feather_ghyll | Entries tagged with sports: the olympic games

I read a couple fewer books than last year (47, I think.) As usual, the vast majority were by women and new to me. Most of the children’s books I read were of a higher standard than last year, probably because I’d bought them online (mainly in 2021-22) with greater intentionality than when I physically went into charity shops or second-hand bookshops.

I only read one book by any of the big four, ( Read more... )

The closing ceremony ( Read more... )

My Olympics were very selective, ( tennis, artistic gymnastics and athletics )

Day eleven: ( Read more... )

Day twelve: ( Read more... )

Day thirteen: ( Read more... )

Day fourteen: ( Read more... )

Day fifteen: ( Read more... )

Day eight: ( Read more... )

Day nine: ( Read more... )

Day ten: ( Read more... )

I did catch up on the women’s doubles gold medal match, ( Read more... )

Day six: ( Read more... )

Day seven: ( Read more... )

I’m sorry, I’ve fallen behind on posting because I’ve been trying to catch up on the gymnastics.

Day three: ( Read more... )

Day four: ( Read more... )

Day five: ( Read more... )

I got Discovery+ (grumbling at the greed of the IOC) to be sure I got to see the tennis, basically. But I watched the opening ceremony on the BBC. ( Read more... )

But to the tennis:

Day one: ( Read more... )

Day two: ( Read more... )

What I didn’t mention in my last post about the Olympics was ( Read more... )

Crossposts: https://feather-ghyll.livejournal.com/190023.html

It took me until the Monday to begin to get into the Olympics, ( Read more... )

Crossposts: https://feather-ghyll.livejournal.com/189731.html

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.

Crossposts: http://feather-ghyll.livejournal.com/134195.html

I have been watching the Olympics, but to a much lesser degree than was the case in 2012, because of the time difference. It took me a little while to realise that I could catch some of the sports – there had been so much emphasis on how the premium athletics would be on in the wee small hours.

But after a couple of days, ( Read more... )

Styx and Stones: Carola Dunn

This is an ultimately breezy mystery for Daisy to solve (with help) and was most interesting for me because of ( Read more... )

Crossposts: http://feather-ghyll.livejournal.com/133711.html

I got a chance to see BBC Sport’s portrait of Murray, or rather I remembered to watch it on iPlayer this morning over breakfast. ( Read more... )

Crossposts: http://feather-ghyll.livejournal.com/89837.html

Came home to ( Read more... )

So, thanks to the rain, the semis have been delayed and the BBC has been showing Murray beating Tsonga here in the past and – to my delight – the Olympics final, because I hadn’t seen it or grasped how much Murray dominated. I heard noises that I don’t think the club had ever heard before.

Crossposts: http://feather-ghyll.livejournal.com/87847.html

Some thoughts on the last day. ( Read more... )

Crossposts: http://feather-ghyll.livejournal.com/77424.html

I made the effort to find out most of the results yesterday (it looks as if the women's singles results are surprisingly NOT going to be a surprise) and then to watch matches on the BBC's website. I did manage to squeeze in some gymnastics and swimming as well. Is it true that Gary Lineker is one of the highest paid BBC presenters now? I don't know if it's because I keep catching him interviewing overwhelmed champions, but the words 'hole' 'sucking' and 'charisma' have been coming to mind when I've seen him, whereas Claire Baldwin, for instance, is much more engaging.

Anyway, back to the tennis! ( Read more... )

I find it interesting that I have no desire to watch hockey, although I'll happily read descriptions of matches in fiction. Of course, in Girls Own books, they're usually from a player's POV and, if you're lucky, reveal something about character.