Thread: What event are you most looking forward to?

As an ex-distance runner I like the 800, 1,500, 10,000 meters and the marathon. But it's all good stuff.

I always enjoy women's gymnastics, track and field (though I'm not big on the distance stuff), equestrian and shooting.

It's always impressive to see top notch athletes do their thing but, admittedly, I wouldn't feel any the worse for wear if I missed badminton and synchronized swimming.

The sports I love watching the most are the swimming (of course), the diving, gymnastics, and track cycling, but one of the things I like most about the Games is the chance to see sports that we don't normally get a chance to watch.

Chinese woman Yi Siling has claimed the first gold medal of the London 2012 Olympics. It came in the 10m air rifle at the Royal Artillery Barracks.



The 23 year-old world No 1 beat Poland’s Sylwia Bogacka by 0.7 points in a nail-biting final at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Greenwich, London.

She had long been favourite to triumph, securing the first medal with a score of 502.9 less than 11 hours after Sir Paul McCartney closed last night’s Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. Fellow Chinese shooter Yu Dan took the bronze medal.

Yi's win continues a very successful year, after winning gold in Munich and silver in London in the International Shooting Sport Federation’s World Cup series.

She fought off 56 rivals, including Malaysian shooter Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi, who is eight months pregnant.

She finished 34th in the qualification round, but was mainly thankful she did not go into labour during the competition.


Golden girl: Yi Siling has won the first gold medal of the London Games

London 2012 Olympics: China's Yi Siling wins first gold medal of the Games in 10m air rifle - Telegraph
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And the rowing has got underway at a beautifully sunny Eton Dornay.

This is an event the British - who have the biggest team at London 2012 with 542 athletes - are strong in and British female pair Helen Glover and Heather Stanning have won the first heat of the women's rowing pairs setting a new Olympic record.


Home support: Great Britain's Helen Glover and Heather Stanning were roared on by a partisan crowd

In a straightforward row the Britons led from the first stroke to the last without being challenged, and completed the race only four seconds outside the world best time in calm conditions, effortlessly defeating the Romanians, Georgeta Andrunache and Viorica Susanu, who had set that time ten full years ago. Just think what they could have done with a roaring tail-wind behind them. Mind you, they did break the Olympic best time, set by a now-retired Australian crew in 1996.

The surprise was the crowd. No deafening roar yet — that will come later in the week — but Glover and Stanning rowed into the final few hundred metres on the crest of a swelling wave of approving cheers.

“We had prepared ourselves for the noise of the crowd but they were fantastic,” said Stanning. “It gave me butterflies,” added Glover. “As much as you’ve planned for it, you don’t know how it’s going to affect you and your emotions, and I was just really proud in that moment.”

From the 750 metres to go mark crowds lined the bank, and when the British pair reached the grandstands well on their way to winning, it became a solid wall of acclaim, buoying the racers. There is no doubt this is Britain’s home Olympics.

London 2012 Olympics: British duo Helen Glover and Heather Stanning set new Olympic record in heats - Telegraph

I thought it was pretty great that a legally blind archer set a world record.

Originally Posted by darth omar

As an ex-distance runner I like the 800, 1,500, 10,000 meters and the marathon. But it's all good stuff.

Marathon runners are special people. They'll shit themselves, if they have to.

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Originally Posted by noahath

The sports I love watching the most are the swimming (of course), the diving, gymnastics, and track cycling, but one of the things I like most about the Games is the chance to see sports that we don't normally get a chance to watch.

Why "of course" for swimming? Were you a competitive swimmer back in the day?

I like watching most of the gymnastic events and also wrestling.

The Closing Ceremony ...

I really won't watch much, if any, of the events, sorry.

Originally Posted by fishjoel

Why "of course" for swimming? Were you a competitive swimmer back in the day?

Nah, the "of course" was in reference to my opening post, where I said I was looking forward to the mens relay

I'm watching the Beach Volleyball right now. US just won the first set against the Aussie women.

US wins the match in 2 sets

Originally Posted by Ernie S.

I'm watching the Beach Volleyball right now. US just won the first set against the Aussie women.

I watched it last night. There was a match under way at 11.15pm. It was strange to see Horse Guards Parade - which traditionally hosts Trooping the Colour to mark the Queen's official birthday and is just a stone's throw away from Downing Street - hidden underneath this huge temporary beach volleyball stadium which was lit up like a UFO. It was great entertainment.


Horse Guards Parade during Trooping the Colour


Horse Guards Parade now, transformed into a beach volleyball stadium






Good effort: Chen Xue of China dips to return the ball during the match, where they eventually lost to the Russian side


Rolling in the sand: With a look of rapt concentration, China's Zhang Xi waits to return the ball


Read more: Life's a beach at Horse Guards Parade where beach volleyball has taken Britain by storm | Mail Online

Man, the Aussie's completly bombed in the men's relay The country is in shock as it was a guaranteed gold for us. The women won on the opening night, and that was a shock! Oh well, at least our arch rivals didn't win either