The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

The truth about Rio: Our athletes simply didn't do the business

Australia's Mack Horton . (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Expert
1st September, 2016
23

John Wylie is a highly-respected and successful businessman, and must have a substantial sporting background to be the chairman of the Australian Sports Commission, and a former chairman of the MCG.

But yesterday Wylie gave the most boring rendition of why the Australian Olympic team didn’t reach target in Rio, and suggested if future teams were funded by a national lottery like Great Britain, the results would be a whole lot better.

What a load of bollocks.

The reasons for the failure in Rio are very simple – either prima donnas, choke, or a combination of the two.

But one after another, Australian Olympic officials, administrators, and many in the media have praised the team for its performance, explaining every athlete gave of his or her best, and we should be proud of them.

What Games were they talking about – Athens 2004, or Beijing 2008?

In Athens with 17 gold, 16 silver, and 17 bronze for 50 medals, or Beijing with 14 gold, 15 silver, and 17 bronze for 46.

No, they were talking about Rio with eight gold, 11 silver, and 10 bronze for 29.

Advertisement

Let’s be honest, gold is the only Olympic currency that counts and three of the eight Australian gold in Rio came from left field – Kyle Chalmers in the 100m freestyle, Catherine Skinner in trap shooting, and effervescent pentathlete Chloe Esposito.

But eight is a Rio embarrassment, missing out on at least 12 more where athletes were either red hot, or white hot, favourites for gold.

Swimming, always the benchmark, was the worst offender with Australians either number one in the world, the world record holder, or world champions – yet they delivered just three gold.

Cam McEvoy pulled out of the 200m free to concentrate on the 100 and 50. But he didn’t reach the final in the 50, and didn’t place in the 100.

Cate Campbell finished sixth in the 50m free final, and fifth in the 100.

Bronte Campbell finished fourth in the 100 free final, and seventh in the 50.

Emily Seebohm finished seventh in the 100 backstroke, and 12th in the 200, while Mitch Larkin was fourth in the 100 back.

Advertisement

What happened to the always reliable cyclists and BMX with not one gold in sight, and only two medals – silver in the men’s team pursuit, and team captain Anna Meares’ bronze in the Keiren?

And what happened to the highly favoured team sports that never got past the quarters – the Kookaburras, Hockeyroos, Opals, and women’s water polo?

To add insult to injury at the end of the Games, the strong Boomers team lost by a point to Spain for bronze.

So to John Wylie and any other senior Australian sporting administrator who wants to cover their backs, or ignore the truth, Rio was a disaster and entirely the athlete’s fault.

Australia needed more like champion sculler Kim Brennan, and the brilliant women’s rugby sevens who lived up to reputations – and then some.

close