Peter FitzSimons on Peter Bol’s remarkable rise from school carnival to Olympic glory

Yes Miss?

“Peter, can you run the 400m? “

“How far is that?” “

It is once the turn of the track.

“Yes miss, I can run. “

And could he what. At the athletic carnival he runs like a scalded hare to win by a country mile, after which she has another question.

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“Peter, can you run the 800m?” “

“How far is that miss?” “

“It’s two laps around.”

Yes, miss, he can do that too.

This time he wins by no less than 100 meters. Everyone is stunned, including Peter Bol himself and Leahy. But she did not stop there, quickly enlisting her father Brian Moore to take the boy in hand.

After securing the Bol family’s blessing, Moore begins coaching, enrolls him in the local track club, and provides him with running shoes.

In his discussions with the parents, Moore said his main interest in helping was because Bol was such a good young man, first and foremost, and the fact that he could run so fast was a happy bonus.

And they all lived happily ever after, Bol finishing in a very honorable fourth place at the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday night, just past the podium. Adorable, yes?

Double Novak

Another week, another example of Novak Djokovic displaying a distinct resemblance to a definitive cockhead. It wasn’t just about throwing and smashing rackets at the Olympics en route to singles loss in the round for the bronze medal. It was, in a fit of spite, to suddenly withdraw from the mixed doubles bronze medal round, leaving fellow Serbian Nina Stojanovic – who had grown up with Djokovic as a hero – high and dry, with no chance of winning a medal. What kind of idiot does that? And yes, I am aware of subsequent injury claims, but what else was he going to say?

Imagine if Nick Kyrgios had done the same. There would have been an explosion, and rightly so. In Djokovic’s case, however, it seemed little more than a collective shrug and a calculation that it was right, “Novak being Novak”.

Tweet of the week

You drink, you lose

TFF has already had a rant about the deep disappointment many members of the rugby community have felt over Australia’s rugby sevens players dishonoring each other on their way home from the Olympics. I said, and I meant to say, that the main offenders must have the NTA, “Never to Tour Again” on their papers.

There was even more agony to come for the Wallabies with three of them retreating to Auckland, only to continue drinking after the coach told them to shut it down.

Yes, I know that of the range of atrocities we’ve seen from footballers under the influence, Auckland’s is about the smoothest it can get, but it’s a good thing Coach Dave Rennie to tell them. to have discarded. Whatever the outcome of Saturday’s game against the All Blacks, you don’t want guys who don’t get it, who have so little discipline they’re happy to piss.

They’re not NTA, but at least the whole team should get the message.

The name rings a bell

In the meantime, this is Adam Gilchrist. No, not him, the other one. There’s Adam Gilchrist the big box office keeper, then there’s Adam Gilchrist the entrepreneur who co-founded the F45 gym franchise, with 1,750 studios in 45 countries. The company was launched on the New York Stock Exchange three weeks ago, with Gilchrist having the honor of ringing the bell to begin trading. But here’s the interesting thing.

Not only is Gilchrist the owner of the “Giltinis”, the professional Los Angeles rugby team that just beat Atlanta in the US Grand Final at the Los Angeles Coliseum, but he’s also a former Australian schoolboy and Australia’s top rower. 19-year-old, who played with Phil Waugh and Stirling Mortlock, before an injury interrupted his rugby career and sent him franchise.

When I asked Waugh about Gilchrist’s success, he laughed.

“I’m not surprised. His business career was exactly like his rugby career. He was always the type to lean in and have a blast with a lot of energy and optimism. stopped for him, he just did the same in business, and watch him now.

To which Mortlock adds, “It was an uncompromising and very mobile accessory. A great team man.

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Got it, cricket?

We see your Adam Gilchrist, and we lift one up to you. And our, Adam Gilchrist rings the bells for the New York Stock Exchange. So the!

What they said

Former Australian Olympian Tamsyn Manou on Channel 7 commentary, after Australia Rohan browning won his 100m despite his previous world champions and record holders: “We have a sprinter! Yohan Blake looked through and you know what he thought? “Who is it in lane 1?” I was beaten by an Australian! Yes you did, Yohan Blake!

