Just A City
Aug. 4th, 2012 12:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eiffel_71The friendly landlady of my hotel in Ilford remembered me as soon as I gave my name. "You were our first Olympic booking," she said. "You're seeing the swimming tonight." She recalled that from one phone call back in May 2011. Impressive.
"You're here to see Rebecca Adlington?" I confirmed yes. "Let's hope she does it," the landlady smiled.
Another guest, standing to the side of the front desk, had been talking to her about the Games when I arrived. "I'm so pleased for Kat Grainger," the landlady continued to both of us.
"Did she get the gold?" I asked.
"Yes, I'm so pleased for her." The other guest and I echoed that sentiment.
I got to my room and switched on the telly to see Anna and Kat doing their post-medal ceremony interview.
The women's football matches have been brilliant, but actually going to the Olympic Park was something else. From the moment of joining the crowd pouring out of Stratford station and following the pink 'Olympic Park' signs, this really was the full-on Games experience.
There was a lot of walking to do before actually getting within sight of the Park. First I had to show my event ticket to the police on duty at the end of the station platform, then walk through the corridor out of the station to the entrance to the shopping centre. There, I turned away from the shops to meet a row of Olympic workers telling us to get ready for a security check.
London 2012 had emailed a few weeks ago to warn that there'd be airport-style security at the Park. That was an exact description, the only difference from an airport being that here the staff were soldiers, sailors and RAF personnel. I had to put my jacket and everything from my pockets, apart from my event ticket, into a plastic tray that was run through a scanner while I stepped through a scanning frame. The airman waiting for me had been distracted by the Navy lady in the next lane talking to him when I stepped through, so he had to ask me to step back through again. Both times I didn't get beeped, so escaped a frisking.
From there it was a long paved walkway. Along the way, a lady Olympic worker in a high chair told us "Just a few minutes to the Olympic Park now."
Finally, after I again had to show my event ticket to a yellow-jacketed steward, a massive pink gateway reading 'Olympic Park - Stratford Gate', complete with scrolling electric Welcome messages, greeted us. Once inside, of course, the first thing you noticed was the huge Olympic Stadium, a very impressive sight. A split second's regret that I wouldn't be getting inside the Stadium this fortnight soon vanished; for me it really doesn't get better than Rebecca and lots of women's football.
Amid fans from the USA, Australia, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Germany, I wandered around the food stalls, settling at a 'BBQ' stall. Had to queue there for 20 minutes; just in front of me were a young American couple who were going to the athletics. They at least had beer and water with them to help the time go by. After I finally got served, found one of the many wooden benches with plenty of space. My Chinese ribs and salad weren't bad.
From there, I moseyed across to the impressive Aquatics Centre, passing three excited Africans who were waving a flag and doing a chant in their language. My seat was in the ninth, back, row of a central poolside section, with a great view of the pool, scoreboard and Titantron.
As the minutes ticked by towards the start of the session, a talking head on the screen did a warm-up routine, asking us a couple of times if we were having a good time, and asking "Who came to see Rebecca Adlington?" Big cheer.
First up was the ladies' 200 m backstroke. I cheered on Lizzie Simmonds with the large British element in the crowd, but although she held second place for a while she faded to fourth. The amazing Missy Franklin was never seriously challenged.
Next came a chance to see a small piece of sporting history made, the men's 100 fly with Michael Phelps aiming for his 17th gold medal. He delivered, and as he left the pool after the race the whole crowd stood to applaud the most decorated Olympian of all time.
And so to the race I, and a lot of other people there, had been waiting for, Rebecca in the ladies' 800 freestyle. The pundits had been unanimous in declaring the gold to be a battle between Becky and her friend Lotte Friis of Denmark, with the 15-year-old American phenom Katie Ledecky everybody's tip for bronze. Ledecky had other ideas, powering out front on her own from the start. Like all the other Brits in the crowd, I constantly yelled "Come on Becky", but just as she had Lotte Friis licked, Mirela Belmonte of Spain came up on the blind side to threaten Becky's hold on the silver - and then overhaul her. I kept up hope that Ledecky would run out of steam, until I realised on 750 metres that she wouldn't. I roared "Go on Becky, you can take her" - referring to Belmonte, not Ledecky - but the Spanish girl kept a firm grip on the silver.
