Wednesday, August 20, 2008

I'M IN AWE

After declaring that I wouldn't bother watching the Olympics I've ended up plonked in front of the TV at strange hours because I can't sleep.

I watched the women's hockey with Australia and China. I use to play hockey, after a fashion. My main aim was not to run far, go anywhere near the ball or get hit with a stick and that was my hockey career. I know how hard it is to move the ball and not lose it at a walk but it was fantastic to watch the speed at which these players walloped it up and down the ground. I stuck it out to the end hoping the Aussies could pull off one more goal from nowhere.

I watched BMX races today. I thought about turning it off but the first time trial started and I was hooked. I used to ride a bike and staying upright was a challenge. The damn things almost fly and fast, more than fast. I have trouble walking and breathing let alone throw a bmx over a jump while pedalling and did I mention going fast.

Synchronised swimming, I'd drown. Hurdling, I'd fall over. Diving, just looking down from the tower makes me shake. My shoulders hurt watching the gymnasts on the rings, the high bar and the uneven bars.

I don't care how many medals Australia gets. It doesn't matter to me because to reach this level of brilliance is breathtaking. The athletes are disappointed enough without the armchair experts whinging that we haven't taken a big haul of gold.

14 comments:

Link said...

I haven't seen any of it. But I am similarly impressed with what bodies can do, but alas not mine. I got a book out of the library on Astanga Yoga. Hah! After being gobsmacked by the images of of svelte girl with body in amazing positions, its now just good for a weary, evening laugh. I can almost do the standing up pose and the sitting down pose.

Brian Hughes said...

"I don't care how many medals Australia gets."

Perhaps as well really.

I'm particularly impressed by how well the athletes are coping with the levels of pollution. That probably explains why Britain's doing quite well for once. We're used to the smog.

River said...

I'm impressed with the levels of fitness and flexibility these people have and that's about it for me. The fact that they can do things much faster etc than anyone else means nothing to me. As far as I'm concerned sports of all kinds should just be fun. Winning is fine too, but lifelong specialised training, medals and huge amounts of money shouldn't come in to it.

Jayne said...

I'm waiting for the Paralympics to start (only 17 days to go) and we're finally going to have live coverage, on ABC2.
YES!!!!!!!

Davoh said...

JT, I also am in AWE of our young people. Watching Snowsill dance through the triathlon. Dunno where they get it from. Certainly not me, would look like one of teh competitors after 100 yards.

But it lifts me also. Dammit, think i. if those tiny females can do it, then so can I.

(thinks. project fer the future. get orf arse and walk the 1k to the shops)

Davoh said...

That probably explains why Britain's doing quite well for once. We're used to the smog.

Ah, well, Hughes.. am looking forward to um, Great Britain, creaming the chinese in ..erm when?

Have a sneaking suspicion that doping is not allowed anymore ..heh.

R.H. said...

How do you get on for romance in a caravan, you old c**t, maybe you should save for a McMansion? A teepee could get you a root in Qld, but that was back in the sixties.

R.H. said...

You have to spruce up, to get your end in.

Poverty don't do it anymore.

Kelly & Sam Pilgrim-Byrne said...

We've been watching the Olympics because there's not really anything else to watch, but we've been enjoying it nonetheless.

Pop over to The Muriels - there's a gift on its way to you.

JahTeh said...

Caroline, even standing up I can fall over. You ride a horse, that's enough exercise for anybody. The horses are in trouble in HongKong, four got rubbed out for drug abuse but I haven't heard the full story yet.

Fleetwood, the Poms have done well but then cricket isn't an Olympic sport.

River, everything is big money these days and I don't blame the athletes for looking out for their future but it's the expectation that they shouldn't lose that bugs me.

Jayne, now those athletes have got what it takes. It will be interesting to see if China enters as they're more inclined to hide what isn't perfect.

Davo, if you and Fleetwood stopped smoking, you could be contenders for the 'drop and crawl' race.
There doesn't seem to be the huge body build type around this Olympics but I'd say doping was still with us.

Rh, believe me poverty never did it.

Hello Muriels, is it safe to visit? We could exchange germs. This is just the start you know, wait until the nit season.

Middle Child said...

I haven't watched any of it. I know I should be all gushed about it but the whole thing leaves me cold. Its good to excel, but there has to be a level the human body shoudln't be expected to go past and we should be happy about that. When I heard that that Phelps bloke was puishing Maccas, to the Chinese, that was about it for me. I admire the youngesters and their enthusiasm, but as I was always one of those girls who was more adept at getting out of sport at school and had it down to an olympic sport in itself this Olympics should never have been held in China as Australia is still almost a free cvountry we can watch or not, we can do sport or not, sorry Jahteh, just had an earful from a rellie who's so gung ho about these games I am feeling very anti...can choose your friends but as you know well not your rellies.

R.H. said...

All you needed to score a root in Qld was a teepee and a bag of potting mix.

And it still works in Byron Bay.

R.H. said...

Women's intelligence has not advanced.

JahTeh said...

Rh, of course women's intelligence hasn't advanced, we're already so far ahead of men there's not much incentive.

Therese, I was one of those sporting challenged children. Some of us are not meant to catch balls, run fast or hit balls with a bat. I couldn't even serve at tennis let alone get the ball back over the net. I fell from the uneven bars, broke my arm playing softball and that ball isn't soft and the only time I went horse riding, the horse nearly killed me.
I hate all the hype surrounding the games but watching individual events has been great but I'm not watching the closing ceremony.