Beijing 2022 Wrap Episode
The Beijing 2022 Olympics have come to a close and we're back to give them one more episode to go over everything and anything that we feel needs to be talked about after another amazing Olympics! What does Jarrod think of the closing ceremony and is he still celebrating Slovakia winning the bronze in men's ice hockey? How will these games ultimately be remembered? Are we satisfied with the success of Australia and Canada or could there have been more? How do we feel about the stars of the Olympics and who will get the coveted 'Athlete of the Games' title by us? And are we pumped to head to Europe for the next couple of Olympics? Click and listen away for one last time in Beijing as we close out the 2022 Winter Olympics in style!
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Please note this is an automated transcript that may contain errors.
BEN WATERWORTH: It is Off The Podium coming to you today for our Beijing 2022 wrap up episode. The Olympics are over. It's a sad time to be an Olympic fan, but a good time to be an Olympic fan if you're listening to this episode, because we're going to go over all the hits and misses and everything else in between of Beijing 2022, bring it to a close, and celebrating what has been a pretty successful Winter Olympics for both our nations that we celebrate on this, as well as a bunch of other nations. My name is Ben, and joining me is the GOAT, the MVP, Team Slovakia of Off The Podium. It is Jarrod Loobeek. Jarrod, welcome back to the show.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Thank you. It's great to be back.
BEN WATERWORTH: Are you celebrating the bronze from your beloved Slovakia? We didn't get a chance to talk to you yesterday about this, but is that why you had to take the day off? Because you were too busy celebrating?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, 100%. Never in doubt. Clinical performance, clinical victory. The boys just did a great job. Look out for them in a four years' time.
BEN WATERWORTH: Have you ordered your jersey? Have you got it ready to go?
JARROD LOOBEEK: It's on the way, yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: It's on the way. Yeah, I expect to see it being worn every single day. I guess before we talk in general about the Games and that you weren't here last night to talk about the closing ceremony, thoughts on the closing ceremony, Jarrod?
JARROD LOOBEEK: You know what, it wasn't great. I feel like the one positive, we didn't really get a cliche English song. So that was good, but apart from that, I don't know, on par with the opening, nothing unexpected, too many children's choirs, the Olympic anthem just needs to go full stop. And also the changeover wasn't that great either, so that was a bit of a letdown.
BEN WATERWORTH: Not impressed with what we're seeing from Milan. I mean, we talked up last night, the national anthem at least, the Italian national anthem with the violin was pretty spectacular, but a couple of people skating around in the middle of a giant screen doesn't really sell you too much for the, well, it looks like the Summer Olympics in Milan as they were having a nice summer's day on the canals there, it seemed.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, it was just, it was odd. I don't get this idea of people just running on a mountainside, like as far as I know, running isn't a Winter Olympics sport, but maybe it's coming at the next Olympics, but yeah, just, I don't know, it just wasn't anything special. The logo, I don't really love either, so if it didn't help that that was just everywhere. So yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: It's pretty, pretty bad, but you know, at least we can look forward to ski mountaineering, which again, it's not something that's been hyped up enough, but I feel that will be the star of Milan, but we can talk about that another time. But how are you feeling at the end of these Olympics? How would you summarise your viewpoint on Beijing 2022 overall?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Look, I think they were good games, and I feel like they were better than expected. We had real snow, along with man-made snow, which nobody was expecting. I feel like everything ran fairly smoothly. Things were rescheduled, but they got done. And obviously, from an Australian perspective, they were a great winter game, so I've got to be happy with that.
BEN WATERWORTH: We talked about, in Tokyo, how we all would rank it up highly as one of the more enjoyable games that we really did like, and sort of surprised us a lot. And Colin and I touched on a little bit last night about Beijing, personally for him and I, maybe not our favourite winter Olympics that we've experienced. But I mean, how would you kind of compare them? I know you obviously haven't been into the winter Olympics as much as the summer Olympics, but from the ones that you have sort of paid attention to, can you say that these are one of your favourites, or there are others that perhaps you look back on more fondly, not necessarily just on the performance side of things, but just as the overall experience of experiencing these Olympics?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I feel like it's more of like a mid-tier. I think I looked really fondly back on Vancouver. And yeah, I just, I mean, they were good. Nothing spectacular, but they went off without a hitch. So that's always a positive. So yeah, to me, it's kind of like middle of the road, I would say.
BEN WATERWORTH: In terms of Australia, we'll obviously talk about the predictions, because I think you know how well you've done in those predictions. But obviously to get the four medals is pretty amazing. We talked up beforehand about how we're kind of a little bit sick of this three that we've had in the last three Olympics. But to come away with four, also to break the gold drought was pretty good. I mean, it was very close to being more as well. I think I saw the AOC release today, this is a record for top five finishers at a winter Olympics and an equal record for top ten finishers. So, I mean, outside of the medals did very, very well. But I mean, how do you feel in general? Are you satisfied with four? Do you feel a little bit shortchanged that there were a couple there that we were narrowly missing out on in terms of we could have had more than four?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I think satisfied with four, but I really did think our medals were going to come from, like, I was sure that we were going to get, like, a snowboard across medal in there somewhere and an aerials medal in there somewhere. So to still get out of it with four and not medal in those two events, which I thought were givens, I think is impressive. And I feel like it gives us something to build on moving forward to the next games. Like, I feel like this, like, with how we did, this can be beaten. It's...
BEN WATERWORTH: I agree with you. And I think the one thing that I get out of it is that, yeah, like, it's disappointing that snowboard cross and aerials, as you said, you know, narrowly missed out on those. But I think we leave these Olympics with a fricking sliding medal, which, you know, looking at the medal tally last night, in terms of sports overall that Australia have won medals in now, and to see the word skeleton on that just feels so damn strange. I mean, even 20 years ago, if you had said, you'll win a skateboarding medal or a surfing medal, you'd be like, well, they're not Olympic sports, but OK, maybe I can understand how they would be Olympic sports one day. I don't think we could ever imagine that Australia would win a medal in a sliding sport. And as we've said plenty of times throughout the last couple of weeks, if at the end of these games you had said that, we would have assumed it would have come from Bree in the monobob. So it's still quite an incredible achievement for Jackie to win that medal and for us to literally want a medal in a sliding sport, which is just unfathomable thinking about that, you know, even before these Olympics.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, it's huge. And I think we talk about how like the Summer Olympics has always this kind of unexpected medal, like the Chloe Esposito or like an Ash Maloney in the decathlon. And at the winter, I feel like we don't get that as much. Obviously, Bradbury was unexpected. But I feel like outside of that, all our medals have been athletes going in who we thought could potentially end up on the podium. So like to me, like the Jackie Naracott medal is like the Winter Olympics equivalent of that unexpected medal. And to me, it's just, it stands out amongst all of the other medals we won at these Olympics. And like just talking about it gets me excited. I just still can't believe that it happened.
