One good thing about sports is participation.


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She was coming last, 150 metres from the finish line and almost 44 seconds behind the winner.  It was only appropriate that she trail the field. But the crowd's focus was set on Sarah Attar in the women's 800m heat, who was living out a historic moment that had nothing to do with gold, silver or bronze. As US runner Alice Schmidt told AP: "She carried the weight of Saudi Arabia's women on her shoulders." Attar became the first female track and field athlete to represent Saudi Arabia at an Olympics in London on Wednesday, local time. Advertisement The 19-year-old, who wore a white head cover, a long-sleeved green top and black leggings and sported luminous green running spikes, received a generous ovation and a loud cheer from a capacity crowd at the Olympic stadium as she trailed in last of the eight runners. "This is such a huge honour and an amazing experience, just to be representing the women. I know that this can make a huge difference,’’ she said. "It was such a unique opportunity [to represent Saudi Arabia], they invited me and welcomed me and to make that first step for women is just the most amazing feeling ever." "For women in Saudi Arabia, I think this can really spark something to get more involved in sports, to become more athletic. Maybe in the next Olympics, we can have a very strong team to come.’’ Attar, who clocked two minutes 44.95 seconds - over 43 seconds behind heat winner Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei of Kenya - was the second Saudi woman to compete at the Games following judoka Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani. Attar runs at Pepperdine University near Los Angeles and usually trains as a long-distance runner. "To see how the crowd reacted to her when she was running was very touching and very exciting," Attar's father, Amer, told AP. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had extended a special invitation to Shaherkani and Attar after it pressed Saudi Arabia to end its ban on female participation. Some conservative Saudis had criticised their countrywomen's participation in London after Saudi Arabia broke with its practice of sending male-only teams to the world's biggest sporting event.  Allowing women to compete was a significant step forward for women in a country that still disallows sports in schools for girls. The female competitors marched behind the men at the opening ceremony. AP reported many people in Saudi Arabia did not consider Attar to be truly Saudi because she was born in California. Her mother is American and her father is Saudi and she has spent little time in Saudi Arabia. But the editor-in-chief of a Saudi-based online sports newspaper shesport.com, Ahmed al-Marzooqi, said that didn't take away from the significance of the moment. "I think her run will support our cause here," he said told the news agency. "They showed to all people and religious authority in Saudi that women in sports do not clash with Islamic tradition and Saudi society."

She'll cop a beating for it when she gets home.

One small step at a time.

I remember when they had that guy who could barely swim in the pool. He got a good cheer too. I think he was from a dirt poor landlocked country with no swimming pools.

Any of us could finish dead last in an olympic event.

It's nothing to cheer about.

... wrote on Aug 9^th, 2012 at 10:06am:

Any of us could finish dead last in an olympic event. It's nothing to cheer about.

We can't. We wouldn't qualify to get there.

You are a bad sportsman Wesley, just like our cry baby swimmers.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Aug 9^th, 2012 at 10:30am:

... wrote on Aug 9th, 2012 at 10:06am: Any of us could finish dead last in an olympic event. It's nothing to cheer about. We can't. We wouldn't qualify to get there. You are a bad sportsman Wesley, just like our cry baby swimmers.

We can't qualify becasue we have standards.  Standards which should be enforced across the board.  The olympcis is supposed to be the best of the best - if you're not very good, stay away.  Your presence only cheapens the event.

Your change of attitude hasn't escaped my attention.  Can't bag aussie athletes fast enough, yet fawn over a saudi no-hoper.  Funny that.

That nigerian arsewipe who took up rowing 3 months ago just to get to the olympics shoudl NEVER be allowed to happen again.  The arrogance to think that after 3 months of half-arsed training, they would be at world class standard is mind blowing.  And by giving this opportunist a spot, they rob someone with a legitimate claim of a chance to live their dream. 

But I guess that won't matter.  Being black , he is beyond criticism.


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Sir Steve Redgrave has been reprimanded by rowing's governing body Fisa (Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron) following his comments suggesting Nigerien rower Hamadou Djibo Issaka – who finished 100 seconds behind the winner – should not have been given a place when there were "better scullers from different countries who are not allowed to compete".

Reprimanded eh?  He shoudl know better than to criticise a memebr of a protected minority.  Not in a "free" ( ;D ;D) country like the UK.

<<Your change of attitude hasn't escaped my attention.  Can't bag aussie athletes fast enough, yet fawn over a saudi no-hoper.  Funny that.>>
.................................................................

I said we spend too much on sports, and I bagged their attitudes for coming second rather than first. They acted like they deserved to win, for some strange reason.

Not all, some were ecstatic with silver and bronze.

We sent about 360 athletes who didn't medal.

We had athletes that come almost last in the heats. Should we have sent them?

If the Olympics are about the best of the best, many of ours should have stayed home.

They set new rules to their "standards" for the Aussie girl who didn't qualify, she had a spack attack, they let her in, she came almost last in the heat.

Should she have been allowed to compete?

By your standards more than 3/4 of our Olympians shouldn't have gone, they should have given their spots to a country who had a better chance of winning.

The best of the best are not competing at the Olympics. They are somewhere else on this planet.

Good on Saudi for allowing their women to compete, it's a move in the right direction.

They let the Nigerian rower in because of the massive outcry due to third world nations not having the equipment to compete.

Applause for Australia.

You now have more gold medals than the county of Yorkshire with the sailing win.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Aug 9^th, 2012 at 11:19am:

<<Your change of attitude hasn't escaped my attention.  Can't bag aussie athletes fast enough, yet fawn over a saudi no-hoper.  Funny that.>> ................................................................. I said we spend too much on sports, and I bagged their attitudes for coming second rather than first. They acted like they deserved to win, for some strange reason.

They acted like they believed they were good enough, and were disappointed to fall short.  Not something you'd understand, being accustomed to failure.


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We had athletes that come almost last in the heats. Should we have sent them?

Probably not.  Though theres a difference between finishing last, and finishing waaaaaaaaaaay last. 


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They set new rules to their "standards" for the Aussie girl who didn't qualify, she had a spack attack, they let her in, she came almost last in the heat. Should she have been allowed to compete?

If you're thinking of Genevieve Lacaze, then no.  She shouldn't.


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The best of the best are not competing at the Olympics. They are somewhere else on this planet.

Really?   :-/
Where might the "real" athletes be dwelling? 


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Good on Saudi for allowing their women to compete, it's a move in the right direction.

Perhaps they should have started by having her  compete in lesser tournaments first. 


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They let the Nigerian rower in because of the massive outcry due to third world nations not having the equipment to compete.

There was no outcry, massive or otherwise.  This was merely an exercise in the 'all shall have prizes" philosophy that has posioned the "free" ( ;D) world.
Surely theres some event a nigerian is good at.  Rowing ain't it.