During the build-up to the Olympics, East Anglian Troy must confess that thoughts of the event weren’t firing his imagination. However I decided to watch the opening ceremony just out of curiosity (mainly to see how high the bar was being set for London) and I was VERY impressed. It was never my intention though to get over excited about any particular event.
My attitude has certainly changed over the last few days! Can you believe Team GB being THIRD in the medals table (at the time of writing at least*)? There have certainly been some heroic performances. I knew we were strong in sailing and cycling but Rebecca Adlington’s Gold medal in the 400m swimming seemed to come out of nowhere. It was heart warming to see her joy at winning and to hear the interviews with both her and her family who were watching back home. Then to find out that the 800m was actually her real forte wetted the appetite for weekend. I can’t actually imagine swimming 800m against the clock – I’m a weak swimmer (like to keep within my depth) and at the end of one length of the pool (a constant 1.2m deep at the gym) I need to stop for a breather. “Becks” can certainly swim – we have a new national hero in the “Mansfield Mermaid”. Back in the Spring it seemed a no-brainer that Lewis Hamilton would win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year – but the odds now must be on Rebecca, and quite rightly.
I can remember back in the late 60’s and the ‘70s when we were pleased to see GB achieving a single Gold at the Games. How times have changed. A neglected hero here is Sir John Major – it’s lottery money from the National Lottery which he set up that has made this great improvement possible. Someone on the radio was complaining about the money spent on the Olympics. I understand where they are coming from, but the Olympics will inspire millions around the world – to take up swimming, sailing, rowing, riding or even the “hop, skip and jump”. So let’s celebrate something positive. Even if not a penny was spent on the Olympics we’d still have to suffer news of Saddam, Mugabe, Putin, Bin Ladin and our local villain, Gordon Brown.
* we finished fourth overall - a brilliant result
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8 comments:
We're really doing well over there, aren't we? It's about time too!
Yes, it is about time! I have to admit that some of the events have captivated my interest this time.
CJ xx
Thanks for your comments. Now we can take a national pride in the medals table whereas in days of yore it was national humiliation.
Also the Head of State with the most medals is HM The Queen, beating the Chinese and Americans!
Yes...it'll be interesting when the Olympics come to London. My little ones will be a bit older then and I can watch it with more leisure. Maybe even go there too!
Christine Ohuruogu.
National pride?
How can anyone complain about the money being spent on the olymics when our children and others may be inspired to stive for atheltic greatness? I lived in Calgary during the winter olymics and it was the most amazing experience of my life, something which I vivdly remember to this day.
Thank you for the link/blogroll. Much appreciated!
I have to admit that even I ended up watching the Olympics, and that's saying something.
GB did do extremely well, let's hope they manage to do the same in 2012.
I actually thought your name was Troy, until I read your first post.
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