London 2012 Olympics

The Olympics are here, in London this time. And I've been glued, watching sports that I wouldn't even consider watching as I wait, patiently for track and field. The origins of the Olympics lie in the Athletics. All this other stuff, like Rhythmic Gymastics, where you prance around with a string, or a hoola hoop, weren't there. All those other sports have taken over.

But it's all good. Let them enjoy and win a gazzillion medals, like Michael Phelps. That would be impossible in the sprints. The most medalled sprinter, Carl Lewis was able to amass an amazing 10 Olympic medals in his career. Nine of them gold. Unless the sprints were cut up into different styles, breast-sprint, butter-sprint, and chopped up into different distances, 25m, 50, 75m, 100m... that's just impossible.

But Michael Phelps is a star, in swimming that is.

But the London Olympics, in its first few days was already plagued with scandals. Remember Ye Shiwen, the 16-year old from China who won two gold medals in both the 200m and the 400m individual medleys? Breaking the World Record in the 400m IM, and then the Olympic Record in the 200m IM. Then the speculation started. Mostly from American coaches. Suspicions of wrong doing were expressed loudly. They all but pointed a finger to say, "you're doping!" Especially John Leonard. What an unprofessional way to admin defeat. Just because he was never able to train someone so well, he came out with the only option left. That there was doping.

But I love the Olympics even though the first week has very little interest for me. Don't like rowing, diving, gymnastics, shooting, archery, basketball, I don't know how many canoeing sports and a plethora of other "sports" I think should really be reconsidered for removal. Like beach volleyball. Ow c'mon! Beach volleyball. You can't take that seriously. Don't get me started on beach volleyball.

Swimming I like. There are no judges, though there are some technicalities on how you turn and what you do when you're underwater. But it's a race. First one there and back wins.

Track is definitely my thing. No judges, except the guys making sure you stay on your lane. You can wobble about, run with your hands by your side, or straight in front of you. Nobody cares. It's about the first one to the finish line.

And it started today. And on the first day of track competition, really the first day of real Olympics for me, Kenya got two medals from it's women. Expect more. The depth in running runs deep! Congratulations to
Sally Jepkosgei Kipyego for getting Kenya's first medal, a Silver in the Women's 10000m, and to Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot for the Bronze medal in the same event.