huaiwei

The look on Sonia Gandhi's face was classic.

He is still speaking...thanking the PM for "setting an example" by sitting in the normal grandstand instead of the VIP seats. Wow...what example is that? Is he happy that the VIPS had to help fill up the otherwise empty grandstands?

And our best friend speaks.

Kalmadi was booed again when he was introduced earlier, was he? Anyway they are screening a commemorative video now. It's so lopsidedly Indian, it is more like a self-congratulatory video than anything.

Tiny Singapore just completed its most successful run in the CWG ever. This includes: - Ranked 8th in the medals table, its best ever (previous high was 11th in 2006) - Won 11 Golds, twice more than the previous record of five in 2006. - Won a total of 31 medals, equal in number to the combined totals won in both 2002 (13) and 2006 (18). - Swept 6 out of 7 Table Tennis Golds, coming very close to winning all. This was better than the four won in 2006. - Shooting Golds went from one to five, and has led to the government seriously considering building a proper shooting facility for training and competitions (which I would consider as one of the best outcomes of sport.) - Bettered its two-medal performance by winning three. - Won its first gymnastics medals (2) in CWG history. And all these from a country which won just four Gold medals and nine medals of any colour from 1958 to 1998, after having participated 11 times. It is my hope that the officials will make good its promise to expand Singapore's focus on developing sporting talent in a wider array of sports, and not to focus on only a few as it has traditionally done. In this games, for example, Singapore was represented in only eight sports. They have indicated an interest in further developing shooting, gymnastics, and to also pay increased attention to diving and cycling. Only when sports get more promotion, funding and support, can I say Singapore has come out winners.

The opening act focusing on martial arts was fine. The band sequence was just too long. I fail to see its relevance and significance to this event. And now it is still the athletes caught in what looks like a typical jam on India's streets.

There were 35 gold medals for shooting in 2006 (which India easily topped with 16 golds), and 35 this year. That they should do well again is hardly surprising. I fail to see what your point is, especially if you are trying to suggest India ramped up the number of events for its personal benefit. There were 35 gold medals for shooting in 2006 (which India easily topped with 16 golds), and 35 this year. That they should do well again is hardly surprising. I fail to see what your point is, especially if you are trying to suggest India ramped up the number of events for its personal benefit.

How has the attendance been like in athletes events? I am pretty sure I did not see full crowds either in Beijing, and I suspect athletes have been one of the hardest to fill since they have the highest number of seats?

Was that the men's team SF event?

Alright enough of complains over moths and such. Perhaps it is time to focus on more critical problems which has much more direct impact on participation and performance: Singapore's atheletes experienced two such issues yesterday alone. I wonder if others have been affected in this way yet: Granted, Singapore hardly has a chance to earn a medal in the swimming event, and they probably could also be blamed for trusting the Indian transport system too much, but it was a boo-boo to stop atheletes from competiting in the finals for reasons like this. And the shooting event was even more infuriating, when changing of lanes for shooters presumably targeted at Singapore's shooters (who won two out of four medals on the first day, with the other two won by the Indians) could have cost Singapore the gold medal.

As I believed so. Read too many media reports and we will all start to believe the athletes are wimps.

I am trying to picture this one. Kinda funny actually. Will the athletes complain of roaches blocking their track? And speaking about the track...anyone know what has happened to it? The shot put event seemed to have proceeded, but the track event is coming up soon...

Perhaps they were looking at filling the empty arenas with CGI figures before uploading the videos?

See the first post.

Didn't they just have an opening ceremony there? The track and field were ripped up for the show?