As Faith Kipyegon’s accelerated away from her opponents to victory in the women’s Diamond League 1500 metres the livestream commentary team fell to comparing her with Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
Remember 24 September 1993? That was the day International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch reached for the envelope containing the winning bidder for the 2000 Olympic Games, drew out the enclosed sheet of paper and announced (ignoring the mangled English):
“And the winner is . . . Sydney.”
Times are of some significance in popular culture. After midnight is when “we let it all hang out” – according to J.J. Cale, at least. In myriad ditties the dawn heralds the beginning of a new day.
A disturbing image it is, though I have no personal knowledge I hasten to add. But let me take you back to those early 20th century days. The Hobart Harriers and New Town Harriers had just been formed in the capital. Launceston Harriers quickly followed an early example of anything that happens in the south of Tasmania is quickly replicated in the north. And vice versa.
Timing a return to post-Olympic competition is somewhat analogous to Goldilocks’ porridge: too early for some, too late for others, just right for some other ‘others’
For a few, it was just too much to contemplate.
In a famous case before the Australian High Court Justice Lionel Murphy, in arguing that the conviction of an indigenous activist should be overturned, wrote: “Mr Neal is entitled to be an agitator.”
It took until the very last event on the program for the athlete of Paris 2024 to emerge. And it took until the very last metres of the 42 thousand, 195 metres (plus a metre per kilometre to ensure there is no under-distance measurement) before it became clear Sifan Hassan was going to win the women’s marathon.
On the last night in the Olympic stadium, everything’s a highlight. Every event is a final, that’s more than half of it. But each event is further tinged in the sentimental hue that this is closing night.
The 10,000 meters might be attenuated drama by its very nature, but 25 laps leading to a margin of victory of just one-tenth of a second? If that doesn’t raise the hairs on the back of your neck, check your vital signs.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has done it again. For a third time she completed a US Trials-global championships world record double in the 400 metres hurdles in the Stade de France on Thursday night (8 August).
