The Nunhead Olympics - 3

As the Autumn begins to bite (hence my poem of the week) and Winter is only just around the corner; while the TV sport that appears to be everywhere is godawful football; it seems an appropriate moment to recall a happier time this Summer...

So, one warm weekend evening we went to the Excel centre for the Fencing (men's team foil finals - yes, we watched some people medalling!).   This truly was a public transport Olympics, and a highly successful one...  The DLR (which I have criticised here in the past, I must admit) proved simple and straightforward.  We arrived with plenty of wandering-around time to spare.

I must admit I wasn't very clear about the various types of fencing before we went there...

Once inside the Excel centre,, the venue- all darkness and neon lights - proved amazing...

If there was one flaw, it was that whenever they were presented, the fencers faced the other side of the arena and kept their backs to us....

We knew little about fencing, so in the final we applied science to decide who we would support - Italy or Japan?

In the end we went for the Japanese, because the Italians were unfairly tall and had floppy hair.

The supporters on both sides were eager and enthusiastic - but even with our help the Japanese couldn't win.  The Italians got the Gold.

 

And then it came to the medalling.

So, after a slick hour and a half of top-quality sport, the podium had to be built. 

By people in Olympics purple (so by definition they were nice) bringing out the sort of boxes you'd use to build a school stage.   You know, handles cut into each end, made of cheap boards - easy for people to manhandle around. And they were fiddly to fit together and they had to go in a certain order, so it took a while. 

I don't know, there was nothing wrong with this as such, I'd just expected something higher-tech, I guess.

And then the teams all medalled.  With their backs to us.

Although they did turn around at one point for a big wave. 

So basically that was all good then.