When will Canada finally win a medal?

Question

This is getting really embarassing. If this isn't a wake up call to summer sports programs in this country, then our athletes have a serious problem.

Answer 1

Canada will finally win medals on August 15th! I'm psychic! lol

Answer 2

2010, in Vancouver lol.

But seriously, I'm very disappointed too. It's not like that we don't have summers and falls and it's not like that we don't enjoy summer sports. Maybe we put too much focus on sports like Hockey and Curling that nobody else give a ***.  

Answer 3

During the Winter Olympics in Hockey, im sorry but that is the cold hard truth. I mean were not asking you guys for much, we'd even take a bronze from the lot of you.

Answer 4

ahah i was wondering the same thing!

we seems to do pretty well when qualifying, but when it comes down to the actually winning, ahah were not soo good! :)

i hope we win one soon thought!

Answer 5

Sports Illustrated has predicted that Canada will win 15 medals and I pretty much agree with that. Best case scenario, we’re looking at about 22 medals, while the worst case could result in as few as 6 or 7. A lot of countries have caught up to Canada in medal-rich events like rowing and China has made massive investments in their athletic programs leading up to these games. The Chinese should edge the Americans in medals as long as they don’t crumble under the pressure. Onto the preview:

Archery - No medal hopefuls

Badminton - No medal hopefuls

Baseball - Forget about it. Scott Richmond’s promotion to the Blue Jays ended any slight hope they’d have.

Basketball - Maybe if Canada Basketball had their head on straight and actually got professionals to play for the team.

Boxing - Remember when you could always count on a few medals here? Now we’re only sending one boxer to the Olympics.

Canoe/Kayak - Adam Van Koeverden (K1-500, K1-1000), Mark Oldershaw (C1-500), Thomas Hall (C1-1000)

Van Koeverden is about as close to a lock for a medal as there is in the games. He’s dominated his sport and should be able to secure a medal in both of his events. He’s our best hope for a gold medal at these games. Hall has a really good chance at a medal in his lone event, the 1000m canoe singles. He’s won 2 World Cup events this year. Oldershaw has an outside shot to medal in the 500m canoe sprint. K1 and C1-1000 Finals - August 22nd, 3:30am….K1 and C1-500 Finals - August 23rd, 3:30am

Cycling - Marie-Helene Premont (Mountain Bike), Samantha Cools (BMX)

Canada has a great shot to get at least a medal with the women on the bike. Two newer sports to the games, Mountain Biking and BMX riding, boast strong Canadians. Premont won the silver at the Athens games, while Cools is one of the top 5 riders in the world. Mountain Bike Finals - August 20th, 9:30pm….BMX Finals - August 22nd, 3:30am

Diving - Alexandre Despatie (3m Springboard and 3m Synchro), Arturo Miranda (3m Synchro), Blythe Hartley (3m Springboard), Emilie Heymans (10m Platform)

I think Canada’s best sport at the games could well be diving. Everyone listed above is near the top of their sport and we could conceivably walk away with 4 medals. The best bet is probably defending Silver medalist from Athens, Despatie. Theres a real chance the Chinese could win every gold medal in diving. Men’s 3m Final - August 19th, 8:30am…Men’s 3m Synchro Final - August 13th, 2:30am…Women’s 3m Final - August 17th, 8:30am….Women’s 10m Final - August 21st, 8am  

Equestrian - Ian Miller (Individual Jumping), Canada (Team Jumping)

Miller is the most likely medalist here, even though Canada is sending a team of 12 riders. Miller is in his 9th Olympics and hasn’t won a medal yet, so he’s the sentimental favourite. Canada should be a top 5 team overall and might sneak onto the podium. Individual Jumping - August 12th, 10:45am…Team Jumping - August 12th, 7:15am

Fencing - Sherraine Schalm (Individual Epee)

Canada has one hope for fencing and that rests with Schalm, who is among the top 5 in her sport in the world. Individual Epee Final - August 13th, 6am

Field Hockey - No chance.

Gymnastics - Kyle Shewfelt (Floor Exercise), Karen Cockburn (Trampoline)

Shewfelt was a shocking gold medalist in Athens and isn’t expected to duplicate that feat. However, he’s proven he can rise to the challenge, so don’t count him out. Realistically, Canada should get one medal in Gymnastics and the medallist will be Cockburn. She’s #2 in the world and a two-time medallist. Floor Exercise Final - August 17th, 6am…Trampoline Final - August 18th, 8:25am

Judo - Normally a strong event for Canada, but not this time around.

Modern Pentathlon - No one in Canada even knows what this sport is.

