What a day. It commenced with the anger and frustration of the shenanigans of the Taekwondo competition involving a Chinese entrant where two of the four judges went blind when the British competitor scored a clear winning kick to the head. Their unscrupulous behaviour nearly cost the opportunity for a medal and it was not surprising that given this situation and the short period given between reversing the decision and the holding of the semi final that the British competitor lost to someone she has beaten on two previous meetings. Whoever went on to win the gold and bronze they have won because of an attempted cheat. Later a disqualified competitor kicked the referee and he and his coach achieved an instant lifetime ban. Together they made a mockery of the intended spirit of the Olympic games.
The sixth Olympic sport alphabetically is Boxing where the professional sport is generally regarded as corrupt with fights fixed and where the activity is much supported by villains. The British Amateur Boxing Association is known for setting high standards and few believe the spin put on the decision to send the best prospect for gold and a current world amateur champion home because he had failed to reach the required weight for his competition. At least they admitted they were sending home a second boxer because of media reports about behaviour in Britain sometime ago. The team needed good performance by the remaining members of the team to counter the feeling that Boxing was not a true Olympian event and its continuing participation is open to question.
This afternoon a British competitor, James deGale, aged 22 from London won the first Boxing Gold Medal for forty years in the middle weight class. As a Southpaw he established himself as a boxer rather than a fighter and until Beijing he had won silver medals in Europe 2007 and 2008 and Bronze at the 2008 Commonwealth games. To win the Gold he had five contests of four two minute rounds which he won 13-4. 11-5. 8-3. 10-3, and 16.14. In the final he was bitten by his Cuban opponent who fought a dirty in other ways, holding on and wrestling as he became more desperate. The Olympics is regarded as a ticket to Boxing professionalism and when asked if he would remain an amateur with the London Olympics in view he replied perhaps if he could have a flash car and more money.
Two other British boxers achieved a bronze. Tony Jaffa Jeffries aged 23 comes from Sunderland where he has struggled to achieve success and has had difficulties maintaining his position as membership of the British team. His progress to a bronze meal is therefore a major achievement for him and the city. Hopes were raised for super heavyweight David Price, the six foot seven 25 year old from Liverpool when he knocked out his second round opponent who was favoured for the Gold Medal, He had a hold medal at e Commonwealth Games in 2006 and had progressed well in the 2007 world championship having to withdraw with injury, He was unable to produce his form in the semi final and was automatically awarded a bronze. But if there are question about Boxing what can be said about athletics where enhancement performance drugs became the norm.
Both Stephen Cram and Sebastian Coe put a brave face on the inadequate performance of British Athletes in the blue ribbon events. They admitted the fact that there are athletes achieving a significant position, let alone a medial potential, in the middle and long distance events of 800 metres 1500, 3000, 5000, 10000 and marathon. And there was a similar problem with the throwing events of Javelin where we once had Steve Backley and others, and the discuss and the hammer. Although a vast sum, some 260 million had been used to support and promote Athletics the team had come to Beijing with a modest target of five medal which they had failed to achieve. My criticism centres on two aspects. The speed athletes at 100 and 200 metres tend to be over confident exhibitionists and as with the US the inability to complete the basics of baton passing is unacceptable. The second problem is the inability of the administration to create a sense of a team for which there is no excuse, except perhaps the athletes have been allowed to focus too much on their separate financial careers. There is also the problem of climatic conditions in the UK.
