Just Another Day In London -- Hot To Trott

Thursday was just another (extraordinary) day in London.

After trading pins at the Coca-Cola Olympic Pin Trading Centre at London Olympic Park, strolled over to synchronized swimming's team event. My expectations for the event were low, but my Olympic royal sighting wish list was completed when Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) popped up on the big screen cheering on Team GB in the pool (her husband Prince William was at women's beach volleyball on Wednesday).

Though I was not able to get a decent photo on my own (Christmas wish list: new camera), I did get to speak again with Prince Albert of Monaco, who was seated with Kate, as he exited the venue (good thing the pin he gave me at USA House remained on my lanyard).

"This is the most popular pin of the Games," I said, thanking him again for the prized pin.

As the sun set over Olympic Park, my attempt to enter Olympic Stadium was aborted by a queue volunteer, but even my rejection from the venue led to a serendipitous Olympic moment as I spotted a young blond woman who was recognizable but not quite known (she had on a distinctive "Aa" athlete credential).

Would she do an Olympic blog interview, I inquired.

"Sure," she said.

Stupid me, though -- my first question to her was, "As an Olympian, what was your favourite moment or experience of the Games?"

Instantly her eyes widened, shocked by the silly question.

"Winning a medal, of course!" she said.

Only then did it finally click -- the interview in progress was with Team GB Olympic gold medalist Laura Trott, winner of two medals in the Olympic Velodrome earlier this week!

"Duh!" I said, apologizing profusely.

Like me, Trott was attempting to enter the Olympic Stadium sans ticket. Trott and her boyfriend -- another medalist (I think) whose name I did not catch -- got stopped by the same purple-clad volunteer "bouncer" on the bridge to the venue.

Before others started to recognize her (I do not think the volunteer realized who she was), Trott shared that her Olympic medals remain in the Olympic Village, she was blow away by the public reaction and new celebrity for Olympic cycling, and she is loving every minute of the Olympic experience.

Trott's boyfriend is one lucky fellow. As the pair locked lips -- I mean, movie love scene liplock -- and they embraced while waiting for confirmed access to the venue, after a few private minutes (er, private if you don't count me gawking from 10 steps away), a small mob of U.K. fans started asking for autographs and photos while stunned volunteers. Finally hip to the Olympic champion in their midst, the Games volunteers worked to get security to help the Olympians access the venue.

Photo opp!

And still there was more to the evening -- taking in the Olympic Park after dark, Team USA won gold in women's water polo so I was able to chat with waiting fans including past Olympic water polo athletes and anxious family members.

And then there was the BBC broadcast booth at Olympic Park, in which Team GB Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis taped a victory interview before waving to thousands of mad (I mean, losing there sh*t over ther moon elated) British fans cheering up to the penthouse studio platform above.

And the Legend -- Usain Bolt -- won gold in the 200m final inside the stadium, yielding deafening cheers from Olympic Stadium. Bravo, Bolt. I hear folks in Jamaica are losing it!

Just another day in London.

Photos by Nicholas Wolaver

Riding Shotgun To Olympic Gold

Sunday morning in London brought a bright blue sky and the big day for my first sporting event ticket of the 2012 Olympics -- shooting.

My first visit to an Olympic shooting venue, I did not know what to expect. Let me say the experience blew my mind!

It was a rocky start, however, when I realized at 8 a.m. that the start time was 9 a.m. and the Underground ride would be more than one hour (BLAST!).

Though London offers no bullet train service to The Royal Artillery Barracks, on the far east side of the city (even further than the Olympic Park), the tube-to-venue bus ride was brief, and I snapped several sunny shots around and inside the beautiful ultra-modern venue.

My general admission ticket included skeet shooting access, with a grandstand revealing three skeet and trap fields of play and nearly-full seating. The preliminary segment wrapped up with Team USA's Kimberly Rhode -- the five-time Olympian featured in a massive USA Today article last weekend -- in the lead with a near-perfect score.

Lunchtime arrived and I searched for ... wait for it ... bangers and mash, but settled for fish & chips (my first taste of this popular staple of the London experience). For those visiting Olympic venues in London, you may also enjoy the side of mashed peas (delicious!).

About this time, storm clouds moved in and a cloudburst sent many folks for cover. The rain did a high calibre number on my shoes, but my umbrella saved the day, and the vacant, damp seating yielded surprising access to the front row.