BEN WATERWORTH: I'm glad you mentioned Chloe. I mean, I still stand by probably our biggest ever shock medal ever at any Olympics prior to winning a silver medal in skeleton was Chloe winning a gold in frickin modern pentathlon, which is still something unmatched. But yeah, quite incredible. It was somewhat like, I would say disappointing that none of our four medallists were able to have that flag moment. You know, obviously it would have been Jakara, of course, winning the gold. But you know, obviously none of them could really get that moment in the sun. But just on that quickly on the closing, I should bring up Sammy Kennedy Sim. We sort of mentioned her name. We thought it might have been Bree. But what were your thoughts on Sammy getting the nod? And Off The Podium, three from three for flag bearers for Beijing 2022 for Team Australia.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, I feel like it was a little bit unexpected, but definitely like the right call. Particularly with her not being sure if she's coming back to the next Olympics. Like we're assuming that Bree will be back in four years time. So I think it's a smart decision, a wise decision. And for her to kind of back up at back to back Olympics, making the small final, I think it's well deserved.
BEN WATERWORTH: You're not Canadian. And obviously we talked about Canada last night, but give us your honest take on Canada's performance. I mean, 26 medals, it's equal second highest total, but only four gold. And this is such a Canadian thing where they're just simply like, oh, yeah, no, we're OK with that. Whereas I look at it from this Australian perspective, again, knowing that come Paris, if Australia only wins eight gold medals compared to 17 in Tokyo, we're going to be ripping into our athletes, aren't we? So how do you look at Canada's performance? Overall, good? Gold? Not so good.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, it's an interesting one. I definitely was expecting more gold and for it to be a little bit more even across the board. So, yeah, I suppose, I don't know, they can't really complain with the amount of medals they won, but look where they're sitting on the medal tally by ranking by gold, you know. So I don't know. Interesting to see what they come back with in four years time. I feel like they were obviously close in a lot of sports. That's just kind of, I mean, the difference between gold and silver and silver and bronze is like in the Winter Olympics, the hundreds of a second in most sports. So a chance to improve, I feel like, come to Reno.
BEN WATERWORTH: We didn't really talk much about this with Colin last night, but obviously the big talking point for Off The Podium is that we finally broke our gold drought, Charles Hamlin getting a gold in the part of the 5,000-metre short track. Now, obviously, as you just, you're involved in all the interviews, Jarrod. You know, you're very strong in terms of your streak with that. But as the neutral one, as the one who I guess doesn't do the interviews and maybe doesn't give two shits about this curse, did you get a bit of a tear in the eye that finally this gold drought was broken and Off The Podium can claim that we've got a gold medallist after we've interviewed them?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, it's impressive. And now moving forward, obviously, like the guests are just going to be lining up. The curse is broken. There's zero pressure anymore. So, yeah, looking forward to what interviews are coming because now everybody knows that you come on this show and you can win a gold medal. It's possible.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, if you're Canadian, basically. If you're Australian, you don't win a medal at all, but you carry the flag. So, I mean, I don't know, if you're an Olympian, what would you rather, an Olympic medal or carrying the flag into a ceremony?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I feel like an Olympic medal, right?
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, no, I think that's probably the right one. But to steal the flag, you know, no disrespect to Brendan Carey, but I don't know if many people would have known who he was too much before these Olympics, even though he was a two-time Olympian, and now they do. He's one of our flag bearers, so that works out well. Got a list here of many countries, obviously, had their best or equal-best Olympics. Just quickly on New Zealand, had a bit of shit-stirring from them in the last couple of days. Nothing today, so I'm happy about that. But two gold for them. I mean, technically, they beat us in terms of the gold medal tally. We beat them on the total. But how do you feel about New Zealand coming away with two gold medals? You know, and again, as I pointed out yesterday, all their Olympic medals have been won by three people. Like, I mean, come on now, get some more diversity in your athletes. Don't always give it down here now to Niko and Zoe. You know, help out your team, Niko and Zoe. You know, spread the love a little bit.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, still a little bit dirty about them beating us on the official medal tally. But obviously, a smart person would do it by number of medals. So, you know, I'm just interested to see. I feel like, yeah, you've beat us, but can you back it up, you know? So I'm looking forward to four years time. I mean, I kind of have a gut feeling that they will. But, you know, maybe not. Maybe this will be a one off, you know?
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, I mean, freestyle skiing, those events don't really seem to move on too much, do they? I mean, you know, so and they're only like 12 still, aren't they? So they're probably going to keep on winning. And they'll be like, oh, Brew, we're so good at the Olympics. And it's like, well, you've got two athletes that just keep winning these sports, which like they just show up for three seconds and go, yeah, Brew, and then just ski off, you know? So anyway, congratulations to New Zealand. We should in all seriousness wish them congratulations. But just looking at some of the other countries, so in terms of most successful Olympics, so Norway had their most successful Winter Olympics, obviously, in terms of gold, gold medals won. China, hands down, their most successful Winter Olympics ever. Fantastic for them. Sweden actually had their most successful Winter Olympics of all time. They did very well, gold, five, silver, five, bronze, 18 in total. The Netherlands had their equal best Winter Olympics in terms of gold medals won, as did Switzerland, France, Slovenia and Belgium. So congratulations to them. Great games for Rock on a debut appearance. Best ever appearance there for Rock. I mean, I was very, very satisfied with Rock and their debut appearance. Don't you think, Jarrod? They did very well for a new country.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, it's good to see them putting in some effort.
BEN WATERWORTH: Exactly. Finally, maybe a little bit too much. We'll wait for those pending medals potentially going on there. Japan had their most successful in terms of total medals won, and as did Australia, funnily enough, and New Zealand and Hungary also had their most ever successful Olympics. But I mean, disappointing from Poland. Come on, Poland, you know, only the one bronze. It could have done better there, let's be honest. Czech Republic, you know, only the one gold. And who gave them that? Good to see that one person can still live up to their end of the bargain. And obviously Britain, gold and silver, let's be honest. Scotland won them those medals. So, you know, disappointing from the Brits that they have to rely on Scotland. And had the referendum gone through, then they wouldn't have won any medals. I mean, were you satisfied seeing the Scots win a couple of medals for Britain in the last couple of days there, at least, Jarrod?
JARROD LOOBEEK: You know what? I was, but I would have been even more satisfied if, yeah, if it was a Scottish flag next to those medals on the medal tally. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another referendum where they make the right decision, you know, but we'll see.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which is, I remember when they had that referendum and the whole thing was about Andy Murray, because all of a sudden they were going to be like, well, no, then we still haven't won our first Wimbledon or whatever in years, because he's very pro Scottish independence, isn't he, Andy? So I love Andy. Are you an Andy fan? I don't know if we ever really discussed this. I know you don't like some of the players I like, but what about Andy?
JARROD LOOBEEK: You know what? I wasn't until he got a medal hit, but now I am.
