Olympics

I thought I would give the Olympics a miss this time around. During the last Olympics, I was down with dengue, and can't remember watching a single event. But, yesterday I took to watching recorded events on BBC iplayer and was hooked. It was the first day of track and field, which are the only events I watch. T&F is a display sheer of athleticism and can be appreciated without any prior knowledge of the rules, unlike sports. They are simply about who can run/jump/throw the fastest/highest/farthest. The finest specimens of or species competing against each other. I also like watching the bodies of the athletes and how athleticism can come in different types. The sprinters with their bulging thighs and glutes, the middle distance runners with their leaner frames and the long-distance runners with not an ounce of extra fat or muscle on their bodies. The shot-putters with their broad shoulders, the discus-throwers with their bulging chests (although to be honest, I admire the bodies of the track athletes more). I also participated in track and field events at school so I have a frame of reference to measure the achievements of the athletes. For instance, the highest I jumped was 1.5m, whereas the Olympic record stands at 2.45m. I couldn't throw a discus farther than 30m, whereas the Olympic record is close to 70m. And, I  don't think I could run 100m faster than 15 seconds, which means that if I raced the fastest man on earth, I would be at 60m when he crossed the finish line. To be sure, I was never more than an above-average athlete and India is not known for athletic prowess. But, my simple point is I do have a frame of reference.