Kylie Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I've found myself thinking 'I wish I could do that!' so often during the Olympics. If you could do any of the Olympic sports, what would you choose? Do you want to beat Bolt on the track, or maybe Phelps in the pool? Do you want to play in a group sport or be a sole winner? I would love to get into diving - all that twisting and turning and entering the water with nary a splash. I don't know how they don't get all disorientated and end up belly flopping, which is what I'd do! I'd love to be an all-round gymnast - bars, beam, floor routine etc. Again, I love all the turning and spinning and precision work. I also like the decorative type, with the ball and ribbon etc. I wouldn't mind being a pole vaulter - 'Alley oop! Weeeeeeeee!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 The rowing Just as long as I didn't fall in the water, cos I can't swim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Great topic, Kylie! My fear of heights prevents me from any of the three you've chosen. Although I played a lot of team sports when I was a teenager and into my twenties, I think now I prefer the individual sports. I'm a definite water baby though, so swimming would be right up there for me, although not butterfly, as I've never been able to get the technique of that right, but breaststroke and backstroke have always been my strengths. When I was still at school, I did get the opportunity to do archery for about six weeks at the youth club at school, and absolutely loved it, and wish I'd followed it up as it was so enjoyable. Also went on a summer watersports holiday at about the same time when I was at school, and the sailing was so exhilarating, I would definitely put that near the top of the list, and maybe the canoeing as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Since the era of Olga Korbut I had thoughts of being a gymnast. I dreamed of wowing on the beam, and stunning with my floor exercise. Having no talent whatsoever for gymnastics, and being entirely the wrong physique a dream it would always be, but what a dream it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dex Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 When I was at school I took part in the schools borough championships doing the triple jump. The boys team won one year and the next both teams won. I had a better result the first year. I'm much heavier now so I wouldn't go as far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Although I watch gymnastics a lot and love it, the ones I'd go for would be tennis, or from the athletics field one of the longer distance running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I don't think I would do any of them to be honest, as I know I couldn't work that hard, but I have given some thought to the idea of Olympic events for housekeepers - synchronised vacumming maybe or laundry throwing. Not sure if I would go for that though, I might decide to throw in the towel ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I don't think I would do any of them to be honest, as I know I couldn't work that hard, but I have given some thought to the idea of Olympic events for housekeepers - synchronised vacumming maybe or laundry throwing. Not sure if I would go for that though, I might decide to throw in the towel ... I think we're talking dreamland here, June! I know I'd never ever ever have had any chance of being good enough for anything, but dream world, those are the events I'd have chosen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle not Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Probably basketball. I played basketball in High School and our team was very good. LOL, even at my old age I recently beat a couple young school kids in shooting the ball. Baseball, definitely if it was an Olympic sport. Again I played the sport in High School and also "Legion" baseball which is one step less than professional. My dream was to play professional baseball. I was good at hitting and fielding, however, I couldn't run well (actually I was probably the slowest at running than anyone in the school. Swimming would also be a choice. I have always loved the water. My GD took after me and she swam competitively and now teaches swimming (among other things) during her summer time off from College. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Gymnastics and Archery. I wanted to do gymnastics when I was a kid, but I was seriously into ballet and had a very serious ballet teacher (she would only take pupils who passed her very difficult auditions and who would commit to progressing through exams), who told me I had to choose one or the other as you hold your body in very different positions for the two completely different art forms. I chose ballet and that as that. Archery, well i did a little of that in my teens and loved it. Hubby and I have been inspired by the Olympics and have looked into the possibility of a taster session at a local archery club. And Xander has expressed a desire to try out gymnastics, so I've contacted a local accredited gymnastics club that does a pre-school recreational class to ask for more details (including their fees!) because there's next to no information on their website... He's very agile and flexible and has been doing very straight rolie-polies since he was about 18 or 19 months - LOL! I think he might enjoy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Ooh given my time again I would have liked to do athletics or Taekwondo, which is now an Olympic sport but wasn't when I was little. If I could not compete I would settle for being a coach for