BEN WATERWORTH: Is that because he's like a Terminator?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I just feel sorry for the guy now. And I just think he's more interesting to watch. I don't know. It's kind of like mellowed him a bit. I feel sorry for him having to put in that effort, and I'm ever hopeful that he'll get back to where he was before. So I still think he's got a big title left in him at some point.
BEN WATERWORTH: He's still somewhat young, isn't he? Isn't he the youngest out of the big four? Novak's younger than I think he is. I think I'm older than Novak Djokovic, which makes me scared. But Roger and Raffa are like dinosaurs now, aren't they? Mm-hmm. Yeah, bloody old people. But one thing talking about multiple medallists, we went over this a little bit last night with Colin. Now, obviously, we talked up a lot Mr. Quinton Fillon-Mellay, who on five narrowly missed out. We only really mentioned the fact that he obviously didn't get that sixth medal in the mass start. He actually was fourth in that, so he narrowly missed out on getting that. But we did have other athletes who got five medals at these Olympics as well outside of Quinton. We actually had four total athletes. So obviously, Johannes Stingers-Bow, as we mentioned, who does not send dick pics to children. I just always need to clarify that. He got five medals, as did Alexander Bolshinov, Mr. Happy on the podium last night in the closing ceremony, which is we keep finding out that he has, every event he has ever entered in at the Olympics, nine, has won a medal. So Mr. Overachiever, clearly. And also the fact is that, as we were talking about last night, he's probably just bored. Like, oh, God, another medal. Like, here we go. Marie, Olspo, Rosalind in the biathlon, she also five medals as well. Now, multiple got four, three as well, and all that kind of stuff as well. Now, I guess we kind of move in slightly to looking at our Athlete of the Games. But I mean, do you look at your Athlete of the Games or in your nominees based purely on the fact of these multiple medallists? I mean, these four athletes who won the five, and can I just say these four athletes who really got no attention in Australia, it's all about the Eileen Goos and the Sean Whites and everything along those lines, yet we've literally got athletes who are equalling the most ever medals won at a Winter Olympics before and nearly breaking it. So do you have standouts of these four biathletes and our one cross-country skier?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I do. I do look at the amount of medals won, and then it's like, how do you break that tie? So to me, out of these people tied with five medals, it kind of has Johannes with four gold.
BEN WATERWORTH: Which it is that way, I think, because we talked up Quentin a lot, but then obviously you've got four gold that you do take.
JARROD LOOBEEK: And fifth, I think, in the event that he didn't medal in.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, yeah. And he also, his brother, what, got three medals? Four medals as well. So I mean, there's a stacked bow household come the Christmas time around there, going on there. So not bad. And yeah, as you said, four gold medals. So basically a third of Norway's gold medals were helped there by Mr. Bow. But and also then, yeah, in on Marte, Olsberg, Rosalind in the biathlon, she obviously was the three gold and the bronze. So it's interesting there. But Colin gave a few other potential nominees. We sort of talked up last night a little bit more on the fact that, you know, yeah, cross-country and biathlon are kind of almost like the swimming of the Winter Olympics, that you've got more events. But as we kind of said, it's kind of harder, I feel, in cross-country and biathlon, because you've got to do longer distances. Like, there's no 50-metre, there's no 100-metre butterfly. Like, the sprint is literally 10 kilometres in cross-country. And then you look at biathlon, you've got to also shoot. Like, if Michael Phelps, halfway through his swimming event, got up and, like, did some fencing, and then got back in the pool, then maybe, you know, yeah, it's a bit more respectful. So I think, kind of, they're worth a little bit more. And ones that I sort of mentioned last night, just as other potential nominees for me, that I think stand out outside, I look at somebody like Suzanne Schulting in the short track, who, again, four years ago, the Netherlands had never even won a short track speed skating medal in a sport that they'd dominate in the long track, and all of a sudden now she's come out and won two gold, and silver, and a bronze. Done pretty well there with that. And then obviously, you know, the esteemed Natalie Geisenberger winning the double-double again. Well, the double, I guess, again. And then we've got our Tobias brothers, who just, you know, are being Tobias all the way. I'm trying to see who got the most multiple medals without winning a gold to see if we should feel a bit sorry for them. And by the looks of things, it would be Maja Dalqvist of Sweden in the cross-country skiing. She won two silvers and a bronze. So not a, you know, still walks away with three medals. Although also, Eduard Latipov of Rock in the Biathlon got three bronzes. So straight to Siberia for you, sir. Not too good there. Any other athletes, sort of, be it multiple medallists or other ones that kind of... I'm going to mention Esther again. You know, she got the gold. She backed it up. But also, you know, two top five finishes, including one in an event, which she never does. And probably would have been on the podium in the downhill. She didn't do the extra screaming seaman just for shits and giggles, apparently.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, the two others that I had as potentials were the esteemed Irene Wust. Oh, yes. With another gold, so she's the only athlete, some all winter, to win an individual gold at five Olympics. Is that right?
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, to win an individual consecutive gold medal in five... Yep, she is.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yep. And then the other one I had, who is just a single gold medallist, but just like the celebration and everything surrounding it is Zhu Mengtao, our favourite. Tao Tao from the aerials. I just feel like her reaction to winning was amazing. The fact that it was China's first gold medal in aerials when they've been here about for years. Yeah, just seeing a Chinese athlete have so much expression and personality just was very, it's just very unusual. They're usually very like reserved and like settled in their emotions. And she just like let it all out. And it was just really exciting. And then obviously her interview with Lydia was amazing as well. So I just think it was just such an unusual experience to see, but it was just so great.
BEN WATERWORTH: I want to give special mention. I completely agree with you. But again, mentioned the last night, but Lindsay Jacobellis, I think kind of just to get that gold and then to pull on the trick right at the end there to really show off was pretty fantastic. So great effort there as well. And I guess let's briefly mention Zoe. You know, she got a gold and a silver for New Zealand at the Winter Olympics. I mean, it's pretty good. You know, not quite Lisa Carrington levels, but you know, the Lisa Carrington of winter sports. I'm not mentioning Eileen Goo, though. You know, yeah, no, no, thank you. So Collins, obviously, we talked a little bit about with Colin last night, but he put through his official nominees. So for our Athlete of the Games, I don't really call this a daily, the games, Lee Dale. I think this is just the Athlete of the Games still. So he put his in order as Quinton, number one, and Mr. Bow at number two, Irene Schutin at three, Ariana Fontana, who I absolutely agree with that she becomes the most decorated short track speed skater of all time. And Tobias and Tobias in the loose doubles. I, if I'm going to put a firm nominee, I, I, I feel like we've talked him up and up. And I also think like something with Quinton as well, which has emerged. You think of France as an Olympic nation, you think is a very successful Olympic nation. Some, a country that would win multiple medals often. But this was the first time that France has had an athlete win five Olympic medals at an Olympic Games, summer or winter, since 1924. So basically a hundred years ago, the great Roger Ducre in fencing, he won three gold and two silver at the 1924 Olympics. So, I mean, incredible to think that it has been that long for France, because again, I think of France and I would assume they would be winning shit tons of medals all the time in sports. But to me, that's pretty impressive. And narrowly off that that six, obviously, as you said, Johannes also very similar, won a couple more gold. But I mean, I think the reason I give my personal vote to Quinton as well is that, yeah, Norway are great. But like you kind of expect Norwegians to do well in biathlon. I don't know my history over all of biathlon, but I don't know how much of a biathlon nation France are. So and also this has been more of a coming full circle in which I'm almost giving something to France. So I'm personally putting up Quinton as mine. But I don't know if like you want to try and sell me a little bit more on Mr. Doesn't Send Dick Picks to Kids Bow or if he's going to be your firm choice here as well.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, I think my number one choice is Irene.
