100 days to go...

...until July 27th when the Queen will declare the Olympic games open. The first medal competed for will be in the 10m air pistol shooting, though Britain's realistic hope of a first medal will be in the men's cycling road race with Sports Personality of the Year - Mark Cavendish. Here are some Olympic facts to get you in the mood.
 

• 26 Olympic sports will be competed over 17 days
• 20 Paralympic sports will be contested over 11 days
• 14,700 athletes will be competing (10,500 in the Olympics and 4,200 in the Paralympics)
• 3 out of 4 people in the world watched at least some of the last Games
• 302 gold medals will be won
• 205 countries will be involved
• 120,000 people will pass through Stratford Regional train station every morning of the Olympics

Spring marathon season

We've had the North Pole marathon won by Scotland's Andrew Murray (no, not that Andy Murray), and the hardcore  Ultra-Marathon Des Sable (six days, 151 miles = six marathons) is currently in full flow. The Virgin London marathon (good luck GT!) is coming up on 22nd April so it must be Spring Marathon time.

Before that we have Paris, Rotterdam and Boston, the latter of which isn't record-eligible (despite being one of the 'majors' and the world's oldest regular marathon). This is due to its point-to-point elevation drop not meeting IAAF standards - a shame for the Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai who ran the fastest ever marathon there last year in 2 hours 3 minutes and 2 seconds, 36 seconds faster than the official world record of Kenyan Patrick Makau in Berlin last year.

Rotterdam is renowned as a fast course so we may well see a new  men's world record there, or potentially in London where the field is stronger. There is extra pressure placed this year as each country can only supply three runners for the London Olympic marathon. That means that 17 out of the top twenty mens runners last year, being all Kenyan, will miss out!

Good luck to everyone competing in a Spring Marathon. I'll be cheering from the comfort of my armchair, there in spirit, but not body, due to a shot cartilage.

Arrivederci Giorgio

In 1977 the former Charlton Athletic player and manager Eddie Firmani was appointed manager of the New York Cosmos. His players included Pele, Carlos Alberto, Franz Beckenbauer and Girgio Chinaglia, who has just passed away, aged 65. The former Swansea, Lazio and Italy striker retired in 1983 as the leading goalscorer in the North American Soccer League with 243 goals.

Here's a clip about him from the New York Cosmos film 'Once in a Lifetime'

Volleys from heaven

Seeing Peter Crouch's superlative volleyed goal against Man City has led me to rack my brains for my favourite volleyed goals.

1. Frank Worthington for Bolton v Ipswich in 1979.

2. Marco Van Basten for Holland V Russia 1988.

3. Glenn Hoddle for Spurs V Notts Forest1979. The ball not touching the ground from the keepers kick until it hit the back of Peter Shilton's net.

4. Robin Van Persie V my team Charlton 2006.

5. Paolo Di Canio for West Ham v Newcastle 2000.

What's your favourite?

Jocky on the oche

I've just returned from holidaying in the southern hemispere to the news that someone who was prominent for a time in my sports-mad teenage years has passed away. In the eighties I loved watching the darts world championships on telly. Dad put a dartboard up in my bedroom as I took inspiration from the exploits of the leading players. Jocky Wilson wasn't my favourite player, my favourites were the Crafty Cockney and 'Old Stoneface' John Lowe.

Wilson won the world title twice, to Lowe's three (in three separate decades) and Bristow's five, their combined tally still short of Phil Taylor's thirteen. They had some classic contests. If you haven't seen this 1989 clip yet it may bring back some memories. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/darts/17503460

And yes, darts is a sport not a game, requiring both skill and mental stamina, and to a lesser degree physical stamina, but not one you'll see at the Olympics any time soon to go alongside 'outside darts' - archery.  However, the tug-of-war was once an Olympic event so you never know!

The greatest spinner

Shane Warne has just been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.

Currently known for:

 Has been known for:

Best known for:

Match that Murali!

Form is temporary. Class is permanent.

The Russian pole vaulter, Yelena Isinbayeva has been struggling for form since returning from her 2010 sabbatical. A new rival, Britain's Holly Bleasdale has made great improvements - her 4.87m vault in Lyon indoors made her third on the all-time world list.

But last night in Stockholm Isinbayeva showed her class by breaking the world indoor record with a vault of 5.01m. She also holds the outdoor record at 5.06m. Bleasdale came second with 4.72m and if she continues her progress could be a real shout for an Olympic medal.

But, as they say, and Isinbayeva has proved, form is temporary and class is permanent.

Which reminds me of what David Coleman said about Alberto Juantorena at the 1976 Montreal Olympics: 'The big Cuban opened his legs and showed his class'.

For some more Colemanballs: http://www.btinternet.com/~homepage/ballsa.htm