Magnificent Mery Makes Merry

Today at the Olympics for India undoubtedly belongs to the mother of two, 5 times world champion, the pocket dynamo, Mery Kom. Another magnificent stadium, ExCel, and another fine performance from an Indian lady makes for another day of sumptuous Olympics fare. 

Women's boxing is happening for the first time ever in the Olympics. Mery's bout against the accomplished Pole, also a world champion of the past and the current world no 5, was the third fight on the women's time table. It was the first competitive match in Olympics history though. Once again, after the Saina Nehwal quarter final, a sprinkling of Indians in the stadium created a noise disproportionate to their numbers. We have a ring side seat, ideal for jumping around, raising our flags and screaming "India, India" and "Mery Kom, Mery Kom". Enough to get the TV camera on us!



The rocky type music is on full blast as Mery Kom enters the arena.



Magnificent Mery walks in to the arena in her trade mark understated manner, bows her head in prayer and is ready to box. None of the jumping around on toes, punching the air in anticipation of the real thing and "if looks could kill" looks. Mery Kom prepares to box as though she was setting off from home for a pilgrimage. A simple lady from a humble background in an aggressive sport!

The fight itself is packed with action and incident. Once both boxers wrestle each other to the ground. On another occasion Mery's head guard comes loose and the boxing stops to have that mended. Mery also losses balance twice and is on the floor. The Indian moves into the ascendency after an even first round and begins the last one with a bulging 5 point lead.

Mery Kom, in blue, takes the fight to the Pole right from the outset.

Soon she's making headway with clever jabs, hooks and upper cuts.

The result of the bout is announced amidst a cacophony of noise in the stadium. The final score is 19-14 in favour of the blue corner. Mery Kom has delivered against a tricky opponent. One more victory and she'll be guaranteed an Olympic medal. 

The winner is declared. Mery Kom exults. The vanquished Pole hangs her head in dejection.

The lady in blue, Mery Kom, wins the day and the evidence is on the scoreboard.

These Games have lived up to the friendly games tag, at least for me. I again make friends. This time it is Brendon and Julie. We exchange telephone numbers and agree to meet for a drink the next evening at the same venue (they are again coming for the boxing and I'll be back at ExCel for the men's team table tennis semi finals). Julie, the Irish lady, I discover is a big India fan and takes photographs with my flag. She's immediately mentions the 1970s Hindi movie of the same name, a movie in which the keralite, Lakshmi, acts in and as Julie.

Bull In, and Outside, A China Shop

To Wimbledon, to Wimbledon, to the Centre Court, to watch two finals, or Gold Medal matches as these are called at the Olympics. Rati and I go to see two but we get to watch four Centre Court matches instead. More of the extra two later.

Serena Williams comes from a different planet. On this planet they play better tennis than any humans have ever done. The power and panache displayed by Serena this afternoon was breath stopping stuff. Poor Sherapova could do nothing to stop the bull in, and outside, a China shop Williams.

Sharapova reaches for the skies but falls flat in the final.

The match was a NC (a boxing abbreviation for No Contest) but watching Serena whack the ball perhaps harder than any women has ever done was worth our while. In the midst of this match Rati gives me stunning news. Saina Nehwal has won a bronze. The first Indian badminton player to stand on the victory podium in an Olympics. Sabash Saina. You make us proud.

The ladies singles medal ceremony is best remembered for the US flag sailing away from the flag pole in the midst of the US anthem! Wimbledon just isn't used to flags and hoisting them I guess.

Contrasting moods at the medals ceremony. Serena is beaming. Sharapova is sulking. A reflection of their respective performances!

In stark contrast to the ladies final, the men's doubles final between the Bryan brothers from the US and the French duo of Tsonga and Llodra produced keen and closely fought fare. Tsonga is a character and stands out of the foursome if nothing but for his antics on court. The French give way at the end to lose a close match to the US favourites but not before we see some super fast serving, ferocious hitting and precision volleys.

