Olympics 2012- 18

I flew back from my beloved England to USA yesterday, my case overflowing with must haves like “lemsips, germaline, mince sauce, HP sauce and many, many memories of the 2012 Olympics. Already I am suffering from “POD” (Post Olympic Depression” having gone from BBC’s terrific coverage to NBC’s “Lets squeeze in a few American sporting moments in between adverts”. I just hope, unlike the opening ceremony they have live coverage of the closing ceremony, which promises to be a musical extravaganza.

Once these glorious Games are over and the glow of golden glory of the elite Olympians fades in the memory, talk will likely turn to the legacy of London 2012.  It has already started in on corner of south-West London where Ian Thorpe, one of the greatest swimmers ever to live, is fulfilling his Twitter promise to provide some swimming tips at one of Britain's greatest pools, Tooting Bec Lido. This is like him being at a local swimming hole in down town Brooklyn.

Another moment to note is in today’s marathon where South Sudan's who lost 28 relatives during the country's conflict with Sudan is a runner. With South Sudan yet to join the Olympic movement, the United States where Marial lives yet to award him citizenship, and Marial unwilling to run under Sudan's flag, he is one of four athletes in the Games to compete as an independent athlete.

Saturday was again a golden day fro team GB, with Mo Farrow completing an amzing double winning the 5000mtrs on the track adding a second gold to the one he won in the 10,000mtrs.This was added to boxing and sprint canoeing as the day went on, scattered with a few medals of other colours.

If there’s an Olympic award for courage on the field of play, runner Manteo Mitchell should get a strong nomination.

Mitchell ran the opening leg of the U.S. men’s 4 x 400 -metre relay Thursday and seemed to labor, unable to hand over the lead to Josh Mance after a 46.1-second leg.

Afterward Mitchell said he had a cramp in his foot but his struggles didn’t seem to matter because Josh Mance, Tony McQuay and Bryshon Nellum rallied to get the U.S. to the finish line in 2 minutes, 58.87 seconds and tie the Bahamas quartet for the fastest qualifying time. The time was the fastest ever in the first round of a relay at the Olympics.

After the relay, though, Mitchell returned to the Olympic Village and had a doctor check out his leg. X-rays showed he had a broken fibula.

I m going to finish with some quotes which share words I can only try and find to express my own pride about these Olympics Injured marathon runner and world record holder Paula Radcliffe

"Just to say the games makers, officials and helpers all over London have been the best and the nicest I have ever seen at 5 Olympics.”

British Olympic Association chief Colin Moynihan about the wonderful crows and support during these games… “Many silver medals have been converted to golds by public support for athletes at these Games”

However previous gold medallist and BBC Sport athletics pundit however says it best…

"I couldn't have dreamed this dream. No-one could have written this script, that things would go so remarkably well. I'm full of pride. I'm so proud of the job we've done, on every level. Everyone's raised their game, from volunteer to elite performer. This will go down in History!"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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Olympics 2012 - 1 7

Last night I walked up the road to a local pub to meet a mate of mine whom I have not seen for many years to chat about old times and old friends over a pint of beer one could taste and enjoy. Coming home the sun was setting casting a golden glow over the houses. It might have been setting but not for team GB at the Olympics as a further three gold medals spread across the most diverse events were won.

From dancing horses to female boxers to a young girl from Wales who took pride in trying to kick their opponents head off, the strains of “God Save the Queen” once again echoed through the Olympic venues. Add to that the Bolt double and the greatest 800mtrs ever run and you had another wonderful day.

I was invited later on in the evening to be a guest on a Australian radio station to share my views on the Olympics later in the evening which just brought home how small the world is these days, and Englishman, living in the USA is a guest on an Australian radio station to talk about this global event.

The events so far have been watched by 6.9 million people live, and yesterday at the ladies boxing finals it seemed that most of Ireland had been crammed into the arena. The noise within the venue created a higher decibel reading then a jumbo jet taking off. The golds team GB and then the first for Ireland not only showed that female boxing is here to stay in the Olympics but also that these ladies have what it takes. I wondered what happened after the first two bouts yesterday as I bet there was a mass evacuation to local bars to celebrate after those early golds.

In dressage we had horses dancing to music as diverse as “Lion King” and “The Greta escape”, I could swear that the horses were even pointing their toes, rather hooves as they danced across the arena.

Later after another series of athletic highlights on the track a small welsh girl won Britain's first ever gold medal in Taekwondo, another sport which the wonderful Olympic coverage has been brought to the millions of viewers around the world.

