well, if this is her finding it tough, then what could she do when relaxed? She was interiewed after the hurdles and said the crowd made a huge positive difference. I guess there is a difference between the nations expectations, and the slavvering press who build people up to throw brickbats at them.
Felt sorry for Rebecca Adlington, because she was already a two Gold medal winner, and there was probably more expectation on her shoulders than for almost any other British athlete. Easily the most for any British swimmer. I'm not disappointed that she got two Bronze medals this time, but I'm sad for her because she will be disappointed with them.
She didn't seem disappointed! I think people are just ignorant about the challenge posed by these young swimmers that nobody knows anything about. When there are 15 year olds breaking world records, it's pretty hard to predict anything accurately. Incidentally, I just checked Adam Gemili's stats on FM. 17 pace and acceleration (not exactly electric) but judging by his other stats (mostly 1s), he made the right choice to move into athletics.
I personally think she did very well in the pool here. She has paid the price for winning the golds in Beijing as an unknown, and her two bronzes probably represent what her level is at compared to other swimmers.
In her longer distance race she is still the World Record holder. If she had equalled her world record she would have won the Gold. She just didn't swim as well as she can and I think expectation was partly to blame. Some people can rise to it, some people get killed by it. And sometimes the ones who rise to it, get killed by it and visa versa.
Tell who is winning? It's madness that one! Nearly as funny as my wife earlier when watching the sailing. The clock came up on the right handside of the screen, counting down to the start. This is when all 20 boats start sailing in all different directions for three minutes waiting to attack the start line on the gun. My wife, bless her, looks up at a shot on the screen to see boats facing in several different directions and says, "What sort of race is this, they're all going in different directions?"
Murray and Robson are through to the final of the Mixed Doubles Tennis! Wish I'd watched more of that rather than watching the British Women's Hockey team doing their best to emulate the English Men's Football Team.
Another WR and Gold in the women's team pursuit for GB and they were so close to passing the USA team who started half a lap ahead!
Dani King a member of the gold winning ladies team pursuit. Is from Southampton, so we get a Gold post box
