Olympics
While I was ill, there was lots of time to watch the Olympics. I didn't think it would be very exciting and that I'm all sported out, what with Euro 2012, which I followed because it was in Poland and had an England team that everyone stopped hyping, and Wimbledon, which I've always enjoyed dipping in and out of.
This Olympics, though, has been really good to watch. There's something special knowing that it's happening right on your doorstep, and there's a pride at watching the whole thing come off so well and knowing that you contributed to this in some way, shape or form, even if it is just choosing not to travel to keep the network free.
The Olympics is also cool because it's like a buffet of sports. It's easy to dip into lots of different and interesting sports and it never gets boring. So I've been following a bit of fencing (because I used to do this) and canoeing (because my dad likes it) as well as just following the BBC's main feed on BBC 1 which follows where ever Team GB are doing well. So I've seen a lot of cycling, a bit of shooting and lots of rowing. It's truly amazing just how many sports there are out there that are far more interesting than football.
What was also fascinating was watching Great Britain's progress up the medal table. The Olympics start and we fail to win gold in every "sure" event that is happening. It looks like it's about to go horribly wrong as GB languishes in 21st place on the medal table. But I happened to be watching when the women's rowing pair won the first gold medal and then it was remarkable just how quickly things started happening, especially when the GB started winning medals in events no one realised we were good at and came as complete surprises.
It was either on Thursday or Friday night, we were sitting just a little behind France on the medal table, in 5th position with five gold medals. Once Saturday was over, we were 3rd, just behind the USA and China. It was... crazy. The medals have just been coming thick and fast, and even things that were considered impossible are now becoming commonplace. The track cycling teams didn't set out to win, they set out to break world records and showed the kind of commanding dominance that I never expect to see from a team wearing British flags, making the winning process seem easy. Andy Murray is playing Federer right now, and he might even, you know, not lose. I will not say win, because that would be tempting fate. Correction, my mum has just told me he has won. See, this is the Olympics.
This Olympics, though, has been really good to watch. There's something special knowing that it's happening right on your doorstep, and there's a pride at watching the whole thing come off so well and knowing that you contributed to this in some way, shape or form, even if it is just choosing not to travel to keep the network free.
The Olympics is also cool because it's like a buffet of sports. It's easy to dip into lots of different and interesting sports and it never gets boring. So I've been following a bit of fencing (because I used to do this) and canoeing (because my dad likes it) as well as just following the BBC's main feed on BBC 1 which follows where ever Team GB are doing well. So I've seen a lot of cycling, a bit of shooting and lots of rowing. It's truly amazing just how many sports there are out there that are far more interesting than football.
What was also fascinating was watching Great Britain's progress up the medal table. The Olympics start and we fail to win gold in every "sure" event that is happening. It looks like it's about to go horribly wrong as GB languishes in 21st place on the medal table. But I happened to be watching when the women's rowing pair won the first gold medal and then it was remarkable just how quickly things started happening, especially when the GB started winning medals in events no one realised we were good at and came as complete surprises.
It was either on Thursday or Friday night, we were sitting just a little behind France on the medal table, in 5th position with five gold medals. Once Saturday was over, we were 3rd, just behind the USA and China. It was... crazy. The medals have just been coming thick and fast, and even things that were considered impossible are now becoming commonplace. The track cycling teams didn't set out to win, they set out to break world records and showed the kind of commanding dominance that I never expect to see from a team wearing British flags, making the winning process seem easy. Andy Murray is playing Federer right now, and he might even, you know, not lose. I will not say win, because that would be tempting fate. Correction, my mum has just told me he has won. See, this is the Olympics.