On a slightly different note Christian news outlet OneNewsNow.com produced one of the funniest moments over the last few days. They have and automated system to stop the word “gay” being published on their web site, automatically replacing it with “homosexual”. So when they printed a large story about American sprinter “Tyson Gay”, or as they wrote “Tyson Homosexual”.it read...

“It means a lot to me,' the 25-year-old Homosexual said. “I'm glad my body could do it, because now I know I have it in me.”

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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Olympics 2012 - 16

CONDOM GATE

There has been much written about the “must use” only Olympic sponsors items at the Olympics, though judging by the number of luminous yellow NIKE shoes one sees the athletes running in on the track Adidas have right to be a little miffed. Now comes fresh news of trouble with the “Official Olympic Condom”

Don’t mess with the official condom of the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

That’s essentially the message being sent by LOCOG, the organizing committee of these games, after a bucket of unauthorized condoms was discovered in the Olympic Village.

Condom-gate came to light when Australian BMX cyclist Caroline Buchanan posted a photo of the bucket on her Twitter account, according to The Guardian newspaper.

The bucket was adorned with a sign bearing the message, “Kangaroos condoms, for the gland downunder," and a photo of a boxing kangaroo.

Organizers of the London Games, following a tradition started in Barcelona in 1992 and backed by the IOC, placed 150,000 free Durex condoms in dispensers for the more than 10,000 athletes competing this summer. Durex paid for the right to supply the condoms.

LOCOG officials are trying to determine how the Kangaroo condoms got into the athletes village, a spokeswoman told The Guardian. The condoms apparently came from Durex rivals Ansell Ltd., an Australian company, and Pasante, a private British firm.

The number of condoms supplied at London broke the record of 100,000 offered in Beijing four years ago. Organizers of the 2000 Sydney Games had to pull out an additional 20,000 condoms after the athletes worked their way through the initial allocation of 70,000.

Those who watched the women's vault final on Sunday probably saw American gymnastMcKayla Maroney visibly less than enthused about grabbing the silver medal in the competition. (We need not look further than Maroney appearing to snub a Russian competitor's congratulatory hug, which many interpreted as intentional.) Maroney is the defending world champion on the apparatus and was the favorite coming into the event following her seemingly flawless vault in the team final, so her dismay was understandable.

Now a meme involving a photo of Maroney on the medal stand that night with a begrudging look on her face is making inroads in the online humor community. It's even spawned its own Tumblr page. Here are some of our favorites of "McKayla is Not Impressed":

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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Olympics 2012 - 15

From the Bronte's to the Brownlee's

As I spent my time at the Olympic stadium on Tuesday enjoying an atmosphere that seemed ready to irrupt into frenzy of British pride for the smallest reason, .just enjoying the wave of pride and emotion that is covering my country right now.

It was almost beyond my comprehension as the tidal wave of ran through the people like an giant Mexican wave through the stadium, around the surrounding venues, walk ways ad parks where hundreds of thousands cheered every event and athlete. Smiling faces of every age and from all 204 surrounding countries covered in flags of every nation fill a transport system that whizzes you to your Olympic destination seemingly before you can say “gold medal”.

Not just the audience are enjoying them selves, the picture of the athletes parting after their events fill the papers, Cameroon has seven athletes that have disappeared, seemingly wanting to stay in Britain.

In the velodrome the cycling completed with “team GB” as it is known winning more gold I every event except three events. Even in those three events two medals and a disqualification (while leading) showed British cyclist superiority. France (always the French) have winged about secret motors inside and the fact that Britain have specials “extra round wheels”... There was an article in the paper on Monday when something strange happened in the velodrome as another countries anthem was played instead of the of “God Save the Queen”, not by mistake but just for the first time in so many events GB had not won the gold.

Yorkshire is a large county in the North of England, home of Charlotte Bronte, location for Wothering Heights etc, sometimes called “Gods Own Country”. It is at no little pride for those living there that if that one county was a country they alone have one more gold medals than the countries such as Australia, France and Spain.

In amongst the success, there are a few athletes that have tried to compete while injured only to fail. The support I was witness to of a Mexican athlete in the woman's 5000mtrs receiving as the padded round the track way behind the rest of the field, like a rolling wave of thunder following in her around the track showing the encouragement that every watcher is seemingly there to provide.

In the final of the team horse show jumping a Brazilian rider had the seemingly every fence down, even a fence where one of the poles was knocked off by the wind he went on to almost demolish the rest of the fence.

