olympics

Japan dethrone Dutch to win gold in women's team pursuit

35 Comments
By Simon Jennings

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THIS is women in action in Japan! Great job!

9 ( +9 / -0 )

woo!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I don't like how the Japanese TV covers the Olympics. They only broadcast sports were a Japanese is taking part or winning, not showing anything else. I understand that this is the Japanese TV, but they barely show what other contestants did or where they came from, it's only about the Japanese "heroes".

There's not a single minute of other sports whatsoever. But they do reply a hundred times the race were the gold medal was won, all with that annoying nationalistic flavour to it.

-7 ( +11 / -18 )

koiwaicoffee - same thing re the USA. if they are winning or win at a sport, it is important and it is covered. But where they do not do well (e.g. world cup soccer - men's) they will simply state that no one cares about soccer. so, not unusual behaviour.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

I don't like how the Japanese TV covers the Olympics. They only broadcast sports were a Japanese is taking part or winning, not showing anything else. I understand that this is the Japanese TV, but they barely show what other contestants did or where they came from, it's only about the Japanese "heroes".

Nothing wrong with that. It is hardly unique to Japan. If you want full coverage of every athlete, then live stream the events from the NBC Olympics streaming site.

Congratulations to the Japanese skaters!

4 ( +8 / -4 )

@ kurisupisu

All citizens of the EU will give a blank stare when you mention Chloe Kim as well as the penguins on Antarctica :)

3 ( +4 / -1 )

As they say over there,

"Da's kloten van de bok...."

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Incredible performance by the Japanese team! That team is so dominant at the moment, incredible!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

koiwaicoffee

happens in baseball too. I was watching a MLB game with a Japanese pitcher and the moment his was pulled the broadcast stopped!?! Never did find out who won

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Sensational stuff by the Japanese ladies! It was interesting comparing the styles of the Japanese to the Dutch ladies - The Dutch tall and lanky, the Japanese with a low centre of gravity, stockier with massively powerful legs. Those thighs powered them home to easily win in the end. Could Japan be the new rising force in world speed skating? The Dutch may well be looking over their shoulders from now on!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Hey congratulations, great job. A somewhat "payback" for the Dutch skater beating the Japanese record a couple of days ago :)

to easily win in the end

Easily? I thought the difference was only .13 seconds?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The properly annoying Japan only coverage is on the commercial channels, not NHK. Japan's commercial channels basically serve up non-stop celebs, and the Olympics are just something for them to talk about, obviously with no actual knowledge of any of the sports. Once its over, they'll be back to talking about oishii!! food, having inane quizzes, or laughing in a completely unenforced way at whatever comedians are on the show. Its all garbage tv. Viewing figures are consistently falling in Japan, so it seems like the public don't like it either.

As for the skaters, it was a great performance. They have won every race this season, one with a world record, so it won't be a surprise to those in the sport. Women's sports are already prime time in Japan, so I wouldn't get your hopes up about this being a symbol of female advancement. They won and we should be happy, that's all.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

All countries medias have their own biases when reporting sporting events - nothing unique in that.

But I find the constant replay after replay of the same event and then dissecting every moment becomes tedious. Very rarely are exceptional performances by other athletes shown, and if so then not focussed on for so long.

Case in point - yesterday the 2 Russian girls skating world record scores in less than 20 mins. First one, then broken again!!! The commentators should have been going over the moon to have witnessed such, but no. The usual "wonderful" or "great" but you wouldn't think they had just seen a rare, best of the best.

And the studios instead of "Embracing the Games for All" turn it into a Great Celebration on Japanese mastery on success, but look too deeply for reasons (often stupid) for losses. When Takanashi failed to win the ski-jump, one wide show had a mock up of her skis alongside the "tall" foreigners longer skis showing a considerable length disparity, which they translated into longer skis go faster, meaning going further so the other woman had an advantage. But of course they didn't mention that Takanashi is to date the greatest womens ski jumper in history and beaten all rivals including giants. Just cherry pick to support their narrative. Even the wonderful Japanese pursuit teams success to date - current world champions by a mile and world record holders - was downplayed in order to make the olympic victory appear like something out of the blue.

It's in most sport reporting, in most countries, but I think 1 reason here for it is, there appears little true understanding of the wider aspects of world sports. The athletes of course understand.

I pray for some success for the Japanese football team in the upcoming world cup, because the level of excuses and moroseness will be unbearable.

And tomorrow I'll be really rooting for the womens curling team. After the halfpipe it's my favourite event. Go Girls.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Fantastic! Superb job girls!

I can’t help wondering though if the Dutch are thinking they have scored an own goal on this one as a few of the Japanese skaters like Nao-san have undergone extensive training in the Netherlands since Sochi.

I have no doubt the dedication to training and determination to win, belongs all to the girls!

They were champions in every respect both on and off the track. Fantastic role models everyone of them!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@kowaicoffee perhaps you're only looking at the highlights or what's broadcast on primetime tv. of course during prime time they don't want to show athletes from tonga doing the skeleton. who would watch that? they only want to highlight japanese athletes. but isn't this the same for every country though?

furthermore throughout the day, NHK is showing tons of sports that doesn't feature a single japanese athlete.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

but congrats to japan. they are having a record breaking medal count (thanks in large part to female athletes!).

