So many observations, so little enthusiasm. I haven't ignored the Olympics these past nine days, far from it, but I haven't felt the urge to write anything that could be construed as original. Or, more to the point, I just couldn't be bothered.

The Olympic Games only really come to life for me once the athletics get under way. There's one event above all others that is the focal point of the Games for me: the men's 100 metre sprint. Enter Usain Bolt. He has been truly outstanding in this 29th Olympiad. As if his 9.68 in the 100 wasn't enough, there was his 19.30 in the 200. Twelve short years ago I was blown away by Michael Johnson's stunning victory in the 200 at Atlanta. Bolt has knocked off that record.

And then, last night, Jamaica won the 4 x 100 relay. Bolt and Asafa Powell in the last two legs. A truly great team. If nothing else happened in or around the Beijing Olympics, these three finals made it all worthwhile.

More to say later (perhaps), but in the meantime let me pick some winners in the teams events:

Baseball: South Korea to beat Cuba;
Hockey Men's: Spain to beat Germany;
Handball Womens: Norway to beat Russia;
Handball Mens: Iceland to beat France (wouldn't that be one heckofan upset?);
Basketball Womens: let's dream on... Australia to beat the USA;
Basketball Mens: Spain to beat the USA! A silver double, could NBC cope?

While we're at it, let's go for an American silverfest:
Hungary in the men's waterpolo;
Brazil in the women's volleyball;
and in the men's!

Go Iceland!!!