As the three medallists left the pool, we all acknowledged Ledecky's amazing swim with a cheer then chanted "Becky, Becky" to salute our own heroine.
After the last race of the evening, the ladies' 50 free semi in which we roared Fran Halsall on to qualification, it was time for the 800 medal ceremony. It was a shame that a few people in my row left the Centre just as the ceremony was starting, but the great majority stayed. Becky received her bronze to a magnificent ovation. After The Star-Spangled Banner ended and the three medallists did their walk round the pool, we stood to applaud them all, but of course saved our best for Becky. I was one of several shouting "We love you, Becky" as they walked past; by the time they completed their walk round, huge sections were chanting her name. My phone vibrated with an incoming text during their lap; when they'd gone in, I opened it - it was me ma saying I'd appeared on the telly.
Lots of Olympic workers said goodbye and "hope you enjoyed the night" as we all filed out of the Olympic Park. Alas, I didn't see Rachel Onasanwo anywhere.
After a detour into Stratford town to post Ann's postcard, made a stop at the Costa in the Stratford Centre to quench my thirst with an iced strawberry lemonade. There I surfed onto my phone to learn the heartbreaking news that the British football girls had lost 2-0 to Canada. Star player Christine Sinclair had scored Canada's second; so it's her and her team-mates I'll be seeing take on the USA at Old Trafford in Monday's semi.
Back at the hotel, switched on the telly to see...Katie Ledecky powering into the lead. It was the Olympic round-up on the ten o'clock news. The announcer at the pool had been bigging up Becky's bronze as a positive achievement, so it was a bit of a comedown to see the news presenter couching it in disappointed terms. I guess that shouldn't have been surprising, since TV and media pundits had been expecting silver from her at worst.
Olympics Tonight opened with Becky's race and covered her bronze with a similar downbeat air. She was the first guest on, and Gabby Logan and Ian Thorpe adopted a half consoling, half "well done, it's an Olympic medal" tone. Rebecca, it must be said, was looking very attractive.
On reflection, if she hadn't tried to chase Ledecky and had just swum her own race, she'd have had the silver.
"You're here to see Rebecca Adlington?" I confirmed yes. "Let's hope she does it," the landlady smiled.
Another guest, standing to the side of the front desk, had been talking to her about the Games when I arrived. "I'm so pleased for Kat Grainger," the landlady continued to both of us.
"Did she get the gold?" I asked.
"Yes, I'm so pleased for her." The other guest and I echoed that sentiment.
I got to my room and switched on the telly to see Anna and Kat doing their post-medal ceremony interview.
The women's football matches have been brilliant, but actually going to the Olympic Park was something else. From the moment of joining the crowd pouring out of Stratford station and following the pink 'Olympic Park' signs, this really was the full-on Games experience.
There was a lot of walking to do before actually getting within sight of the Park. First I had to show my event ticket to the police on duty at the end of the station platform, then walk through the corridor out of the station to the entrance to the shopping centre. There, I turned away from the shops to meet a row of Olympic workers telling us to get ready for a security check.
London 2012 had emailed a few weeks ago to warn that there'd be airport-style security at the Park. That was an exact description, the only difference from an airport being that here the staff were soldiers, sailors and RAF personnel. I had to put my jacket and everything from my pockets, apart from my event ticket, into a plastic tray that was run through a scanner while I stepped through a scanning frame. The airman waiting for me had been distracted by the Navy lady in the next lane talking to him when I stepped through, so he had to ask me to step back through again. Both times I didn't get beeped, so escaped a frisking.
From there it was a long paved walkway. Along the way, a lady Olympic worker in a high chair told us "Just a few minutes to the Olympic Park now."
Finally, after I again had to show my event ticket to a yellow-jacketed steward, a massive pink gateway reading 'Olympic Park - Stratford Gate', complete with scrolling electric Welcome messages, greeted us. Once inside, of course, the first thing you noticed was the huge Olympic Stadium, a very impressive sight. A split second's regret that I wouldn't be getting inside the Stadium this fortnight soon vanished; for me it really doesn't get better than Rebecca and lots of women's football.