BEN WATERWORTH: Okay.
JARROD LOOBEEK: But I'm like I'm happy to go with Quinton. It doesn't doesn't it's not egregious. It doesn't bother me.
BEN WATERWORTH: I look I I yeah, I think Irene's achievement is massive. I really do. I mean, so decorated 13 overall medals the third equals equal second I should say overall in terms of medals one and she came out and won the one goal that she needed to do because I remember I don't know if you remember back in Sydney when it was I was at Redgrave. Is that his name? Steven Redgrave, the rower from the UK and they were basically saying about how back then was a four or five gold him winning in a row, which had never been done before. But they weren't individual because I think he was part of the men's four or the men's eight back in Sydney, which helped him get that gold. So, I mean, this is an achievement of five individual gold. Obviously not all in the same event, but still, you know, you think about that like Michael Phelps can't even say that he's done that. You know, same bolt people like that that you think of these great Olympians, you know, Bjorn Dali, all these kind of people that you think of these all time amazing Olympians. So it is a it is a great achievement. I mean, it's I would just say the argument against it is that if you were doing like a an overall kind of like esteemed career one, whereas like if you were to single out them of the games, like, yeah, one gold is pretty good. You know, but yeah, I don't know. I'm still sticking to if you're happy with Quentin, that was Colin's number one vote. So look at this, Off The Podium is giving the Athlete of the Games to somebody from France. What is going on here, Jarrod? Rewind the tape six years ago to think that I would ever allow. But Quentin, Quentin Philomelay, it just sounds like a steak, doesn't it? Can I have the Philomelay, please? Well done. Basically, we just gave the Athlete of the Games to somebody from France. Jarrod, what is going on right now?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, what is this? What is this growth from this podcast? That's all right. It's not a Brit. We still are off the board with them. We're still paying them out. The New Zealanders, we still rub it in because we have to. Yeah. So I'm happy to let kind of France off the hook for a while.
BEN WATERWORTH: Low and behold, if we ever freaking gave it to an Australian, because I think Colin would never would never stand for that.
JARROD LOOBEEK: He wasn't here.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, exactly. So what we've had, we obviously, they've only been given Athlete of the Games to two Olympics. So we've had a Jamaican now and a French person. So Frenchman. So there you go. Spreading out around the world, we had a female, now a male. So look at that for the diversity quota on Off The Podium, doing well there. Who's your tip for Milan 2026 right now? Do you think Eileen can go for four? I mean, do you think she's going to pick up the aerials by then, maybe?
JARROD LOOBEEK: No, I think she'll be out injured by then. And you know, I think it's going to be Jackie Naricot coming back and winning the gold, you know. That'll be enough for me to make an Athlete of the Games. I don't care how many multiple medallists there are then.
BEN WATERWORTH: What about Team Slovakia coming out and winning the gold in the men's ice hockey? When all the NHL players have returned, they pull up an even bigger upset by beating Canada in a shootout against Sidney Crosby in the gang.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, but that's like Athlete of the Games and then it's multiple. It doesn't really work, does it? And I couldn't pick out of all my favourite teams, you know.
BEN WATERWORTH: Is Slovakia your Team of the Games?
JARROD LOOBEEK: Oh, absolutely.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, just just absolutely locked and loaded. Just not even a question. So them and then Ireland, them and the Irish ski team. Yeah, I think one skier. They actually I follow an Irish skeleton racer on our Twitter account, and she seems absolutely fun. Like she just seems like such a nice person. So I look, I'm saying this now from like get on board Team Ireland. They just seem like a genuinely nice team. And it's just Irish people in general. Everything about the British Isles is great except for England. Let's be honest. You can take England and push them out of it. But then if you got Ireland, Scotland, Wales, even Northern Ireland, Ireland Man, Jersey, Guernsey, you name it. They're all great. Bugger off England. Keep the rest of them, right? Like shove them somewhere. Put them to Siberia. I just want Team Ireland. I want Ireland to qualify in the ice hockey. Actually, I'd be intrigued to see. Is Australia ranked better in ice hockey than Ireland? You would probably want to think so, right? Let's see if I can quickly pull this up right now. Does Ireland even have an ice hockey team? So Australia ranked 33 in the men's, and it doesn't look like Ireland have a men's ice hockey team, at least that are ranked, so that's a bit disappointing. And in the women's, Australia is ranked 29th, and they also do not look like they have a women's ice hockey team. But I can tell you, thankfully, Australia is ranked 29th and 32nd for New Zealand in the women's ice hockey, and in the men's, 33rd and 39th for the men in the ice hockey as well. So there you go, Slovakia. I don't know if this has changed since the Olympics, but in the men's, 9th, and in the women's, are apparently not good enough to play. Slovenia are 23rd. That's good for Slovenia. Often confused, right? We don't want to know. Slovenia good at ski jumping. Slovakia good at ice hockey.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Slovenia in Eurovision, Slovakia not.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah. Does that mean you have a soft spot now for Slovenia because they're similar basically or?
JARROD LOOBEEK: No, it's just it's not the same.
BEN WATERWORTH: Not the same. Have you been to Europe? Have you been to Slovakia or Slovenia, those sort of places?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I have not. You can guarantee I'll be there now for the hockey finals.
