Olympic sport funding levels

[Indurain's Lungs]

Thought people might find this interesting when looking at medal success at the Olympics.

http://www.uksport.gov.uk/sport/summer/

Athletics rowing, sailing, cycling, swimming are the big ones at around £26m.

 

[Woodchip]

Spend to accumulate. Simple really.

 

[Postman Pat]

£25m for a silver and a bronze in the swimming isn't a great return is it? Especially with a number of 'medal hopes' not even getting to the finals.

Let's hope Addlington can improve on that later or I feel that the swimmers may get a cut in funding.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

£25m for a silver and a bronze in the swimming isn't a great return is it? Especially with a number of 'medal hopes' not even getting to the finals.

Let's hope Addlington can improve on that later or I feel that the swimmers may get a cut in funding.

Not just Addlington. Kerrianne Payne could get gold too.

 

[Stat Brother]

It does rather embarrass swimming, 1 more medal for swimming isn't going to change anything, compared to cycling and rowing.
2 medals in total that will really hurt.

 

[Simster]

Throwing money at swimming training is polishing a turd. We are never going to become a proper swimming nation until we address the lack of Olympic facilities, and I'm not sure we have the appetite for that. How many Olympic sized pools are there in the UK? I'll bet Sydney alone has more. Sydney is remarkable in that there are 50m outdoor pools all over the city, and the weather to justify them.

 

[Simster]

It does rather embarrass swimming, 1 more medal for swimming isn't going to change anything, compared to cycling and rowing.
2 medals in total that will really hurt.

we have two so far - Adlinton bronze, Jamieson silver.

We are likely to get two more, but the target was between 5 and 7, so still 1 to 3 short.

 

[Bakero]

Investment in rowing, cycling and swimming has tangible benefits as technology plays a key part. Swimming is purely about the athletes performance so investment won't automatically lead to results. It's clear that Britain invests in the areas where we can gain advantage. We could spend as much money as we want but wouldn't necessarily ever find someone who can run as fast as Usain Bolt.

 

[Bakero]

WTF is goal ball?

http://www.uksport.gov.uk/sport/summer/goalball

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Throwing money at swimming training is polishing a turd. We are never going to become a proper swimming nation until we address the lack of Olympic facilities, and I'm not sure we have the appetite for that. How many Olympic sized pools are there in the UK? I'll bet Sydney alone has more. Sydney is remarkable in that there are 50m outdoor pools all over the city, and the weather to justify them.

True to an extent, however the girl from Lithuania who lives and trains in Devon seems to have done OK.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Investment in rowing, cycling and swimming has tangible benefits as technology plays a key part. Swimming is purely about the athletes performance so investment won't automatically lead to results. It's clear that Britain invests in the areas where we can gain advantage. We could spend as much money as we want but wouldn't necessarily ever find someone who can run as fast as Usain Bolt.

Funding has little to do with their equipment, it pays for their "salaries" and allows them to get the best coaches and facilities etc. In swimming, the US collegiate system certainly seems to work. The fact that they are racing other high level swimmers every day spurs them on to higher levels.

 

[Gwylan]

Throwing money at swimming training is polishing a turd. We are never going to become a proper swimming nation until we address the lack of Olympic facilities, and I'm not sure we have the appetite for that. How many Olympic sized pools are there in the UK? I'll bet Sydney alone has more. Sydney is remarkable in that there are 50m outdoor pools all over the city, and the weather to justify them.

To play devil's advocate, you could say the same about cycling. Not many velodromes around the place and we have some of the worst cycling roads in Europe - doing OK though.

But it's certainly true that swimming facilities are poor. Look at Brighton & Hove - it's a city of 250k people, a tourist destination, and it has a grand total of 3 pools (4 if you count the lido). None of them is 50m and King Alfred's looks like it's been around since, er, King Alfred's time.

 

[Stat Brother]

we have two so far - Adlinton bronze, Jamieson silver.

We are likely to get two more, but the target was between 5 and 7, so still 1 to 3 short.

The way it's been going I wouldn't go on a chicken count, just yet.

 

[Simster]

True to an extent, however the girl from Lithuania who lives and trains in Devon seems to have done OK.

As has Rebecca Adlington. So the training is clearly great, but we don't have the critical mass of top quality swimmers because British talent simply hasn't discovered the swimming pool I suspect.

To play devil's advocate, you could say the same about cycling. Not many velodromes around the place and we have some of the worst cycling roads in Europe - doing OK though.

But it's certainly true that swimming facilities are poor. Look at Brighton & Hove - it's a city of 250k people, a tourist destination, and it has a grand total of 3 pools (4 if you count the lido). None of them is 50m and King Alfred's looks like it's been around since, er, King Alfred's time.

Some good points there regarding the cycling, none of which I disagree with. So why are we so good? It must be a combination of:
* a bold overhaul of British Cycling nearly a decade ago
* Brailsford brilliance
* additional funding
* a golden generation of cyclists that Britain has never seen before and will quite possibly never see again

The way it's been going I wouldn't go on a chicken count, just yet.

Indeed not! I'm not predicting two golds. Adlington is just as likely to get silver as she is gold. No medal there though would be MASSIVELY disappointing.

 

[Bakero]

Funding has little to do with their equipment, it pays for their "salaries" and allows them to get the best coaches and facilities etc.

That's not strictly true. We have an advantage in the 'equipment sports.' Not every country can afford £20,000 bicycle. There was an article on the BBC website the other day about the role of technology.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19089259

 

[Stat Brother]

Some good points there regarding the cycling, none of which I disagree with. So why are we so good? It must be a combination of:
* a bold overhaul of British Cycling nearly a decade ago
* Brailsford brilliance
* additional funding
* a golden generation of cyclists that Britain has never seen before and will quite possibly never see again

Point 1 - Correct
Point 2 - Correct-ish, Dave B's main brilliance stems from employing the best and letting them get on with it.
Point 3 - Spent wisely see what it can do.
Point 4 - Wrong diddly wrong wrong. As in the rowing if you put everything else in place, the athletes will always be there.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Throwing money at swimming training is polishing a turd. We are never going to become a proper swimming nation until we address the lack of Olympic facilities, and I'm not sure we have the appetite for that. How many Olympic sized pools are there in the UK? I'll bet Sydney alone has more. Sydney is remarkable in that there are 50m outdoor pools all over the city, and the weather to justify them.

The UK now has over twenty 50m pools (Olympic Pool and 50m pool is not the same thing - the number and the width of lanes, plus the quality of the lane dividers come into it too).

The levels of participation in junior swimming are huge, and for kids to be swimming in the 25m pools really isn't an issue. Its about identifying the potential early on, and keeping the really talented ones interested, ahead of other more glamourous sports. The US college system does work, (and a decent % of the GB team are in it).

 

[Stat Brother]

The UK now has over twenty 50m pools (Olympic Pool and 50m pool is not the same thing - the number and the width of lanes, plus the quality of the lane dividers come into it too).

Prior to this Olympics we had 2 competition velodromes, (Manchester & Newport) and a slightly smaller one in Calshott.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Prior to this Olympics we had 2 competition velodromes, (Manchester & Newport) and a slightly smaller one in Calshott.

Er, yes. I know - I've worked in all of them. My point is that any problems in swimming can NOT be shrugged off as 'down to a lack of facilities'.

 

[albion534]

We just need to do what the Chinese clearly do with their gymnastic team

Kidnap the parents and threaten to kill them unless a gold is won

Simples