Yesterday I was one of the crowd enjoying the quarter finals of the men's basketball, in a different location to my previous visitiation and another full of the nations from all part sof the world, where several of the planned thousand used basketballs were being slammed and dunked.

While the closing ceremony plans are well underway, based on London, and the history of British music with stars such as The Who and even the “Spice Girls” scheduled to appear (did I say stars) there is a sad note to type about. The scheduled reunion of “Take That” might now not take place after singer Gary Barlow might well not appear. Earlier this week, his expected fourth child was sadly “still born” something that obviously might be more important than appearing in the closing ceremony.

I have said before this whole Olympics is just making my so proud to be British, the trips to the stadium or what I have seen on the TV have only gone to fill my heart with this pride and overflowing exuberance for my homeland.

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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Olympics 2012 -14

It's hard enough to make the Olympics, let alone win an event. But sometimes, the sting of losing can be offset by the satisfaction of at least taking home some kind of hardware in the form of a silver or even bronze medal. 

Finishing in fourth place, however? That's where it gets a little tough to swallow. 

Luckily, David Mitchell is going the extra mile to make sure those oh-so-close losers get some kind of recognition. The Derbyshire, England resident is mailing athletes fourth-place medals to honor their accomplishments and ensure that they go home with a little hardware along with some heartache. 

"There used to be 84 countries in the Olympic Games, now there are 204," Mitchell told the BBC in an interview. "Performance levels have become so much higher that it is so hard now to get a medal. I thought, it's time this increase in the competitiveness and the standards was taken account of." 

So Mitchell, a bookshop owner, went to a local trophy store and began buying medals to send to the unlucky athletes who would otherwise have nothing to show for their efforts. One side of the medals have the athlete's name and event, while the other side displays "In Recognition of your 4th Place Olympic Games 2012." 

The first recipients of Mitchell's homemade hardware are scheduled to be British diver Tom Daley and his synchronized diving partner Peter Waterfield. The two messed up a key dive and were knocked off the podium, and although they might be a little upset at their fourth-place status, Mitchell hopes he can cheer them up. 

"I hope they don't find it insulting," Mitchell said, "because it's meant seriously and supportively." 

It's not much, but if we've learned anything from playing sports ourselves, it never hurts to get a medal at the end of the day.

Women's gymnastics all-around champion Gabby Douglas likes her hairstyle just fine, thanks.

The 16-year-old said Sunday she was a little confused when she logged onto her computer after winning her second gold medal in three days and discovered people were debating her pulled-back look.

''I don't know where this is coming from. What's wrong with my hair?'' said Douglas, the first U.S. gymnast to win gold in team and all-around competition. ''I'm like, `I just made history and people are focused on my hair?' It can be bald or short, it doesn't matter about (my) hair.''

Douglas uses gel, clips and a ponytail holder to keep things in place while she competes, a style she's worn for years.

''Nothing is going to change,'' she said. ''I'm going to wear my hair like this during beam and bar finals. You might as well just stop talking about it.''

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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Olympics 2012 -13

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One of the to the London 2012 Olympics staff on the track you might not have noticed is the Mini MINI. Three Mini MINIs painted red, white and blue  almost “Italian Job” that's the first one with Michel Caine are being deployed for the crucial task of retrieving hammer, shot and javelins for the athletes. They are operated by Games Makers assigned and trained for this duty.  

The cars are roughly a quarter scale of the full-sized car and carry the athletic equipment situated inside, accessible through the adapted sunroof.  

While I'm typing up this the final of the Olympic 100 meteres is coming up in an hour or so, but spare a thought for some of the less auspicious athletes. In the qualifying of the 100meteres a slightly tubby 32 year old  Chris Meke Walasi clocked 11:42 seconds in the heats... and he didn't even finish last 

Another great day for team great Britain and the Olympics in general, special celebrations continue at the track following yesterdays three gold medals, on the water Britannia rules the waves, cycling and gymnastics add further medals and even in tennis “yes tennis” team GB win a gold and a silver. These victories adding another two stamps the the gold medal collection issues by the post office. 

With everything going on in the Olympic village, 36 year old Former world champion Kim Collins was removed from the 100 meters event by the St Kitts and Nevis officials for spending a night in a hotel “with his wife”. 

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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Olympics 2012 - 12

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One of the great things Great Britain are doing for these Olympics is to bring out special stamps celebrating each of the gold medalist. With 14 gold medals this has put a great amount of work on the Post Office.

 As team GB's first gold medal winners at the London 2012 Olympics were being honored special stamps are being produced than 24 hours after each athletes victory in their events.

