I've decided not to try to keep posting by days, because I watch one day at night and then in the morning, see the results online for the next day, which NBC will broadcast "live" later that night . . . Help! I'm lost in the space-time continuum without a DeLorean or Doc Brown!At the Cube the US swimmers just kept breaking records and winning tons of medals , but at the Bird's Nest the US track & field athletes are not starting off with the same success. With more events and diversity of events, track does not lend itself to easy domination by one person or small group of stars. And there are more nations that have medal contenders. Still, we believe that our American athletes should have a significant presence. Early on in the competition, its just not happening.
Kudos to Shalane Flanagan for her bronze in the 10,000m and new American record! And to Hyleas Fountain in the heptathlon (silver) and Walter Dix with a PR in the 100m (bronze). Seven events complete for the women and just two bronze . . . three events on the men's side and a silver (shot put) and a bronze. Expectations were higher, especially for the men's shot, men's 100m and women's 100m. More events and opportunities to come and we'll keep the faith.
MEN'S 100m DASH: Bronze medalist Walter Dix put it best - "the man can run". Most likely, we witnessed a new era in 100m sprinting with Usain Bolt "coasting" to a new world record. And we were all left with "what if". If he can stay healthy, focused and motivated, he will dominate the race as Carl Lewis did in his era. If he doesn't, we will be left with the "what if" of the Beijing race.
There are some athletes that define themselves by their records. There are others that just win. Bolt said he was only focused on the gold medal and didn't even know that it was a record until halfway through his victory lap. What the athlete values and what we spectators value, is personal to each. If Bolt chooses to just win, he will still set records.
Contrasting winning with records, other legends come to mind: Ron Clarke (Australia /1960s) set 17 world records across six distance running events, but never won a gold; Al Oerter (USA) won four Olympic gold medals in the discus (1956, 1960, 1964, 1968), but only held the world record once in his career; Sergey Bubka (USSR/Ukraine) won six world champions and one Olympic gold while setting the pole vault world record 35 times.
How will history record Usain Bolt's accomplishments - it's going to be fascinating to watch.
THINGS THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION: Chalk plumes engulfing the shot putters. Adam Nelson fouling 10 of his 12 puts over three Olympic Games. High socks on women 10k runners. Shelane Flanagan's mom screaming for her. As a former steeplerchaser, the NASTY waterjump pile-up in the women's race - ouch! US steepler Anthony Famiglietti saying "you have to put yourself in pain everyday". I love to look at flags of the world - some are so cool. Russian vaulter Elena Isinbaera sleeping during the early pole vault heights - clearing one vault at 15-00, which no one else cleared, waving and gone. Are women shot putters always so happy? Beijing looks beautiful from the marathon helicopter.
