From the start of the Games, I have a secret to make: I have absolutely no interest, and even rather annoyance, when it comes to the number of medals a country wins at the Olympic Games.
Far be it from me to diminish the sporting and personal importance for a top athlete to climb the podium, but this patriotic fixation on the number of the first three places won – rather than the first four, six or ten places – in events reserved for the best in their discipline in the world seems twisted to me. Is it the fault of a badly treated egalitarian-leftist bias or because I was brought up by parents who devoted their careers to the practice of sport by the greatest number rather than by an elite? I do not know. But it is against my will that I am speaking to you here “of the real affairs”.
Canada is expected to win 21.5 medals in Tokyo this year, including 4.5 gold, the CBC reported Thursday, according to betting companies. These are essentially the result of the Rio Games, where Canada collected 22 medals, including 4 gold – and too bad for whoever will inherit half the medal. The predictions of the so-called experts in the field would range from a total of 18 to around 30 medals, stressed the Canadian Olympic Committee on Friday morning, which decided this year not to advance its own predictions. It must be said that the exercise is still perilous, and that it is even more so today after 18 months during which the athletes had few opportunities to meet and measure themselves at the top.
Based on the analysis of the results since the last Summer Games, the specialist firm Gracenote predicts 21 medals in Canada, 80% of which would be won by women, while they only account for 65% of the 371 medals. Canadian team athletes. In Rio, the Canadians had already won three quarters of the team’s medals.
The names that come up most often among the favorites include those of decathlete Damian Warner, divers Meaghan Benfeito, Caeli McKay and Jennifer Abel, canoeists Laurence Vincent Lapointe and Katie Vincent, sprinter Andre De Grasse and swimmer Kylie Masse. We often also find those of Jessica Klimkait (judo), Rosie MacLennan (trampoline), Ellie Black (gymnastics), Erica Wiebe (wrestling), Evan Dunfee (50 km walk), not to mention the pair. Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes at beach volleyball, as well as the women’s soccer team.
The great unknown, explained to the CBC an analyst of Gracenote, it is China, which turns out to be one of the great powers of sport with the United States, but of which we have seen very little the athletes in action these latter month.
The bets are open. And too bad for Pierre de Coubertin who said that the important thing is to participate.