smile:

6455

That’s what it is all about. Olympics have been brought forward by 2 to 3 weeks from their traditional starting time and athletics is going first, all to accommodate NFL pre-season.

It’s one thing moving the PGA golf from the second weekend in August to May to avoid going head to head with NFL pre-season, but this downgrading of the Olympics for NFL pre-season is an abomination. Should be taken off LA.

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6456

I stand corrected

6457

An iconic venue

6458

There’s some of the events in Oklahoma I believe as there’s nowhere in the Western US suitable. Canoe Slalom events I think

6459

Hope that relay team doesn’t break up now. Becker & Healy have full time jobs but could register as greyhounds to secure grant funding to compete on relay team at worlds.

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The LA Coliseum is an iconic Olympic athletics venue for sure. It’s open air with no roof which I like in an Olympic stadium. LA '84 had a lovely smoggy Olympic haze in the air which I think @peddlerscross would have loved.

I’m a big fan of the Ye Olde American Bowl type stadiums but I hate the new breed of NFL stadiums. So-Fi Stadium is horrific. My understanding is So-Fi Stadium is earmarked for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies which seems shit though given what Paris did I guess that could still change.

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6461

I wish it was Brisbane next time around. Poor @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy would be so conflicted by all the needless air travel while secretly happy at the huge economic boost his other city would receive

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The Modern Pentathlon on Eurosport here hosted in Versailles. Memories of Natalya Coyle and the horse that wouldn’t jump.

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If she renamed herself Ballymac Becker she could definitely get a grant

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Rhasidat leaves Paris with nothing. Lieke Klaver leaves with a Gold & Silver medal. That feels all kinds of wrong.

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6466

I feel so sorry for Ciara Mageean especially given the performance of the relay team. The disappointment won’t be long fading for the relay team and the glory of the performance will shine through brightly. They performed at the peak of their powers at an Olympics. That’s way more important than a medal. If you can do that, that memory will sustain you for the rest of your life.

Ciara Mageean has nothing except what might have beens. She probably wouldn’t have medalled. Then again, Georgia Bell medalled. She might have been left with regrets. She might have finished fourth. The point is she didn’t get the chance to perform at the peak of her powers at an Olympics when it felt like it was in her grasp. That is the most devastating thing of all for an athlete. You die wondering.

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In fairness those Ballmac yokes definitely get the 400m seriously well. They’d lie down and die for ya.

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