UKC

Is there no end to this lady's talent (sic)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/25802907

In reply to Al Evans:

Good for her. See a target, aim for it, and get it.

In reply to Al Evans:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic

it isn't some sort of sarky smiley

In reply to toad:



It wasn't meant to be, the lady is talented but in other fields to the one being discussed, it was meant to be, I think as it is used, a question approving reality.

In reply to Al Evans:

It gets misused a lot, really it just means you're quoting someone verbatim.

In reply to Al Evans:

Good for her....although the whole

"I am British, but realistically there is no way I could represent my own country. Because my natural father is Thai, they have accepted me" thing (quoted from the report that you have linked to) might cause some to see this as a bit of stretch.

I mean, I am British but my mother is not, so perhaps I could find a sport that her country is not well represented in, and give it a go

In reply to Blue Straggler:
The other thing I picked up was that the Olympics were keen to get people /countries from outside Europe/US, so whilst not bending the rules, they might have been more lenient.

presumably more countries = more TV right sales?

In reply to toad:

They are much stricter at the Summer Olympics, but at the Athletics World Champions you will often see something strange like a shot putter competing in the 100m in the first round, they country won't have anyone good enough to qualify, but they are allowed one competitor in each event regardless of standard, so they let another member of the team, which is probably pretty small anyway double up and line up next to Usain Bolt or whoever.

Saying the Summer Games is stricter, I remember they rightly let some very poor women athletes from Saudi Arabia compete, just because it was the first time Saudi let women compete.

In reply to Al Evans:
Rules have been tightened up since Eddie the Eagle, but it's still possible, particularly if your nation has very few (or no) other competitors.

I seem to remember that Ireland had an entrant in the XC ski, or possibly biathlon, a few years ago. Born in the UK, but financed himself and managed to get to the required standard.

In reply to The New NickB:

There was this swimmer at the 2000 summer Olympics, so I guess it's sometimes possible...
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Moussambani

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Its pretty normal. You can compete on basis of residency or grand parentage.. many do. Good luck to her, she must be pretty good to have got the points.

I'm in the process of moving to the US and intend for it to be a decent spell, if I got US citizenship I'd consider switching allegiance. See how it is..

Germany was always a short trip and being northern europe I could still stay involved in the GB scene. But being in the US it will be harder.

I had a mate we called Swazi. He was British but born in Swaziland, his parents worked there, so one day skiing in Scotland, at Uni up there, he called their olympic committee and asked if he could ski at the olympics.. and went. Obviously pretty handy skiier.

In reply to Carolyn:

We had the shot putter who did the 100m sprint a while back.

In reply to Al Evans:

I'm not sure that anybody has responded to this in the way that I intended yet, Vanessa Mae is a very talented musician, world class, yet she is willing and able to make an Olympic sports team as an also ran, albeit by maybe bending some rules, but how many of us could be capable of that, even as 'ordinary' people. My point was hats off to her, a very special person.

In reply to Al Evans:

You're right, good on her.

I'm slightly surprised though, you would think that slalom skiing would have some risk for her hands - I wonder what her insurance premiums will be?

In reply to Al Evans:

Excellent go for it girl, I always knew she had more than one string to her bow.

In reply to Al Evans:



Say what you like, she's top totty though.

In reply to Al Evans:

"Is there no end to this lady's talent (sic)"

Al, just to clarify, is English still your first language?
A pedant like you should know better than to suggest uncertainty by using the term 'sic'. Looking up sic, the closest you imply is 'misstatement of fact' as opposed to 'grammatical error, misspelling, or the unconventional spelling of a name'.
You may of course be having language amnesia and I've got it wrong.
¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Steve

In reply to Carolyn:

They changed the rules after that!

In reply to Al Evans:


John Cook said "good for her"
I said "good for her"

Others have praised her.

Was there a particular and exact set of of words that you "intended" for people to use?

I'm not sure what you are still chuntering about!

In reply to IainRUK:


I think that was the worlds, but I could be wrong!

In reply to Al Evans:



Yeah, but what's she done in Gaelic?

In reply to Al Evans:

what rule did she bend?

Any cricket, rugby, football fan welcomes these rules....

In reply to IainRUK:

Iain, loads of UK athletes of all disciplines go to the US to train and don't forsake the UK flag of competition, why do you feel you may need to?

In reply to Al Evans:


Maybe because Iain is looking at going to live, work and make a life, rather than just further his athletics career.

In reply to Al Evans:

It's a reverse violon d'Ingres

In reply to Al Evans:

But they are the cream, who go for college or to train at altitude. Steve Jones (UK Marathon record holder) runs a camp out in Boulder. Fully sponsored and can fly back and race the selection events, major races.

I'll see, the ultra world is competitive, and I'd struggle to race the trial events. Ellie Greenwood has managed it. But the womens field is much thinner at the top. There's probably 10-20 blokes in GB looking at 4-6 selection spots.

But even this year I got overlooked for a Welsh place when clearly fitter than some selected. Better pb's at half and full marathon, winning mountain races in Europe, just not in Wales. Yet didn't run the trial event, because I competed for GB two weeks later, but Welsh Athletics were strict that no trial no selection.. yet GB weren't keen on runners doing a marathon so soon to the world champs, and WA wouldn't hold selection for 2 weeks and take my worlds result as proof of fitness. I think had I been Welsh based they'd have known more about my current fitness.. but I was asked not to email results in, yet was told in the selection meeting most selectors thought I'd basically not raced recently...

I do want to stay involved and can't switch until I can get US citizenship which is 3-4 years off.. so I'll see how much I can get back and compete. It's not the cost its also flying back early enough to recover and race.