Hang gliding – attempt 2

Tomorrow I set off on another adventure, the 2nd attempt to leave the clutches of earth and fly like a bird. Not taking anything for granted this time but HOPEFULLY within a week and a half I will be a Novice rated hang glider pilot. Just a matter of aquiring sufficient skills without hitting anything too hard, then I should be soaring around the sky with much the same ease as that with which many people ride bicycles.

 

The weather looks OK for the first couple of days but could get a bit dodgy later in the week. How long it takes to finish will depend on that weather factor as well as how long it takes to learn the required skills. However the training normally lasts about 1 week. Significant updates here are unlikely during this time but come back after and I’ll tell you all about it!

 

Olympic highlights

Well, the Olympic games have been run again and the flag handed over for the next 4 years. Some of the enduring highlights I’ll remember will be:

 

Beijing’s job of hosting the games. Spectacular, smooth organisation and a great deal friendlier than some commentators in other parts of the world were expecting. Even the state of the atmosphere was better than expected, we actually saw a lot of blue sky.

 

The incredible number of world records broken. This seemed especially evident in the swimming pool.

 

The performances of Stephanie Rice, Libby Trickett and Liesel Jones among others, securing Australia a good number of medals in the pool. Though Britta Steffen and some no-name blokes ruined things a bit, these guys notably giving Eamon Sullivan some results less than he would have been hoping for.

 

Usain Bolt. A complete star. Will always remember him pulling away from the 100m field, holding his arms out wide saying "look at me" while not really running in the last 10 metres, and still breaking the world record. What time could he do if he ran hard for the whole race?

 

Australia’s great rowing golds, which I saw on a balmy night on the roof top of a Sydney pub with a large crowd of people celebrating a friend’s birthday party.

 

Sally Mclellan. Great run. Delightful reaction. Delightful interview. Delightful personality. Sometimes silver can seem as good as gold.

 

Steve Hooker – one of the great unexpected gold medals, giving us the pleasure of hearing the best national anthem played at the iconic Bird’s Nest stadium – though it was only once, it was one more than expected.

 

China’s performances in gymnastics and diving amoing many other sports, and finishing ahead of the Unilateral States of Arrogance in the gold count – I’m just glad someone did.

 

The highest scoring Olympic dive ever by Matthew Mitcham, just to remind China that they’re not perfect. Though hearing about his other side 24 hours later put a bit of a dampener on it.

 

Anna Mears, the one bright spark in a dismal cycling program. To have a crash less than a year ago which put her millimetres from spinal paralysis, and come back and get a silver is just amazing.

 

The fastest men’s marathon in Olympic history. What an inspiring performance!

 

 

Some of the things that didn’t go too well:

 

Some Aussie world record holders not getting the gold – but also the media’s predictable reaction. No doubt they gave their best effort on the day, I’m just disappointed for them, not in them.

 

Same goes for the team sports in general. So many silvers, bronzes and 4th places but no gold. Their efforts deserved better.

 

Grant Hackett coming second to a convicted drug cheat. He deserved better. He gave it all he could. Good on you Grant, you’ll always be one of the great Olympic champions.

 

How come we can swim so well, but can’t run, jump or throw? Given Australia’s consistent hauls of gold in the pool, there is absolutely no logical reason for our track and field record over at least the last 20 years. Steve Hooker’s gold being the first track and field one by an Aussie bloke in so many decades says it all. Cathy Freeman, Glynis Nunn and Debbie Flintoff-King stand out because of their rarity. John Steffensen has been all talk but no action since the Commonwealth Games 2 years ago, and Jana Rawlinson just can’t stop getting injured at the most crucial time. Still waiting for the next Herb Elliott, or John Landy, or Shirly Strickland. It’s been a long time. Too long.

 

Cycling (apart from Anna Mears). Need I say any more? Our administrators have dropped the ball resulting in the wrong country dominating.

 

Following on from that point, the only thing about the Aussie team’s overall performance that disappointed is finishing below "GBR". It’s always expected that we won’t take down powerhouses like USA, China and Russia, but GBR? With all due respect to my great UK friends, the traditional rivalry dictates that I should say "that’s just wrong!" We’ll have to work extra hard to toss them on their home turf in London. I hope our administrators and government bean counters have taken notice. I certainly know the British are on to the situation – with their organisation and their funding. Nevertheless, the performance of my country of a tiny 20 million population in the last few Olympics to finish consistently in the top 10 and a couple of times in the top 5, is truly remarkable and attests to the pride and passion that comes with pulling on the green and gold. Well done again in Beijing!

 

 

Hopefully I can be inspired by the Olympics to improve my own mediocre fitness which has taken a battering recently due to the time taken to move residence and a couple of winter colds.