There is continuing embarrassment is that the only British Gold Medallist was Christine Ohuruogu who was banned for a year for missing three out of competition drug tests in succession. I can understand a competitor missing one but three? She was also banned from competing in the Olympic games as a British Athlete for life. She appealed against this ban and was successful after saying publically she would run for another country if this aspect of her punishment was not lifted. She nearly lost the British relay team a place in the final by an inept performance in the semi final and she underperformed in the opening leg of the relay, failing to provide the team with the start which would have been necessary if they team were to have a chance of a medal. Her victory has to be qualified and it is significant that former Olympic athletes such as Steve Cram always makes a point of mentioning the background and the reactions of other athletes on how she has been able to continue to run quicker than previously. There was also a double edge sword in the comments of Jonathan Edwards about the triple jumper Phillipe Idowu, aged 30 from Hackney, reminding that he showed him no respect during the years when their careers overlapped. One suspects that the dyed red hair, the Bling and the over confidence about his own performances is borne of growing up the son of a vicar, being successful at school in basketball and American football and early success when he switched to the triple jump. In Athens 2004 there were high hopes for him but he failed to record a legitimate jump in the first three and thus was unable to continue with final three jumps. However he won the 2006 Commonwealth games and the world indoor championships earlier in 2008 and came to Beijing confident of the Gold. He was narrowly beaten into the Silver admitting he was disappointed and had hoped to participate in London 2012 as the reigning champion. I hope is performance then will prove my assessment wrong. Athletes can become personalities, but only after they have achieved something remarkable.
Heather Fell, continued British success in the women's Modern Pentathlon since its introduction to the Olympics in 2000 when British women won the Gold and Bronze and where a Bronze was won in 2004. The event is called Modern because none of the five sport were part of Olympics in Athens. The basis of the events tends to attract upper and middle class entrants with shooting, horse riding and fencing forming three of the sports together with swimming and a cross country run. Although in China the latter was run on a flat surface in a stadium which would have been ludicrous had it not been for a twisting course. One disappointing worth mentioning is that Kelly Sotherton from the Isle of Wight aged 32 in 2000 moved to the Midland to train with Dame Kelly Holmes. She has never been in the world front rank of the seven event heptathlon (100 metre hurdles, 200 metres and 800 meters , High Jump, Shot put, Javelin and Long Jump) However I medal was expected after a bronze in Athens, a Gold at the Commonwealth games and a silver at the World Indoor championships in 2008. In the heptathlon the medals awarded for accumulative points from each event, in the Pentathlon the points in the first four events are turned into seconds for the cross country so that Heather Fell commenced the final event 19 seconds after the leader at that point and had to finish before the successful medallist to deprive her of the position. She summoned up the attitude of British involvement, work hard and play hard
For me the star of the Athletics team was thirty year old mother Tasha Danvers. She is one of those athletes who promised much at earlier ages failing to reach the final of the World Championships in 1999 and then when reaching the 2000 Olympic final she went out too fast and finished last. She then had a child in 2004 which prevented participation in the 2004 games and when she qualified of Beijing no one expected her to win a medal,. Not only did she get a bronze but looked as if with a few more metres should could have passed the silver medallist. With this achievements she was expected to announce her retirement but with a glint in her eye she spoke of trying to do better in 2012. There were nearly 150 medals to won in the Athletics events , with 42 of the 220 nations winning at least one bronze. Only five nations won more than one Gold, the USA with 7, Russian and Jamaica with 6, Kenya 5 and Ethiopia 4. To be impressed by one and partly impressed but another does not justify the money and attention which should be switched to other sports which are not tainted and where the sense of participation and commitment to excellence meets the Olympic Ideal. One suspects big and small p political considerations will govern what happens in practice.
David Beckham featured in the eight minute segment of the closing ceremony as the Olympic flag was passed by the Mayor of Beijing to the Mayor of London and one of the main BBC commentators could not resist commenting that it was hoped the dreadful football team would do better in 2012. The reality of football, the British national sport, hence the involvement of David Beckham and the passing to him a football by a young Londoner to kick into the crowd, is that the four football associations of England, Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland cannot agree the basis for a British team which would enable participation in the Olympic Games in 2012 and in the future. However the demise of British football excellence on one hand is more than matched by the majority of the players in the English Premiership who are some of the best players from Europe and South American, and with the exceptional talent from Africa, Asia and from the antipodes.
