Sunday, August 05, 2012

The deserving men: well done to the 2012 Olympians

I'll admit I was pretty cynical about how well the Olympics would go - the focus on not just medals (or to use the new and gross parlance "medalling") but the importance of GOLD medals above everything else was a turn off.  The level of media attention was pretty insane.  Some coped better than others, but a sense of perspective was always needed.  Well done to everyone who has taken part, whatever they managed to achieve.

Here are some of the performances we've enjoyed:
  • Bradley Wiggins in cycling - it cannot get better than winning the Tour de France and then Olympic Gold within 2 weeks

  • Sir Chris Hoy in cycling - adding further triumph to an astonishing career

  • Alan Campbell in rowing - striving against the very best in the world to get an amazing medal

  • The British male gymnast team - Daniel Purvis, Max Whitlock, Louis Smith, Kristian Thomas, Sam Oldham: first medal in 100 years

  • Greg Rutherford in long jump - leaping beyond expectations

  • Peter Wilson in double-trap shooting - modestly acknowledging that not many in Dorset may have been watching

  • Mo Farah in 10,000 metres - dominating the final lap in a somewhat tetchy race, crossing the line ahead of his US training partner, Galen Rupp

  • Ben Ainslie in sailing - managing the seas off the British coast

  • Michael Jamieson in swimming - beaten into Silver only by a world record

  • Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott - plus David Florence and Richard Hounslow (all Nottingham alumni) - in the canoe slalom ---- racing against the rapids

  • Andy Murray getting the tennis gold medal against Federer - a small vengeance on Wimbledon, and the first win in over 100 Olympic years (there have been several of these this year)

And beyond the British team:
  • Michael Phelps in swimming - just brilliant to watch: 22 medals in his Olympic career

  • Chad le Clos in swimming - tears falling in triumph after the shock of beating his hero Phelps in the butterfly 200 metres, and not forgetting Bert le Clos, his dad


Well done to everyone again - and there is still a week to go!

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