Olympian Aliann Pompey's Blog From Beijing

Here is Olympian Aliann Pompey blogging live from Beijing, China. Pompey is a track and field competitor representing Guyana. D Wizzle's World knows that fans want to get an athlete's view on everything going on in China and NOT always from the biased media.

Thanks to Aliann and my boy Fudgeman for hooking it up and allowing D Wizzle's World access to an Olympian's perspective on the Games and China.



Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Welcome to the 23rd Olympic Games. Scratch that, welcome to the Jamaican National Invitational. Ok, Ok, I can do this. Welcome to the Usain Bolt experience. In case you missed it, Usain has now won the men's 100m in record time. 

More impressively, he won the 200m in record time. Two things about this race. 1) The pundits said this was a record that was going to last for decades. No one was going to touch it. Come close, yes. Smell it maybe. See it from afar, but not break it. 2) Usain was RUNNING!! 

Yea I know, of course he was running, it was a race. But he was trying. In the 100m, he stopped, tied his shoes, ordered Chinese food, shook some hands, kissed a few babies, asked me for my phone number, stood a while and tried to convince me that he's the one for me, I say no, I'm already taken, you are barking up the wrong tree, he says OK, I respect your stance, you man is very lucky to have you, it's my loss, then he beats his chest and finishes his race easily. World record time. After doing all that. Not so in the 200. He came out the blocks and ate  Brian from Zimbabwe. And Brian is no scrub. 

He came off the turn so far ahead it looked like he was photo-shopped in. At about 130, I saw a grimace on his face. That's when I saw the clock. I was watching the race with the Bahamians. At this point, everyone was on their feet. Screaming. It was one of those moments where everyone was screaming something at the same time, but for some reason you can hear them all, and you knew what they were saying. I wish I could've seen Michael Johnson's face on a split screen

Before the race started Derrick Adkins took out his phone, and said he was calculating how fast he was going to run. "10 flat for the curve, flying start for the last 100m, that's about 8 seconds. 19.25" Laughter, doubt, and jokes followed. One person said drinks should be on Derrick if the world record goes. The general consensus was 19.5 or there about. I guess we all owe Usain a drink. I'm still in shock. A lot of people are. I'm really happy for Brian and Kim for making the finals, and Churandy for his silver medal. Brendan should've been in there too (Antigua). For now, it's Usain's world, we're just here to idolize him.
OVERHEARD IN THE CAFETERIA "I GUESS JAMAICA WANTS ALL THEIR ATHLETES TO HAVE GOOD TEETH. THEY ALL HAVE BRACES."

Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Today we took a trip to the Forbidden City, Tienamen Square, and Chairman Mao's mosemleum. The whole Guyanese team went, except for Mr Rose, the team's manager. I really wish he did, he's the funniest person here. It was a ton of walking. My feet are killing me, I swear it's as hard as a track workout.

We started at the Mosemleum, and we had to walk about a mile to put our bags in the check area. You are not allowed in there with anything. Then we walk back, standin line, go through security, and enter. A brisk walk into the chamber, you see Chairman Mao being laid to rest in a glass case. Everything is quiet, no one is saying a word, some lay flowers as they go in, pay their respects and leave.

The Forbidden City was a giant maze, in the form of a nesting egg. Everything looks very similar. You walk through a court yard, beautiful, AMAZING architecture, go through a big gate/door, into another courtyard. The colors are a bit different, but for the most part, it's very similar. I took about 100 pictures, this time I had my camera. The historical significance of Tieneman Square resonated deeply with me. But let me not get all political on you.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008
I'm still a bit bitter, I admit it. I've been moping, eating McDonalds, laying down right after I eat, everything that's in "Athlete's Don't do This" book, I've been doing. I wanted Shericka to win. I almost popped a muscle in my neck cheering for her. That's it. I'm now officially over it.

Monday, August 18, 2008
I didn't even cry. On my way from the computer lab after my last post to the room to cry, I ran into a few people I know, and some I didn't. What I got was encouragement. people saying how proud they were of me, how close I was, how much they were screaming, and for a second, I felt like I actually accomplished something. The coach from Surimane: Guyana, you did great. We are neighbors, and I was cheering for you the whole time. British Virgin Island Official: I was on my feet til the final round, praying that you made the finals. Friend: Not one soul can say you went out there and didn't give it your all. Sometimes I think I am most critical of myself. I still didn't do what I came here in mind to do: I didn't make the finals. Plain an simple. 

But as one person said: You aimed to reach the moon. Instead you reach Mt. Everest. You didn't get to the moon, but you got really far up there; real close. I guess I can sleep with finishing 11th at the Olympics. It is the highest a Guyanese athlete has ever finished. I did tie the national record in doing so. That's my consolation prize.

Costas Rips Usain Bolt: Olympics News and Notes For August 19

• NBC's Bob Costas said on last night's Olympics broadcast that he didn't like Jamaica's Usain Bolt showboating and pounding his chest during Bolt's 100 meters victory. He thought it was disrespectful to the competitors and did not exemplify the Olympic spirit.  As usual, I disagree with the midget once again. Bolt worked very hard to perform well in Beijing and he should show emotion and youthful exuberance. Costas was probably never an athlete and doesn't know how it feels to win an athletic competition. 
• Sporting News Radio's Peter Brown said that the swimsuits worn by the swimming competitors  today gives them a great advantage. He cites Dara Torres being able to swim faster now than when she was in her twenties.  Torres is 41 years old.  Brown also questioned how fast Phelps would have swam wearing Mark Spitz' speedos from the 70's.  I think he also mentioned how the new swimsuits today give the swimmers 5% more oxygen.
• NBC showed more American bias when the gymnastics analysts and announcers complained about China's gymnast winning the gold over Nastia Liukin last night in one of the gymnastic competitions. The announcers also questioned the Chinese gymnast's age again.  Talk about sore losers and whiners.
• Susanna Kallur, the Swedish hurdles runner, got off to a slow start, and fell down trying to jump the first hurdle last night. You can see the video of this on my blog. It is one of the most popular videos on D Wizzle's World right now.