BEN WATERWORTH: You're searching Bratislava one way flights basically. Let's go there. Just on Off The Podium guess, obviously we had 24 guess. One obviously that we put up on our montage. Jack Wallace will be in the Paralympics in a couple of weeks' time. But I'm actually in the process of putting towards the graphic. But pretty successful gold medal obviously for Charles. Well done, Charles. And to Ali and Abby, bronze as part of the ski jumping as well. Obviously a couple of top five finishes there with Bell getting fourth, Bree getting fifth as well. Laura got fifth, didn't she, in the aerials as well. We shouldn't always discount the fact that she still did make the top five, even though obviously we were a little bit upset about the final. And Danny. Yeah, she should have been. Danny was still top ten, was she not? Wasn't she like ninth, eighth, I think? Possibly. So a couple of top ten ones there, but decent efforts. I mean, again, you're very biased because you were involved in all these interviews. Of course, I realise, Jarrod, but I mean, of the Off The Podium ones, if you're paying attention, was there any in particular that stood out for you that you paid a little bit more of close attention to, maybe because you listened to their interviews, or you just heard us talk about them too much that kind of made you focus on them a little bit more?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I'd have to say Charles, but I feel like he was like hyped up on the channel. Colin was good for the hype game. So, yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: Pushed it, pushed it through. I actually, you know, as much as we got behind Dean and Tali anyway, as Australia, that was pretty cool. The fact that, you know, they were one of the first that we actually interviewed basically before the Olympics. I mean, Bree was the first that we had, you know, a year ago, basically. Then obviously moved on to Dean and Tali, which that was so much fun to be able to see kind of that growth and the attention that they got. And also the fact too is that they hadn't really done many interviews beforehand. It was sort of not something that, you know, they'd been on a couple of other podcasts as well, but it wasn't really sort of where as a bunch of the other athletes that we've had on are constantly being interviewed. And on that too, the one that I actually noticed, particularly on our YouTube channel, since Ali and Abby were part of the bronze medal team, easily our number one and number two YouTube interviews are our Ali and Abby interviews on YouTube. And if I'm to say maybe my favourite Off The Podium story, or even one of literally my favourite medals of the entire Olympics was literally the ski jumping bronze for Canada, I just think that was, yeah, it's a bit of a bias, you know, being involved in those interviews, but it was just, it's just fun to see that, a bit of history created, you know, obviously, to have, out of all the Olympic sports, the only medal now that Canada have never done in his Nordic combine, I think them and the US are the only two countries that have basically won in all but one sport at the Winter Olympics. Even Norway haven't done that, so pretty incredible for that. So, yeah, I loved that. And the fact that we were on air as well for that, like, that was extra special, you know. So, did you listen to the Allie and Abby interviews at all, Jarrod?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I have not, but, you know, now I have to go back because the sport of ski jumping is just taken off.
BEN WATERWORTH: We just went ski jumping. I can see what you did there as well, by the way. Pun intended. Yeah, that was the last sport that we'd never had athletes from, and then all of a sudden we got like 30 in a row. So, we just don't talk about the ones that never ended up qualifying that we maybe jinxed, essentially, with that one as well. You're all keen for the medal predictions, but before I do, do you have any other like outside of the medals that we've talked about? Any other highlights? Was there any other finishes, events, things that you really got behind, be it from an Australian perspective or just the perspective in general that stood out for you during these Olympics?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I feel like we've talked about it to death, but just like the curling, like this was just, it was different. Like I've always like watched a little bit of it, but just having like an Aussie team in there finally was just so exciting that I think I've watched more than I ever have before. I feel like I understand like the game a bit better. I'm kind of across a bit more of the intricacies. So I'm looking forward to that, like moving forward. And I do hope, like I hope that we can just get a dedicated rink. Like, please, just just one. So yeah, let's hope that that campaign can keep some momentum moving forward.
BEN WATERWORTH: Dean and Tali Centre. It needs to happen. Like, you know, it's going to be called like the Gill and Hewitt rink or something like that. Right.
JARROD LOOBEEK: 100 percent. Or at least like the stands in on opposite sides, like adversaries. But outside of that, I think a real highlight was also Bing Dwen Dwen. I've come around. You know, I was not feeling it at the start, but now with all the antics throughout, we're getting stuck indoors, losing limbs, falling over at ice dancing galas, getting his the highlight, the highlight of the closing ceremony, Bing Dwen Dwen being animated. I just I want one of those hats to the beanie. That's kind of also a scarf where you put your hands in like the mitts. Here on runs got a lot to live up to. Let me tell you exactly like this is the thing.
BEN WATERWORTH: I don't think I have ever seen a mascot this prominent. And I'm just saying this based on the fact that we're Australian. And so obviously, Sid Mealy and Ollie were very prominent for us because we were also kids at the time. But I honestly don't know if there's been a mascot that prominent since Sydney. You know, maybe Wendlock or whatever the fuck that thing was in London, just because it was like a walking penis. But like seriously, like it was just it was so hilarious. And like the thing that I really appreciated about particularly obviously the Beijing committee themselves, is they seem to live like play up to this. Like you would think like China being very strict and very like, no, like don't, you know, do anything. They always just like, like literally their social media. Like the one the other day, it was like, oh, it's very slippery outside. You see Bing Dwen Dwen tiptoeing in the snow and then he slips over. And I'm like, this is the official account. Having Bing Dwen Dwen fallen over A over T. I mean, brilliant. And like I think that completely sold out around the world. You cannot buy a Bing Dwen Dwen to save your life. But I mean, yeah, can we give the Athlete of the Games to Bing Dwen Dwen?
JARROD LOOBEEK: 100%. You know, I feel like it kind of makes me nostalgic too, because he reminds me of Fatso.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yes! That's a good point.
JARROD LOOBEEK: That type of content, but with an actual real mascot. Bing Dwen Dwen, what a legend. Like, I take back all the criticism. The ice suit was amazing.
BEN WATERWORTH: That's my favourite thing to come from these Olympics, is that Jarrod has come full circle of Bing Dwen Dwen.
JARROD LOOBEEK: He's so high up in my mascot rankings.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh, what do we do with... Yeah, exactly. Izzy and Bing Dwen Dwen. I don't know who to choose as number one right now, but... I know you and I were talking about Hot Fair, and we talked about it last night, but just the garlic. I literally already saw the end of the garlic. And she's like, Bing Dwen Dwen, and he's back again. Stacks on the mill, and little Bing Dwen Dwen falling over. His leg didn't fall off this time around. But what was your favourite Bing Dwen Dwen fail? Mine is the leg falling off.
JARROD LOOBEEK: I think mine is still getting stuck in the door. Because it's just so stupid that it even happened. And like, I think because it got like the least coverage too. And so like you found it and then passed it on. So just, what a legend.
BEN WATERWORTH: Bing Dwen Dwen getting stuck in the door. The highlight of the Olympics. Oh, so good. I'm just saying this right now. 10 years time, Brisbane, you got a lot to live up to. Can we firmly put on a petition to say that Fatso should be the official mascot of Brisbane 2032?
JARROD LOOBEEK: He better be.