Last Sunday I watched Newcastle's first game in which they held Manchester United to a draw when losing 6.0 in the same fixture lasts season. Yesterday I first listened to the live home match and then watched the highlights of the 1.0 win against Bolton, which had been the disappointing first game of the return of Kevin Keegan to St James last year when I had returned for the first time in the greater part of a season. I also listened live on the radio to Sunderland's away victory and Spurs where the winner was scored by the colourful French International striker Dijbril Cisse, on loan from Olympique de Marseille, who has also become the Lord of the Manor of Frodsham through buying a property when he played for Liverpool. I watched the full Sky replay between 10.30 and midnight and bought an online ticket for the next home game.
I continue to be impressed by the Last Choir Standing and the growing professionalism of the remaining four who are clearly loving every moment with the special clothes, hairdo's and make up as well being able to perform to such a large audience. Their performance, the final three choirs, in the Mall outside Buckingham Palace this afternoon as part of the London 2012 party reflected their growing professionalism as well as natural talent. I watched the BBC i player of the decision show and for once concurred with all three judges who said they thought the performance of the youth choir from Wales was extraordinary in that everyone appeared to be singing as if it was for their lives, which in one sense they were
It was also a week since visiting the Royal Albert Hall so before the football I watched and listened to the National Youth orchestra make some amazing music in the Saturday Prom on BBC 2. It has been a coincidence that on a weekend when youth endeavour is celebrated that the national Youth orchestra were contracted to play and that one of the Last Choirs is full of young people still at school while another represents the multicultural aspect of rapidly changing Britain.
Because of the nature of day I decided on Friday night to have roast chicken for lunch and a Stir Fry for Sunday lunch. I had also intended to have roast potatoes but became so involved with the watching the TV that I forgot to put them in oven in sufficient time especially as the chicken was cooked ready earlier than anticipated. For the evening there was salmon salad. Alas there was no email or phone call to say I had won either the great jackpot in the European Lottery or the double roll over in the national. Theer was little project work. Sunday is the closing ceremony and a celebration of London 2012, the Formula One race from Spain and some cricket and football. On Monday there is the return of the successful Beijing competitors so it will not be Tuesday until the house is cleaned and I go for the new spectacle, Wednesday will be in tray day and so it will be Thursday before marking the end of Summer with a return to full working, although there will be cricket days, especially if the weather improves.
The sixth Olympic sport alphabetically is Boxing where the professional sport is generally regarded as corrupt with fights fixed and where the activity is much supported by villains. The British Amateur Boxing Association is known for setting high standards and few believe the spin put on the decision to send the best prospect for gold and a current world amateur champion home because he had failed to reach the required weight for his competition. At least they admitted they were sending home a second boxer because of media reports about behaviour in Britain sometime ago. The team needed good performance by the remaining members of the team to counter the feeling that Boxing was not a true Olympian event and its continuing participation is open to question.
This afternoon a British competitor, James deGale, aged 22 from London won the first Boxing Gold Medal for forty years in the middle weight class. As a Southpaw he established himself as a boxer rather than a fighter and until Beijing he had won silver medals in Europe 2007 and 2008 and Bronze at the 2008 Commonwealth games. To win the Gold he had five contests of four two minute rounds which he won 13-4. 11-5. 8-3. 10-3, and 16.14. In the final he was bitten by his Cuban opponent who fought a dirty in other ways, holding on and wrestling as he became more desperate. The Olympics is regarded as a ticket to Boxing professionalism and when asked if he would remain an amateur with the London Olympics in view he replied perhaps if he could have a flash car and more money.
Two other British boxers achieved a bronze. Tony Jaffa Jeffries aged 23 comes from Sunderland where he has struggled to achieve success and has had difficulties maintaining his position as membership of the British team. His progress to a bronze meal is therefore a major achievement for him and the city. Hopes were raised for super heavyweight David Price, the six foot seven 25 year old from Liverpool when he knocked out his second round opponent who was favoured for the Gold Medal, He had a hold medal at e Commonwealth Games in 2006 and had progressed well in the 2007 world championship having to withdraw with injury, He was unable to produce his form in the semi final and was automatically awarded a bronze. But if there are question about Boxing what can be said about athletics where enhancement performance drugs became the norm.
