SPORTS: Olympics (mainly hockey)

This itty-bitty post is bought to you by there being no Olympics on TV for another four years. I expect that the people running it would want more attention to be given to heartwarming stories about sportsmanship rather than other, less ennobling things. And so I oblige.

I did want to mention the hockey, because I found myself watching the exciting women's gold medal match on Friday, I think it was. Wasn't the British goalie amazing? Or should I say English? In the tradition of talking enthusiastically about a sport I know nothing about, are there seriously no outstanding Scottish or Welsh hockey players?

Anyway, international hockey is fierce based on that match and what little else I saw from Rio. There was talk of stitches and wired jaws! It doesn't come off as so violent in girls own books. I know there is talk of sticks and wild play when new girls play for the first time and, yes, there are injuries, but they're usually predictable and in service to the story: one player is injured so she can no longer play and the new girl in the fourth or the rebel who didn't impress the games captain at the start of term can show her mettle.

The force of watching top-class female team sports did strike me anew these Olympics.