Summer Olympics - Japan 2021

[arcadianagain]

I`ve just seen what, to me, is one of the more pointless Olympic sports, coreographed(sp) Karate moves, no opponent. just moves.

[HHTel]

When my son was in a martial arts school in the UK, Kata was a very important part of it and highly disciplined. It's a bit more than a 'dance'.

Karate kata are executed as a specified series of a variety of moves, with stepping and turning, while attempting to maintain perfect form. The kata is not intended as a literal depiction of a mock fight, but as a display of transition and flow from one posture and movement to another, teaching the student proper form and position, and encouraging them to visualise different scenarios for the use of each motion and technique. Karateka "read" a kata in order to explain the imagined events, a practice known as bunkai. There are various kata, each with many minor variations.

You'll see it being performed in Japan almost daily. You probably thought it was a version of 'Zumba' which is an exercise.

[Big Boy]

I`ve just seen what, to me, is one of the more pointless Olympic sports, coreographed(sp) Karate moves, no opponent. just moves.

LOL - that comment is as bad to a true karateka as me saying Harry Kane is useless to a Spuds fan

I won't go into detail, but many karateka would love to be able to perform that way, and it is the foundation of the art. Many karate fighters would be so much better if they could perform a decent kata as well.

I've watched a lot of karate for about 20 years (there won't be as many who have watched as much). I was quite dismayed when I heard karate was going to the Olympics. It has resulted in the art being pushed to one side in preference of sport. Kata is the art, fighting is the sport - nothing too clever about fighting. However, I think both kata and kumite have presented themselves very well. Far better than I expected, and a credit to the organisers. Of course it won't be everybody's cup of tea, but nothing is.

Unfortunately the bit I was really looking forward to - team kata/bunkai is probably the best part of karate, but has not featured as an Olympic event. There was team kata/bunkai on the tatami today, but was performed in the interval between kata and kumite, and only visible from a ceiling camera. It is a shame, because it is the most exciting part of karate for spectators.

[arcadianagain]

Kata, well that put me in my place, but to me it`s as exciting as synchronized swimming, lots of skill involved no9 doubt.

[Big Boy]

Of course, and I sympathise with you. It is not everybody's cup of tea.

[Lost]

Just watching the closing ceremony. If I heard it correctly breakdancing is going to be an Olympic sport come Paris 2024.

It does require peak fitness and agility which fits the Olympic mould, I guess. Just strange calling it a sport.

[PeteC]

....and goodbye until 2024 in France.

Tokyo Olympics: 21 striking photographs from the Olympic Games

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/58088628

[PeteC]

We can't forget these athletes, as in many cases their work and challenges are greater than those in the normal Olympics. I don't know yet if they'll be televised here on NBT 2 as the regular games were. Hats off to all the participants!

Paralympic flame ceremonies begin as virus surges in Japan

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/21642 ... s-in-japan

TOKYO: Japan held its first Paralympic flame-lighting ceremonies on Thursday, with athletes waiting to learn whether spectators will be in the stands as the country battles a spike in virus cases.

Fans were banned from almost all venues at the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics, which ended Sunday, while athletes faced restrictions on movement and were tested daily.

The Paralympics are expected to take place under similar conditions when they begin on August 24, Japanese media said, with an official decision on spectators expected early next week.

Although Japan has seen a comparatively small Covid-19 outbreak overall, with around 15,300 deaths, the latest wave driven by the more infectious Delta variant is pushing daily case numbers to new records.

Tokyo and five other regions are currently under a virus state of emergency, which bans bars and restaurants from serving alcohol and asks them to close by 8pm.

Instead of a traditional relay on public roads, "torch-kiss" Paralympic flame-lighting events will be held in towns and cities across Japan over the next week, with the flame transferred from torch to torch.

The flames will be brought to Tokyo and combined, but plans to have spectators line the route of a relay in the capital have been scrapped, a city government official told AFP.

"We had planned to hold the Paralympic torch relay in Tokyo with some 700 torchbearers," said Tokyo Metropolitan Government official Koichi Osakabe.

"But because of the state of emergency, we decided not to do the relay on public roads."

The emergency measures are scheduled to last until the end of August. Similar "quasi-emergency" measures are in place in other regions where cases are rising.

The remote city of Tono in Japan's northern Iwate region decided to open its Paralympic flame ceremony to the public, and was expecting a small crowd of around 50 people including officials.

"We wanted to have a diverse group of people, young and old, non-Japanese nationals and those with disabilities, to take part in the event," the city official in charge of the ceremony told AFP.

"We did not advertise the ceremony. We will take thorough anti-infection measures, of course."

Around 4,000 Paralympians and 12,000 officials, staff and media from overseas will be in Japan for the Games.

At the Tokyo Olympics, organisers reported 511 positive cases, mostly among residents, with one so-called "cluster", in the Greek artistic swimming team.

Olympics organisers have denied any connection to rising virus cases in Tokyo, although some experts argue that holding the Games undermined the government's messaging on virus risks.

Around 35% of Japan's population are fully vaccinated, including more than 80% of the over 65s.

[HHTel]

I've followed the Para-olympics for years. Somewhat due to having a disabled sister who competed locally in various sports (and winning a few medals).
As Pete said, much more of a challenge to the athletes taking part.

It'll be covered on Channel 4 with the majority of presenters being disabled themselves.

[HHTel]

China declares Olympic win after altering medal count

Chinese state media has declared the country the winners of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after embellishing their medal count to claim more golds than Team USA, according to pictures posted online.

The official International Olympic Committee medal count named the United States in first place and China in second place overall.

The US took home 39 gold medals, 41 silver medals, and 33 bronze for a total of 113 medals.

China earned 38 gold medals, 32 silver medals, and 18 bronze medals for a total of 88 medals.

But a week after the end of the Olympics, images posted on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, and China Central Television have circulated which show an altered medal count - with China also claiming medals won by Hong Kong and Taiwan.

By adding Hong Kong and Taiwan's medals, China's self-claimed medal count jumped to 41 gold, 37 silver, and 27 bronze for an accumulative 106 medals.

And although that still puts them second in terms of total medals overall, the "winner" of the Olympics is typically ranked as the country that wins the most golds.

Some modified images even show China claiming medals from Macau giving them 42 gold medals, according to Taiwan News.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/olympic ... li=BBoPWjQ

We shouldn't be surprised.

[handdrummer]

You'd have to be Chinese to believe that and aside from that, who cares?