Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Off Topic => Sports Arena => Topic started by: SashasGrandad on August 27, 2012, 05:41:53 PM
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Just packing my bags for another trip to East London. Was busy yesterday as had a late call up to officiate at the Diamond League
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01mg005/Athletics_2012_British_Grand_Prix/ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01mg005/Athletics_2012_British_Grand_Prix/)
I appear a few times behind the athletes at start of races. Women's 100m heats (I'm on left - the older chap on the right with the grey tash is from Scotland)
Hopefully the Paras will be as good as the main Olympics - I've been doing my homework to try and memorise all the disability categories. It's important to know your T11s and F53s.
Must remember not to ask T11s to sign the confiscation sheets (they are totally blind).
Must not ask any of the 51 to 58s to stand in line (they are all in wheelchairs)
T40/F40 are Dwarf Athletes and there are no events to Throw/Toss/Carry them!
You can't call "lane identification numbers" - leg numbers - if they have no legs!
This time we are staying in the village with the athletes. I've been watching some of the programmes on Channel 4 including the one where the disabled are taking the piss out of themsleves and I'm scared I will be in the food hall and ask for my favourite ice cream flavour. The white stuff with claret coloured streaks in it!
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Anyone watching the opening ceremony. Just started with Hawking talking about the big bang.
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Anyone watching the opening ceremony. Just started with Hawking talking about the big bang.
I am
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There is an awful lot of umbrellas in it already, obviously leading into Rhianna.
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As it is on Ch4, I just can't help thinking they are about to show BIG Brother with that big eye in the centre.
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The Queen has obviously decided not to parachute in this time, and fuck me, Eddie is there, I thought he was dead!
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Well although there are less athletes, they seem to be taking longer. Shame they all couldn't be put into Motorised wheelchairs set to speedy.
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Only just reached the K's. This is more excruciating then the main one.
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Finished at just past midnight. It was getting a bit cold so there was long queues for hot drinks in the foodhall when athletes and officials finally got back to the village.
Things will take a bit longer, some things might overrun but this is the paralympics. If you are missing an arm, a leg, your eyesight, a TV schedule does not matter that much. When you watch a bloke with no arms eat his breakfast with his feet you realise how lucky you are.
We (at the athletics) don't start till tomorrow -got a briefing at 11am today.
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The actual show part of it was well done I thought. And the athletes entrance can always drag within these.
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Here we go, a World Record in the pool already.
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Oh, and that girl presenting with Jonathan Edwards on C4 is rather nice.
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Only caught a bit of the coverage today, lot's of adverts inevitably not made any more tolerable by publicity limpet Beckham voicing the Sainsbury's ad at either end of the break. Other than that it seems quite measured, informative and professional. Hoping to catch more at the weekend.
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We were watching it at work with the sub titles on as we had no sound.
The nice one presenting it in the morning lost a leg but is/was a runner.
Watching the 100m backstroke qualifiers won by a guy with no arms was inspiring. He pretty much has to keep his legs moving all the time to stay afloat.
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I'm getting stick from my kids because I haven't been watching it. I am watching the Diamond League from Zurich though and thoroughly enjoying it. Bolt just eased to victory in the 200m.
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Oh, and that girl presenting with Jonathan Edwards on C4 is rather nice.
Any pics for us foreigners?
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daraine mulvihill
(http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/2542036038/55gpz87hza9x6pexe6eh.jpeg)
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Here we go, a World Record in the pool already.
YEAH, Go Sophie.. Believe me this young lady trains so hard.
Princess of the pool Sophie Pascoe planned to treat herself to a dessert before refocussing on her remaining five events after she defended her S10 200m individual medley Paralympic title with a world record-setting victory in this morning's final in London.
The 19-year-old from Christchurch broke the world record in her heat overnight and then smashed it by a further three seconds in the final as she so easily defended the Paralympic crown she won at Beijing four years ago, blitzing the competition by more than six seconds at the Olympic Park's aquatic complex.
