Yes, Phelps did it. 8 whole shiny bits of metal. Well done. But do you know what?
Brits won things too! We won loads of shiny bits of metal yesterday in cycling, rowing, gymnastics (yes, gymnastics I know!) and bloody swimmng too! We do so very rock. Our lovely small country is (as I write this) in 3rd place on the medals table. ‘Scuse my French but come on! 3rd Fucking place! Who is above us? China (who is 1/6th of the world’s population) and the US (who has the unstoppable Phelps).
It just gives me such hope for 2012… Wow, I have national sport related Hope!
One thing made me a little confused though. In the Woman’s Individual Cycling Pursuit, Wendy Houvenaghel got the silver (behind another Brit, Rebecca Romero). My confusion comes from the fact that she was born in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland isn’t in Great Britain. It’s in the United Kingdom but not Great Britain… I’m starting to panic that everything I thought I understood about my country is wrong…
Am I?
But short the confusion… We are currently the Best European country at the Olympics! Rock very much on!
Even me, the hardened olympic hater, felt a tiny stiring of pride when I learnt we were third.
It’s a shame these aren’t the 1988 Seoul olympics because then your post title would have been extra clever.
We compete as Great Britain and Northern Ireland. They just generally don’t mention the last bit because it’s a mouthful. ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’ is a little unwieldy as country names go.
Someone should probably told Phelps that gold prices have dropped dramatically in recent weeks. On the other hand, maybe that’s why he needs so much of it; in which case someone should tell him that they are only gold plated, not solid.
Oh, and isn’t China about a quarter of the world’s population?
I couldn’t believe it when I noticed we were third in the table. Go us! I must admit I did smile when Phelps won his eighth gold. Nice to say you saw the best swimmer in the history of swimming win his eight golds.
Kevin Spencers last blog post..Paris By Night
I watched far too much of the Olympics over the weekend but Hoo-bloody-rah! Didn’t we do well? I loved it all too ;o)
Penelopes last blog post..There won’t be a next time.
Go GB!!!
I still say the IOC should have flown Mark Spitz out to Bejing to see Phelps break his 7 Gold record. They kind of wrote him off even before Phelps had hit the pool.
2012 9s gonna RAWK!
blondefabulouss last blog post..And So, It Begins!
Nice to know that someone else knows the difference between the UK and GB (does that make me a pedant?). To confuse matters though I’m sure I saw a boxer, born in Belfast, fighting for Eire!
Dan – and we’re still third after another day (although Australia is now crawling up our arse). I tried to find something to do with gold and China… Oh! Beijing Bling! Dammit!
yorksdevil – Nowhere does it say Northern Ireland – not even on the official website! Pissed off NI should well be! Going by Google’s July 2007 estimates on population China is just under a fifth – so we were both wrong… but let’s still be a little bit scared by that!
Kevin Spencer – It’s one to tell the kids in the future – although now, apparently, he’s got his eye on a London haul of 9… How many calories is he going to have to eat for that?
Penelope – Watching far too much Olympic’s means you now qualify for the new Couch Potato event to be launched at London!
blondefabulous – That would have been a little ‘in your face’ for Spitz but I imagine they’ll be a nice photo opportunity once Mark has stopped stabbing his Phelp’s voodoo doll!
James Neate – It may make you a pedant but it makes you a smart one! Did the Belfast Boxer win any medals – because if so I demand DEMAND they be added to GB’s total!
That’s right… 2012 London gets the games. Should be exciting. And I’m with blondefabulous… Mark Spitz should have been there in person, not via satellite link with Bob Costas on the view.
martymankinss last blog post..Scooter Sunday #18
martymankins – 2012 games! Watch Britain do what we do… reasonably well! I’ve signed up as a volunteer and will hear in 2011 if I’ve got the gig… If I knew who Bob Costas was and what The View was I would be suitably impressed? Dismayed?
Keep an eye out for Paddy Barnes! http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/9/218679.shtml
Next fight tomorrow. Have to admit that normally I’m no sports fan but the coverage of the range of sports has kept me enthralled.
James Neate – totally missed him, but, hurrah! Won and through!