Jamaica spends more on its Olympic team than the US does. They enter around 60-70 athletes, while the US is spread thinner with around 600.
So ultimately Jamaica spends over 10x per athlete. And that’s state funding, which the US doesn’t do. Team USA half-asses the Olympics, falling back on sheer population size to garner the required athletes at the right time, rather than having a proper training programme.
Compare it to China then, which does state sponsor.
Or, hell, South Dakota can state sponsor their Patriot Games athletes if they want, to try to give them an edge. Make it a point of state pride or whatever to pull better competitors than a state that’s bigger but doesn’t care.
Alabama does better at college football nationally (historically) than much bigger states because of a culture difference. The idea that California would outperform them just because they’re bigger does not in fact bear out in reality.
Jamaica spends more on its Olympic team than the US does. They enter around 60-70 athletes, while the US is spread thinner with around 600.
So ultimately Jamaica spends over 10x per athlete. And that’s state funding, which the US doesn’t do. Team USA half-asses the Olympics, falling back on sheer population size to garner the required athletes at the right time, rather than having a proper training programme.
Compare it to China then, which does state sponsor.
Or, hell, South Dakota can state sponsor their Patriot Games athletes if they want, to try to give them an edge. Make it a point of state pride or whatever to pull better competitors than a state that’s bigger but doesn’t care.
Alabama does better at college football nationally (historically) than much bigger states because of a culture difference. The idea that California would outperform them just because they’re bigger does not in fact bear out in reality.