One day in Beijing, I hit eight venues in one day, Twittering and taking photos along the way. I got the photos uploaded through the day and provided most of the info for a graphic.
To see the Twitter feed without making people dig all the way back, here’s an unedited re-creation (as opposed to “unedited recreation,” which sounds like fun):
| Good night. Fun day, but I’ll be laying low in the morning. Thanks for following me through Beijing. |
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| Last bus ride of the day at last. Everything from today’s odyssey is filed. |
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| The full collection of photos from today: http://tinyurl.com/626snl … leaving now for the MPC to gather my wits to wrap it all up. |
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| New Zealand fans … I mean, reporters … cheer their guy to third in the 1,500. |
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| Estoniam discus champ Gerd Kanter knows how to draw attention to his lap of honor. He veers toward the middle and sprints the 100 meters |
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| It’s a gold medal for fellow American Dawn Harper, who sheds tears of joy. |
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| Terrible stuff here — leader Lolo Jones hits the next-to-last hurdle. She finishes but is thrown off stride. She pounds the track in agony |
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| A frustrated Sanya Richards gives out of gas in the 400 final. Prepare for more exultation over at the BBC. |
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| @JohnNewsom Nah, they only have synchronized marbles. |
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| From Bird’s Nest: (1) Cool remote-control cars bring discus back to cage. (2) Starting gun way louder than shooting venue. (3) Wariner fast. |
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| EVENT 8: Track and field. Made it! |
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| Music at exit sounds like a carousel. With all the light shows here, it’s very much like a theme park. Bet you can guess my next stop. |
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| Lu nailed it. Easy to see how good he is. Crowd erupts for the score. That’s a gold — all three medalists were amazing. Off I go … |
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| Crowd roars for Dong, who seemed flawless to me as well but is 0.1 behind Burnett. Last guy is Lu Chunlong. Gai-yo! Gai-yo! |
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| Canadian guy (Jason Burnett) leads after six athletes and has clinched a medal, so maybe I could be a judge. China’s Dong Dong up now |
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| I’m no judge, but the Canadian guy was amazing. I’d watch that again. |
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| So anyway — trampoline. I doubt TV does this justice. They ought to play “Purple Haze” here. ‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky. |
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| The question of every press tribune — is that MY water, or did someone leave it? Grumpy German journo left her phone … ring ring ring |
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| It’s a pity I’m not in a position to take a picture right now. The venue is palatial. I’ll have to come back for handball finals. |
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| VENUE 7: Trampoline! Tra-momp-o-line! With a little bit of gymnastics thrown in — got here to see horizontal bar medals (USA Horton silver) |
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| Quick bus ride. Grabbed a snack and walked to … |
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| Panic – thought I’d lost iPod with my interviews. Nope – just my marbles. |
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| Canada was aiming for top 8, and Short was disappointed in team’s play despite win. Yet 9th would be an improvement. I’m on bus – #7 awaits |
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| Spoke with Canadian captain Rob Short, who plays pro (but has side jobs) in the Netherlands. Sport is growing for women but men, he says. |
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| Game is a little testy. South African player sent off, and another could’ve been. |
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| Switched fields to Canada-South Africa. Neither team will be in the medals, but it’s a fun game. Four Canadians play pro in the Netherlands |
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| Korean player is hurt. But he’ll stay in the game … he’s a hockey player. |
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| Korea’s defenders are warming up by passing the ball back and forth. Oh, wait, the game has actually started. |
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| VENUE 6: Hockey. Nothing like a good scenic tour of the Olympic Green’s north cluster before we arrive. I’ve apparently chose Korea-Spain |
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| Why did this guy need to stop at the tennis venue? The rest of us are going to an actual, active venue … |
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| On the move again as thin clouds block the sun. Should be at venue #6 within 20 mins. |
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| Photos from the first five venues on the tour today: http://tinyurl.com/626snl |
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| Smoothest bus ride of the day. I’m grabbing lunch/dinner. |
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| Water polo mixed zone for newbies: “They fouled you all game!” “Some teams play D that way.” “But all game?!” “Sometimes.” “No way!” “Way.” |
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| Big goal from Brenda Villa makes it 9-8. Now we have a bunch of timeouts, like an NBA game. |
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| US women, perhaps worn down by Aussies’ persistent fouls, have gone cold. Now 8-8 |
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| This isn’t the Bird’s Nest, but we have a bird somewhere up in the rafters of Yingdong Natatorium. Trying to get photo, but he’s hiding. |
