2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics

[Genome]

A bit early, I know, but this topic is for discussing all things related to the Olympic Games held in Rio in 2016.

[Koro]

Greece got any good medal hopes? Surely that girl who won bronze in the WC pole vault has a chance. And maybe Tsakonas can do well in the 200m too.

 

It is very important that the Greek basketball team qualifies, but I think they will need to keep Bourousis out of retirement to stand a chance. I'm not big on water polo, but have Greece qualified for that?

 

I hope team GB can come close to how well they did in 2012, but that is unlikely considering they were at home that year.

 

But the main talking points around these games will be whether Bolt can defend his title(s) and the doping scandal involving Russian athletes.

[Blackhawk]

Until today 87 Greek athletes have qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games which will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between August 5 - August 21, 2016.

 

Here is a list of Greek athletes that qualified so far. There is still hope that the basketball national team will defeat Italy and Croatia in the qualifying tournament and make it to Rio as well.

 

 

[Dutch Eagle]

Afrodite Kyranakou (born in Athens and also a good concert pianist before setting her mind for Rio) will participate for The Netherlands with her sailing-partner Anneloes van Veen in the 470.

Their trainer is Ilias Mylonas.

[Blackhawk]

The basketball team failed to qualify to the Rio Olympics losing to Croatia in the semifinal game of the qualifying tournament.

 

It's pretty much safe to assume that Greek basketball national team is no longer considered to be part of the elite of European/World basketball as far as national teams are concerned. 

[Blackhawk]

Sofia Bekatourou will be the flag bearer for the opening ceremonies for the Greek Olympic team.

[Blackhawk]

The International Olympic Committee decided to allow the Russian athletes to compete in Rio, but left the decision to individual sports federations. The track and Field and Weightlifting federations already banned the Russian athletes from competing in Rio games.

[Koro]

Will be high hopes for Katerina Stefanini in the pole vault, hopefully she can make Greeks proud

[Blackhawk]

She's got a good chance for a medal, specially since Isibajeva is not allowed to compete. 

[Koro]

Yes it is a shame that Isinbayeva won't be there, there is no evidence she was doping herself and I want to see the best athletes complete in the olympics.

 

And good for them stealing the torch, love the craziness south americans have.

[Blackhawk]

Greek female swimmer failed a doping test and will be sent back to Greece.

[Antaeus7]

NBC Sports showed 86 Greek athletes made it to the parade of nations.

That was a great choice to see Sofia Bekatorou holding the Greek flag. :)

[Greekoz]

Apparently when the skops came out the channel 7 Australia and nbc America coverage labelled Alexander the Great and Phillip as 2 great Macedonian athletes or something along those lines, anyone watch it? Social media is lighting up. What a slap in the face.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Greekoz

[Greekoz]

Were they going off an ioc script or something? Because the 2 broadcasts mentioned almost identical things.

[Antaeus7]

[Dutch Eagle]

Tamouridis just started his race on the bike.

Good luck, Gianni!

Edited August 6, 2016 by Dutch Eagle

[Dutch Eagle]

Greek female swimmer failed a doping test and will be sent back to Greece.

It was Theodora Giareni.

[Antaeus7]

The Men's Greek water polo team beat Japan 8-7, but things will get more interesting as they face Serbia, Hungary, Brazil, and Australia in the remaining group.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Molon Lave

[Blackhawk]

First medal for Greece

Bronze for Anna Korakaki in 20m Air Pistol.

[Antaeus7]

[Dutch Eagle]

Vyron Kokkalanis is third after day 1 in the RS:X (windsurfing).

[Antaeus7]

Thrilling 9-9 draw in the water polo against the highly fancied Serbia. We blew a 5-1 lead but all in all a good result. We're in a good position.

It is a good result consider Serbia are medal favorites. Also learned that Hungary we're held 9-9 to Australia.

[Blackhawk]

Thirteen athletes with Greek roots that will compete for different nations in Rio:

 

Irini Marina Alexandri  (Austria - Synchronized Swimming)

Anna MAria Alexandri (Austria - Synchronized Swimming)

Vasiliki Alexandri (Austria - Synchronized Swimming)

 

The above three a 18-year old triplets from Volos, decided to compete for Austria after the Greek swimming federation cut them from the national team squad. 

 

Artemi Gavezou-Castro  (Spain - Gymnastics)

 

Gavezou is from Thessaloniki and competed for Greecefor couple years, but than moved to her mother's country to study and from 2013 decided to compete for Spain.

 

Aphrodite Zegers  (Holland - Sailing)

 

Zegers competed for Greece, but the Greek federation could not support her training so she switched countries

 

The other athletes are:

 

Sideris Tasiadis  (Germany - Canoe) 

Thanasis Kokkinakis (Australia - Tennis)

Lia Gianitsas (Australia - Water Polo)

Joseph Polisifakis (Canada - Fencing)

Donna Nakalis (Canada - Modern Pentathlon)

Kostas Louloudis ( Great Britain - Rowing)

Ellen Maroulis (USA - Wrestling)

Dimitris Chondrokoukis (Cyprus - Athletics)

Antonis Martasidis (Cyprus - Weightlifting)

[Greekoz]

You missed the Greek American kid that got the bronze in fencing.

[Antaeus7]

That counts for USA, not for Greece