Both Stephen Cram and Sebastian Coe put a brave face on the inadequate performance of British Athletes in the blue ribbon events. They admitted the fact that there are athletes achieving a significant position, let alone a medial potential, in the middle and long distance events of 800 metres 1500, 3000, 5000, 10000 and marathon. And there was a similar problem with the throwing events of Javelin where we once had Steve Backley and others, and the discuss and the hammer. Although a vast sum, some 260 million had been used to support and promote Athletics the team had come to Beijing with a modest target of five medal which they had failed to achieve. My criticism centres on two aspects. The speed athletes at 100 and 200 metres tend to be over confident exhibitionists and as with the US the inability to complete the basics of baton passing is unacceptable. The second problem is the inability of the administration to create a sense of a team for which there is no excuse, except perhaps the athletes have been allowed to focus too much on their separate financial careers. There is also the problem of climatic conditions in the UK.
There is continuing embarrassment is that the only British Gold Medallist was Christine Ohuruogu who was banned for a year for missing three out of competition drug tests in succession. I can understand a competitor missing one but three? She was also banned from competing in the Olympic games as a British Athlete for life. She appealed against this ban and was successful after saying publically she would run for another country if this aspect of her punishment was not lifted. She nearly lost the British relay team a place in the final by an inept performance in the semi final and she underperformed in the opening leg of the relay, failing to provide the team with the start which would have been necessary if they team were to have a chance of a medal. Her victory has to be qualified and it is significant that former Olympic athletes such as Steve Cram always makes a point of mentioning the background and the reactions of other athletes on how she has been able to continue to run quicker than previously. There was also a double edge sword in the comments of Jonathan Edwards about the triple jumper Phillipe Idowu, aged 30 from Hackney, reminding that he showed him no respect during the years when their careers overlapped. One suspects that the dyed red hair, the Bling and the over confidence about his own performances is borne of growing up the son of a vicar, being successful at school in basketball and American football and early success when he switched to the triple jump. In Athens 2004 there were high hopes for him but he failed to record a legitimate jump in the first three and thus was unable to continue with final three jumps. However he won the 2006 Commonwealth games and the world indoor championships earlier in 2008 and came to Beijing confident of the Gold. He was narrowly beaten into the Silver admitting he was disappointed and had hoped to participate in London 2012 as the reigning champion. I hope is performance then will prove my assessment wrong. Athletes can become personalities, but only after they have achieved something remarkable.
Heather Fell, continued British success in the women's Modern Pentathlon since its introduction to the Olympics in 2000 when British women won the Gold and Bronze and where a Bronze was won in 2004. The event is called Modern because none of the five sport were part of Olympics in Athens. The basis of the events tends to attract upper and middle class entrants with shooting, horse riding and fencing forming three of the sports together with swimming and a cross country run. Although in China the latter was run on a flat surface in a stadium which would have been ludicrous had it not been for a twisting course. One disappointing worth mentioning is that Kelly Sotherton from the Isle of Wight aged 32 in 2000 moved to the Midland to train with Dame Kelly Holmes. She has never been in the world front rank of the seven event heptathlon (100 metre hurdles, 200 metres and 800 meters , High Jump, Shot put, Javelin and Long Jump) However I medal was expected after a bronze in Athens, a Gold at the Commonwealth games and a silver at the World Indoor championships in 2008. In the heptathlon the medals awarded for accumulative points from each event, in the Pentathlon the points in the first four events are turned into seconds for the cross country so that Heather Fell commenced the final event 19 seconds after the leader at that point and had to finish before the successful medallist to deprive her of the position. She summoned up the attitude of British involvement, work hard and play hard
For me the star of the Athletics team was thirty year old mother Tasha Danvers. She is one of those athletes who promised much at earlier ages failing to reach the final of the World Championships in 1999 and then when reaching the 2000 Olympic final she went out too fast and finished last. She then had a child in 2004 which prevented participation in the 2004 games and when she qualified of Beijing no one expected her to win a medal,. Not only did she get a bronze but looked as if with a few more metres should could have passed the silver medallist. With this achievements she was expected to announce her retirement but with a glint in her eye she spoke of trying to do better in 2012. There were nearly 150 medals to won in the Athletics events , with 42 of the 220 nations winning at least one bronze. Only five nations won more than one Gold, the USA with 7, Russian and Jamaica with 6, Kenya 5 and Ethiopia 4. To be impressed by one and partly impressed but another does not justify the money and attention which should be switched to other sports which are not tainted and where the sense of participation and commitment to excellence meets the Olympic Ideal. One suspects big and small p political considerations will govern what happens in practice.
