The semi-final of the 400m race on Wednesday evening might have had everyone focused on Rhasidat Adeleke, but another noteworthy athlete on the starting line was Junelle Bromfield from Jamaica. Unfortunately, Bromfield’s performance was far from her best, with her timing a second slower than her personal record. The Jamaican press had a harsh take on her poor performance, summarising it as “dismal”. However, considering certain circumstances, one could extend a degree of empathy toward Bromfield.
It’s important to remember here that Noah Lyles, post his 200m final, disclosed he had been battling Covid leading up to the race and experienced several sleepless nights. His girlfriend, none other than Junelle Bromfield herself, had to frequently adjust him throughout the night to stop his coughing fits. Given this, it’s admirable Bromfield even made it to the 400m starting block.
Furthermore, friction has persistently persisted between the basketball team of the United States and sprinter Noah Lyles. Previously, Lyles criticised NBA players for self-proclaiming as world champions, causing him to question exactly what they were champions of – certainly not the world, given they compete nationally within the United States. Despite Lyles’s Covid affliction and subsequent bronze medal achievement in the 200m final, the US basketball team’s only response was “We don’t play for Bronze.”, a statement as biting as it is scorching.
In another turn of events, Bettina Fabian from Hungary, who came fifth in the 10km marathon swim on Thursday, revealed her struggle because of worrying about the water quality of the Seine during and after the race.
Our concentration during the race had to be centred on not ingesting water and ensuring safety. I spotted some brown substances… I sincerely hope it wasn’t what I imagined. Crikey!
Sharp Rejoinder
Anne Hidalgo, Paris’ Mayor, has been subjected to ample criticism by her political counterparts over various concerns associated with the Olympic Games. They particularly branded a section of the opening ceremony as “irreverent”.
She had quite a pointed comeback to these critics when interviewed by Le Monde; she expressed utmost disdain at reactionaries, far-right enthusiasts, and those seeking to provoke community-wide conflict. Hidalgo believes that the far right’s narrative has been completely discredited by the Games and opening ceremony, stirring a wave of positivity. One could only wish she’d express her thoughts openly more often.
Overheard
“The beginning was a bit brutal with a punch to my face, three strikes to the head, a kick to the stomach, and I believe I strained my groin at the halfway point. As for the final lap, I was completely spent.” In spite of these obstacles, Daniel Wiffen had a memorable marathon swim in open waters.
Numbers: 1.23
Amidst these Olympic Games analyses, Ampere Analysis, an analytics firm, estimates the event will garner 1.23 billion euros in sponsorship earnings; signalling a 60 per cent surge from the Tokyo games.