Two eggs and a sausage please

I have been watching a bit of the Olympics today (Saturday), I still can't get too excited about it all but there is something inspiring about watching people doing their absolute best.   I do find I am a little uncomfortable about just how partisan the crowds seem to be.   Somehow this just doesn't seem to be very British never mind fitting in with the Olympic ideal.   I would love to think that we were supporting all the competitors in their sporting achievements, maybe especially the underdogs.   I was heartened when Steve Redgrave voiced some reservations about just how partisan the crowd down at Eton Dorney was this morning, there is never an excuse for not applauding an honest competitor.

The USA Broze Medal Winners

Since this was the first free Saturday I have had for quite some time I got up at the crack of noon and watched some rowing while eating breakfast, I was rather glad that I had finished eating by the time of the men's coxless four medal ceremony, it might have put me off my sausage.   Now I can understand that the Lycra outfits may help the sporting performance, but they do nothing to hide the excitement of the moment, and I may be mistaken but it looked to me as though at least one of the USA rowers was quite excited about receiving his medal.

I am also a little disappointed that the BBC does not seem to be celebrating personal achievements, and good third and fourth places, if the competing is more important that winning then Britain's greatest Olympian is Eddie Edwards.   Yes it is great to win, I know this from the number of times I lost when I was actively involved in sport, but surely every Olympian deserves celebration, and those who exceed their own previous best achievements even more.   In most sports beating yourself should be better than beating the other guy.

Having said all that the British girls who won the lightweight sculls are new stars, their joy, and surprise at winning, and the way all the medal winners genuinely congratulated each other was most heartening.