Lightning Strikes Twice!!

Yesterday I watched in complete awe and disbelief as Usain Bolt smashed Michael Johnson's long-standing world record in the 200 metres. When asked before the race, whether he thought Bolt would break his record, CNN reported that Michael Johnson 'didn't think Bolt was ready yet.' And yet there he was - Mr. Lightning, making it look ridiculously easy, effortlessly relaxed - a Michael Phelps of the Athletics world!

What an ATHLETE!! And funny too - after winning, he pulled off his glittering gold sneakers (never seen anything like them before!), draped the Jamaican flag around that tall, sinewy frame and did his funky chicken dance - almost as good as the actual run if not better ;-) The crowd adored him and he obviously enjoys being in the spotlight! A born performer!

I had watched him set the track ablaze when he set a new world record in the 100 metres to become the 'fastest man on the planet' but then to do the double, let me channel Mr. Reshamiyya here, SUPERB!! AMAZING!! FANTASTIC!! MIND BLOWING!!

He ran the 100 metres in 9.69 seconds and the 200 metres in 19.30 seconds!! I mean what is 10 sec for Pete's sake? I get up in the morning and stretch for a whole minute before I can even contemplate moving, forget run anywhere! It got me to thinking - what CAN I do in 10 sec? Hmm....let me think...yawn - yup can do a 10 sec and a 20 sec yawn comfortably - in fact am pretty good at that! Wonder if they have an Olympic medal for yawning! Surf 20 TV channels -such a useful skill, believe me! Blink rapidly about 15 times (yes I really did time myself!) - very easy, entirely useless and utterly boring! Click my fingers 8 times, get the treadmill started - yeah, I think I can manage to do that in 10 sec...

Today he turns 22 - and what a way to celebrate! World and Olympic record holder in the double, the first man in history to break both world records at one Olympics, and the first man to win both the 100 and 200 metres events at the same Olympics since Carl Lewis in 1984!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.BOLT - MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!!

The New Big B! Really?

Thanks to Kaustubh for letting me know that 25 yr old Abhinav Bindra had won the first EVER individual Olympic Gold for India!! It came as a wonderfully unexpected bolt from the blue! I was ecstatic!

I wasn't watching his event - didn't even know it existed! Frankly, I didn't think India had any medal hopes, was really pissed off at the Hockey team for failing to qualify and so was caught off-guard! But now let me say, CONGRATULATIONS ABHINAV - YOU DID US PROUD!!

I like this young man - all of 25, he impressed me with his calm and self-assurance. It was as if his victory had been a forgone conclusion and not the result of a hard, well fought battle! His rather stoic appearance, brightened only by the broad grin on the podium! His sister later said in an interview, that he had always been a dedicated, focused, reserved sort of child, not given to open displays of emotion but determined to do his country proud in his chosen area of expertise. Well he certainly did! Here's to many more Days of Glory!

In true Bollywood style, the media was all over his house, his family, his friends, his hometown...interviewing all and sundry. As I watched Indians all over the country send in their Congratulations, I couldn't help wondering how long it would last - this euphoria of an Olympic Gold. Would it really make any dent in India's long-standing apathy toward a sport other than cricket? Truth be told - I don't think so. I did a little research on Mr.Bindra and he is not representative of the average Indian. He comes from an affluent family with the luxury of a rifle range in his backyard! Unlike most talented sports persons in India, he was not at the mercy of the sports bureaucracy that I often feel exists, only to confer awards on sportsmen and women who triumph despite them rather than because of them!

I remember a time when Paes and Bhupati were doing well in tennis, when Rathore won silver at Athens or when Narayan Kartikeyan and Sania Mirza first erupted onto the scene, there was much hope then that these sportsmen and their successes would spur the development of non-cricket sports in India, but I haven't seen that happen! Sadly, Hockey once a source of much pride and joy (still our national game for reasons unknown!) continues its abysmal decline in the face of much political scheming and in-fighting.

Why is it that in a country of 1.1 billion, only one sport is revered beyond every other, even when India is at best, mediocre at it? I guess - that is the million or shall I say billion dollar question! Why is it that India - once Olympic hockey champions are now unable even to qualify? Sport demands high levels of dedication and fitness from players but they also need modern infrastructure and sponsor support to train effectively and earn a living while doing so, since most athletes have short careers and are at a high risk of injury. I think China has shown the world, how it should be done over the last few decades and as a result been increasingly rewarded for their hard work and commitment to excellence in recent years.

While I hope that this latest Olympic Gold will indeed make a difference in the Indian sporting scene - my gut tells me that is unlikely. Public memory is fickle. This will most likely be another one of those 'flash-in-the-pan' events, much loved but soon forgotten and eventually relegated to dinner table chit-chat among sports enthusiasts.

This time, as before, I look forward to being wrong.


* Title inspired by Dr.U.N Gaitonde urf Mamaji!

China, Shining!

On the most auspicious 8th day of the 8th month of the 8th year at 8.08pm, Beijing kicked off the 2008 Olympiad with a 'GRAND EXTRAVAGANZA!!'.

Not being a very keen sports enthusiast, I wasn't really interested and when I heard that these Olympics are being hosted at a cost of upwards of US$40 billion, I was flabbergasted and critical of China. But, Friday night and nothing much to do - so we sat down to watch and boy am I glad we did!!

Where do I begin? The spectacular display of fireworks throughout the ceremony; thousands of drummers moving as one, every angle perfect, every note harmonious; the giant scroll unfurling on centre stage and dancers turning it into a work of art with their inked hands, while fairies (suspended from the heavens) moved serenely high above them. My jaws dropped watching the perfectly choreographed printing demonstration, while thousands of monks danced with their bamboo scrolls. Such perfect synchrony, had me convinced, the whole piece was mechanized - until lo and behold, at the very end, thousands of young men threw off their costumes and waved excitedly to the crowd!!

The list is endless - whether it was the vivid pageantry, the astronauts, the huge Globe with travellers circling it in mid-air, the maritime scenes with colourful rowers in ship formations, children singing and dancing, haunting music and scintillating lights - it was picture perfect!! The spectacular display took us down a journey of 5000 years of Chinese civilization in the space of 2 hours - and showcased some major Chinese inventions - gunpowder, ink painting, printing and the compass!

China's moment had arrived and how!! As I watched awe-struck, the last torch bearer, Li Ning, a famous gymnast rose majestically bird-like into the air, blazing a fiery trail until at last the Olympic Torch lit up in all its magnificent glory!! (Am in danger of running out of adjectives here!) The Bird's Nest stadium lit up like a jewel, in the light of the shining Torch and a multitude of fireworks! What an achievement!!

I remember Pramod Mahajan's campaign for the BJP in the last Indian General Election - 'India Shining'. Watching the glorious trail-blazing spectacle that Beijing put on for the world yesterday, I realized how far India has to travel to get to the 'S' in 'Shining!! We are so similar in so many ways and yet what a difference government makes! I'm not condoning the Chinese Government's dictatorial style of functioning nor their poor human rights record - but the fact is - they get the job done and yesterday they surpassed I'm sure, even their own high expectations. They certainly surpassed mine!

But it's the people that I most admire - for the true pride they have in their country and its achievements and the sacrifices they are willing to make to turn dreams into reality. In my opinion, India and Indians lack that - we too have a glorious heritage but not much pride in it, me included unfortunately. I expect the Government to do everything and then crib when it doesn't.

But the truth is - a country is its people. And yesterday's Ceremony was a testament to the persistence, hard-work, dedication and spirit of a billion plus Chinese - Hats Off China! Take a Bow!