commonwealth games
Right at my doorstep! Andy (friend from uni) woke me up with a call this morning telling me the men's 40km marathon would soon be passing corner Grattan and Lygon St. In about 15 minutes we joined the throng of supporters lining both sides of the street and waited for the runners. Today's weather can only be described as sublime, and the sky, oh-so-blue. *happy sigh*
After about another 15 minutes the applause began and soon the leading police car drove into view. We joined in much cheering and clapping as the leading pack (a Tanzanian, South African and two Kenyans) ran past, and the crowd erupted when shortly after, the three yellow and green clad runners followed past. They looped back on the other side of the road, so we actually got to see the runners twice. A runner (country unknown) who knew he was out of medal contention started high-fiving the crowd as he ran past, but he was on the other side of the road, so no high-fiving for me. =) It was very fun, and he looked like he was having tons of fun! The crowd was quite enamoured by him I think. Understandably the leading pack were very focused, and too busy winning to respond much to the crowd.
I got back in time to watch the finish for the women's and men's at Melbourne Cricket Ground on TV. The reception was amazing! I'd go through years of blood and toil and gruelling training if only to have that kind of experience once in my life. The men's winner (the Tanzanian runner - I forgot his name) was beaming no end as he ran to the finish line, the entire stadium cheering for him. What an experience! It gives me goosebumps just watching it.
The women's winner was Aussie Karen McCann. The stadium went wild, she was crying, I was teary-eyed and gawd there's just nothing like the joy of winning in sports. It gets to everyone.
Now I'm really looking forward to the badminton semis and finals next weekend, hopefully we'll manage that 1-2 finish in the mens. That'd be awesome to watch. Unfortunately badminton isn't big in Aus so it doesn't get much broadcast time, and if it does, it'll prolly be the Aussie teams. It's at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre just down along Southbank so if anyone is interested in forking out a small sum of money to watch badminton tell me! Tickets for the finals are $25-$65 I think, and the semis $15 (?).
Also, how great are those Visa - Proud Supporter ads on TV? I love them! They're the ones that go "I can't do it aloooooo-ooo-oone...". I'm really impressed by the way they managed to capture the enthusiasm and support of the crowd and the unbridled joy of the atheletes so so well. Those ads give me chills everytime I watch them, and believe me, I've seen them many times.
Oh the Commonwealth Games!
After about another 15 minutes the applause began and soon the leading police car drove into view. We joined in much cheering and clapping as the leading pack (a Tanzanian, South African and two Kenyans) ran past, and the crowd erupted when shortly after, the three yellow and green clad runners followed past. They looped back on the other side of the road, so we actually got to see the runners twice. A runner (country unknown) who knew he was out of medal contention started high-fiving the crowd as he ran past, but he was on the other side of the road, so no high-fiving for me. =) It was very fun, and he looked like he was having tons of fun! The crowd was quite enamoured by him I think. Understandably the leading pack were very focused, and too busy winning to respond much to the crowd.
I got back in time to watch the finish for the women's and men's at Melbourne Cricket Ground on TV. The reception was amazing! I'd go through years of blood and toil and gruelling training if only to have that kind of experience once in my life. The men's winner (the Tanzanian runner - I forgot his name) was beaming no end as he ran to the finish line, the entire stadium cheering for him. What an experience! It gives me goosebumps just watching it.
The women's winner was Aussie Karen McCann. The stadium went wild, she was crying, I was teary-eyed and gawd there's just nothing like the joy of winning in sports. It gets to everyone.
Now I'm really looking forward to the badminton semis and finals next weekend, hopefully we'll manage that 1-2 finish in the mens. That'd be awesome to watch. Unfortunately badminton isn't big in Aus so it doesn't get much broadcast time, and if it does, it'll prolly be the Aussie teams. It's at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre just down along Southbank so if anyone is interested in forking out a small sum of money to watch badminton tell me! Tickets for the finals are $25-$65 I think, and the semis $15 (?).
Also, how great are those Visa - Proud Supporter ads on TV? I love them! They're the ones that go "I can't do it aloooooo-ooo-oone...". I'm really impressed by the way they managed to capture the enthusiasm and support of the crowd and the unbridled joy of the atheletes so so well. Those ads give me chills everytime I watch them, and believe me, I've seen them many times.
Oh the Commonwealth Games!
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