London Olympics wrap up: Australia is a world beater!

bodawei

August 14, 2012, 07:02 AM posted in General Discussion

Australia had its worst Olympics since the American Civil War, but we still managed to beat everyone else on the planet.

Statistician Brian Dawes has formulated the only true and just statistical representation of Olympic medal performance.

Dawes calls it the MAP methodology. "Based on a crafty combination of medals won, athletes in your team, and your country's population, I am please to advise that the real winner of the London Olympics is Australia!"

Using the formula, medals won multiplied by athletes in your team divided by home count population (MAP), here are the top four:

Australia 632

Great Britain 565

Hungary 268

Russia 250

Team USA scored a measly 175, and China only 23.

bababardwan

August 14, 2012, 07:23 AM

haha, thanks mate. I was looking at many of those analysis tables during the games, and, at least when I was looking part way through the games, this time even the per capita one wasn't helping. Had a look at the GDP one out of interest even though I didn't think that would help us [aren't those East African runners just naturally fantastic? ]. So, dismally, couldn't find a single one that was helping. But I knew there had to be a way of looking at it in the "right" light, hehe.

"We'll take that! Go Australasia!"

..hehe, how many Aussies do you think chanted that? [barring those that have crossed the Tasman recently and are confused]

kimiik

I agree

bababardwan

Hey kimiik, great to see you mate. Which bit are you agreeing with?

bodawei

This is pretty funny isn't it? True of course, but still funny.

The statistican is a bit suss in my opinion - isn't Brian Dawes the name of John Clarke's sidekick? Those two might be having a lend of us. (Specially as John Clarke hails from the place across the ditch.)

bodawei

'Go Australasia!'

I'm still having a chucke over that one.

bababardwan

"The statistican is a bit suss in my opinion - isn't Brian Dawes the name of John Clarke's sidekick?"

haha, good pick up mate. I hadn't taken much notice of the name...used to seeing them together. It would be just the sort of commentary they'd make too..can just see it...though haven't seen them in a long time. I think Brian Dawe was the straight guy though [can still see no reason he wouldn't do it though], presumed he was from the Eastern seaboard, but it's been some time so he could easily have moved to Perth. But he was Dawe without the "s" so probably not him all the same.

bodawei

Oh yeah,... 'Dawe' ... that wasn't such a good pick up at all. They are certainly a funny team, enjoyed them when they did the show on the Olympics way back when. Gina Reilly (probably have her name wrong too) was on that team. I haven't kept up - we are restricted on what we can watch on ABC by the great Australian firewall. I get a podcast The Book Show .. that's it. The ABC blocked all of their Internet feeds during the Olympics except Dig Radio - that had me puzzled. Couldn't even listen to classical music ... perhaps because the word Olympics might accidentally show up? I complained of course; it went into the bureaucracy and still haven't heard back.

The Olympics are over and services are back to normal. We can listen to classical music again. :)

bababardwan

...could have been a typo though.

I hope you can get this one, just for you mate:

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3559420.htm

bodawei

I could get that one and I loved it - they are the cleverest pair around at present. It is classic Clarke and Dawe. Appreciate your effort baba to find that for me.

(And sorry I am a bit tardy on responding - I have a few problems getting on to the site. It is a bit hit and miss - actually more miss than hit at present. Blame the national congress.)

kimiik

August 14, 2012, 07:27 AM

That's not really fare.

Actually, they should divide the number of medals won by the GDP.

bodawei

Ouch - the Africans would win hands down. Australia would run second last behind Norway.

bodawei

Oh hang on, I did my arithmetic using GDP per capita. We would go okay if you divide by GDP - we've got nothing. :)

Actually, another way to look at it is to divide by taxpayer dollars invested in elite sport - that is where Australia belly flops, crashes off the parallel bars, or whatever. I think every gold medal cost us about $20M of taxes donated by the little battlers.

An American told me proudly that not one dollar of tax goes to sport in the US. :)

darkstar94

August 14, 2012, 10:29 AM

This is what I found:

http://simon.forsyth.net/olympics.html

New Zealand is third according to medals by population :D