Stay ON TOP of the Action: Thursday's Event Lineup
Amazing excitement is still yet to be had coming into the second half of the final week of the 29th Modern Olympic games. Whether you've been full fledged following the events, picking bits and pieces when you can or without access to any media since the games began, not to worry. The next four days are sure to be action packed with all the fun and excitement one can imagine.
To get us started on what's still to be seen, in honor of this year's venue, how much more proper and British can one get than horseback Dressage? The event displays a beauty and gracefulness that is developed through obedience where the horse's well being is respected in the highest regard. Lifetime of development in the movement and technique that they display is apparent in effortless gaunt by rider and horse. The sequences of maneuvers are established by the rules of the sport by which each participant is judged by their ability in the different areas of competition. The better known skills they are to perform include the Halt, the Walk, Trot, Canter, Latteral Movements, Serpentine Walk, Piroett(360 degree turn) and more. The event starts at 12:30 local time. Britain or Germany are best positioned to take the medals here. Ann Romney owns the horse that the American rode in yesterday's competition.
Women's 10M platform diving semis and finals are held Thursday at 10:00am and 7:00pm London time. China's Roulin Chen is the diver to beat and is set to defend her gold medal victory in Beijing when she was just 15.
Sailing continues on it's eleventh and final event on Thursday with the gold medal regatta in the men's 470. The competition is a two man team and the final race for gold stacks the top 10 teams achieving the lowest of points in a combined total of the previous races. The points assigned at the end of each day are based on the position a team placed that day. For example a third place finish merits 3 points and a 6th place merits six points. The Australians have been the best performers but a close second has been England. The hour long race begins at 1:00pm local time.
Also in the water is the grueling long distance 10K women's swimming challenge beginning at 12 noon. Taking place in Hyde Park, a similar venue as central Park in NY, it also served as the location of the Olympic triathlon event that ended yesterday for the men with Britain taking both the Gold and Bronze while Spain won Silver. The women triathlon ended Monday. The long distance swimmers will be making 6 laps along the buoyed water course. See a map here.
Alot of kayaking sprints are still to take place on Thursday with the four man 1000M, women's single and double 500M and double 1000M. These kayaking fast dash sprints are scheduled to begin early morning and are a feat of strength for the athletes who exert every muscle to power their boats with a single oar.
The two medal games in Men's beach volleyball will take place at 7:00 and 9:00pm. The Brazilian men's team is the chosen favorite going up against Germany. And Latvia versus Netherlands will compete for bronze.
Quite a bit of boxing is yet to be had. Three weight classes in women's action will take place for fly, light, and middle weight on Thursday.
Excitement on the soccer field begins at 1:00pm local time in a fight for the women's bronze between Canada and France. The United States girls will take on Japan at 7:45 for the gold.
For the Dave Mira influenced southern cal agro folks, the quarterfinals for BMX bike racing takes place at 3pm. The riders compete in a super cross format with eight participants per heat. The heats last only about 40 seconds.
Lastly, tune your attention to track and field where a handful of men's events should provide great entertainment. The secord and last day of the Decathlon will take place as the second half of events includes the 110M Hurdles, Discus, Pole Vault, Javelin and 1500M run. USA's Jangy Addy is in first place and action began at 9:00am. The lady's Javeliin throw gets underway at 9pm so we should all be able to enjoy an afternoon viewing of the twelve remaining competitors tossing their spear for gold. The three men's track events today are the men's triple jump at 7:20pm London time where Will Claye of the United States is looking strong to place in the top of the field. Then the men's 800M final begins at 8:00pm with two Americans who seem able to make the podium and lastly the men's 200M track at 9:00pm will include 3 Jamaicans including Usain Bolt.
With the United States leading the total medal count of 81 just ahead of China's 77, alot can still be decided between these two countries and magnificent effort from the athletes yet to compete is sure to be spectacular.