The Lion is certainly roaring for Britain in Beijing as an unprecedented haul of medals sees the UK team climbs to third spot in the Olympic table.
Yes – We were told - “This is the best prepared Olympic team ever to leaves GB shores” But with the tradition of the Great British loser firmly engraved in the mind of the nation, few really believed; but as the count of Gold – Silver and Bronze medals continues to climb few can doubt the 2008 Beijing Team is quite simply - WORLD CLASS!
Controversy surrounding the games continued to rumble right up to the opening ceremony. Would the air breathed by the athletes be clear of pollutant? Would the Tibet issue rear its head? Would the Olympic Flame arrive un-impeded?
Whatever your position; questions or fears the doubts of the world faded to temporary insignificance as a mind-blowing opening ceremony unwound in simply breathtaking magnificence. Thousands of participants in perfect symmetry dance out a colourful display of unity and harmony as the
“One World – One Dream” theme of the games weaved its magical web.
If you have not seen it log on the web and check it out –A great opening to the Greatest show on Earth
Bathed in light, flashing fireworks and colour the Birds nest Stadium exploded into life to launch the XXIX Olympic games.
Britannia Believes & Achieves
So the games are on and the nation watches eagerly.
Can we really believe our youth can take on the best in the world and WIN? Success was not long coming.
Our disbelieving nation held its breath as the events in the pool bore witness to an amazing performance from “Little Miss Nobody” - Rebecca Adlington surprised us all to win the 400-metre freestyle. – Not satisfied with her stunning victory Rebecca defied the odds, rewrote the record book as she left all comers in her wake. This unassuming Brit smashed the world 800-metre Freestyle World record by more than 2 seconds. It was a record that had stood for 19 years, the oldest record in the swimming book and this modest 19 year old smashed it!
The nation, like the breathless delirious commentator, was in raptures.
Rebecca Adlington
winner of two gold medals in the
400m & 800m Freestyle
a winning margin of more than six seconds in the 800m final in a new world-record of 8 minutes 14.1 seconds puts rebbecca in a class of her own
Titus will leave you dear reader with the position at the time of going to print on Aug 20th.
Chine, 43 gold, 14 silver, 18 bronze, 75 total, United States, 26 gold, 26 silver, 27 bronze, total 79, Great Britain, 16 gold, 10 silver, 10 bronze, total 36 medals won.
Yes – You are not seeing things GB have 16 Gold Medals and are third in the table. Our cyclists, swimmers, yachtsmen and rowers paved the way for the track and field Blue Ribbon events. Will the Brits maintain team success?
Chris bentley injured in Chiefs Pre Season win!
Exeter Chiefs, the Rugby Club adopted by Titus to carry Didim colours in next seasons First Division Championship scored an encouraging pre season 15-6 win over Bristol over the weekend and complete their warm up programme with a trip to Cornish All blacks on Saturday. The season starts for real in two weeks and Titus will bring you news and views of the Chiefs progress.
The win over Bristol was not without cost as a nasty injury to Chris Bentley saw the big man carried from the field with a knee problem 20 minutes from time. Didim residents may remember Chris visited Turkey in the summer to check out properties in the region. We are led to believe that he and several of his playing colleagues are planning to buy property at Pearl Rock Retreat in Akbuk.
All that Glitters is NOT Golden
Released from a 3 year jail sentence in Thailand disgraced rock star Gary Glitter has been threatened with detention by government officials as he remains in 'no man's land' at Bangkok International Airport.
The 64-year-old is refusing to board a flight back to Britain and last night demanded to be taken to hospital claiming he was suffering a heart attack.
Immigration officials today declared Glitter 'persona non grata' and warned that he could be held in a Thai detention centre if he refuses to leave.
The convicted paedophile was due to be deported home after serving 27 months in a Vietnamese prison for abusing two young girls.However, after the first leg of his journey - from Ho Chi Minh city to Bangkok - he refused to get on his flight to Heathrow.
A British police officer from Scotland Yard's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Unit, visited Glitter for 20 minutes as he remain holed up in a 'transit' room but the aging ex-rock star refused to budge, complaining that Thailand would be in breach of human rights if they sent him home.
Glitter, who rented a transit lounge room for the night, announced that he was planning to write a book that would 'prove he was an innocent man'.
“God, am I happy to be leaving Vietnam and that jail. I should never have been
Glitter at the Airport after release from Jail.
in there. It has been a nightmare. Every second. I was set up, that’s all I will say.
“But you wait. All the time I’ve been inside I’ve been preparing for my book. It’s all here in my head.
Once ‘Leader of the Gang’ - bearded &older Garry Glitter
With Glitter ‘Holed up’ in Bangkok airport and the British Olympic Team Glittering in Beijing it is time for Titus to leave you for another week.
Oh yes. I did visit Turkey last week and yes, it was magnificent. More of the Olympics, Glitter and my turkey visit in Next week’s Paper
Until next time
Don’t weaken
Keep smiling
Titus
Letter from UK
