2020-21 Tokyo Olympics

JodieDownUnder

In these crazy times, I was amazed to see the Tokyo Olympics go ahead but here we are and day one has commenced. I’m in seventh heaven. The TV will be on basically all the time, so I can watch everything I can. I get emotional and stand up with hand on heart and sing the Aussie National Anthem every chance I can.

I realise not everyone is into sport but it is a time where we can forget our differences, come together and be as good as we can be.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi oi. Best wishes to all countries and especially Japan, who have born the brunt of a world experiencing crazy times.

LaurieLovesLearning

@JodieDownUnder I am not as excited as I usually am to watch. That, and we no longer have TV service. It got too expensive, among other reasons.

Also, there are more politics wrapped up in the games than ever this year, and I am not a fan of all of that stupidity. I wish that it still was as you say, but it is really difficult for me to see it that innocently this time around. It has left a really bad taste in my mouth, so to speak. One survey that I took part in claimed that 90+% of the respondents (I think this was Cdn respondents only) weren't planning to watch it this year.

Our oldest daughter has met most, if not all, of the judoka on the Canadian judo team. She has possibly fought with one of the girls when she was younger, but I am not fully sure. I know that the name is very familiar for reasons other than we hear it lots in judo stuff online lately.

Now, this bit gets very personal and is a bit of a sore spot...Our daughter at had the goal of Olympics in mind for YEARS. It was very much her own goal & focus. We just supported & helped as much as we could after she declared her intentions.

We believe that she could have gone far enough to be a possibility & many others thought the same. These were kind & accomplished blackbelts that tried to change the organization within Manitoba (MB) but were trashed & bullied by Judo MB until they left. She was also greatly encouraged by blackbelts high up in the sport world within Canada, including one former Olympian.

She was even personally invited back for training at a specialized camp at the National Training Center, where they went over technicalities of what is expected of those on the Olympiac team, which she was fine with moving forward. They were certainly watching her.

These kind people tried to encourage her and enthusiasitically wanted to help her succeed, but some negative & narcissistic people got in her head so much that they ruined her self worth so that she quit listening to the positive people & destroyed her dream. Even within the sport, she was bullied terribly in MB (only) by mean girl judoka & repeatedly by the provincial coaches (which is technically unacceptable by Judo Canada standards). They would not give advice nor help her, but instead, belittle her & not stop the bullying given by those girls. To the best of my knowledge, this happens nowhere else within the sport within the provinces. We felt like there was nothing we could do.

Manitoba has the worst reputation for doing this to many, and even did it to someone who eventually became world champion once they left and also to someone who now runs the National training center for the west in Alberta and wanted to revamp Manitoba's organization. 🤔 My narcissistic mother also got in her head, which completed the destruction. She is in the habit of ruining dreams & lives. It is very frustrating. She only came to see her fight once. 😔

Now, our daughter is no longer involved in the sport and will most likely never return. 😔 She got convinced that she wasn't good at all. I wish those types of people wouldn't mess with others & their dreams. It is so crooked, and yet they are proud of what they do to others.

I have heard from others that this type of thing can be quite common in many sports as participants progress (tennis is supposed to be extremely cut throat)...so really, if you consider the great athletes, not all of them have got there without doing real damage to others. Not all are innocent. Some of the story gets hidden & other parts embellished at times to make them look better than others. Considering, the innocent aura is tarnished and does put a dark stain on the Games. It isn't just the drug problems that are known to occur that do this.

Now, away from that and more positively...An interesting thing about judo, it is Japan's national sport. They are very proud of it and were the ones who introduced it to the Olympics. The venue that is being used for it is the same one that was used the first time that it was part of the games. I'm sure that it will get great coverage in its own country.

We will be awaiting word how they do. The one Canadian gal is top in the world right now. Her name is Jessica Kimklait. Sadly, Canada never gives judo much, if any, air time during the Olympics. They generally only cover the other sports that are more commonly known, to the point of being overdone in a few select sports.

Isn't surfing supposed to be a new sport added this year?

JodieDownUnder

I’m so sorry that your daughter and family had to go through that. Yes, I’m sure every sport is cut throat and we just don’t hear all the stories behind the athletes, maybe only the nice ones or the battler type stories. Australia is a proud sporting nation and the Olympics are seen as the pinnacle, more so than the World Championships, go figure. Laurie, like any sport I’ve been involved in some egos get in the way, parents, coaches, committees, judges. Even at just a local community level, you have to wonder where some peoples heads are at!

I was very sporty in my younger years, good at lots of things but not great at one. I sometimes wish I had the opportunity back then, that the young women of today have now but that can’t be changed and I love watching talented and competitive sport.

There are a few new sports, surfing and skateboarding I am aware of and a couple re-introduced, baseball and softball. Your Canadian women’s team gave us Aussies a thumping in the softball! Yes coverage is a bit one sided at times, popular sports, swimming, athletics, basketball, gymnastics get a lions share on the TV. Also individuals or teams from our home countries that are tipped to do well, get hounded, interviews etc.

Brisbane Australia has just secured the 2032 Games, only 4hr drive north of us. I’ll be almost 70 then but I’m going and hope to volunteer in some capacity, most likely the Paralympics, can’t wait.

LaurieLovesLearning

That's cool, @JodieDownUnder! I hope you get the chance to volunteer as that could be quite exciting!

So, softball, eh? Interesting. I didn't even know that it was part of the Olympics this year. So...we beat you? 😉

If I had opportunity to watch, I think Judo & Surfing would get all my attention.

I've figured for a long time that its horrible how much the athletes get hounded. You know that they get special coaching on how to talk to & deal with the media? I couldn't imagine dealing with them. I always thought that it was so inappropriate to chat with the athlete right after their win/loss, but especially a loss. That athlete needs time to come off their high adrenaline and calm their mind & body whether they win/lose. Their mind & body will still be in high combat/competition mode and the media should respect that and not intrude. There is an awful lot that goes on internally in that precious time that non-athletes don't understand exists.

Canada's pride in their team came alive at the last Games here. The pride was still strong the next time around, but no matter what side of the Covid camp you're on this year, it has really hurt the focus on the athletes of the Olympics here. It's too bad too, because the athletes worked so hard to get there and to have this all happen as they do final prep and compete must add a whole new level of stress.

dipat2005

@JodieDownUnder I too am an Olympics fan and have been for years. I really want to cut the cord this year because the price goes up every year.

LaurieLovesLearning

@dipat2005 What are your favorites to watch? @JodieDownUnder What are yours?

JodieDownUnder

@LaurieLovesLearning any sport with an Aussie competing! 😜 Also sports that don’t get so much coverage otherwise, kayaking, water polo, archery, cycling in the velodrome, hockey. I used to be handy with a discus, shot put and javelin, so watching the field events at the athletics holds an interest for me.

dipat2005

@LaurieLovesLearning Gymnastics, Swimming, Synchronized Diving , Track and Field. I watched some of the Beach Volleyball, and the skateboarding.