Last morning session in the athletics and nothing very notable.
So a chance to look around at fellow spectators. Multi-national fans - some of them quite young. Athletics does attract a of of kids as its pretty family-friendly.
And for times when an ordinary hat just isn't enough...
Then during the afternoon break I went for a walk through southern Helsinki, down through Kaivopuisto park and onto the coast. Funnily enough, a churchyard presented me with my best view of red squirrels. Rather more attractive than our greys.
Then I got back to the stadium just in time. Just in time for the athletics to start 7pm (a late start since there was no European Football Championships final to clash with - that would be tomorrow), but more importantly just in time to avoid the deluge. I guess I got to my seat only minutes before the heavens opened. Conditions were atrocious. 12 degrees and driving rain. I was in a lined coat (and to my delight I found I still had my gloves in the pockets) . I was cold sitting in a covered stand in my winter clothes - the poor buggers in front of me were running around in vests. The officials over the triple jump pit looked particularly wretched. Its a bad day when you do a victory lap wearing towels rather than the national flag!
It did cheer up marginally over the evening. Enough to see young Danny Talbot get bronze in the 200m in conditions that were merely grim.
So overcast was it that it presented the nearest opportunity I had to see Helsinki at night. Its not quite the land of the midnight sun, but not that far off, so it was light every night I turned in. But tonight the combination of a late finish and more importantly the black brooding cloud cover gave a passable imitation of darkness.
No comments:
Post a Comment