What I learnt
- Melissa Gorman (AUS) is kind of tall...
- Eva Fabian (USA) is kind of short...
- If a swimmer was ever to replace Chuck Norris as the world's toughest guy, Thomas Lurz (GER) is probably your guy on looks alone...
- The setting for this race is incredible. It doesn't get much better than Hyde Park on a normal summer's day, but with the added Olympic buzz thrown in it will be electric...
- You can walk alongside the swimmers for most of the course... or there is seating/standing with commentary and a big video screen. I kind of preferred walking...
- You can't rent a pedalo while the race is happening...
What I heard
I didn't make it into the post-race press conference, so I went in gonzo-style. This was overheard on the walk to the drug testing room with men's winner Richard Weinberger, his coach, two drug testers and a swim blogger walking just a little too close to them to be considered normal:
- Water temperature was great...
- He tries to swim 80k every week...
- The best way to put on weight is to drink McDonald's milkshakes, which are full of protein and calcium...
What I saw
The Setting
Pulitzer Prize Entry 1
Men's Results
Men's medal ceremony
The finish
Richard Weinberger's lead with about 1km to go
Pulitzer Prize Entry II
I would have gone along but I had to be in Hackney for boring reasons. Looks good!
ReplyDeleteNice, and I enjoyed your amusing account of it :)
ReplyDeleteMelisa Gorman is admirable. She is the only person in the continent to get on with Ken woods who has driven everyone else to saner pastures. Nothing fazes her including the 4.30 am starts.
ReplyDeleteMel is also the only distance swimmer in Australia who has not collapsed into a heap of blubbering mess.
Mel is the Maggie Thatcher of Oz swimming .