BEN WATERWORTH: Come on now. It's time for it to happen. You know, Rowan actually will be getting on a little bit by Brisbane 2032. But I mean, I'm sure they can push him to be the official mascot there. Or bring back Bing Dwen Dwen. Just like bring, you know, we've got pandas in Australia and zoos. The first ever returning Olympic mascot, Bing Dwen Dwen. Very Brisbaneite way of doing that. Yeah, look, I think that, you know, I mentioned some of the highlights there that I liked. Seeing Team Canada win the gold in the women's hockey again was great. Sort of redemption. And they did it so easily. Like it really was just a walk in the park for them. Even their two games against the US. Obviously, the round robin was a two goal win. Very rare. And the gold medal game should not have been 3-2. They dominated that one thoroughly. So pure dominance there for that. Finland winning the men's ice hockey gold. So, so happy for them to finally break through to that, to see that as well. Gotta talk up Queen Ester again. Easily, easily won the snowball. Like that wasn't even a parallel. Sorry, that wasn't even in doubt. Like she just absolutely shat that in. And ultimately to fifth in the Super G, the event that she obviously won in Pyeongchang, still not bad. She even came out and said, like, not bad for a snowboarder. And then fourth in the combine was absolutely insane. And then the downhill, I think she would have won a medal in that had she not had that little mistake. So four events for her, three in the top five in two different sports. Absolutely insane to think what she can go on and achieve more there as well. So, and Irene, like, I'm with you. Irene's achievement, obviously, in her last ever Olympics as well. Great, great effort there by Irene. Wust, I just like saying her name. Irene Wust, great, great name. All right, medal predictions, Jarrod. Now, I went over Collins last night, but I didn't say who had won or not. But what I've done, I've gone through and I've scored these. So if people listen to Eur-Oz Vision, our podcast that hopefully will return this year. It didn't happen last year. I think Jarrod's itching at the bit for that to return this year. So what we generally do with the rankings for that is we always do a prediction of how they're going to end up in the final. If whoever gets the closest gets one point, if you get it exact, you get two points. So similar thing here. We all did our medal predictions for Australia, Canada and Norway. Remember, we did the ones for Norway. And if any of us got the medal part 100% correct, you'll get two points. If you get closest, you'll get one point. You with me? Makes sense? Yes? Cool. So just a refresh for Australia. Colin said Australia would get one gold, two silver, two bronze, five in total. So he ended up with four points for that because he obviously got accurate on the gold and the silver, not on the bronze. I said for Australia, we get two gold, zero silver, two bronze, but I still get two points because I accurately predicted we'd get four. But Jarrod, remind our listeners what you predicted for Australia pre-Olympics.
JARROD LOOBEEK: I think it would be what you call spot on one gold, two silver, one bronze.
BEN WATERWORTH: Ding, ding, ding. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. You did absolutely brilliant job from you. You walk away with a maximum of eight points. Now, do you remember actually what the ones you predicted were? Because from memory, I had Laura Peele and Jekara is our gold medallist, and I think I had our ski cross, sorry, our snowboard cross team bronze and Bree getting bronze. So I got Jekara, right? The other three I got well off. But do you remember what your predictions were for those four?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I think I had Belle winning the gold in the snowboard cross. Then I had Laura Peele and Jekara getting silver medals and Scotty James walking away with the bronze. Yeah, not right on any of them, but...
BEN WATERWORTH: You got two of the medallists correct, at least. Just different colours, so good job. All right, so Colin for Canada had nine gold, seven silver, 10 bronze, 26 in total. He got the total correct, but he only walks away with the two points because he wasn't close on the other ones. I had Canada at seven gold. I was the closest of all of us because you had them at eight gold. They only got the four. I had six silver for Canada, but you had eight silver, so you were the closest, so you get that one. And bronze, I had 11 bronze for Canada, and you had eight bronze. I was the closest, so I get the point there. You and I both had 24 in total. It didn't do too bad. There were only two off on the total, weren't we? So not too bad there.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, I feel like that was a decent prediction.
BEN WATERWORTH: Decent prediction.
JARROD LOOBEEK: They should have won more silver and gold, you know.
BEN WATERWORTH: You let us down. You let us down, Canada. But I will say your silver, eight, you got that 100% correct, of course, so you get the points on that one there with that, which actually, if that is the case, I've got to give you an extra point because I've undersold you on the points there, Jarrod. Oh, goodness me. What am I doing? This is poor effort from Ben Waterworth here. Bad, bad, Ben. Norway, do you remember what you predicted for Norway?
JARROD LOOBEEK: 13 gold, 16 silver, 10 bronze.
BEN WATERWORTH: Correct. So you got the closest on the bronze because you had 10, they got 13, and you got closest on the total. You had 39 total, and they got 37. Now, Colin had 14 gold. I also had 14 gold, so we both got the point on that one. We were closest. Colin had 15 silver. I had 17 silver. He got the closest on that one. And that means on the bronze, Colin had 16 bronze. I had 32 bronze for Norway. They let me down on the bronze. I said 63 medals for Norway. Colin had 45. You had 39, which means overall, the points tally, I got a measly five through all of them. So not good for me. Colin got eight and Jarrod, you got 12. Well done. You win the Olympics for Off The Podium.
JARROD LOOBEEK: The Slovakian way, you know. Well done. You got four points for what they did.
BEN WATERWORTH: You were sitting on this knowledge of the one, two, one for Australia, just as soon as we didn't get in the air, as you were actually kind of like, yeah, all right, cool. I've done well with this, haven't you?
JARROD LOOBEEK: That was me on the couch cheering for Laura to crash.
BEN WATERWORTH: Crash, crash, crash. I want to be right with this sort of thing. I guess moving forward, I mean, it's obviously been a busy, what, seven months for us and for any Olympics fan because we've obviously had this weird Tokyo, Beijing kind of back to back Olympics. So now obviously moving forward, we won't have another Olympics now for two and a half years, which I guess I'd say is the longest period for us here on Off The Podium, but it isn't because between Pyeongchang and Tokyo, obviously, it was what, three and a half years. But I mean, obviously it's a bit sad that we say goodbye to another Olympics, but I mean, are you a bit Olympiced out given that we've had two in the seven months? Or are you a bit like, yeah, come on, bring in another one. Let's bring Paris forward a couple of years.
JARROD LOOBEEK: I feel like I'm kind of a little bit Olympiced out. I feel like it's almost like they lose a bit of like the lust of being so close together, because you don't have that buildup of excitement and anticipation. So I'm ready for it to be like a longer break. But in the meantime, like obviously, I'm looking forward to the Commonwealth Games. So I feel like there's enough sport coming up soon that it's not like I'm gonna miss competition and sport. Like it's gonna be happening soon enough.
BEN WATERWORTH: What did you think last night of Channel 7 not wasting any time to tell us that the Commonwealth Games are on? Dear old Bruce going like, click your fingers, Bruce. Oh, look, he's Rowan Browning. How you going, Rowan? What's coming up in the things? I mean, I didn't see the beginning of that, where obviously, I'm assuming he talked about the Winter Olympics. But again, Commonwealth Games are only obviously four months away.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Yeah, it sounds like they're excited. I think they're expecting a big hold, but we'll see. I feel like in games and with the battle against England, it's on, right?
