04 August

Day seven of the London 2012 Olympic Games and at last the Athletics begins. I feel like I have been waiting for this all of my life!  Unfortunately, due to injury, my role in the Games is as a spectator and self-appointed number one British fan and team mascot – move over spike! During the Games I will share my views and insights into all of the Athletics action, with a hugely biased emphasis on my Team GB colleagues and friends.

What an honour it was for Louise Hazel to be the first member of Team GB to take to the track. The reception she got from the crowd was spine tingling. Sat on my couch at home my eyes were welling up and this was just the start of the ten days of action. Goodness knows how I would have held it together if I had been in the actual stadium and how I am going to cope if I have to watch any events in a public space!  It’s interesting to watch how different athlete’s cope with moments like this. Whilst Lou seemed to soak it up, it seemed to overwhelm Kat JT; although moments later she delivered a great performance. For Jess though, she appeared so composed and prepared. No soaking up the atmosphere for her, just down to business and what a classy piece of sprint hurdling she produced.  No-one could have expected that! 12.54! I had to blink and re-check that time.  A British record and dream start!   Yeah I have no chance of holding it together if she continues like this. As far as Jess goes, I call her (although she doesn’t know it) “Beauty and the Beast’. She is a genuinely lovely person but a fierce competitor. 

I don’t know if I should confess this so publically but here goes – I love Dai Greene! Not in a romantic way I have to add, but in every other possible way. He is incredibly focused on what he is trying to do and has the dedication and work ethic to achieve it. Whilst Dai’s professionalism stands out on the track, I love it that Dai has a really fun personality off it.  He can always be found laughing with other team mates and has an innocent mischievousness about him.  He’s a great example to everyone in the team and I am really pleased that he was given the Captain’s role for the Games. He seemed to stroll round his heat today in such a controlled manner. I think he can take the title.

Another big time performer getting under action today was Chrissie O. She is going to do it to us all again isn’t she?  You just get that feeling as the season has been progressing. She is going to keep us on the edge of our seats shouting our heads off whilst she is as cool as a cucumber. Chrissie is our only Team GB reigning Olympic Champion.  That seems so crazy given the current riches of talent in the team. I would confidently say things are going to change for the better for Team GB Athletics during these Games. 

Got to finish off by mentioning the efforts of Jo and Julia in the 10,000m final tonight. To run personal bests in an Olympic Final is every athlete’s dream. I know they couldn’t believe how fast they ran and it especially amazes me that Jo produced that PB performance after all those years at the top. I think it’s a little thing called a ‘Home Olympics’. If that’s what it can do for Jo then I can’t wait to watch what it can do for the rest of the team.

Can’t wait for Day Two!