defying gravity… or not

Abigail and I sat down for most of the morning and looked at the final day of Olympic gymnastics. Wow, was that a mistake. Well, not entirely, there were some great moments. But there were so many women falling off the beam (on the same spot) that I was having Sydney 2000 vault flashbacks and the high bar was not a whole lot better - so many missed catches and four (?) falls on landings where the landings looked fine but then they pitched forward when they hit the mat … Rhys McClenaghan was on twitter saying to check the height of the bar so it wasn’t just me wondering!

But then Alice D’Amato won a surprise beam gold after being fourth twice, keeping her balance when all around lost theirs. And Rebeca Andrade won the floor for a much deserved gold medal, and Jordan Chiles and her inquiry lifted her to a bronze and her reaction and Simone hugging her was delightful. And then the two of them kneeling before Rebeca on the podium was so sweet. The ladies have been so supportive of one another and so much good sportsmanship on display, it’s been a pleasure to watch.

Then tonight we watched the athletics. Mondo duPlantis having won the gold already at 6.10m decided to go for 6.25 to break his own world record, just for the craic, and made it. And then we had some surprising skin in the game because it turned out the British girl, Keely Hodgkinson, who was the favourite for gold, races for Leigh Harriers. “Leigh?” says Abigail, because that is where Himself used to live and sure enough, a quick Google reveals that Leigh Harriers are based in Leigh Sports Village, right beside the Holiday Inn where we stayed for a week last month, and around the corner from the Whistling Wren, the pub where we had some meals (currently busier than usual, watch party anyone?)So then we had to shout for her like she was one of our own and she won! Fingers crossed we will get to do the same for Rashidat Adeleke in the 400, she looked good in her heat today!