Have you been watching the athletics on telly?
I don’t know why, but this week I’ve been hooked on the World Championships from Berlin. Maybe it’s the sense of history – this being the stadium of Hitler’s Olympics in 1936 when Jesse Owens upset his applecart by pinching medals from under the noses of Aryans. He won them fair and square of course and his enduring legacy can only have been augmented this week by the flying antics of Usain Bolt. What an entirely appropriate name for a man who runs like greased lightening.
Last night’s programme was splendid. Bolt smashed the 200m. world record and the women’s High Jump was engrossing with two tall, nee statuesque women from Germany and Croatia going at it hammer and tongs. Add a lanky Russian to the mix and we had a spectacle that held everyone in thrall and brought absolute silence to the huge crowd as the German lass held her finger to her lips. This really was high drama and great theatre.
Highlight for me though was the performance of
British athlete – William Sharman. He didn’t finish in a medal position – he came fourth – in the 110m. hurdle event. He’s proud of his home nation.A personal best time and winning ways in his post race interview made this young bloke a credit to Britain and a shining example to our youth. I’m almost lookin’ forward to the 2012 Olympics now and hope to see this guy win Gold.
