In this week's newsletter, Scotty discusses the toxic discourse around Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, Emma Twigg's single sculls win, and Tom Walsh's injury heartbreak.
Much misery in this world, and little of it in Paris
There is always a decent sized serving of pain at the Olympic Games, but the athletes who fall short of their personal goals, or their quests for medals, can at least take heart from the fact they are the best of the best in their respective sports from their respective countries. Some will produce on the day while others will be left to rue missed opportunities. Some will simply be outclassed by superior performers, and some will have their games cut short through injury or other misfortune.
This is all within the normal parameters of athletic endeavour, and you must accept that as both an athlete and a spectator. However, these games have also once again revealed the misery industry that thrives around the Olympics. Yes, jokes and memes abound pertaining to us lesser mortals all becoming experts in Olympic sports once every four years, and it’s fun to laugh along with.
Less fun is the toxicity that also comes as a result of our society’s ready access to platforms and opinions, and a reticence to understand complex issues before shooting from the hip, and that particular brand of misery has been on full display in the discourse surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif.
There are many balanced and articulate points of view on the Khelif story, but there are even more wildly uninformed and wilfully ignorant hot takes. Khelif – and, to a lesser extent, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting – have found themselves at the chaotic intersection of partisan politics, gender warfare, and the IOC-Russia power struggle.
The result has been uniformly ugly and wretchedly misanthropic, but for all that, Khelif will be boxing for medals. It’s hard to think a piece of Paris tin could possibly make up for what the Algerian has had to shoulder during these games.
Twigg silver a magic moment for all of us
There may have been a part of Emma Twigg that wished she could find a bit more in the final 500 metres of her single sculls final, but if that were the case, she never once let it show. Twigg, already a legend of New Zealand sport, only added to her standing by claiming a second Olympic medal. But more importantly, her response to the gold medallist, Karolien Florijn, was as authentic as it was enthusiastic.
Much as Hayden Wilde’s arm around the shoulder of Alex Yee will stand as an eternal reminder of sport’s ability to connect athletes, even in the heat of competition, the way Twigg embraced her young rival on the pontoon after the race was a lesson in maturity and magnanimity.
Many words will be written about Twigg’s legacy, but here are some thoughts on this Olympics and the person behind the oars.
Tom Walsh won't let that be his last
There are few athletes in New Zealand more likeable than Tom Walsh. The big Timaruvian has been the outsized poster man (alongside some seriously impressive poster women) for field events since his first Olympic medal in Rio in 2016. Since then, he has consistently been among the top shot-putters in the world, claiming his share of titles, and engaging in a running battle with friends and foes alike. I see you, Ryan Crouser.
Walsh aimed up on a third straight Olympic medal yesterday only to push his body past its breaking point one too many times. The sight of Walsh in conversation with his coaching staff was a tough one to take in, and it was even tougher to watch him limp into the circle once all hope was lost, just to see what he could do with one last effort.
It speaks volumes about the man’s character that he was willing to just give it a go, even though he must have known it was all to no avail. That is the kind of effort that has long endeared him to the public and to many of his rivals, whom he also counts among his best mates. It was no surprise that those same athletes offered genuine consolation to the kiwi once he had pulled the pin.
It was heartening to hear Walsh talk about coming back from this moment. Few would doubt his resolve. The world of athletics will quickly move on from this Paris meet, and here’s to Tom Walsh recovering quickly and getting back inside the circle. What a great line from him, too, once he had decided to give it one last shot: “How do you want to fail?”
A hat tip, too, for Jacko Gill, who has lived in Walsh’s shadow for the last eight years and who managed a credible 6th to improve on his top 10 spot in Tokyo.
Warriors left wondering where next
This was supposed to be the start of the great run to the finals. Instead, the Warriors were left bewildered and bereft of answers against an Eels side that had little to recommend it heading to Mt Smart on Friday.
The Warriors seemingly had the perfect blend of experience and youth at their disposal, with both Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Addin Fonua-Blake coming off 300-metre games last week, and Shaun Johnson returning to the halfback spot to provide the side with an assured pair of hands on the tiller.
In the opening exchanges the Warriors seemed to be on autopilot, as if they expected every play to produce points without the need to engage fifth gear. This was a team going through the motions, rather than the opposition and, as has been the case so often this season, the frustration caused by a lack of offensive penetration manifested itself in defensive ill-discipline, directly leading to the Eels'’ first try, and ultimately leading to one of the great acts of NRL self-sabotage as the home side went down 30-20.
Coach Andrew Webster was clearly annoyed that his team doesn't seem to be able to learn from its mistakes, but there must also be a concession that the Warriors thrive on chaos above structure. Somehow, they need to rediscover that special alchemy – the type fans have witnessed on precious few occasions this season.
If they can harness that magic, they still have a shot at the top eight. If they insist on producing regimented training ground plays in the hope they can defeat well drilled opponents, then they’ll be looking to 2025 as early as this weekend.
ANZ Premiership final thrills in attention abyss
It’s not an easy assignment for local sport to grab attention with Paris in full swing, but if you did tune in to the ANZ Premiership final between the Pulse and the Mystics, you would not have been disappointed.
That is, unless you are a Pulse fan.
This was a final worthy of the name, as the two top teams went toe-to-toe at TSB Arena in front of a crowd that did its best to get the home side over the line after looking shaky in the opening exchanges.
In the end the Pulse had a chance to bag the title, having finished the regular season as top ranked team with an extra week to prepare for the showdown. It was not to be. With less than 90 seconds left, Amelia Walmsley failed to convert a chance to put the Pulse in front by two, and the Mystics, defending champions, flawlessly finished courtesy of Grace Nweke who shed tears of joy after the game, much as Walmsley shed tears of despair.
Netball in New Zealand does not suffer from a lack of participation, and the crowds this season certainly seem to be as vocal and vociferous as ever. That said, this is a sport that has long enjoyed a dominant position in the marketplace yet seems unable to convert that position into a long-term broadcast deal or promote its athletes in the same way it used to.
Finals like this deserve a big audience and the athletes are worthy of respect and attention. It felt a shame that the local competition’s climax feels crowbarred into the world’s largest sporting event.
What to watch out for this week
It will be Olympics central on 1news.co.nz, with plenty of Kiwis still in action in Paris. Don’t forget to check in on Le Journal for a daily briefing and our 1news.co.nz team will also keep you up to date on all the action and results.
As Sidelines is submitted, we are heading into Day 9 of the games.
Also this week, rugby’s NPC begins. Much has been made about the viability of provincial rugby but for the traditionalists there is always plenty to savour. What shape this competition will take in the years to come is still to be debated, but for now it's business as usual.
The action begins Friday (at the intriguing time of 5.35pm) when defending champions Taranaki host Counties-Manukau in New Plymouth. It’s a big city battle to follow, with Auckland hosting Wellington in the City of Sails.
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