Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Looking forward to the week ahead brings the culmination of the Olympics and numerous finals, both one-offs and those bringing to an end various eliminators, ranging from football and hockey to boxing and canoeing.
If you are looking for something spectacular then the BMX cycling promises thrills and spills. Home interest will focus on the women’s competition (Friday, 6.30pm) with Shanaze Reade one of the favourites. Reade will aim to bury the memory of the Beijing Olympics where, in a last-ditch attempt to secure gold, she crashed on the final bend, in the process missing a medal of any colour. Her main rivals will be Caroline Buchanan of Australia and Magalie Pottier of France.
Slightly more sedate but equally spectacular if you prefer pirouettes and leaps, ribbons and rope, is the rhythmic gymnastics. The team event (Sunday, 3.30pm) will feature traditional powerhouses, Russia, attempting to defend their title against the ever-improving Chinese. The US, which typically favours artistic gymnastics, have some strong individual competitors and could cause a surprise.
Much of the attention on the final day will be on the latest reincarnation of the original Dream Team, the US basketball squad. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant will be aiming to guide the stars and stripes to a repeat of the 1992 Olympics where they defeated opponents by, on average, 44 points per game. As clear favourites they are expected to appear in the final (Sunday, 5pm) and should face either Argentina or China.
The final week also brings a sport that ‘boasts’ the greatest controversy in Olympic history. The pentathlon of the ancient Games at Olympia featured running, jumping, javelin, discus and wrestling. Changes have been made, not least allowing female spectators, restricted because the male athletes competed naked!
The modern equivalent now comprises fencing, swimming, riding, running and shooting. In 1976, Soviet army officer Boris Onischenko concealed an electronic device in his sword that allowed him to register hits at will. He later took tranquilisers to steady his arm for shooting.
The men compete on Saturday while the women will feature in the last event of the Olympics (Sunday, 10am-8.40pm). British hopes are high with Mhairi Spence and Samantha Murray two of the favourites.
If, however, you are an Olympic traditionalist, like me, your focus will be on the track, where the final week promises excitement galore. The most spectacular and thrilling events, featuring the highest number of top athletes, are the relays. The men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m finals will be on Saturday evening starting at 8.45pm.
You can also witness Britain’s Mo Farah attempting to re-write the history books by adding the 5,000m to his 10,000m title. You can also watch the controversy surrounding Caster Semenya unfold. The young South African had questions raised over her gender. With this confusion having now been cleared she will be competing in the women’s 800m final at 10pm.
Friday evening will also include the culmination of the decathlon.
