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Olympic Village: Day 11, wrap

Michael Conlan won Ireland’s third medal, while Chris Hoy broke a British record and Sally Pearson gained partial redemption for Team Australia.

WHILE SOME IRISH athletes have performed below expectations at the London Olympics, that accusation cannot be leveled at the Irish boxers.

After the success of Katie Taylor and John Joe Nevin, Michael Conlan confirmed that a third medal was secured for Team Ireland.

Derval O’Rourke and Fionnnuala Britton, while failing to win medals, also delivered commendable displays and performed at, or close to, their peak.

Meanwhile, Chris Hoy’s record-breaking sixth gold medal ensured it will be an Olympic Games to remember for Great Britain.

Headline of the day

Ireland: Boxing Capital of the World

Michael Conlan’s win this evening added to what has already been an incredibly successful Olympic Games as far as Irish boxers are concerned. His triumph comes after both Katie Taylor and John Joe Nevin delivered similarly outstanding displays. And Paddy Barnes, of course, could yet win a fourth medal for the Irish.

What we learned today?

  • Chris Hoy has consolidated his legendary status

The Scot won his sixth gold medal with yet another excellent keirin victory, simultaneously becoming Britain’s most successful Olympian ever, surpassing Steve Redgrave. His victory could hardly have come in more dramatic circumstances, bowing out of the sport with a last-gasp win, and passing out German Maximilan Levy amid the race’s climax

  • Derval O’Rourke’s best efforts weren’t quite good enough

Despite putting in an excellent performance that matched her season’s best time of 12.91, O’Rourke’s efforts ultimately weren’t quite good enough for her to achieve a place in the 100m Hurdles Finals. Meanwhile, in the 200m heats, there was disappointment too for Paul Hession, while Fionnuala Britton failed to achieve a place in the 5000m Final.

  • Asian football teams aren’t quite ready to dominate the Olympics just yet

After Japan and South Korea secured surprise victories over Spain and Team GB respectively, some commentators began to speculate as to whether Asian football was on the verge of entering into a golden age. However, today’s results suggest such talk may have been somewhat premature, with the two countries crashing out of the competition in their ties against Mexico and Brazil.

  • These Games haven’t been a complete disaster for Australia

While much has been made of Australia’s relatively poor showing at these Games, there was partial redemption this evening in the form of Sally Pearson’s stunning victory in the 100m Final, running a time of 12.35 and breaking the Olympc record in the process.

Highlights from Team Ireland

Best thing we’ve read today

Whether or not you agree with its sentiments, this article on Great Britain’s response to their sporting success is certainly an interesting read.

Hero of the Day

We can’t give it to anyone other than Michael Conlan, can we? Although Chris Hoy also deserves a special mention too, for his incredible achievement.

You said what?

“This is only me warming up.” Michael Conlan claims you ain’t seen nothing yet.

“I wish it was on tomorrow.” Derval O’Rourke looks forward to the European Indoor Champioships only minutes after her Olympics exit.

“There is no association between me and UKAA, if you can find a form that I have signed that says I received money from UKAA then hold me accountable but over the last three years I have been out there and won world titles, world silver medals, Olympic silver medals and I have done that out of my own pocket.” Phillips Idowu continues his row with the UKAA.

A new friend we made today

Sportswriter Peter Hanlon, whose dreadfully stereotypical article about Katie Taylor/Irish people itself made headlines on these shores for all the wrong reasons.

Medal table

(Medal table as of 22.25 on Tuesday, 7 August)

Read: Olympic football: Brazil on course for Olympic glory>

Read: Ryan Lochte got these gold-plated, diamond-encrusted razors for winning five Olympic medals>

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10 Comments
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    Mute Eimear Smith
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    Aug 7th 2012, 11:26 PM

    I love the Olympics, really enjoying the interactive BBC coverage…brilliantly done but I’d have to agree with the journalist in the link above who said the coverage is totally jingoistic. It’s cringey at best. They did a lunchtime filler yesterday of the previous 24 hours in case anyone had missed it….all it contained was British athletes winning medals and a couple of images of other countries athletes…but only slipping up, falling off the bars, losing basically. No shot of Katie Taylor beating Jones. Their coverage implies that there is only one team in the Olympics, Team GB (cue cringe) who are to be celebrated….bar maybe Usain Bolt winning the 100m otherwise other countries are barely given a look in.

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    Mute mcbab
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    Aug 7th 2012, 11:37 PM

    Watch RTE so.

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    Mute Eimear Smith
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    Aug 7th 2012, 11:46 PM

    Lol! The fella is English so I dont have much choice on this….he’s gonna go for the Beeb everytime!

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    Mute Dexter Gordon
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    Aug 8th 2012, 1:07 AM

    Smartypants mcbab

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    Mute gary power
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    Aug 7th 2012, 11:21 PM

    Roll on 2pm tomorrow

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    Mute Barbara Dowling
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    Aug 8th 2012, 5:45 AM

    I’m in the USA watching the Olympics and believe me there is no other country in the Olympics except the USA. Even if an American gets bronze, you’re not even told who got hold or silver. And if they don’t get a medal, it’s the judging system that’s at fault, an injury is being carried, never simply that they just weren’t good enough on the day!

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    Mute Barbara Dowling
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    Aug 8th 2012, 5:46 AM

    Oops gold!

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    Mute Jack.
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    Aug 8th 2012, 3:15 AM

    I have to say these round ups are excellent. Thank you and well done to The Journal!

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    Mute Cormac Phelan
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    Aug 8th 2012, 3:47 AM

    Delighted for Michael Conlan – great performance.

    “…in the form of Sally Pearson’s stunning victory in the 100m Final, running a time of 12.35 and breaking the world record in the process.”

    Think that should be Olympic record ;)

    Sally Pearson broke the Olympic record

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    Mute Brian McCarthy
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    Aug 8th 2012, 11:05 AM

    In Australia and i would pay good money to be able to view the olympics on bbc or rte. shocking coverage over here. Like its been controlled by a child with ADD. Flicking from one event to another, 10 seconds of some ozzie in one event, 15 seconds of another ozzie in another. No insight just a desperate attempt to show lots of ozzies and ignoring every other country. Awful stuff

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