After a couple of days of semi active rest, today I went to the ExCel Arena, with a
very convenient ticket, 10 pounds for various sports and free access to the most expensive underground of the world.
When I read that there were the powerlifting finals, my priority, with all the time I passed on a bench at the time of AVM, my first and only gym in Legnano, could not be but the women’s final of the up to 67,5 kg category.
I thought to watch just a competition, but I assisted to a life lesson, seeing the athletes arrive on the wheelchair, jump on the bench, let their legs being tied and perform that gesture apparently simple, but very difficult when your hands are holding double your body weight and your back cannot help you it has been an incredible emotion first, and a lesson afterwards, our limits are much further from what we believe …
The spectators helped the athletes to push the barbell up, sincere and spontaneous applause, hopeful whispers when the arms became less fluid, the trembling gesture, the inhuman effort … at the critical moment of the flat bench when you are missing just a few endless centimeters to stretching the arms and rejoice … Some made it, others not … but for all there was the warmth of the crowd …
When the French Ghazouani Souhad attempted the World Record with 150kg! … the silence fell on the arena … Souhad did not make for tiny bit … but won with 146 kg, second a Chinese and third a Nigerian!
I arrived late for the first finals of table tennis … so I fell back on the Boccia which I hastily and stupidly discarded … there were the semi-finals between Brazil and Britain and Between Canada and Czech Republic … the atmosphere is the one of a chess match … interrupted by the spontaneous rumbles of the spectators for a good move … concentration and ability, strategy and tactic are the ingredients of these discipline … I will never forget the dive of joy from the wheelchair of one of the two Czech Republic athletes after conquering the final …
Then sitting volleyball much more spectacular than what I had envisioned … the crowded stadium is proof of that … Iraq wallops three-zero Brazil … at the opening ceremony I was impressed by the many Iraqi athletes … today I understood that they did not come only to make up number …
Before the beginning of the table tennis matches there was the explanation of the rules … and the top spin is allowed … that is if you are so good to give the ball a special effect so that when it bounces on the opponent’s field it comes back … it counts and you score a point … a winning shot for the rivals on the wheelchair … winning, spectacular and … slightly bastard!
I do not know well what is the problem of the Dutch Kelly Van Zon … finalist of table tennis class 7 … maybe hips dysplasia … she walks uncertain on clutches … but when she takes her place in front of the table … she becomes a lethal player … it is the magic of sport … which is for everybody!