"Appa, WAKE UP. I've just got an email from the Games organisers informing us of an additional earlier match on Centre Court this morning. Let's go faaast."  This was how Rati ensures I begin this day!

The matches at Wimbledon are behind schedule due to rain in the last few days (nothing new!). The back log requires to be made up. These Olympics folks are so organised as to send out individual emails about extra matches to ticket holders. Amazing.

We watch two more matches on Centre Court than what we have paid for - Andy Murray's mixed doubles quarter final and the Williams sister's doubles semi finals. Both matches are super to watch. It was indeed a bonus to get to see Andy Murray and Venus Williams play, not to mention Serena again blasting away to victory. Paes and Sania lose their quarter final in the afternoon. If only they had won we would have watched them play their semis on Court no 1. If only.

Rati and I have an unforgetable day. A full 10 hours we spend at Wimbledon. It somehow seems like but a couple of hours, such is the way time flies on Centre Court.

Vijay Kumar Sharma - smokin' silver bullets!

Most of us, myself included, would not even have heard of young Vijay Kumar. After this afternoon none of us will forget him. A bolt from the blue silver medal in the 25 metre pistol event. Subedar Vijay Kumar Sharma, displaying all the calmness and discipline of an army man, shoots silver bullets out of his smoking gun to land an unexpected heaven sent medal for India. The heavenly 16 Dogra Regiment man displays a cool as a cucumber and cold as ice demeanour through his medal winning performance and afterwards too. Shabash Subedar.

News of the Subedar's silver comes to me at a most opportune time. The India v Germany hockey match has just finished, I rise from my seat but my spirits sink. India have again been outplayed. The Indians blunder in between bouts of pristine hockey, Coach Nobbs gets his tactics and playing 11 for the day wrong and Germany romp home with a 5-2 verdict.

My new found Indian friend in the chair next to me, Dr Deepak, is still seated and pouring over his iPad. "We've got a silver," Dr Deepak suddenly proclaims. My sinking spirits are shaken from their slumber. "A silver Dr?" I query more in disbelief than elation. Vijay Kumar jee triggers an osmosis within me. From sinking spirits of reasons hockey and Saina Nehwal's loss in the badminton earlier in the day, my low lying emotions permeate through the membrane of an Indian triumph and generate an instant elation. The day has turned the corner. I walk back from the hockey stadium with a spring in my step, my mind blanking out the darker memories of the hockey I had just been witness to.

On the way out of the Olympic park a cheerful English lady, Jo, accosts me. "Can I please have a photograph with you and your flag? I supported India at the hockey just now and want to send the photograph back to my team in India," Jo explains. We click a few snaps together and I discover she's from Goldman Sachs and manages an IT team of Goldman's in Bangalore. We exchange email ids and I am again off on my way, imagining silver bullets buzzing all around me. Well done Subedar Vijay Kumar Sharma. May the Indian Army immediately give you two promotions!



I click the Olympic Stadium as I walk back from the hockey. Athletics action had just commenced a few hours back.



When I reach home my spirits are lifted even more. We watch Vikas Krishnan in the 69 kgs class box his way into the quarter finals. Soon Rati informs me that the women's singles final will be between Serena Williams and Sherapova; the mens's doubles finals will have the Bryan brothers and the effervescent French duo of Lladro and Tsonga. Couldn't ask for more. Tomorrow Rati and I will be there in Wimbledon's Centre Court to watch these two finals. The mind boggles!

The India London 2012 Olympics pin-up badge. This particular one belongs to our badminton singles quarter finalist, Parupalli Kashyap.

Saina on Song!

What a match! What a lady! What a day! Saina Nehwal did herself and India proud in a packed Wembley Arena this afternoon with a clinically professional performance to defeat that wily old coyote from Denmark, Tine Baum, 21-15; 22-20, and make the semi-finals of the Olympics badminton women's singles.



Supple Saina - in action in the quarters earlier today. She's lost weight, 5 kgs, in preparation for the Olympics.