2 ( +3 / -1 )

If you want straight Olympics sports coverage, stick with NHK G or BS. If you want goofball celebs going bonkers about ikemen athletes, with commentary about the butt muscles of a totally nude Norwegian male Olympian on a sailboat for the edification of bored wives (anyone else see that show yesterday? I was thinking very few countries would allow this on daytime TV), then take the plunge into the commercial channels.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

They have won every race this season, one with a world record, so it won't be a surprise to those in the sport. 

Still, the Dutch girls seemed pretty pissed off about losing!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Woo Hoo! Go Japan!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I dunno, the US had coverage of women's x-county relay and the US had no hope there. So it's not as jingoistic as it could be. That said the Japanese women are doing really well with skating and it's funny watching SK clean up at curling so I can get into that.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I don't like how the Japanese TV covers the Olympics. They only broadcast sports were a Japanese is taking part or winning, not showing anything else. I understand that this is the Japanese TV, but they barely show what other contestants did or where they came from, it's only about the Japanese "heroes".

You are watching the wrong channel! I have been watching the Olympics here in Japan since LA and Sarajevo in 1984, and I was excited to see the exact opposite of what you are talking about here!

NHK and other channels too show all sorts of coverage where there are absolutely no Japanese athletes competing.

Change your channel!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

As they say over there,

"Da's kloten van de bok...."

I'm Dutch and we never say this.

Still, the Dutch girls seemed pretty pissed off about losing!

Really? I only saw pictures of them smiling.

All countries medias have their own biases when reporting sporting events - nothing unique in that.

But I find the constant replay after replay of the same event and then dissecting every moment becomes tedious.

This, totally agree. News last night replayed the run at least a dozen times. sigh

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Superb win!!!

But yeah, gotta agree I DONT like the coverage of international sports in Japan, even more self centred than the yanks & that's hard to do!

If there was no mention of the word Olympics & no medals seen, one can easily think they are watching national championships! Ok a bit of an exaggeration but not much.

Would be nice to not have to subscribe to pay stations to get better coverage of the Olympics but you do & since I don't watch much TV its the price I pay & am fine with it!

Cant wait for 2020, will be here & I still wont be able to see it!! LOL!!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

koiwaicoffeeToday 07:41 am JST

I don't like how the Japanese TV covers the Olympics. They only broadcast sports were a Japanese is taking part or winning, not showing anything else."

Totally agree. It is a xenophobic form of propagnada and mind control by the nanny state. They will even show a local high school soccer or baseball game before showing high quality internaitonal stuff. Most humans want to see the best, regardless of where they are from.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

therougouToday 09:51 am JST

They have won every race this season, one with a world record, so it won't be a surprise to those in the sport. 

Still, the Dutch girls seemed pretty pissed off about losing!"

Sore losers!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Great job, but for the love of all things holy, STOP with the 24-hour reruns! I just tried to watch snowboarding, and while they showed the Japanese snowboarder and talked about how subarashi he was, it cut out after that to "How about yesterday's gold? Subarashii, ne!?" and the inevitable replays from start to finish.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It is possible to watch Olympics and not watch only your own country. Depends how the sport is broadcast off the OBS, Olympic Broadcast. On CBC I have been enjoying the Biathlon events and it's been quality European athletes throughout. You can watch them delayed and they have a full list. olympics.cbc.ca and click Video then submenu Full Event Replays. You'll get the whole picture and appreciation of the level of play and where one fits into it, not just the winners

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Great teamwork. They outsmarted their opponents with tact, intelligence, and lots importantly discipline.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@kowaigoffee and all

I agree the the J.TV shoes only or mostly events where the Japanese athletes are, more than in other countries at least.

But a good point for this year olympic and a very good idea is that the TV broadcasters created a website where all events not broadcasted on TV are on the net.

Look at www.gorin.jp

I do follow cross-country and biathlon through that site. I guess it is the official olympic broadcast and is in English. So basically, all the events are broadcast.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I don't like how the Japanese TV covers the Olympics. It is a xenophobic form of propagnada and mind control by the nanny state. Most humans want to see the best, regardless of where they are from.

I saw what you did there. Clever. So the suggestion Japanese are not behaving like humans?

In any case, I don't see anything wrong with the coverage. And they do covers events with few Japanese participants. If you want propaganda and mind control, try watching American TV.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I prefer the kind of approach you often see in the UK. The media celebrates sporting success but seems never happier when sharpening the pencils to absolutely slaughter the players or athletes involved in a humiliating hiding. The latter is a lot more entertaining.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@Jim

Bet they’ve been having a field-day on Merseyside recently!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Bet they’ve been having a field-day on Merseyside recently!

Rigor mortis among the journalists prevents that at Goodison.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I hope they get a heroes welcome when they fly back in to Japan ( as well as the other athletes)

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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