Rowing - Canada (Men’s Eight, Women’s Eight), Dave Calder/Scott Frandsen (Pairs w/o cox)

Realistically, you never know where Canada’s rowing medals will come from but you know at the end of the day, they will be there. The Men’s Eight are the best bet for a gold, something they should have won in Athens. They’ll be out for revenge this time. Most sources are predicting medals for both the Women’s Eight and Calder/Frandsen also. Pairs w/o cox Final - August 16th, 2am….Men’s Eight and Women’s Eight Final - August 17th, 5:30am

Sailing - Mike Leigh (Laser), Oskar Johansson/Kevin Stittle (Tornado), Chris Cook (Finn)

While none of the above are medal favourites, they all have a legit chance to medal if things go their way in Beijing. Johansson and Stittle just obtained a silver medal at the 2008 World Championships and are probably the best bet of the bunch. Finn Final - August 16th, 1am…Laser Final - August 19th, 1am…Tornado Final - August 21st, 1am

Shooting - No medal hopefuls

Soccer - The Canadian women are ranked 9th in the world, so they aren’t likely to reach the podium.

Softball - The Canadian women have a great shot to snag the bronze medal behind the Americans and Japanese. Bronze Medal game - August 20th, 1am

Swimming - Brett Hayden (100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle), Men’s 4×100 and 4×200 relay

Canada sends another large swimming contingent to the games, but Brett Hayden is the only swimmer with a realistic shot for glory. The mens relay teams are among the best in the world and should be close to the podium also. Men’s 200m Final - August 11th, 10:13pm…Men’s 4×100 relay Final - August 10th, 11:33pm…Men’s 4×200 relay Final - August 12th, 11:16pm…Men’s 100m Final - August 13th, 10:46pm

Synchronized Swimming - A slight shot but nowhere near the favourite.

Table Tennis - A table tennis medal in China? There’s a better chance of getting an Aussie Rules medal in Austrailia.

Taekwondo - Ivett Gonda (Women’s 49kg), Karine Sergerie (Women’s 67kg), Sebastian Michaud (Men’s 80kg)

Canada qualified three members to this team and all 3 have legit shots for not only medals, but possibly even golds. Taekwondo matches in Beijing are sure to be among the highest rated because of this. Karine Sergerie is a medal lock and widely acknowledged as the best in the world in her weight class. Women’s 49kg Final - August 20th, 3am….Women’s 67kg and Men’s 80kg Final - August 22nd, 3am

Team Handball - Is this event even played in Canada?

Tennis - Daniel Nestor and Frederic Niemeyer could make a run in men’s doubles, but don’t count on it.

Track and Field - Tyler Christopher (400m), Gary Reed (800m), Jessica Zelinka (Heptathlon)

Canada has really sunk down the world rankings in track since 1996 and this years squad is no exception. They have set a goal of two medals but I just don’t see it happening. Gary Reed has the best shot of anyone in the 800m, but he’s not even among the top 3 in the world. When the track events come on, Canadians everywhere can finally get a good night’s sleep. 400m Final - August 21st, 7am….800m Final - August 23rd, 7am….Heptathlon Final - August 16th, 7am

Triathlon - Simon Whitfield (Men’s)

While Canada will have six triathletes in Beijing, only one has a shot at a medal. Fortunatly Simon Whitfield has a d**n good shot. He should secure a place on the podium, although likely not the gold. Men’s Triathlon - August 18th, 10pm

Volleyball - Maybe if they had Snow Spike Volleyball, we’d have a squad there.

Water Polo - Our men’s team is there, but all reports point to them getting thumped early and often.

Weightlifting - Jeane Lassen (Women’s 75kg)

Canada hasn’t won a weightlifting medal since 1984 but the pride of Whitehorse, Lassen, has a good chance to end that drought. Women’s 75 kg Final - August 15th, 3:30am

Wrestling - Tanya Verbeek (Women’s 55kg), Carol Huynh (Women’s 48kg), Martine Dugrenier (Women’s 63kg)

If everything goes right, 3 of Canada’s 4 women should take home a medal of some sort. Tanya Verbeek, the pride of Brock University, is the best medal hope of all. She won silver in Athens and looks to do one medal better this time. Women’s 55kg and 48kg - August 16th, 4am….Women’s 63kg - August 17th, 4am

Answer 6

You always have the Winter games.

Answer 7

To all the people who say that we do badly in the summer because we are too hockey obsessed, please consider this: CANADA FAILED TO MEDAL IN MEN'S HOCKEY IN TWO OF THE PAST THREE WINTER OLYMPICS.

It may be true that hockey is the only sport we care about, but we can't even do consistently well in that!

Answer 8

I hope they never do

Answer 9

Don't worry, I don't think the Canadians will leave empty handed in these olympic games.