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning made history as Britain's first Olympic women's rowing team to take gold and Bradley Wiggins became the country's most decorated Olympian after winning the men’s time trial.

Around 100,000 Royal Mail stamps with images of the winners will be delivered to 500 gold medal special post offices across Britain.

Tim Cowen from Royal Mail says the printing team have been gearing up for this moment for quite some time.

"We've been practising this for about two years. We reckon that as long as we don't get any more than three gold medals in an hour, people will be able to buy those stamps (the next day) in post offices," he said.

Royal Mail Stamps are iconic and whenever historic occasions like this happen you would expect Royal Mail to do something a bit special, and hopefully that's what people will think we've done.”

An additional 4,700 post offices will receive the gold medal stamps within a week.

Royal Mail's chief executive Moya Greene said the organisation is delighted to be issuing the stamps.

"This is a first for Royal Mail and we are proud to play our part in celebrating the many victories this summer," she said.

As an additional honour each of their home towns, where possible, will have a post box painted gold to mark their success.

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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Olympics 2012-11

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 After the normal delay at JFK airport (why do they always have a back log of planes trying to take off or land?) I had a great flight over catching up lost time and only arriving ten minutes late. The first thing one notices on arriving at Heathrow is the Olympics are on. Everywhere there are posters, meeting areas and Olympic guides everywhere. People walking around either in the pink/purple clothing of welcoming guides or wearing passes stating they have been part of these wonderful Olympics games.

There seems to be a smile on every persons face and from the smallest shop to the largest store flags are flying. Catching the tube or as the Americans say “Subway” from the airport to Arnos Grove which is basically the full length of the Piccadilly Line there were even for my tired eyes so much to see. People from many countries heading for events in London, children grasping flags, eyes filled with anticipation being told stories of what they were about to see, stories that they will pass on to their own children.

And what a day...

In the annals of British sporting history Saturday August 4^th will be forever know and remembered. Six gold medals... including three within an hour on the athletic track. The country raised its voice as one cheering on the athletes and singing the national anthem. Proud, choked, humbled... all that and more as I watched the events unfurl on television. The thousand at the venues, or outside watching on large screens, the joy and patriotism this is filling the furthest outpost of the British empire right now is beyond words that I can type.

The flags are flying, the words are being sung, and like so many right now I am glad to be n Britain as part of these 2102 Olympics and proud to be British.

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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Olympics 2012 -10

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  Birdie damage, costume issues and a non slide

As always there have been a few "controversial" issues in these Olympics, and I'm not talking boxing where a person who got knocked down 5 times in a round still managed to score ten points while on his rear and win the bout. But more so the "birdie" attack. For those not used to badminton, the shuttlecock is sometimes called a "birdie". Over the last couple of days 4 pairs in the woman's doubles have been ejected for "not trying". These 8 athletes lost their games on purpose so they could get a better draw in the next round. Thankfully they did not get away with the "gamesmanship" and have now got a very easy next round, sitting whatching the players that did try.

In weightlifting  Ghada Hassine of Tunisia became the first Olympic weightlifter to compete in a newly approved unitard covering most of her body.

Rules requiring lifters to wear a uniform that doesn't cover the arms and lower legs were changed last year. The U.S. had petitioned for a change on behalf of a Muslim lifter.

Hassine, 19, wore the unitard Wednesday under the traditional weightlifting outfit and a hijab covering her hair as she participated in group B of lower-ranked lifters in the women's 69-kilogram category.

Perhaps for the puritan minded we might be seeing such items being warn in the swimming pool. Water polo, which is a cross between rugby and underwater wrestling, is not exactly a mild sport. During yesterdays woman’s match between Spain and the USA, a Spanish player's swimsuit was pulled, leaving her breast exposed..

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Shock horror… Just walk along any beach in Spain or most other Mediterranean countries and you’ll see breasts expose everywhere, without the aid of a water polo game.

NBC were actually showing this even live, which is a shock in itself, having had issues with their tape delay, let’s face it a 5 hour delay in showing the opening ceremony there must have been some issues.

“Give it a go” lord mayor of London,  Boris Johnson came a bit unstuck when he tried out a zip line that was 45 meters (148 feet) high and 320 meters (1,050 feet) long at east London's Victoria Park. The portly mayor lost momentum about three-quarters of the way across, leaving him dangling from his harness about 10 meters (33 feet) above ground for a few minutes.

Glad to see he was still waving the flag.. Looking at the picture I wonder if he went “weeeee” as he slid down.

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

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