Thatās my experience of it - athletics speed and endurance can transfer to team sports so kids tend to do that.
Itās also a real lonely sport as itās individual so thereās no team to have fun with, win with or lose with.
You have a fair idea how good you are by 14/15 and where you rank and as Jerry Kiernan said track and field training is a lot harder than GAA training
Having said all that and to contradict myself most people would benefit from sticking at it a year or two later into teenage years and seeing what happened as people can develop later in a properly structured programme.
What age would the sprinters or swimmers have got into their respective disciplines? I reckon my little one could be a future Olympian swimmer for Ireland.
The Closing Ceremony of an Olympics is typically boring, forgettable and often crass. The only ones I can recall much are London 2012, Sydney 2000, because they were the only ones that were any use.
I recall the unveiling of the Atlanta Olympics mascot at the Barcelona closing ceremony alright, a metal coil springy type thing which appeared in computer graphic form on the screen, called āWhatizit?ā It reminded me why I hate so much of American ācultureā.
This was by a mile the standout musical moment from any closing ceremony I can recall. Kylie looked
A random thought that entered my head earlier. What sports will be happy vs disappointed with their showing
Athletics - no medals but the most encouraging results in a long time. Beyond Rhasidat and the girls, Lavin, Mark English and Cathal Doyle hitting semi finals wasnāt all guaranteed. Coscoran being sick came at the worst timing. OāSullivan and Healy a bit of a mixed bag and probably both should have made semi finals. Kate OāConnor massively overachieved and looks a future star. Nicola Tuthill another with an encouraging first Olympics.
Swimming - Massive overachievement. Wiffen (x2), McSharry, Walshe all making finals. A couple of others getting very close to it. Womenās relay right in contention for a final spot until the final leg and a 16 year old being left to bring them home. Definitely exceeded expectations.
Boxing - Kellie saved an absolute shambles. Was it 1 or 2 wins outside her? A very young and inexperienced squad so hopefully many will learn from that and use it to their benefit in Rio, if Boxing makes it there. Dodgy judges as usual but you expect that.
Rowing - 2 medals probably expected. Maybe a tinge of disappointed with only 2 medals from 4 finals though. Donāt think Lynch and Doyle ever expected Gold despite the RTE panel proclaiming them as winners beforehand.
Rugby 7s (both), Hockey - an absolute mess for a variety of reasons.
Golf - Lowry seemed like he had a great time at the swimming every day. McIlroy was McIlroy. I doubt Golf Ireland nor the 2 of them really give a shit. Leona Maguire, like Coscoran got sick at the wrong time - fair play to her for trying to battle through it.
Showjumping - everyone talked them up. They promised a lot but then shat their pants under pressure. The 3 day eventing was fairly poor but had no expectations on them.
Sailors - no clue what was expected of them but I donāt think they were supposed to get close to 4th, let alone bronze
I believe the horsey focus has mainly been on horsey racing and its cousin dog racing vis a vis funding compared to actual sports.
Every Olympics Ireland always do shit at equestrian. Weāve got one fake gold medal and one bronze medal from the same lad who rode the doped horse eight years later. Thatās it.
Thereās probably a larger point here. Every single one of those athletes that made the Olympics and did good bad or indifferent were there only because of sacrifices their parents made when they were young.
That shot putters father built a cage in their back yard for her. Before that her mother drove her to practice every day and sat in the car for hours while she practiced. Not everyone willing to do that