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Superb performance by Ellie Simmonds in the 400m s6 freestyle. Smashed the world record by over 5 seconds - wow!
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How amazing was the bloke in the 200m?
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How amazing was the bloke in the 200m?
Amazing doesnt describe what Richard Whitehead did. Makes you feel useless doesnt it.
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and he's come down from the Marathon.....the Marathon!!!!!
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They are all amazing
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Great morning at the athletics today. Seeing the sight impaired (used to be called blind) long jumping was amazing, the crowd had to go quiet and the guide literally talked them down the runway. Also the atmosphere was great and the crowd knowledgable and appreciative of all competitors.
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Just seen an article on the BBC about Alex Zanardi, the former F1 driver. He won a gold medal today. Absolutely brilliant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19493510
Alex Zanardi wins Paralympics 2012 handcycling gold
By Mike Henson
Italian ex-Formula 1 driver Alex Zanardi, who lost both legs following a crash in 2001, has won Paralympic gold.
Competing in the H4 handcycling time trial, the 45-year-old beat Germany's Nobert Mosandl by more than 27 seconds at Brands Hatch.
Zanardi had both legs amputated following a near-fatal Champ Car accident at Germany's Lausitzring. Since then he has finished fourth in the 2007 New York marathon and won world time-trial silver in 2011.
"This is a great accomplishment, one of the greatest of my life," Zanardi said of his victory. "I worked very hard to get here. It was great to live such an experience at 45. This moment also brings a little bit of sadness for an adventure the last two years. When you are 20, you appreciate medals. When you are 40, you appreciate what you do every day. I enjoyed every day of training. I've had a magical adventure and this is a fantastic conclusion."
It is the third time Zanardi has been on the podium at the Kent circuit, each time in very different circumstances. In 1991, as a 24-year-old with his sights trained on Formula 1, he secured second place in a Formula 3000 race for the Il Barone Rampante team around the track. After losing his legs, he returned in 2008 to take third place in a specially adapted car as part of an Italian-Spanish team that finished third in the World Touring Car Championship. Before Wednesday's race, it had become clear that a handcycle might finally be the vehicle to finally take him to the top step.
Even before dedicating himself fully to the sport, Zanardi finished 15th in the 2009 World Championships time trial. His subsequent commitment bore fruit with a second-placed finish at the 2011 Worlds and victory over the previously dominant American Oscar Sanchez in the first race of the 2012 World Cup in Rome.
The undulating nature of the Brands Hatch circuit was also in Zanardi's favour, with uphill sections favouring double amputees such as himself. In sunny but windy conditions he duly built a lead of 14 seconds over Mosandl after the first of the two laps and, in a perfectly paced race, had almost doubled that margin as he crossed the finish line.
Zanardi's triumph is especially impressive after the personal disaster that befell him 11 years ago. After a Formula 1 career that comprised 41 races but little success, he had returned to the Champ Car series in which he had previously won two titles. Attempting to rejoin the race at the Lausitzring, he lost control, skidding into the path of Canadian driver Alex Tagliani who could not avoid slamming into the side of the Italian's car at more than 200mph. After losing three-quarters of his blood en route to the hospital, Zanardi defied paramedics' fears by surviving.
And he might be about to confound expectations once again. Zanardi warned before the race that his age may mean London 2012 would be both his first and last Paralympics. But with Mosandl six years his senior and his closest challenger, Zanardi could take the chance to defend his title in Brazil - the county where, in taking sixth in the 1993 Grand Prix, he achieved his best Formula 1 finish.
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Obviously it is still Wiggins, but there are some competitors from the Paralympics for SPOTY. Storey for winning 4 gold and matching the most golds won by a Brit. Then Weir for winning three of his four golds. And also Hannah Cockcroft and her bosom.
For YSPOTY, you have Ellie and also Josef Craig against Laura Trott and Daley.
Edit, forgot to mention Jonnie Peacock in the YSPOTY.
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I've hardly watched any of it and judging by the fact we're only on to page 2 of this thread i'm guessing i'm not the only one.