Imagine my delight to learn that my seatmates from the USA were Richard and Sharon Rhode, the parents of Kimberly. Rick and Sharon detailed their excitement, anxiousness and elation about the day, and they also told stories from travels to Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing for Kimberly's previous medal-earning Olympic competitions. Enjoy the video! Also, be sure to look for the LA Times' interview with Rick and Kimberly (shook hands with Bill Dwyre, the columnist from Los Angeles).

So there I was, seating by the parents of the medal favorite to my left ... wait for it ... riding shotgun and the shotgun competition at the London Olympics. All around us sat fellow Team USA supporters (I estimate about 25 of us, including several folks from Georgia like me). To my left sat a half-dozen Slovakia fans humming their national anthem. I love the Olympics!

Bonus -- the rain stopped just in time for the big final round.

It did not take long for Kimberly Rhode, Wei Ning of China, Marina Belikova of Russia, Chiara Cainero of Italy, Christine Wenzel of Germany and Danka Bartekova of Slovakia to blow through the final round. And in the fourth station of the competition, Rhode's parents were a bit more tense (Sharon explained it was the most challenging stage of the competition), but Kimberly kept nailing every shot.

She shoots, she SCORES!

So proud we were to learn by station five Rhode won the gold with China taking the silver. Russia and Slovakia began a sudden-death-pressure shoot-off, with Belikova missing her last shot, giving our neighbors seated to the left a huge occasion to celebrate as we had for Rhode.

Bravo, Kimberly Rhode! Her smile beamed as some blogger in the audience cheered "We love you, Kimberly!" drawing laughter from the crowd.

With "The Star Spangled Banner" playing as Old Glory ascended the flag pole, Rhode wiped away tears as did China's silver medal winner Ning and Bartekova donning her bronze. What a moment! So proud.

Rhode's post-competition actions also impressed me deeply. After completing a wave of media interviews in the venue's mixed zone for reporters and athletes, Rhode heard from anxious U.S. fans asking for autographs and a photo with Rhode.

Rhode not only stayed to sign every autograph and pose for may photos, but for kids in the venue she placed her brand new London Olympic gold medal around their necks and invited the young fans to hold her medal ceremony flowers. So polite and inspiring. Again, bravo Kimberly Rhode! A true Olympic champion.

My fellow International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) friend Brian Carberry is quick to point out that Rhode is the second Olympian in two days to win an medal in five consecutive Olympics. Though she did not five-peat, Rhode now has three gold, one silver and one bronze in her trophy case. And she has another opportunity to medal in London next weekend, according to her parents.

Rhode not only won gold, but she also shot a near-perfect 99 out of 100, equaling her own world record.

So excited I am by her victory, it's time to rifle through my bag for the Kim Rhode "blinkie" pin her mother gave to me in the stands. Time to wear it with pride.

Photos and videos by Nicholas Wolaver

Olympic Thievery

Saw a sad news story online tonight.

Turns out 2002 Olympic gold medalist Tristan Gale Geisler was the victim of a burglary in Oceanside, Calif. Among many treasures stolen from her residence: Her Salt Lake 2002 Olympic gold medal in skeleton.

I was the victim of an Olympic theft a few days prior to flying to Beijing in 2008. Theft sucks. Shame on the thief who took my Olympic vanity plate, and shame on the alleged burglars who invaded Olympian Gale's residence.

Spotting the headline from Oceanside, and Gale's comments about trolling Craig's List for the items she lost, was timely as just yesterday I noticed an Atlanta Olympic medal on the set of the show "Pawn Stars" -- for those not yet familiar, this program is like an edgy "Antiques Road Show" with managers and friends of a Vegas-based family business standing in for the academic and antique experts who appear on the PBS program.

I have an e-mail in to the "Pawn Stars" team to inquire about the '96 Olympic medal back story (there is a small bit of detail at this link). When they reply, it's my intention to suggest they be on the lookout for Gale's medal and help with its safe return.

I'd hate for Gale to go through life like Muhammad Ali lamenting over the lost medal. Fortunately, the IOC provides an option for a replacement for the irreplaceable.

Photo via USAToday.com and AP photographer Laurent Rebours



Feb. 3, 2011 UPDTATE: CRIME SOLVED -- OLYMPIC MEDAL RECOVERED

With thanks to Shreveport, La.-based J. Brian Carberry for flagging the news, today police announced they recovered the stolen Olympic medal and other missing items from Tristan Gale Geisler's burgled abode. WHEW!

Quoting Orson Welles as "The Shadow" ... "Crime ... does NOT pay ... The Shadow knows (bwah-hah-hah!).