The cost of the medals.
Good performances at high profile games like the Olympics can inspire people to take up sport. That's good. But you might have gathered by now, I am not a fan of huge investments in a few elite if it is at the expense of recreational and sporting facilities for the rest. Let's give priority to making facilities and coaching expertise available to all. Australia is pretty good in this area; but there is still a long way to go if we are to get Norm out of his armchair.
I was feeling a bit blue when I heard that a good running friend of mine from my teen years in Adelaide died recently. David Fitzsimons, "Fitzi", went on to set records and represent Australia in the 5000m.
"Fitzsimons, who dominated Australian distance running in the late 1970s, died from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, aged 58. Recognised as one of the best athletes South Australia has ever produced, Fitzsimons represented Australia at the 1976 and 1980 Olympics and the 1974 and 1978 Commonwealth Games..... " - see http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24324457-12428,00.html
and a tribute at http://www.athleticssa.org/.
Well, better go for a run. Now.
And then there's a wedding to go to today. That will be a laugh a minute. I will certainly need my sense of humour. I will set the tape to record Hawthorn flogging whoever-they-are-playing. Then tomorrow I will run it all off at 9am at Stromlo with Christopher and the Masters Sunday morning group.
Good performances at high profile games like the Olympics can inspire people to take up sport. That's good. But you might have gathered by now, I am not a fan of huge investments in a few elite if it is at the expense of recreational and sporting facilities for the rest. Let's give priority to making facilities and coaching expertise available to all. Australia is pretty good in this area; but there is still a long way to go if we are to get Norm out of his armchair.
I was feeling a bit blue when I heard that a good running friend of mine from my teen years in Adelaide died recently. David Fitzsimons, "Fitzi", went on to set records and represent Australia in the 5000m.
"Fitzsimons, who dominated Australian distance running in the late 1970s, died from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, aged 58. Recognised as one of the best athletes South Australia has ever produced, Fitzsimons represented Australia at the 1976 and 1980 Olympics and the 1974 and 1978 Commonwealth Games..... " - see http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24324457-12428,00.html
and a tribute at http://www.athleticssa.org/.
Well, better go for a run. Now.
And then there's a wedding to go to today. That will be a laugh a minute. I will certainly need my sense of humour. I will set the tape to record Hawthorn flogging whoever-they-are-playing. Then tomorrow I will run it all off at 9am at Stromlo with Christopher and the Masters Sunday morning group.
