By Frank Greally Hard experience for Griffin
Colin Griffin could never stand accused of taking the easy route to the Olympics. He is one of the most diligent of trainers and for the past four years, he has devoted every waking moment to preparing for these Games. Yesterday, Griffin’s Olympic dream took a hammering when the Ballinamore man was disqualified before even reaching the half-way mark of the men’s 50 kilometer walk.
It was a shattering experience and one which will take some time for Griffin to fully come to terms with.
“I have still a lot of work to do to further perfect technical aspects of my race walking,” Griffin said. “You cannot buy experience and it will be up to me now to put the experience that I have had here to good use.”
Griffin is young, talented and very strong and like some international golfers, he still has to iron out some technical flaws that hampered his Olympic performance.
Bolt from the nightlife
By Frank Greally
Double sprints Olympic Champion, Usain Bolt, whose remarkable feats in winning the 100m and 200m Gold Medals in world record times, will rank high in sporting history,was once better known in his native Jamaica for his ability on the disco dance floor.
Bolt, who turned 22 on Thursday, has admitted that he initially failed to make the best of his natural athletic talent when at age 15 he bacame the youngest-ever world junior champion.
Bolt, who is managed by Donegal man, Ricky Simms, loved to party the night away as a youngster. His favourite pastime was dancing – not drinking.
The lightening fast Jamaican delighted the spectators here in Beijing with his rag-bag of signals, jigs and reels.
He owes much for his new found success to his coach Glen Mills who he linked up with four years ago – and of course to his manager, Ricky Simms.
“I just chill, I don’t try to think too much about the race,” Bolt revealed. I just relax and try to think about something like cars,” Bolt said.
Glen Mills has helped Bolt stay focused on his athletics career through a series of frustrating injuries.
“My coach is the guiding light in my career,” Bolt said. He has shown me ways to improve myself both as a person and an athlete.”
Chicken nuggets rank high on Bolt’s list of favourite foods. Don Quarrie,Jamaican Coach probably best described Bolt’s antics after winning his Olympic titles. “He is funny, playful, happy and that is what came out after he ran,” Quarrie said.
Quarrie also suggested that it may take another 20 years to produce another talent like Usain Bolt. “But we will,” he said.
Martin Fagan gets ready
We will be down to our last hero here on Sunday when Mullingar’s Martin Fagan goes to the line in the men’s marathon, the final event in this Olympic Games.
Fagan is reported to be in good form and ready for action in what should be an especially gruelling event.
“Martin will be set and ready to go,” Irish Team Manager, Patsy McGonagle said.