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| VENUE 5: Water polo. Second U.S. semifinal I’ve seen today, though I’m here just in time to see the last 1.5 quarters. USA leads AUS 8-5. |
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| Take Duke’s Cameron Crazies or a soccer supporters group, give them Hungarian flags, and you might equal what I’m hearing here at handball |
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| VENUE 4: Handball. We can dispense with the “team” part of the name, right? Everyone knows what we’re talking about? |
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| Dan Steinberg sighting – he’s going with the mustache-only look today. Playoff beard is gone. On another bus that really shouldn’t be long. |
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| Estimated travel time on this bus: 19 mins. After 19 mins, we haven’t even started the sequence of befuddling turns through the Green. |
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| Besides, as an American, he can play in Olympics at age 45. He offered dinner to anyone who can find a Chinese player who can say that. |
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| David Zhuang grew up in China and found support drying up as he started to move to US: “But I have no regret. I have good life here (in US)” |
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| Unfortunately, this will be a brief stop. Chinese agencies took most tables, but the seats are nice. Peking U’s gym must rock for hoops. |
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| VENUE 3: Table tennis. Arrived just in time to join great interview with USA’s David Zhuang and columnist Mitch Albom. |
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| On a serious fast-food strip here – a Pizza Hut and two KFCs. Now McDonald’s. Long light – I should’ve stayed on Green. |
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| Suggestion for future Olympic organizers: Fewer left turns |
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| On a bus with some Korean potato chips. And people say I’m not an adventurous eater. |
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| Nice English woman from Oly News Service gave honest answer on interview after semis: “No, I don’t think so.” Right … Off I go … |
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| Seeing diving in person makes you appreciate commentary. No idea if these dives are any good. |
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| USA’s Dumais fifth two-thirds of the way through semi. Music here is more eclectic than beach. Heard “Dancing Queen” after one bad dive |
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| VENUE 2 – diving. Made it to round 4 of 6. Would probably drip less sweat if I’d walked for round 5 instead of jogging. |
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| Pumped up for fast walk ahead with Foo Fighters. Done, done, on to the next one. Feet don’t fail me now, er, whenever bus stops. Urgh. |
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| “Do not drive tiredly” is latest sign of interest. Missed bus to hockey, which was a tight connection. Plan B in effect. |
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| “Most of the time, it’s very convenient,” says friendly volunteer du bus. “Not like this.” We’re free at last – will consider next step |
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| Oh dear. Traffic simply isn’t moving. It’s been progressively worse through the Games. Plans B and C under consideration. |
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| But here’s Brazil’s Renata on anyone beating USA: “No, I don’t think so. For sure, I think nobody going to beat them.” Bus away … |
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| Mixed zone order – NBC, other broadcasters, more broadcasters, wires, others. So I have no Misty/Kerri quote. |
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| Kerri and Misty win – will try to get quote before leaving. They’ll play a Chinese team in final. |
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| Fans blowing cooling vapor over crowd. Not helpng big shirtless guy doing TV commentary. |
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| Crowd still filing in, perhaps to catch all-Chinese clash after this. I’ll miss that — I’ll be at … hmmm … haven’t decided. |
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| Brazilians played better after a big rally, but Misty and Kerri close out Game 1 21-12. They do not play the Rush song 2112 to celebrate. |
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| Misty and Kerri look good early. That means they’re playing well. Good thing the sex-obsessed media weren’t around when Greeks wrestled nude |
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| I should explain – I watch beach volleyball as a sport, not just as a couple of bikini-clad women in sand. As if runners run in formal dress |
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| Kerri and Misty have beaten this Brazilian team all four times they’ve met, but they aren’t pushovers. |
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| VENUE 1 – beach volleyball. Took the MB11 to see May-Treanor and Walsh play. Arriving now. |
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| If you check a schedule, it’s not hard to figure where I’m going first. |
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| Longest ride of day early, giving me time to reconsider plan. |
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| Arrival at Main Press Center. Time for breakfast? Maybe |
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| If you read Dan Steinberg’s blog at the Post – yes, I’m the one who asked if they really listen to Bryan Adams and win soccer games. Shocked |
| Sky is mostly clear, and I’m showing few ill effects from staying up until 3 to write about the US women’s soccer win. |
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| @bbcsport_tom Enjoy. It’s a beautiful venue. |
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| Away we go … I’m on the MA29 bus at the North Star media village. I snagged one of the few seats in which a 6-1 man can sit. Next stop MPC |
