Sunday 5 August 2012

My Olympic dream

Finally, an Olympic event I could lead - and who wouldn't want to? Being chased around by Vicki Pendleton (seen out of her cycling kit below) on the funkiest moped ever seen. Welcome to the Keirin, a form of cycle racing that originated in the gambling dens of Japan. The moped gets chased foe two-and-a-half laps, pulls over and the cyclist race by to complete  total of five laps (no, Vicki, come back...) Bonkers, and strangely addictive to watch.

These Olympics are changing the way the English think. Maybe we're not a basket case. Maybe the gold medals, the success of Triumph, Dyson, Jaguar, Land Rover, our music industry, and the Olympic experience prove we're as brilliant as we always were. The support by spectators for competitors of every nation prove the political extremes are wrong to play the jingoism card. Brits love abroad, love diversity and love inclusiveness.

Our youngest (15, just awarded his first dan blackbelt at judo) went to see the judo yesterday with friends and his sensei/teacher. Much more of an inspiration for young people than the usual "celebrities" and footballers. I don't think Wiggins had any idea how much his achievements would mean to us ordinary people. And then watching Chris Hoy and Vicki Pendleton. Well, who would not want to ride a bicycle? And it is from young people on bicycles we'll get tomorrow's motorcyclists.




3 comments:

  1. Saw these races and was wondering... exactly what was that moped. Looked old but probably wasn't?

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  2. ...changing the way the English think...
    Don't forget the Welsh and the Scots and the Irish!

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  3. Oh quite right; it is Team GB. I'm told Yorkshire would be top 10 in the medal league if it was a sovereign state!

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