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I lay some of the blame at CH4's coverage compared to the BBC. Adverts every few minutes and only a very limited choice of what to see at any one time.
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That makes sense, quite often there are adverts on or about to go into the break whenever I flick over, makes you appreciate the BBC even more.
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I was watching some of the wheelchair rugby earlier. Twice they went to adverts, once for a timeout and once at the end of the third quarter. Both times they came back and the action was going ahead. They missed at the opening 30 seconds of the 4th quarter. I've seen similar happen in other sports as well.
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I know its a long shot but is anyone off to the closing ceremony tomorrow? My missus is taking our 3 year old and it dawned on us that as there are only two events on (football, which she is going to and Rugby)so the park will be pretty deserted, I've been told that people with Closing tickets won't be allowed in until 5.30 so it won't get busy until then.
I've already been and know what a buzz there is when its full, I don't want her to be disappointed.
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I've just watched the closing stages of the marathon on C4. Dave Weir winning his fourth gold. What can you say about this man? Truly amazing and along with all the paralympians a shining example to all of us.
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I know its a long shot but is anyone off to the closing ceremony tomorrow? My missus is taking our 3 year old and it dawned on us that as there are only two events on (football, which she is going to and Rugby)so the park will be pretty deserted, I've been told that people with Closing tickets won't be allowed in until 5.30 so it won't get busy until then.
I've already been and know what a buzz there is when its full, I don't want her to be disappointed.
This is probably too late but the text below is from an email I got by mistake (it was mean't for people going to closing ceremony from outside.)
We are writing to let you know that the Olympic Park will close early on 9 September in preparation for the Closing Ceremony.
When arriving for your 7-a-side Football event on 9 September, bear in mind that Victoria Gate will be closed for entry from 2pm. You can find further details of gate closures on the London 2012 website
Due to the late finish of your 7-a-side Football event, we suggest you stay inside the Olympic Park after your event to wait for the Closing Ceremony – but please be aware that many of the facilities inside the Park will be closed as the final preparations are made. Follow the directions of staff to a designated area where you can wait to enter the Olympic Stadium.
If you decide to leave the Olympic Park, bear in mind that Victoria Gate will be closed for exit from 3pm and that you will only be able to re-enter the Olympic Park using your Closing Ceremony ticket via Stratford Gate or Greenway Gate (you will need to go through security again).
Aim to be in your seat inside the Olympic Stadium by 7.30pm at the latest in time for the pre-show. Your ticket will be checked when you arrive at the Olympic Stadium. If you decide to leave the Olympic Stadium, you won’t be allowed back in.
Your ticket will be checked when you arrive at the Olympic Stadium. If you decide to leave either the Olympic Park or the Olympic Stadium, you won’t be allowed back in.
The Closing Ceremony is expected to finish between 11pm and 11.30pm. Please note that you will not be able to leave via Victoria Gate or Eton Manor Gate after the Ceremony.
Those of us staying in the Paralympic village can't get till after 5pm.
I'm afraid you probably won't get the full atmosphere but it should still be a great experience.
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Watching some of the montages and best of before the closing ceremony started and I only went and got something in my eye on more than one occasion, could have been hayfever I suppose.
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Having arranged a weekend in London with my wife to see War Horse on Friday and Proms In The Park last night we went down to Buckingham Palace today to watch the marathon's and the wheelchair marathon's, and were fortunate enough to see David Weir win his fourth gold and Shelly Woods a silver. It was an incredibly humbling experience watching all the athletes with their varying disabilities, particularly the blind marathon runners being led by their guides. It was a great atmosphere, and a real contrast to the football.
We stayed until the medal presentation and were fortunate to meet a Belgian athlete, Frederic van den Heede, who was quite happy to let me take a photo of him with his bronze medal, and to touch it! After arriving home I've discovered his christian names are, Frederick George, the same as those of my late father, and he shares the birthday of my younger son!
All in all a superb weekend.