the Swedish Female Suntanning team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kafka Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Boxing, the only sport I really care for. I'm constantly impressed with all the talent I see in every Olympic event, but boxing just outshines 'em all for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreader Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Being greedy, I'd like to be in a triathon or heptathon. I suspect my build would best throwing the shotput or with an improved diet and training, a sprinter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Think I'd have to go for the 100 metres as that was my event in days gone by, I can still run faster than my 13 year old son but my 11 year old daughter has my build as and will be catching me soon... Of course I need to rest 4 times as long as they do after.. It would be amazing though to be a heptathlete or triathlete, how wonderful to be able to compete in all those different events! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 I'd walk a gold in the bar . . . (pub bar that is . . .) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Fencing. It's a sport I only ever watch at the olympics but one which I find utterly engrossing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 The rowing Just as long as I didn't fall in the water, cos I can't swim Me too .. because although it looks like terribly hard work I like the outdoorsishness of it all and being on the water etc. I can't swim either though ... or not what anyone would call swimming anyway I'd like to be part of a rowing pair .. I don't want to go it alone or be part of a big team. Is there a mixed rowing pair? .. we could start training next week Steve .. what do you say? You could wear ear plugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Me too .. because although it looks like terribly hard work I like the outdoorsishness of it all and being on the water etc. I can't swim either though ... or not what anyone would call swimming anyway I'd like to be part of a rowing pair .. I don't want to go it alone or be part of a big team. Is there a mixed rowing pair? .. we could start training next week Steve .. what do you say? You could wear ear plugs I'd make sure I was sitting behind you Actually, the ear plugs thing is closer to the truth for other reasons - I never learned to swim because I couldn't go under water due to a problem with my left ear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 The one that I don't do now, but always wished I was better at is swimming. It's the reason I gave up triathlon - I was always too far down after the swim and never really got a grip on it technically. Two others I've tried and wish I'd taken further: sailing and archery. the technical side fascinates me in both. Already enjoy cycling (challenge riding, but not competitive), hockey and various forms of running, all of which I'd love to be better at! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted August 5, 2012 Author Share Posted August 5, 2012 I would have to compete solo because I'd be terrified of letting the team down by doing something stupid. I'm haunted by a memory of the one and only time I ever attempted to play netball at school - I had no idea what I was doing and they stuck me under a hoop (goal defence?), probably to keep me out of the way. When they threw me the ball I promptly aimed it at the hoop above my head which apparently is not the done thing. Luckily I listened to everyone screaming at me and stopped before I scored an 'own goal'. I wouldn't like to rely on anyone else to win me a medal either. I wouldn't want to hold a grudge against anyone for the rest of my life if they let me down. I think I'd like to have a pop (literally) at skeet shooting. There's something very satisfying about those little clouds of powder (paint?) exploding out of the clay pigeon. And Poppyshake has reminded me that trampolining is an Olympic sport, so I'll be in that too, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Badminton & Volleyball for me - both sports that I played at school and beyond, and have always enjoyed. But just the thought of being good enough in anything to be allowed to compete is amazing. How some of these atheletes cope with training for 4 whole years for (sometimes) one event that's all over in a few seconds is incredible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 The marathon. I'd have no chance of winning, because I can run for ages and ages, but not very fast. I would love to be good at gymnastics, but I don't think I would ever be able to match the dizzy heights of excellence I have witnessed during the Olympics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I'd like to ride the motorised derny bike that leads the track cyclists, it reminds me of the bike from Camberwick Green!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Swimming as i really enjoying getting in a pool and swimming, not that im all that good at it hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I was in an athletics club in my teens and my distance was 1500 and at that time was just being introduced to youngsters. I also did the javelin and was Fife Schools Champion the year I left school (was only 3 in the final on the day but I won). Would love to have been a lot better at it. Despite doing a lot of swimming not sure I would want to do it competitively now, but have to say the rowing looks good, but hard work....and tandem in the veledrom with Chris Hoy...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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