Celine Campbell coming dangerously close to being disqualified for jumping at the start of her final triumphant stage in the 4x100m medley relay team: “You have to take the risk of getting the cookie, and I’m glad we have the cookie.” “

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australia Ash moloney on how he crossed the 1,500m to clinch bronze in the Olympic decathlon, with his teammate and mentor Cedric Dubler, making him walk and shout curses at him for the last lap, to “@ $ *! @ well, go louder, mate! “: “[I was] just put one foot in front of the other. I started to hit a wall at 800m and I was a little worried but I said to myself: “just stay with Cédricâ€. Don’t let him get too far away â€. I executed and he screamed like one. . . weirdo. I could hear his voice bouncing in my skull like a bat out of hell.

Pierre Bol after his fantastic 800m race: “I didn’t know if I was going to win but I knew one thing for sure, that all of Australia were watching. It took me away. I loved this part.

Megan Rapinoe after the United States’ loss to Canada in soccer: “So yes, it’s bitter to swallow. Obviously, we never want to lose to Canada. I don’t think I’ve lost to Canada yet. The famous Shades of Al Capone line:“I don’t even know which street Canada is on. “

Rafael Nadal on that of Novak Djokovic bad behavior at the Olympics: “The image is not the best. It is important to avoid this type of situation, and even more so if you are a reference for many children. Translated? Rafa thinks Novak is an asshole.

the Russian olympic committee targets the trolls by insinuating that some of their winning athletes are not clean: “Propaganda in English, oozing verbal sweat in the Tokyo heat. From the mouths of athletes offended by defeats. We will not console you. Forgive us those who are weaker. God is their judge. He is our helper. We’re a long way from Kansas, Dorothy, and that’s really weird shit.

Shane Gould is a fan of Ariarne Titmus: “I would love to meet the family and Ariarne, congratulate her myself and answer all of her questions. She will have to become the new Australian sports heroine.

Australian high jumper Nicola mcdermott: “I may have expectations of myself, but… I’m like a pan without a Teflon stick – it just falls to me because I’m doing it for God, I’m not doing it for myself.” If I come last, I’m still a champion and I know it. I say to myself “come with me, let’s see what happens”.

Peter V’landys after nations in the northern hemisphere were unhappy with the postponement of the Rugby Union World Cup:“They need to understand that whether we like it or not, Australia is a sovereign nation that makes decisions as a sovereign entity.” Welcome to the Australian Republic Movement Peter, nice to have you.

V’landys gets bonus points for the historical quip: “I just can’t believe the number of name calling. I had to pinch myself to make sure Governor Macquarie wasn’t always in power.

On ABC Australian History, Michael jordan on Luc Longley not to be in The last dance: “I can understand why Australia would say, ‘Well, why don’t we include Luke? And we probably should have. And if I look back and could change anything, this is probably what I would have changed.

Team of the week

Emma McKeon. I’m not sure where she fits in the Australian sports hall of fame, only that she’s right up there. His four gold medals – count them, four – and three bronze medals in Tokyo, make her the second woman to win seven medals of any color in a single Games. Her total of 11 Olympic medals makes her the most successful Australian Olympian of all time. No other Australian has more than nine. And she is still only 27 years old.

Australian team in Tokyo. This could turn out to be the most successful Games of all time in terms of gold, if we beat the Athens 17, and we left a few on the table. Swimming won 20 medals (nine gold, three silver, eight bronze) which is the same as the Beijing 20 but a better distribution (six gold, six silver, eight bronze) .

Keegan Palmer. The 18-year-old from – well, where else would he be from but the Gold Coast – won a gold medal for Australia in skateboarding.

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Andrew Hoy. The 62-year-old Australian equestrian became our oldest Olympic medalist, having won a team silver and an individual bronze in Tokyo.

Wallabies. Rugby party Saturday as they take on the All Blacks at Eden Park. Then they are the last men standing in the Springboks v Lions series litmus test.

RIP Dr Bernie Curran AM. 1945-2021. The great man passed away this week. An integral part of the Newcastle United community for over 50 years as a student, rugby player, athletic leader, scholar, mentor, fundraiser, active alumnus, donor, researcher and most importantly, a compassionate friend to many . I knew him through rugby, but he was big at heart, powerful in mind and a champion of the united for all his days.

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