Do we undetvalue making the Olympics?

[JAS]

Womens Final

1st SNOWSILL Emma Australia 1:58:27.66
3rd MOFFATT Emma Australia 1:59:55.84 +1:28.18
22nd DENSHAM Erin Australia 2:03:08.76 +4:41.10

Mens Final

11th ATKINSON Courtney Australia 1:50:10.02 +1:16.74
16th KAHLEFELDT Brad Australia 1:50:36.00 +1:42.72

Just watching the rerun now...3am start was just too early for me...looks like it was very hot and sunny. Bad luck to Brad world rank No3 and brother of former Norwood player Jared.

Regards
JAS

[Grahaml]

I just wanted to make a quick comment in response to a lot of the negativity surrounding Tamsyn Lewis recently and others like Liesel Jones, in particular the comments by Jane Fleming.

I think too much now we seem to be of the opinion that if we don't win, then the achievement is either disappointing or not worth our interest. I'm as eager as anyone to see us win and do well but to criticise anyone at that level for not doing better is getting on my nerves more and more. Making the Olympics itself is a fantastic achievement. Nobody makes it easily. Then to beat out other talented athletes in the heats, then semis deserves accolades at whatever stage they get to. It's time we stopped acting like spoilt brats expecting our 15+ golds or we'll take our bat and ball and go home. The time will come again that we win less than 10 golds. The time will come we win less than 5. Perhaps one day again we will not win any. Perhaps then we'll appreciate the achievements ALL our olympians make by simply competing. Tamsyn Lewis might not be the best 800m female runner in the world, but she's around the top 20 mark. Top 20 in the world. I think that's a massive achievement and not something that Jane Fleming (who I recall spending most of her career in a similar position) should dismiss so lightly. And how about easing up on people who achieve something they thought only possible in their dreams who say something in the heat of the moment we analyse and find something we infer to be negative and get all up in arms about it.

Bravo from me at least to each and everyone who made our team. Hearty congratulations to anyone who made it to the next round and anyone who got a PB, made a final or got amongst the medals you have my sincerest respect.

[Cambridge Clarrie]

I just wanted to make a quick comment in response to a lot of the negativity surrounding Tamsyn Lewis recently and others like Liesel Jones, in particular the comments by Jane Fleming.

I think too much now we seem to be of the opinion that if we don't win, then the achievement is either disappointing or not worth our interest. I'm as eager as anyone to see us win and do well but to criticise anyone at that level for not doing better is getting on my nerves more and more. Making the Olympics itself is a fantastic achievement. Nobody makes it easily. Then to beat out other talented athletes in the heats, then semis deserves accolades at whatever stage they get to. It's time we stopped acting like spoilt brats expecting our 15+ golds or we'll take our bat and ball and go home. The time will come again that we win less than 10 golds. The time will come we win less than 5. Perhaps one day again we will not win any. Perhaps then we'll appreciate the achievements ALL our olympians make by simply competing. Tamsyn Lewis might not be the best 800m female runner in the world, but she's around the top 20 mark. Top 20 in the world. I think that's a massive achievement and not something that Jane Fleming (who I recall spending most of her career in a similar position) should dismiss so lightly. And how about easing up on people who achieve something they thought only possible in their dreams who say something in the heat of the moment we analyse and find something we infer to be negative and get all up in arms about it.

Bravo from me at least to each and everyone who made our team. Hearty congratulations to anyone who made it to the next round and anyone who got a PB, made a final or got amongst the medals you have my sincerest respect.

Fair call. I think anyone who can make it is worthy of applause. Having said that there are some sports stars who bring closer scutiny upon themselves through comments they make prior to their appearance.