BEN WATERWORTH: Home Olympics, obviously. Home Commonwealth Games, sorry. And they beat us in Glasgow, remember that. So that was the first time I think I, in my memory, that I've experienced Australia not topping the medal tally at a Commonwealth Games. Obviously, took that mantle back come Gold Coast. But yeah, what I find really strange, I always love this four-year cycle where you have a Winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and a World Cup all in the one year. Always kind of my favour of the four-year cycles because as a sports fan who likes these big events, it kind of works out well, makes the year go by very quickly. But it's kind of interesting with the Commonwealth Games this year, like to me, that's almost the forgotten one. Because I think it was different four years ago because obviously they were in Australia, I was working them, it was a little bit different. But the only thing I don't like about the Commonwealth Games generally is that generally you know that the Summer Olympics are often July, August, the Winter Olympics are genuinely February. For the most part, the World Cup is also June and that, but obviously this year it's a little bit different. But the Commonwealth Games are just, they're always skew if, right? Like if they're in Australia, they're usually in like March. If they're in Europe, you know, they're usually in like July. I think it wasn't the Delhi ones like in October or September as well. So it's kind of, it's always that odd thing where you don't really know purely. So I don't know, does that make it lose a little bit of its, you know, oh, because oh, they're on in July this year, basically?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I don't know, I don't think so. Well, not for me anyway. I just feel like they haven't been like built up enough, but we'll get there. I'm sure by the time they roll around, I'll be sick of hearing about them. But in the meantime, like it's just, I feel like we haven't heard much news since like the last handover. It's just been kind of like radio silence. So yeah, looking forward to seeing what they can bring to the table.
BEN WATERWORTH: We talked about the Milan logo. The Birmingham logo is very similar to them. It's like these weird intersecting lines. I'm not a fan. Have you seen the mascot too? It's a fricking cow. I don't know if you've seen the mascot for Birmingham, but it's a bloody cow.
JARROD LOOBEEK: So it's no Bing Dwen Dwen, man.
BEN WATERWORTH: Oh no, no. And no Borobie. Like at least Borobie's sort of got a place still in Australia like he's been used to, right? Whereas bloody, I don't even know what this cow is. So I'm just looking here. So obviously I think what we'll do, we'll have a Paralympics episode, just a general Paralympic recap, which obviously for Australia, we don't really have much coverage. It's kind of, I think, like a nightly package, and then you can watch a lot of the seven plus. Just quickly, I mean, Paralympics, do you get into the winter Paralympics? Have you paid much attention to them before?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I haven't previously, but I think this year, I don't know, it just feels like everyone's in a different head space. So I'm looking forward to catching a bit more of it and cheering on athletes.
BEN WATERWORTH: The Commonwealth Games, so I know the controversial one that we've had from a couple of our guests on the show, of course, is the fact that shooting is not gonna be at the Commonwealth Games this year, which is very interesting. But I think cricket coming back is a bit exciting. Only the women's cricket, but obviously we're gonna have cricket for the first time there as well. But I mean, this is the one thing about the Commonwealth Games as well, is that I think you're 10-core sports and then all of a sudden you've just got like, oh, hey, let's just fucking throw it a dart ball. What do you want this Commonwealth Games? Do you remember tennis being back in Delhi? We haven't never had tennis since. So remember that. But the one thing I'm also intrigued is the fact that they're bringing beach volleyball to the Gold Coast, which, you know, the Gold Coast, you assume you're gonna have beach volleyball. They've kept it for Birmingham. Like, where's the nearest beach to Birmingham? Like, I mean, why is there, the cow's the mascot, and you're gonna have beach volleyball going on there. But we'll have, similar to what we did in the Gold Coast, I reckon maybe one or two episodes throughout, not daily for Commonwealth Games. God, we couldn't go through all the bloody Metals Australia one. We'd be here all fucking week. But we'll do a couple there. But the one I'm actually really excited for later this year is I think we've all kind of committed to do a one or two World Cup soccer episode, kind of that. Now, I don't know if I've really gotten your thoughts on the World Cup, Jarrod. Is it something you pay attention to? You're a bit of a World Cup fan every four years?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I am. I don't get too into it, but I'm always like, I'll get up. It's stupid ridiculous hours to watch the Aussies play. And then when they get knocked out, inevitably I'll go for the Dutch moving forward. So yeah, it's exciting. It feels like not much time has gone past between like the last World Cup to me anyway. Like it feels like it's come around really quickly. So it's going to be, yeah, it's going to be good fun.
BEN WATERWORTH: This is, I think, the been the quickest feeling four year period ever, because like even when the Commonwealth Games, like I can't believe it's been four years since the Gold Coast. Like it just, it's, it's crazy, but I am, I'm a mad World Cup fan, absolutely love it. And I'm obviously a massive Germany fan. So kind of they're always my number one team at a World Cup, not to take away from the Socceroos who might not be there this year. You know, we're assured of a, at least a playoff spot. So we will finish in third, but then you've got to then play like fricking Uzbekistan or somebody to then win, to then go through South America. Like at least fucking four years ago, we went through that route, but what would it be, Panama or something like that. At least we went through North America. This is, this is why we avoided going through Oceania, because we all got stuck against fucking Uruguay or fucking like Paraguay or something like this. Now this is just like, this is deja vu 20 years later that I'm just, I'm not looking forward to this. I'm really, really not looking forward to this. But I'm really hopeful that we do for obviously many reasons. But obviously, I think for Colin, which will be interesting, is that Canada literally need to get one point in their next game and they will qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986, which is a massive deal. They have been so, they're on top of their qualifying against teams like the US and Mexico, which is unheard of. So, and this is obviously four years out from Canada co-hosting the World Cup in 2026. So, there's a potential there that we can all have Australia and Canada at the World Cup. I'm going for Germany, you'll go for the Dutch. I don't know who Colin will go for. Frickin Slovakia, I don't think they're qualifying. But yeah, it's exciting. And obviously this year, it's in like fricking November because of Qatar having, remember Qatar's hosting the World Cup? Like, remember the controversy around that 12 years ago when they got it? And here we are, how's that gone by so quickly?
JARROD LOOBEEK: We lost some controversy with our country's hosting major sporting events. So it should be fun.