Amid fans from the USA, Australia, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Germany, I wandered around the food stalls, settling at a 'BBQ' stall. Had to queue there for 20 minutes; just in front of me were a young American couple who were going to the athletics. They at least had beer and water with them to help the time go by. After I finally got served, found one of the many wooden benches with plenty of space. My Chinese ribs and salad weren't bad.
From there, I moseyed across to the impressive Aquatics Centre, passing three excited Africans who were waving a flag and doing a chant in their language. My seat was in the ninth, back, row of a central poolside section, with a great view of the pool, scoreboard and Titantron.
As the minutes ticked by towards the start of the session, a talking head on the screen did a warm-up routine, asking us a couple of times if we were having a good time, and asking "Who came to see Rebecca Adlington?" Big cheer.
First up was the ladies' 200 m backstroke. I cheered on Lizzie Simmonds with the large British element in the crowd, but although she held second place for a while she faded to fourth. The amazing Missy Franklin was never seriously challenged.
Next came a chance to see a small piece of sporting history made, the men's 100 fly with Michael Phelps aiming for his 17th gold medal. He delivered, and as he left the pool after the race the whole crowd stood to applaud the most decorated Olympian of all time.
And so to the race I, and a lot of other people there, had been waiting for, Rebecca in the ladies' 800 freestyle. The pundits had been unanimous in declaring the gold to be a battle between Becky and her friend Lotte Friis of Denmark, with the 15-year-old American phenom Katie Ledecky everybody's tip for bronze. Ledecky had other ideas, powering out front on her own from the start. Like all the other Brits in the crowd, I constantly yelled "Come on Becky", but just as she had Lotte Friis licked, Mirela Belmonte of Spain came up on the blind side to threaten Becky's hold on the silver - and then overhaul her. I kept up hope that Ledecky would run out of steam, until I realised on 750 metres that she wouldn't. I roared "Go on Becky, you can take her" - referring to Belmonte, not Ledecky - but the Spanish girl kept a firm grip on the silver.
As the three medallists left the pool, we all acknowledged Ledecky's amazing swim with a cheer then chanted "Becky, Becky" to salute our own heroine.
After the last race of the evening, the ladies' 50 free semi in which we roared Fran Halsall on to qualification, it was time for the 800 medal ceremony. It was a shame that a few people in my row left the Centre just as the ceremony was starting, but the great majority stayed. Becky received her bronze to a magnificent ovation. After The Star-Spangled Banner ended and the three medallists did their walk round the pool, we stood to applaud them all, but of course saved our best for Becky. I was one of several shouting "We love you, Becky" as they walked past; by the time they completed their walk round, huge sections were chanting her name. My phone vibrated with an incoming text during their lap; when they'd gone in, I opened it - it was me ma saying I'd appeared on the telly.
Lots of Olympic workers said goodbye and "hope you enjoyed the night" as we all filed out of the Olympic Park. Alas, I didn't see Rachel Onasanwo anywhere.
After a detour into Stratford town to post Ann's postcard, made a stop at the Costa in the Stratford Centre to quench my thirst with an iced strawberry lemonade. There I surfed onto my phone to learn the heartbreaking news that the British football girls had lost 2-0 to Canada. Star player Christine Sinclair had scored Canada's second; so it's her and her team-mates I'll be seeing take on the USA at Old Trafford in Monday's semi.
Back at the hotel, switched on the telly to see...Katie Ledecky powering into the lead. It was the Olympic round-up on the ten o'clock news. The announcer at the pool had been bigging up Becky's bronze as a positive achievement, so it was a bit of a comedown to see the news presenter couching it in disappointed terms. I guess that shouldn't have been surprising, since TV and media pundits had been expecting silver from her at worst.
Olympics Tonight opened with Becky's race and covered her bronze with a similar downbeat air. She was the first guest on, and Gabby Logan and Ian Thorpe adopted a half consoling, half "well done, it's an Olympic medal" tone. Rebecca, it must be said, was looking very attractive.
On reflection, if she hadn't tried to chase Ledecky and had just swum her own race, she'd have had the silver.
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Date: 2012-08-04 06:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-07 12:48 am (UTC)