Us Indians, and there were more than a fair sprinkling present, went crazy. The chants and screams were several and varied. "Jeete ga bhai, jeete ga, India jeete ga", "Let's go Saina, let's go", "Come on Saina", "Come on India", "Chak de", "Chalo Saina, chalo", "Steady Saina, steady", all pierced the air with clock work regularity through our badminton queen's match. The atmosphere was India charged with many Indian flags proudly being waived. At times Saina must have felt she was playing in Lucknow, not London.



Chic Saina - the pretty lady makes a fashion statement, a single piece dress! The endorsements will pour in.



The guru and the pupil. Gopichand, the coach, coaches. Saina, the player, gets coached.



The first game saw Saina take control from the beginning. She kept a healthy lead through the game and ran out a facile winner in the first. The second saw tables turned. Tine Baum started well and nearly ended the game well too. Baum had three game points at 20-17 but it was one of those Saina end of game fight backs for which she has now got a growing reputation for. Five points Saina pulls off in a row to take the second game too and the match.



She stoops to conquer. Approaching victory.....



Pandemonium breaks out amongst us Indians present. I move with my tricolour a few steps down to the edge of the court and 'am soon followed by three other screaming flag totting Indians. We set up an incessant chant of "Saina, Saina". She looks up from packing her racquets into her bag and says a shy, polite "Thank you". A super badminton player. A fine lady.



Yours truly in truly celebratory mood right after Saina's match and next to the court she played on. "Come on India!" Thanks for the many message from India about me appearing on TV with the beloved tricolour. Jai Hind!



Lots of photographs later (by now most of the Indians in the crowd had gathered where I was sitting next to the court) us Indian supporters go out of the stadium together chanting "India, India", waving our flags furiously. Lots more photographs and lots more new Indian friends made in the gathering outside. Olympic victory is the best medicine to bring Indians together in any part of the world. And badminton in the Country seems to be becoming ever so popular. Thanks a ton Saina.



The badminton queen walking back from the stadium to the Ibis hotel next door on Wembley Way soon after I meet and congratulate her. Notice she herself is carrying her kit bag and saunters on the high streets of London totally unrecognised.



Wembley Wonder

Today was a double header. First the India - New Zealand hockey match at the Olympic Park and then a rush across town to the football at one of the world's most famous stadia, Wembley Stadium.

One went with a spring in one's step to the Riverbank Arena to watch our hockey men. After the memorable fight back in the second half of the previous match against Holland, us India supporters were encouraged to expect India would put it across the higher ranked Kiwis. All went according to the Indian script as we scored in the very second minute. 1-0 to India and the promise of more to come. Alas, it was not to be. In a disappointing performance thereafter the spoils of the day were taken by the Kiwis with a 3-1 score line.

I make a quick dash immediately after the match from the Olympic Park deep in East London to the Liverpool Street station where Rati meets me. After a hug and another, "Happy birthday Rati", we set off by Tube to the outer reaches of North West London and the Wembley Stadium. Miraculously we are in our seats for the start of the South Korea - Gabon football game. And what seats they prove to be! What a stadium we are in! Without doubt the best stadium I've ever been in. The spectator attendance at the match, in true Wembley Stadium tradition, is flashed on the giant screens during the second half of the game. 76,927 is the spectator count for the game.

The fabulous Wembley Stadium. The best stadium I have ever been in.

How the 76,927 were controlled post the match and found themselves home provides another example of how well organised these Games have been. Wave after wave of humanity find themselves lead into the Wembley Park tube station without any hiccups. Event after event the stadia have matched the superb way the crowds have been managed.

Post match most of the 76,927 spectators are lead into Wembley Park tube station - orderly and organised.

Although our World number 1 archer, Deepika Kumari, fares miserably in her first round today, our badminton singles flags are flying high. P. Kashyap has probably surprised himself by reaching the quarter finals whilst Saina Nehwal surprised no one by doing likewise.

