Olympic & Paralympic Games London 2012

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

There is a one-handed lady in the Table Tennis!

Did you see the first medal won in the shooting was apparently a guy who was blind in one eye? The commentator was praising him as if he'd overcome a huge disadvantage rather than realising he doesn't have to waste any effort closing one eye. Dimwit.

Can't believe the beach volleyballs still on, it can't be warm.

Edit: The Americans have long sleeved tops on and the Aussies have the same and leggings. Not watching this shite...

Check out the indoor game between Brazil and Turkey

[Colly]

There's a lot of hugging going on.

[Steeb]

When do the GB Men's Gymnastic team next perform?

[Guest mr. potato head]

So at least one popular American sportswriter (of the Internet era, no less) is attending his first Olympics and sees hard-pressed to believe anything could be as exciting as the basketball

[Colly]

Also dismissing multi awardwinning director Danny Boyle as 'the guy who directed Slumdog Millionaire' as if that's a bad thing. Penis.

[stokeriño]

Tuned into the Brazil/Turkey game halfway through the second set. They've sold me on the 'World champions v Olympic debutants' angle and I'm fully rooting for Turkey. ^_^

[The Buscher]

So at least one popular American sportswriter (of the Internet era, no less) is attending his first Olympics and sees hard-pressed to believe anything could be as exciting as the basketball

I love Bill Simmons, but yeah his hard-on for basketball is a tad bit ridiculous at times. Usually find myself skipping his NBA-centric podcasts.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Turkey win the fourth set in the volleyball and we're going into the fifth and final set to decide this, what a comeback from them.

Going past 1am with this one.

[iiMarco x]

Anyone know what time the first event is? and what the event is?

[Lineker]

Anyone know what time the first event is? and what the event is?

http://www.london2012.com/schedule-and-results/

[Lineker]

This story has been doing the rounds but it's too awesome not to post here:

When London's mayor accepted the Olympic flag in 2008 a Chinese farmer who was looking on inside the stadium says he was inspired to travel to the next host city for the Games by the only way he could afford - rickshaw.

In just over two years Chen Guanming says he has travelled about 60,000km through 16 countries, overcoming floods, war zones, mountain passes and temperatures of -30C.

His aim, he said, was to "spread the Olympic spirit".

He says he left his home on 23 May 2010 and arrived in London on 9 July.

John Beeston, from Norwood Green, in west London, discovered him at the top of Lower Regent Street looking "completely lost and downhearted".

"At first I assumed it was a tourist rickshaw. Then I looked back and thought 'No, this is something different'."

Mr Chen has pictures on his three-wheeled rickshaw of him posing in front of international landmarks and a banner saying he is on a journey of 140,000km (86,992 miles) - which includes China.

Mr Beeston, who runs an insurance brokers and travels to China on business, was able to chat to Mr Chen who is unable to speak English.

"I spoke with my limited Mandarin, asking if he was Chinese and he burst into life."

He took him to Soho's Chinatown where Mr Chen told his story and has since been showered with admiration and offers of accommodation.

He has even been bought a Jamaican tracksuit top.

"They couldn't find a Chinese one," Mr Chen said.

His story sounds so fantastical that few would give it house room, but the 57-year-old from Jiangsu province in eastern China, has the passport, press cuttings and book full of messages from around the world, to testify to his feat.

"It's like telling people that a Martian has landed in the garden," said Mr Beeston.

"But, what he's done isn't dissimilar to what Marco Polo did and the Italians named an airport after him."

In the first countries - Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam - he had to wring his clothes out seven or eight times a day because of the sweat. It was about 38C.

In Thailand, he was caught up in deadly floods.

On trying to leave South East Asia he was refused a visa in Burma.

Unperturbed, he backtracked and cycled to Tibet where he wended his way on his gearless bike up 7,000m high mountains.

Having crossed Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran he ended up in Turkey where it was -30C and he says he spent four days snowed in.

He says he supported himself couriering items along the way for people and through people's donations.

So was the journey worth it?

"London is especially beautiful," he says.

"People are very friendly. They always show warmth towards me.

"When I go back to China I want to tell them how civilised the English are."

He wants to carry on spreading his message of peace and environmental protection, he says.

"I'm a big fan of Olympic Games," he says with typical understatement.

"I wanted to come here because I wanted the whole world to support the Olympics and be part of it."

Ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games he led a personal crusade against littering, encouraging people to respect their environment.

To achieve this, he cycled to Beijing from his village, Erchen, in 2001 when China's bid was successful.

He says he went through 1,764 cities, covering more than 90,000km.

For three months he collected litter around Beijing and the Olympic Park.

He litter picked everything from cigarette butts to plastic bottles and was rewarded for his voluntary work by the authorities with a seat at the closing ceremony.

Now, he wants to be in the opening ceremony to round off his Olympic journey.

Asking Mr Chen if he thinks it will be "difficult" to take part in the ceremony on Friday seems crass given the scale of his achievement in coming this far.

And with his indomitable spirit, who's to say he won't achieve it?

Whatever happens, he has his heart set on making it to Brazil next for Rio 2016.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18980693

[Quom]

Was he given a spot at the opening ceremony? Surely they could have given him a call out? That story is amazing.

Also I am totally going to start playing handball, I reckon I could make the next Olympics

[9 to 5]

Did none of you play Handball at school like I did? >_>

[Dingle]

Did none of you play Handball at school like I did? >_>

Which school? BRGS never did it, but I know about four people who could've gone for the Team GB Olympics team - only one did. Seems like a big deal in rawtenstall ¬_¬.

[9 to 5]

We did! Okay, not for long or with much use for rules, but we did it! >_>

[Quom]

It looks like the sort of game I'd be decent at, main need is tall, ability to jump and smack people about a bit. Plus I am left handed so like totally perfect.

[Dan]

Aside from the regular stuff we used to play this game I can't remember the name of than involved 4 teams all going against each other at the same time in a massive gym with the whole year playing, each team had a goal (the door in the gym) and you could score however you wanted pretty much.

Sadly no handball.

[MDK]

[Dan]

Iceland vs Argentina mens handball!

[Berober]

Greece vs Croatia Water Polo!

The greek guy just tried to drown someone...