David Beckham featured in the eight minute segment of the closing ceremony as the Olympic flag was passed by the Mayor of Beijing to the Mayor of London and one of the main BBC commentators could not resist commenting that it was hoped the dreadful football team would do better in 2012. The reality of football, the British national sport, hence the involvement of David Beckham and the passing to him a football by a young Londoner to kick into the crowd, is that the four football associations of England, Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland cannot agree the basis for a British team which would enable participation in the Olympic Games in 2012 and in the future. However the demise of British football excellence on one hand is more than matched by the majority of the players in the English Premiership who are some of the best players from Europe and South American, and with the exceptional talent from Africa, Asia and from the antipodes.
Last Sunday I watched Newcastle's first game in which they held Manchester United to a draw when losing 6.0 in the same fixture lasts season. Yesterday I first listened to the live home match and then watched the highlights of the 1.0 win against Bolton, which had been the disappointing first game of the return of Kevin Keegan to St James last year when I had returned for the first time in the greater part of a season. I also listened live on the radio to Sunderland's away victory and Spurs where the winner was scored by the colourful French International striker Dijbril Cisse, on loan from Olympique de Marseille, who has also become the Lord of the Manor of Frodsham through buying a property when he played for Liverpool. I watched the full Sky replay between 10.30 and midnight and bought an online ticket for the next home game.
I continue to be impressed by the Last Choir Standing and the growing professionalism of the remaining four who are clearly loving every moment with the special clothes, hairdo's and make up as well being able to perform to such a large audience. Their performance, the final three choirs, in the Mall outside Buckingham Palace this afternoon as part of the London 2012 party reflected their growing professionalism as well as natural talent. I watched the BBC i player of the decision show and for once concurred with all three judges who said they thought the performance of the youth choir from Wales was extraordinary in that everyone appeared to be singing as if it was for their lives, which in one sense they were
It was also a week since visiting the Royal Albert Hall so before the football I watched and listened to the National Youth orchestra make some amazing music in the Saturday Prom on BBC 2. It has been a coincidence that on a weekend when youth endeavour is celebrated that the national Youth orchestra were contracted to play and that one of the Last Choirs is full of young people still at school while another represents the multicultural aspect of rapidly changing Britain.
Because of the nature of day I decided on Friday night to have roast chicken for lunch and a Stir Fry for Sunday lunch. I had also intended to have roast potatoes but became so involved with the watching the TV that I forgot to put them in oven in sufficient time especially as the chicken was cooked ready earlier than anticipated. For the evening there was salmon salad. Alas there was no email or phone call to say I had won either the great jackpot in the European Lottery or the double roll over in the national. Theer was little project work. Sunday is the closing ceremony and a celebration of London 2012, the Formula One race from Spain and some cricket and football. On Monday there is the return of the successful Beijing competitors so it will not be Tuesday until the house is cleaned and I go for the new spectacle, Wednesday will be in tray day and so it will be Thursday before marking the end of Summer with a return to full working, although there will be cricket days, especially if the weather improves.
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