Day 13 – Sat Aug 16

The morning after the day before.  We wake up in the IBIS Hotel in Beijing.

Breakfast with Heather’s mum and cousin.

We decide to spend the day as tourists and then we have tickets to the Birds nest tonight for the Men’s 100m final.
Heather is still swinging between disappointment and contentment.  It will take time to look back and be happy with everything, but the more people that contact us and congratulate her, the more the realisation that coming 8th in the Olympic final is pretty awesome.

We still don’t really get any time to ourselves and with me leaving early tomorrow and a late night tonight at the athletics, it is going to be another fortnight before we really get to talk about the performance.  Heather will travel back to the US to compete in the final competition of the season, the US nationals at the end of August.  She won this last year and it is good for a few reasons for her to make the effort to go.   Firstly we both think it is good as the only US representative, to be seen at the US trials and second it means that the possibility of heather continuing is still in everyone’s mind.  Whether or not she decides to is another matter.

It’s a tough end to the season as with two boats, paddle bags, and at least five pieces of luggage, she has to get herself from Washington to the course at Wisp and then travel home, for which she won’t have any support.  This doesn’t sound like much, but with two boats and so much luggage it will be a nightmare.  However we both felt it was the right thing to do….so no coming home yet.  I know this is all Heather now wants to do.

Anyway, we spend the lunchtime and afternoon shopping at Wangfujing road….basically oxford street in Beijing.  We buy a few bits and pieces and then head back for the hotel for a quick rest and then on to the 100m final.

This is my first time to the Olympic Park.  Security is tight but easy if that makes sense.  As we arrive in the Olympic park, we catch the end of a Disney style parade and then slowly wander towards the stadiums.  The birds nest and the blue bubble are truly magnificent.  I feel excited and just want to get inside.  Once again I seem to be part of the novelty and pose for at least half a dozen photo’s.  I always wonder what they say when they show them to people……”here is a photo of an incredibly tall person”……..who know’s.

Anyway I have learned to live with it and take it all in good humour.  We are all taking lots of photo’s but of each other and the stadiums, rather than “novelty people!!!!”.

We climb what seems like a mountain of stairs.  The tickets I have are way up in the gods on the opposite side of the stadium to the 100m start.  We finally get inside the main stadium.  Wow.  All I want to do is get my kit on and compete.  It’s fantastic.  The stadium fills during the evening and builds towards a fantastic crescendo with the men’s 100m final.

The stadium is absolutely full and the atmosphere crackling.   The gun goes and I can’t take my eye of Bolt.  As he crosses the line and I see the time, all I can do, with hands on head is shout “oh my god….oh my god…….that’s awesome”.  I have just witnessed one of the truly great sporting moments in history. 9.69 seconds off an average start, show boating over the last 15m and still 9.69s.  Unbelievable.

We leave the stadium and have to walk for ages to get far enough away from the stadium to find an empty taxi.  We arrive back at our hotel at midnight and settle down for a final beer.  Bed at 1 O’clock and I have to be up by 5.30h to pack and get to the airport.

A great final day of sporting “grand occasion”…..and still heth and I have not really had time to talk about the performance….in one way that’s probably quite good.  I know Heth is not looking forward to me leaving and especially as she will not get home for another fortnight.

I am also sad and happy because tomorrow will be my last diary day in Beijing.

Kind Regards
Geoff Parsons