Team Belgium’s Post

I conducted a small experiment by taking the Olympic medal table from Paris 2024 and attempting to quantify the inequality of medals across various sports disciplines for each country. I borrowed one of the most popular indices in the area of inequality (especially in economics), the Gini index (range 0-1), to apply it to the distribution of medals and correlated it with the number of sports disciplines in which each country won at least one medal. The scatter plot below includes only the countries that won at least 10 medals. The country with the highest inequality of medals is Kenya, a country that won 11 medals, but only in Athletics. Following Kenya are Iran, Belgium, and Uzbekistan, which excelled respectively in Wrestling, Cycling, and Boxing. There is a very close relationship between the two variables, but Australia's case is noteworthy. Although Australia won medals in more disciplines than Germany and Italy, it has a higher coefficient (higher inequality of medals) because out of the 53 medals won, 18 (34%) came from Swimming. Obviously, this was a simple and fun exercise based on all Olympic sports, not taking into account cultural, social, and economic variables that can influence performance, nor the participations that did not result in medals! 🙂 https://lnkd.in/djE_r-qe https://lnkd.in/dBFJ66Tw

The Paris Olympics – Are The Medals Worth The Effort? As the Paris Olympics close, following Tom Cruise's abseiling into the Stade de France as an effort to wave in the 2028 Los Angeles games, there remains a big question over the value of Going For Gold. In a report by Oxford Economics, the leader in global forecasting and quantitative analysis, it is claimed that the Olympic Gold Medal is not all gold. In fact, it is only just over 1% gold! The medals consist of 523 grams of silver and just six grams of gold. Whereas the Olympic Silver Medals are all silver, some 525 grams. The Olympic Bronze Medals are a 455 gram mix of copper, tin and zinc. But did you know that each of the medals have included a piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower, giving them truly unique value. Furthermore, Oxford Economics informs that the gold medals are worth some $1,027, while the silver medals are worth $535, and the bronze medals are worth just a paltry $4.60. In My View I am in total admiration for all of the participants and contestants in the Olympics. The pride that they gain for their relative countries cannot be priced by a commodity, but instead by the fierce competition and attainment of the various awards. It is not about the values but the achievement.

As of today, USA and China both scored 30 gold medals 🏅 at the #Paris #Olympics. USA 🇺🇸 is ahead of the game with 103 total medals. As a Chinese American, it reminds my teenage time in China when I was selected and trained in the swimming training camp, coached by Olympic gold medalist Mr Sun, where later on one of my peers won gold medal. After immigrated to the USA 🇺🇸, I’ve been training in the US Master Swimming for years and realized the systematic difference. Whichever system works better, I feel fortune to persistently compete and consistently improve. Isn’t the that goal of sports ? Isn’t that how civilizations advance? Thank you, my coaches, my competitors, my friends and family. I learn more than just swimming for sure. Building a category defining AI product follows the same laws of physics. #tgif #inspiration #competition 🌏 China vs. USA: Olympic Training Systems 🏫 Centralized vs. Decentralized - 🇨🇳 China: State-run sports schools with government funding train athletes from a young age. - 🇺🇸 USA: Independent clubs and universities develop talent with private support. 🎯 Specialization vs. Multi-sport - 🇨🇳 China: Athletes often focus on one sport with intense discipline. - 🇺🇸 USA: Athletes typically engage in multiple sports before specializing. 🎖️ National Pride vs. Individual Glory - 🇨🇳 China: Emphasis on national achievements and collective success. - 🇺🇸 USA: Focus on individual accomplishment and personal branding. 💰 Government Funding vs. Private Sponsorship - 🇨🇳 China: Heavily supported by the state with an eye on long-term national goals. - 🇺🇸 USA: Reliance on sponsorships, endorsements, and university programs.

East Asia in this instance means HK and China (until we talk about economics - then S Korea and Japan are lumped together so that 'East Asia' exceeds EU). If you read this article in that light, it would make a lot of sense as to why the author focused on fencing (HK won their gold in fencing). "Europe once dominated fencing. While Italy and France have maintained their prominent position, Russia, the US and East Asia are now formidable competitors. South Korea put in a strong performance at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, as did Japan this year. Between Hong Kong and the mainland, China won two golds in both 2021 and 2024." So what? The true new super powers in fencing is Egypt, Kazakhstan and Venezuela for Men's Epee (Superpower in a sport means the ability to field a team that is competitive); and Egypt, Ukraine and US in the Women's Team Epee. Japan won silver in the Men's Team Epee - and is the sole rep for East Asia in the Top 8; while China won bronze in the Women's Team Epee, while Korea is also in the Top 8. But European teams are occupy half of the Top 8 in both events. But talking up East Asia is silly - Korea and Japan are sports power houses before China emerged on the scene. Trying to shoehorn human capital development into the equation - "East Asia’s Olympic progress cannot be solely attributed to its economic power. It also has its roots in the region’s development of human capital. High rankings in Olympic medal tables and educational assessments reflect different dimensions of national strength, highlighting a country’s physical and intellectual capabilities." is really shallow. By that standard, Grenada would be tops - or Australia. Really, East Asia sucks at sports at the per capita level because of human capital focus on exams - parents prize studies more than sports achievements. I could have as easily talked up SEA (PHP - 2 golds (powerhouse in Men's A-Gym!), Indonesia (Weightlifting (!), Speed Climbing), Thailand etc etc etc). So here is the truth: large population plays a role, economic development plays a role, sporting culture plays a role, the sports industry (professional) plays a role, the state sports ecosystem plays a role, how much money the country can dedicate plays a role ... in sporting excellence. Just take football - USMNT and China sucks at footie; but Morocco is surprisingly good. So Morocco must be better at human capital development than China or the US. And economic development.

