Sport

Quarter of Brits reckon they could qualify for 2028 Olympics if they start training now

Reckon you're up to it?

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 14th August 2024

A new survey has revealed that a quarter of Brits reckon they could qualify for the 2028 Olympics if they start training from now.

The flame may have now gone out on the 2024 Olympics over in Paris, but all eyes are now looking ahead to 2028 when the world’s biggest sporting competition descends on the US city of Los Angeles once again.

And apparently, more than one in four Brits (27%) believe they could be a part of it.

Perhaps the most memorable image to come out of the 2024 Olympics is Turkish shooter, Yusuf Dikeç, who, in contrast to other athletes at the 10m air pistol mixed team event competing in specialised gear, became a viral meme for shooting casually with one hand in his pocket, looking like he’d just wandered in off the street.

Despite him having been competing since 2001, Mr Dikec’s somewhat surprising Olympic silver medal win is likely to answer for the results in this latest YouGov poll, as the 51-year-old appears to be serving as inspiration for a quarter of Brits.

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In a bid to find out how many people reckon they could become an ‘everyman Olympian’, YouGov asked the British public whether they thought they could qualify for the 2028 Olympics, in one of 25 listed sports, if they started training from today and committed to giving it all they’ve got.

The results show that more than one in four (27%) think they’re up to the task.

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When it comes to the ages of respondents, the results showed that the youngest Brits are by far the most likely to think they’ve got what it takes to compete on the world stage, with 39% of 18-24 year olds saying so, alongside 34% of 25-49 year olds, while understandably, the oldest Brits are far less certain.

Although saying that, even still, 15% of the over-65s think they could compete in the games if they put their mind to it.

The results also show that men are slightly more likely than women (30% vs 25%) to think they could make the Olympic team in 2028.

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YouGov says that, while the public may appear overconfident in the survey, this is perhaps more understandable when you realise the two sports they think they could compete in require the least physical activity, as 15% of Brits say they could qualify for the 10m Air Rifle team if they started training today, and a similar 13% believe they could earn a spot on the Team GB Archery team.

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So, what’s your thoughts on this then? Which sport do you think you could put four years of hard work in to before the next games?

Check out the results in full here.

Featured Image – Alexandre Aymard (via Unsplash)

Sport

Cole Palmer picks up FSA Men’s Player of the Year for 2024

Danny Jones Danny Jones Cole Palmer wins FSA Player of the Year award 2024

Chelsea star Cole Palmer has officially won the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) Player of the Year Award for 2024 following what can only be called an incredible 12 months.

It’s been an unbelievable 12 months for the former Manchester City academy product and now England international, who is still only 22, having already notched eight goals and six assists in 15 games for his club this season.

The Wythenshawe-born winger, attacking midfielder and all-round dynamo has been virtually unplayable the entire calendar year, to be honest, becoming the fastest Chelsea player in history to reach 30 goals with his latest contribution this past weekend.

Picking up the award at this year’s ceremony held in London on Monday night, Cole Palmer becomes the first Chelsea player to ever win FSA Player of the Year, having done so with just over one full senior season under his belt.

Registering 26 goal contributions in 2024 so far, he’s been one of the most prolific players not only in England but in European football full stop, and he’s no way near done yet.

With a busy Christmas period ahead thanks to the congested festive fixture list, you can expect him to add to that tally soon enough, having just scored a goal-of-the-season contender in the West London side’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.

This latest award also comes just a few months on from notching Young Player of the Season for 2023/24 in his debut season for Chelsea and his first full Premier League campaign. Generational stuff.

Leading the league in chances created from open play (30) and so often being the match-winner in a team so overly saturated with talent – approximately £1.15 billion on a total of 39 players across the last five transfer windows – he’s worth his weight in gold.

Just a lad from Manchester who’s very good at kicking a ball.

With well over half the season still to go and Enzo Maresca’s side finally looking like a team worthy of the money spent and able to compete at the top of the table, the question is how much more quality is there to come from him?

Currently third in the assists table (6) and not too far from the front of the Golden Boot race (8), we wouldn’t be surprised if you see the local lad picking up even more personal accolades come May.

Well done, Cole – we’ll be pulling out the Palmer celebration the first chance we get. Mainly because it’s December and we’re freezing…

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Featured Images — Premier League (screenshot via YouTube)

Sport

Pep Guardiola fires back at Liverpool fans after ‘sacked in the morning chants’

Danny Jones Danny Jones Pep Guardiola reacts to Liverpool fants chanting sacked in the morning

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hit back at Liverpool fans after chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” rang around Anfield this past weekend.

Not unlike this spell of seven games without a win – now six defeats and one draw – Guardiola has never really had those chants pointed in his direction before given that he’s one of the most successful managers in history, and it’s clear he was just as taken aback as those watching were.

The 2-0 loss to his title rivals marked four straight league defeats for the first time in Pep’s entire career and City‘s worst run since 2008, when the club was first bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group.

With that in mind, the home crowd certainly had fun at the Spaniard’s expense, and after the chanting continued, he was happy to respond with the facts both on the pitch and in the presser.

Having reminded the Kop End and co. of his time in England thus far, Guardiola went on to reiterate in his post-match press conference: “I’m so proud of my six Premier Leagues against that team and the previous team [under Jürgen Klopp].

While he applauded Arne Slot’s side for their performance, recognising that a trip to Merseyside is always difficult, he didn’t expect to hear the kind of chanting he did after conceding the second goal, and with time still to play against what is still one of the best teams in world football.

“Maybe I deserved to be sacked with our results! Maybe I’m still in the job because I won six Premier Leagues and a lot of titles. They want to sack me. I wish they were more kind. Why didn’t they do it at 0-1? Why didn’t they do it last season when we won the league? Why do they want to sack me now?

“I didn’t expect that from Anfield, for other clubs like Brighton I can understand it, but for Anfield, I didn’t expect this, maybe it is the [level of] respect we have. They know we have won six Premier Leagues. But it’s fine, it’s part of the game.”

In a similar vein, replacement keeper Stefan Ortega (who stepped in for out-of-form Ederson) also said he had been told that the “area [Liverpool] is probably not the best part in the UK” and that his manager responded well to the taunting overall.

Meanwhile, as well as some much-needed levity and sarcasm, the 53-year-old did insist that his years in Manchester have “probably been the best of my life” and that he just wants his team back in their “prime” – we’re sure it won’t be long before we see the familiar City we’re all used to.

In fact, some interpreted Pep’s specific reaction after the full-time whistle as equal parts playful banter and actually admiring Anfield for the atmosphere its supporters create, having criticised the Etihad Stadium for a lack of noise more than once.

We’re not so sure but you can decide for yourself.

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With a promising Nottingham Forest team coming up on Wednesday – not to mention Forest being the only team to have beaten Liverpool in the Prem so far this season – the Catalan coach won’t just be hoping for a defiant home crowd but a desperately needed win if they are to stay in the race.

One thing is for sure, if Pep thinks these ‘sacked in the morning’ chants will be limited to Liverpool, he’s got another thing coming if they go even a goal down in the next game.

Do you think Pep deserves more respect as he suggested, or is behaviour like this completely fair game during derbies and title races?

You can watch his press conference in full down below:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Viaplay/Sky Sports (screenshots via YouTube)

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