Paris Olympic Games 2024

[Shine]

WADA statement on Reuters story exposing USADA scheme in contravention of World Anti-Doping Code

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) responds to a Reuters story of 7 August 2024 exposing a scheme whereby the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) allowed athletes who had doped, to compete for years, in at least one case without ever publishing or sanctioning their anti-doping rule violations, in...

www.wada-ama.org

WADA's statement just yesterday

 

[Shine]

US & Australia appear to lead world in approved TUEs - Sports Integrity Initiative

The United States and Australia appear to lead the world in terms of the number of Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) granted to their athletes, analysis by The Sports Integrity Initiative has revealed. In its 2015 Annual Report, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reported that the number of...

www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com

Interesting article on just how many athletes are "legally" doping with preponderance in the loudest NA in the room.

My overall point is you'll be deceiving yourself if you think all the biggest sporting nations don't have some "doping" going on the side, so qualifying another country's doping as "state sponsored" is funny and myopic as usual.

 

[joshmak10]

If we would compare this with say a football match. How do football players react for instance in an important match that has gone all the way to the penalties? After the final penalty kick has been saved or scored, it often leaves the losing team in tears and the winning team storming the playing field screaming and dancing ...

which to me is over the top and should not be so wild

 

[pingpongpaddy]

whatever that celebration was while harimoto was in tears on the floor. Basically right in front of him too. no need for that big of a celebration. Do you see any of the asian countries doing that?

Yes we do!!
The guys on both teams have been dreaming, slaving towards these moments literally for years.
In team table tennis the scrum on the floor has been the expected response to great performances. Check out Osaka worlds when LGZ took out KTS to save china team from going out early. Part of what makes team events special!

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

so Kanak must be on the wrong whatsapp group then.
He just missed the 3rd test by not writing in +1 in front of his contact number (US code) and he was punished

 

[driversbeat]

is there any chance for France now that they've lost doubles?

 

[SFF_lib]

is there any chance for France now that they've lost doubles?

Pretty hard for a 17yo to lead a French team. I don't think Felix stands a chance against the FZD on fire.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

perfect draw for fans will be, Sweden, France, Japan all on China's side of the draw.

since Japan lost first, so
China vs Japan in QF
SF vs France
Final vs Sweden

 

[backspacer]

FZD speedrunning the first game.

EDIT: Felix has no answer so far.

 

[travelt123]

FZD in Men’s Singles: plays like a human
FZD in Men’s Teams: plays like a god

 

[SFF_lib]

Felix's lack of power will literally give away the point.

Alexis works better against FZD

 

[backspacer]

We talked too soon.

 

[shmek]

I know it's 10:10, but I have an overwhelming impression that Felix will lose it anyways. Hence my question (before it is too late Do you think that Felix could ever give up penhold? Take a year off and learn shakehand. I have the impression that the precision he could achieve on BH would bring him so much closer to the very top…

Do you guys, know anyone from among the top pros who has ever done that?

 

[driversbeat]

I know it's 10:10, but I have an overwhelming impression that Felix will lose it anyways. Hence my question (before it is too late Do you think that Felix could ever give up penhold? Take a year off and learn shakehand. I have the impression that the precision he could achieve on BH would bring him so much closer to the very top…

Do you guys, know anyone from among the top pros who has ever done that?

Not 100% sure but seems practically unheard of. Switching grips would mean relearning every single stroke mechanic again, not just backhand but forehand, service, touch shots, etc. etc. I'm sure they can still play at a high level but you're talking about top level where every inch of advantage is a must have.

The closest thing I've heard is Liu Jia switching from penhold to shakehand but that must have been when she was a junior. Other examples are traditional penholders adding a rubber for RPB but either giving it up because they're not used to the added weight or using RPB very sparringly for openers (I think it was Ma Lin). I think Fukuhara also switched from 半长胶 (long-ish mid pips) to spectol early in hercareer but went straight back. because she started losing more often. Miao Miao gave up forehand short pips for inverted because she said she didn't have time to keep up with the training levels that short pips demanded.

 

[shmek]

Not 100% sure but seems practically unheard of. Switching grips would mean relearning every single stroke mechanic again, not just backhand but forehand, service, touch shots, etc. etc. I'm sure they can still play at a high level but you're talking about top level where every inch of advantage is a must have.

The closest thing I've heard is Liu Jia switching from penhold to shakehand but that must have been when she was a junior. Other examples are traditional penholders adding a rubber for RPB but either giving it up because they're not used to the added weight or using RPB very sparringly for openers (I think it was Ma Lin). I think Fukuhara also switched from 半长胶 (long-ish mid pips) to spectol early in hercareer but went straight back. because she started losing more often. Miao Miao gave up forehand short pips for inverted because she said she didn't have time to keep up with the training levels that short pips demanded.

Thanks for that. I'll look them up a bit later.

 

[M51]

Felix is only 17 years old. Still plenty of room for improvement. His RBP is possibly the best there ever was, but his forehand is a bit lousy tbh.

 

[SFF_lib]

Felxi two words - amazing and fearless

 

[SFF_lib]

Felix played so so well in mid distance rallies, almost remind me of Xu Xin

 

[backspacer]

That one kid shouting on Fan's serve for another match point.

 

[driversbeat]

Incredible way to save match points. I thought it would be 0-3 for sure after Felix lost deuce in Game 2. Pity to not have taken at least one of those deuce games but he fought all the way till the end.