Monday 30 July 2012

Binge at the Olympics Day 2

View from the Aquatic Centre.
Wow what a night at the Aquatic Centre some phenomenal swimming Dana Vollmer going sub 56 for 100 fly, Kitajima well and truly eclipsed in the 100 breaststroke, and pay back time for the French in the 4 x 100 freestyle team.

That's not to mention a fabulous swim from Becky Adlington, to claw herself a bronze medal. The noise levels were truly unbelievable as she tried to swim down Muffat and Schmitt in the final 50.

The home crowd's favourite had emerged onto the pool side to a primeval roar, and obviously meant business. Swimming  from Lane 8 she had worked out that she would have little time on the pool side, to compose herself,  she had already shed her tracksuit, removed her shoes dumped them in the box and before you knew it they were off.

Lanes 4 and 5 set a blistering pace and were well under world record schedule for the first 100 with Adlington trailing in 6th. You could feel the atmosphere and the noise build as she gradually worked her way past the other swimmers. At 125 meters everyone (and I mean all 17500) was up on their feet screaming at the top of their voices...not sure I've ever been anywhere, where the atmosphere was so visceral and certainly never in a swimming pool.

Astonishing! what a gutsy swim, I won't be there to watch her 800 but I think that's going to be very  special. What a competitor.

Anyway first stop this morning Boots for some Strepsils

Saturday 28 July 2012

Binge at the Olympics

Hi I'm still alive and currently pottering around London with Teenage Triathlete. We're suffering from a bit of sleep deprivation having spent last night in Victoria Park watching the Opening Ceremony about 4 hours sleep and back to Stratford for the opening session of the swimming.

I think LOCOG are obviously considering "the queue" as the debut sport in 2016 and Team GB are going to wipe the floor with the rest of the world with all the training we're getting in.

All good humoured though and met some Canadian Masters Swimmers in the queue as well as Tam Jaggs and Susan from Swiss Cottage.

Oh here we go MEN'S 400IM more later.