Olympics thoughts - What are some familiar faces looking forward to?

Will the Olympics feel the same?Who will emerge as a star from the games?What is your must watch?What is the sport you know least about but still watch?Will the games program be completed or will COVID-19 wreak havoc?

Here's what they had to say.

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Jacqui Hudgson

“(It won't feel the same), not with no crowds - there will be no atmosphere. Kaylee McKeown and Ariarne Titmus (will emerge as stars, and) definitely the swimming is my must watch. The K1 and C1 - which is new to women this year - canoe slalom are great to watch, but I don't know much about them. I am thinking there will be a few road bumps along the way, but really hoping they get the entire program completed.”

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Brian Reiners

The lack of crowds will be hard to come to terms with. Hopefully Kaylee McKeown will emerge as a star, she stands with the possibility of taking home three golds. Her three swims for gold are definitely must-watch. I'll still watch the rock climbing even though I don't know much about it. Fingers crossed it all gets completed, but I have the awful feeling COVID-19 will continue to raise its ugly head.”

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Frank Scott

“I’m of the opinion they shouldn’t be going ahead with everything that’s going on. We’ve already had cases in the Olympic Village where people have tested positive, and with this new strain it can spread very quickly. I think the Campbells (Cate and Bronte) will (stand out), they are always standouts. The swimming (is my must watch) it seems to be very important and we do quite well in it. I probably (know least about) the BMX. I think once they get going they should see it out, unless there is a serious outbreak. We’ll have to keep our fingers crossed.”

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Ian Fitzsimmons

“No I don’t think they will (feel the same); without spectators I don’t think it is worth two bob to watch. I’m not sure (who will emerge), the best players aren’t even going to be at the games. It hasn’t really been advertised. Athletics, swimming and the cycling are my three favourites. I’ll watch any sport that comes on as long as it’s interesting. If not, I know where the knob is to turn the telly off. The way things are going with coronavirus, I don’t know if they’ll be able to finish.”

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Noel Hussey

“It's going to be different all the way around with the restrictions, especially the lack of crowds. The athletes will still perform to their best because they've been training for so long for this moment, but there's nothing like performing in front of a crowd of enthusiastic supporters. You always remember Cathy Freeman, and I was at Melbourne in ‘56 when Betty Cuthbert won the double. The crowd makes those moments bigger. They've done a great job to get the games together, I don't know how they've done it. There's always Australians that we even as sports writers don't know of until the last minute who become standouts, that competitive nature of Australian sportsmen and women will come to the fore.”

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Andrew Crossman

“For athletes to aspire for an Olympics Games once every four years, I think they're doing the right thing holding it. To train at that level, put your life on hold, it would be devastating not to have that chance. It certainly will be a different feel for the athletes with no spectators. I like watching events that aren't mainstream and to learn about an event you generally don't see. But certainly the blue ribbon event for me is the 100m men's and women's sprint. Something like rock climbing or downhill pushbikes (is new to me). I have no doubt we'll have a couple swimmers who will come to the fore so to speak. I hate to be pessimistic, but I can see it not being completed at certain events especially team events. They'll try and get a result wherever they can.”

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Gina Pearson

“I do (think they should be going ahead), I think that a lot of people have put a lot of time in over many years and put their lives on hold. There won’t be crowds, so from that point it will be different, but I don’t think it will be any different for those people that are actually competing. They’re the ones who have done the hard work and trying to be the best in the world. I love the swimming. But I watch a bit of everything, especially if there is an Australian involved. Cycling; I think it's really exciting to watch, especially when they are chasing one another. It brings out the competitiveness in me. I’d love to see the women’s basketball get a win; we’re compared regularly to the US. A girl my daughter played with has been called up to the Opals – Sara Blicavs – so I’ll be watching her pretty heavily. We have to start to learn to live with COVID in the years to come, so I think it will continue and they'll work our way through it. I just hope there isn’t any lives lost.”

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