BEN WATERWORTH: The World Cup does better. I'm actually like in a week, I will be in Qatar for at least two hours because I'm connecting through Qatar flight to New York. So I can officially say I've been to Doha for two hours basically. I'm looking at the World Cup qualifying right now. So if it was to end right now and Australia finishing third, so our playoff would be against the United Arab Emirates. So, okay, not the hardest, but not the easiest. And then currently fifth in South America is Peru. So Uruguay are fourth. If Uruguay can just hang the fuck on and we don't have to play Uruguay, please. Bad, bad memories. Peru, not bad. Chile is on the cusp though. Chile would be a difficult one, but I don't know how I feel about playing Peru. I don't know too much. Do you know much about the Peruvian men's soccer team?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I don't, but I feel like I wouldn't feel bad losing to Peru, you know? I'd kind of be like then cheering them on throughout the tournament.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, Uruguay, not sure about that. In all fairness, Australia can still directly qualify. We've got two more games left. We've got to play the two top teams in Japan and Saudi Arabia. So the next one against Japan, which I think is in March, is huge because we're three points behind Japan. So we beat Japan. You go up into second and then basically, you probably have to hold on for a draw because I think we've got better goal difference in Japan. So hold on to a draw with Saudi Arabia and you're in automatically. So, yeah, very, very interesting. But yeah, Canada literally need a point. This is so exciting for them. New Zealand, they haven't even started their qualifying. So Oceania hasn't gone. And they actually, Oceania now go through North America in terms of the playoff. So if New Zealand, sorry, if when New Zealand win Oceania qualifying, they will then play the fourth placed North American team, which at the moment is Panama. So that's a Costa Rica on the Custer as well. So interesting. And then you look at Europe. So I'm very into World Cup qualifying, Jarrod. It always excites me. Sorry, this is boring. You can go to bed. Like Europe, all the automatic qualifiers that are through. And then you've got kind of this weird little playoff system that they do essentially to go through on that side of things. So this year, you've got like this situation where you've got a semi-final and a final. So for example, you have Wales playing Austria and Scotland playing the Ukraine. And then the winner of those two, so say it's Wales and Scotland, the winner of Wales and Scotland will go on to the World Cup. If Scotland make it, I'll be like, I haven't made the World Cup since 1998. So like, yes, come on team Scotland. They're smart in the World Cup. They play separately. So there you go, and obviously the Dutch are in. So you're happy in Germany, obviously. I'm going to shut up. This is not the World Cup. We're closing up Beijing 2022. Any final thoughts on the Winter Olympics? Ultimately, we don't get to talk daily in an Olympics now for two and a half years until we get to Paris. So yeah, any final thoughts right now on Beijing?
JARROD LOOBEEK: I think I'm just, I'm glad that the gold medal drought is over. I feel like expectations are going to be high going into Paris, but I feel kind of confident that we can deliver, get ready for that prediction to be wrong. But I don't know, it just feels like we're gaining a bit of momentum again, and kind of petty in the right direction. So I'm definitely looking forward.
BEN WATERWORTH: It will be very intriguing, particularly with the summers, leading into the fact that we now know that we're hosting an Olympics in 10 years. And we all know the investment and everything that went into Sydney and the success that we had in there. It was sort of a slower build. We obviously only had the one Olympics between when we got that, obviously with Atlanta. Successful games in Atlanta before Sydney, but this time around, you've got two. And coming off the success, as you're saying, of Tokyo to see how that will play out for Australia will be massive to see that investment. And for Canada as well, we shouldn't ignore the fact that we don't have Colin here to talk about that. But obviously that a very hugely successful Tokyo Olympics, so to kind of see how that investment will go in. And for the winter side of things with Canada, it looks very likely that they'll be hosting in 2030 with Vancouver. So similar thing as well. We have this unique perspective here on Off The Podium, we're still around in eight to 10 years, that both of our countries that we obviously focus on will be hosting Olympics within two years of each other. So that's another unique thing. And we'll say too, Commonwealth Games side of things, Australia's probably gonna host the next one. And then Canada looks likely they're gonna be hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games. And Canada will host the World Cup in 20, a lot happening for Canada and Australia. Australia hosting the Women's World Cup next year. So plenty of things to keep us occupied on the show. I will say that in terms of what we've got for episodes coming up next, starting this Friday, we will resort to weekly episodes. So obviously we've basically had daily episodes every day for like the last two months. So guess what, Off The Podium, you can have a bit of a rest now. You don't have to download us every day. We will have a few days off, but coming this Friday, we will go to weekly episodes. And I'm very excited. I'll drop this right now. Our first interview is actually with Tokyo bronze medallist in the Javelin, Kelsey Lee Barber, who of course we all remember the ad. We talked about the ad with her. Ben didn't remember who she was when we were going into that final. But all these interviews that we've got coming in the next few weeks have been done sort of several months ago. So obviously, we've been focusing on the winters. But it's a great chat. And obviously, that will be on the video as well. You can check that out on YouTube. But a couple of other great interviews that we've got over the coming weeks, our Paralympics episode, and of course, we will start to track down some of our winter athletes that we've seen. And they'll be coming in the coming weeks as well. But sportspodcastsawards.com, vote for us. There's only I think like 10 or so days left in it. We're still leading, Jarrod. You've been voting your fingers. It's been going click, click every five seconds, hasn't it?
JARROD LOOBEEK: No, 100% all day, every day.
BEN WATERWORTH: Are you pumped? Do you think we've got it? Are you think we're over the line?
JARROD LOOBEEK: You know what? I reckon we're going to get there.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yes.
JARROD LOOBEEK: We're going to, you know what? We're going to drop the second like the day before and then overtake right at the last second.
BEN WATERWORTH: Brad Breeze.
JARROD LOOBEEK: I feel like coming right down to the wire. Yeah.
BEN WATERWORTH: Yeah, exactly, exactly. So you got to keep on clicking away, Jarrod, just keep on clicking. We don't want to fall down. But yes, sportspodcastrewards.com. It's going to be the last time I get to spruik it because I think when the time we get to the Paralympics episode, voting will be closed. And obviously in our next couple of episodes, we didn't know that we were nominated. So sportspodcastrewards.com, register, click on the Olympics Paralympics category, click on Off The Podium, vote for us. It's that simple. We're leading. It's looking good. We've been leading for a bloody long time. So we can do it. Come on.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Come on.
BEN WATERWORTH: It's like Olympic bids or gold medals and just doing it that way to, you know, win an award for this show. Cause we do a lot and it's fun and we like it. Jarrod, thank you so much for everything. Your commitment, your passion, everything over the last couple of weeks. Obviously, it's a lot to have to come on here every single day. It's a bit out of you, I guess. I don't know what your sleep pattern is like in general, but you're often doing this every night at 11 o'clock at night for a couple of hours. You got work the next day. But I will say, you're the only one of us who didn't get COVID during the last couple of weeks. So you've remained healthy. But sincerely, thank you so much for everything that you've been involved in. And it's always a pleasure to be able to have your commitment to an Olympic Games, whenever these happen every two or so years.
JARROD LOOBEEK: Thank you. It's been great fun. I'm lucky I'm a night owl, so this suits me perfectly. But yeah, looking forward to the next one. Bring on two years, that'll fly by.
BEN WATERWORTH: Well, as Colin and I were saying last night, that I'm more than likely might not be in Australia in two and a bit years. And obviously Paris will be in a bit of a weird time zone for Australians. So you might have to move in a couple of years just to stay up to date with Colin and I, if we're both still in North America. But everyone who's tuned in over the last couple of weeks, we also sincerely thank you so much for the support and tuning in every single day. You guys can probably get some sleep now as well, because obviously it's a lot to keep up with in Olympics as well. But we appreciate you tuning in and listening to the show along the way. Like us on Facebook, subscribe, all that relevant stuff as well. And we will be back in Paris 2024 for our daily coverage and plenty more to come in between now and Paris. My name is Ben Shannon, it's Jason Momoa. Put a sock in a mountain, and remember, go left.
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