Rio Olympics : Athletics

Not just track, there is field too.

OK, so this is what the Olympics is really about, events that in many cases would be recognisable to the ancient Greeks who invented the whole thing.  Of course, they'd be confused by the female athletes, and indeed the clothing, but never mind.  Good to make it here, the Engenhão stadium is most impressive, and 'only' an hours ride... not sure what the seating deal is, I got the cheapest ticket but there is no segregation and lots of empty seats, so I just get near the front.  There is one section reserved for athletes' family, so I only sit there for a short while - specifically, while Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katarina Johnson-Thompson run their respective hurdles races.  Why yes, I have picked a good session to go to...

Johnson-Thompson flying over the hurdles.

It isn't just about the heptathlon of course, there is an awful lot of sport happening, albeit mostly qualifying rounds, heats and so on - well, this is the first session.  There are men throwing the discus, women putting the shot, and various distances being run.  The only race for a medal I see is the women's ten thousand metres, well, it's value for money, not blink and you miss it like the hundred metres.  Good event for Ethiopia this, Almaz Ayana and Tirunesh Dibaba take gold and bronze for them, with Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot getting the silver.  Can't say it's a terribly close race, Ayana finishes fifteen seconds ahead of Cheruiyot, with a new world record time of 29:17.45, and the lead group of six laps the rest of the field, including all three Brits, at least once.

Ayana and Dibaba on their lap of honour.  You can also spot a tracksuited
Johnson-Thompson, waiting for the bar to be raised in the high jump.

Back to the heptathlon for the high jump, this is going to take a while as there are a lot of competitors, and each gets up to three attempts at each height.  Still, the bar inches upwards, Ennis-Hill jumping well, Johnson-Thompson doesn't even bother with lower than 1.80, this is a good event for her.  Slowly the jumpers thin out, the running and so forth elsewhere on the field ends and the crowd is focused on this.  Six athletes remain with the bar at 1.89, Ennis-Hill manages it on the second attempt, Belgian Nafissatou Thiam makes it look easy.  To 1.92, Johnson-Thompson and Thiam sail over, none of the others, including Ennis-Hill, make it.  Then Johnson-Thompson clears 1.95 at the first attempt - a new Olympic record!  It doesn't last long, Thiam equals it, then jumps 1.98!  This is a new world record for the heptathlon, can the British athlete equal it?  Not at the first try... second attempt, the crowd claps along to the run up, and she's over!  More clapping as we try to encourage them over the bar, now at over two metres, but it's not to be, seems fair that they share the new record anyway.  And on the heptathlon points table, Johnson-Thompson leads, with Ennis-Hill not far behind.

Ennis-Hill launching herself at the bar.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.