I am eagerly looking forward to being at the Wembley Arena to cheer Saina along.....

Artistic Americans

Day 4 of the Olympics and it's time for the fourth event of the Games - artistic gymnastics. Rati and I were off to the Women's Gymnastics Team finals, the flag ship event of the gymnastics programme.

True to previous form London's transport holds firm and its a doddle to get to the stadium in East London, the North Greenwich Arena. Whilst East London is buzzing with the activity of the Olympics, it's famous neighbour, London's West End (Central London) is suffering from a lack of visitors to its shops, bars, cinemas, restaurants and hotels. People have been warned to keep off Central London, others simply want to avoid the crowds of the Games and some others are busy working from home.  Whatever the reason commerce in the West End is feeling the pinch. Hotel rates are being lowered making it attractive for anyone who might want a London holiday for less than what it should be.

The crowds at the gynastics were there alright. How well they were managed through security and the ticket gates is an object lesson in project management.

The crowds thronged at the gymnastics. Again, the logistics and crowd management were tops.

The stadium itself is the best indoor arena I've been to. The seats are like those in an expensive cinema, the views terrific, the sound system superb and ambiance fantastic. USA sweeps the day and China stuns all of us by not winning a medal. The women (most of them are girls) stunned with their artistry and skills. A day of sport not to be forgotten in a hurry.

The fabulous North Greenwich arena. Little wonder the gymnasts performed so marvelously.

London's Olympic Park - wow!

Londoners were both warned and cajoled into using alternate means of transport. Keep away from the Underground was the diktat. Get staff to work from home was a plea to corporate London. The transport systems will break down said the crystal ball gazers. Cannot take the strain of an additional million visitors the pundits assured. We've heard of the British understatements. Now we've just experienced this very nation's gross overstatement. The journey by tube to the Olympic Park was easy and efficient. The crowds were superbly managed and the rigorous security check smooth as silk. No transport hassles whatsoever. Too much ado about nothing! 

The towering Arcelor Mittal Orbit at the Olympic Park with the Main Stadium in the background. Mittal's steel, no less!

Today Rati and I for the first time went to the Olympic Park. a waste land in East London now transformed into a fabulous, sprawling sports enclave housing the stadia for athletics, cycling, swimming, water polo, BMX biking, hockey and basketball. India played the mighty Netherlands at hockey on artificial turf which is blue in colour and a ball which is yellow. 

The blue and yellow ensure the day's hockey is of a different colour. India too is in different colours in the first half - off-colour! At 2-0 down at half time neither were the Indians playing nor those watching amused. 



While the blue artificial turf needs watering during the half time break, the Indian players need much more than inspiration.



To our delight the Indians change colour in the second half. They play out of their skins and thrill the packed stadium with fast flowing and attacking hockey to swiftly restore parity at 2-2. Plenty of occasions for Rati and me to proudly wave our India flags and for me to keep screaming, "Come on India". 



India lay siege on the Dutch goal in the second half. This is a rare Holland attack. The packed stadium is enthralled by some dazzling Indian hockey.



Although a penalty corner Dutch goal spoils the party at the end for us, nobody present at the Riverbank Arena is left in any doubt about our fighting spirit and skills. New Zealand, whom we next play on 1 August, must not be looking forward to their India game. Let our opponents beware.

Rati and I walk across to the swimming stadium just before the finals are due to begin. We don't have tickets but hang around near the ticket turnstiles in the forlorn hope some heavenly soul would appear with two spare tickets for us to buy. Alas, no such soul appears. We conclude it's ordained that swimming isn't ours to watch, at least at these Olympics!

We leave the Riverbank Arena and Olympic Park with our Indian hearts beating strongly and proudly. It's been a good day for India. Whilst watching India play superb hockey in the second half news filters in of our Gagan Narang rifling himself to India's first medal of the Games, all our tennis boys winning, all our badminton girls winning (hats off to Gutta and Ponappa in the doubles) and the boxers chipping in.