Lessons learned from the Olympics: 1- every point matters: USA won from one point against France in the last challenge then moved from 2nd to 1st in the overall ranking. 2- Focusing on excellence is worthwhile : Japan is third due to the number of Gold medals, instead of being 5th based on the total number of medals. 3- Focusing on excellence is worthwhile : Netherlands is 6th due to the number of Gold medals, instead of being 8th based on the total number of medals. 4- Focusing on excellence is worthwhile : Ouzbekistan is 13th due to the number of Gold medals, instead of being 15th based on the total number of medals. 5- Not Focusing on excellence is not worthwhile : Great Britain is 7th due to the number of Gold medals, instead of being 5th based on the total number of medals. 6- Not Focusing on excellence is not worthwhile : Italy is 9th due to the number of Gold medals, instead of being 7th based on the total number of medals. 7- Not Focusing on excellence is not worthwhile : Brasil is 20th, with the same number of medals as New Zealand who scored 11th. 8- Medals continental share, based on the 10 best performers is 236 for Europe, against 221 for APAC, and 126 for Americas. My questions are: A) is sport reflecting the balance between world wide main regions economy? B) is the « running for all » strategy better than focusing on number 1 position? C) does the amazing organization of the Olympics in Paris have biaised all the rational statistics by introducing emotional and esthetic criteria in the game? I am looking forward your comments on each topic, to understand how those lessons can apply to our businesses and help to level up for better success.

Anima Sana In Corpore Sano 🏃🏻♂️🎓 Team USA won 126 medals at the Paris Olympic Games, including 40 golds, securing the top spot among nations. The vast majority of their medalists are nurtured by their universities (In the chart below, several medals were accredited to other countries, Canada and Australia among others) The American university system has long been a powerhouse in developing world-class athletes, and much of this success can be attributed to the importance given to sports, and even earlier, in high schools. American universities create an environment where academic and athletic excellence go hand in hand. This model not only incentivizes young talent to pursue their sports ambitions but also ensures they receive a quality education. I wonder if Morocco can take inspiration from this system, while naturally tailoring it to fit the local educational context. Sports should be as important as mathematics in our evaluation system. We can cultivate a new generation of Moroccan athletes who excel both on and off the field. Investing in our youth this way is not just about winning medals; it's about building a culture of excellence for the benefit of the society as a whole. "Anima Sana In Corpore Sano" was for the Roman empire the first in a list of what is desirable in life. It translates as "a healthy mind in a healthy body" #Sportsineducation #Paris2024 #Olympics

Kenya has once again demonstrated its dominance in athletics, securing the top spot in Africa at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The country’s athletes delivered an outstanding performance, winning a total of 11 medals—four gold, two silver, and five bronze—solidifying Kenya's reputation as a powerhouse in track and field events. This remarkable achievement has placed Kenya 17th globally out of over 180 participating nations, a significant accomplishment on the world stage. The 2024 performance marks an improvement from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021, where Kenya finished 19th overall. In that edition, Kenyan athletes secured four gold, four silver, and two bronze medals. The increase in total medals and an improvement in the global ranking highlights the nation's continued excellence and growth in Olympic competition. Globally, China emerged as the top-performing nation with an impressive haul of 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze medals. The United States, Japan, Australia, and host nation France rounded out the top five countries. Despite the fierce competition, Kenya's athletes have proven their mettle, standing out as the best in Africa and making their mark on the global stage. Kenya's athletic prowess continues to inspire, not only within the country but across the continent. As the world turns its attention to future competitions, Kenya's performance in Paris will undoubtedly be remembered as a testament to the resilience, talent, and determination of its athletes. #Kenya #Paris2024 #Olympics #Athletics #Africa #SportsExcellence #GlobalStage #MedalTally To read more: https://zurl.co/pLjc

Athletes need an education too! A nice Poets&Quants article about the sports programs at emlyon business school. Well done Mickaël ROMEZY and David BOCCALINI. Thanks Peter Remon. #MBA #Masters #Bachelors #GlobalBBA #ManagementEducation #BusinessSchool #Sports #OlympicGames #Olympics

How does the promise of financial rewards influence the motivation and performance of athletes in international competitions? The Olympics have begun! For some athletes, the stakes are higher than for others due to the significant compensation offered by their countries for winning medals. For instance, Singapore pays more than $700,000 for a gold medal! This disparity in rewards can greatly impact the motivations and pressures faced by athletes from different nations. #verdevalleyschool

The 3 values of Olympism are (1) excellence, (2) respect and (3) friendship. They constitute the foundation on which the Olympic movement builds its activities to promote sport, culture and education with a view to building a better world. Over the next 18 days, around 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), not countries will compete in 329 events in 32 different sports at the 33rd Summer Olympics 2024 @ Paris from 26 July to 11 August 2024. Some interesting FIRSTs of the Paris Olympics 2024: - Unlike all other Olympics Games, the Opening Ceremony will be held along the 4-mile route on the lower & upper quays of the Seine River instead of in a stadium, with athletes parading on boats representing their nations. - Unlike previous Olympic mascots like pandas, bears or tigers, the official mascot for Paris Olympics is an Olympic Phryge, a traditional hat that was once worn by French revolutionaries, symbolizing freedom. - 1st Olympics fully aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement, aiming to reduce carbon footprint by 55%. A good example is the use existing & temporary venues, rather than constructing new ones. - A new concept of mass participation events will be introduced, where the public can join the athletes in running, cycling & rowing. - Each Olympic medal will be infused with 18 grams of iron from the original Eiffel Tower, which was built for the 1889 World’s Fair. - A new sport will be introduced: Breaking aka Breakdancing. Ouvrons grand les Jeux or "Games Wide Open"! #ParisOlympics2024 #GeorgyChanPosts