PRE DAY 1 - from Robyn

Monday 4th - Friday 8th August.
Well, we arrived into Beijing about 10pm on Monday night and after waiting for what seemed like forever for our bags we got through customs relatively easily. However it was still about 1am before we got into the Athletes Village.

Village security is pretty tight, with every bag being x-rayed as you come in. The Village is absolutely amazing. The Chinese have put a lot of effort into it and there are gardens and fountains everywhere. Sue and I are on the 6th floor in the main Australian building and pretty much in the middle of the Villiage. Our room is small but nice. The food is good (although some things in some sections I can't identify) ............ there's always free McDonalds if it's needed.

Next day saw us going to get our uniforms. We're fully decked out in green and gold (and I mean gold!). The formal uniform is really nice (although don't think much of the shoes) and yes we got opening ceromony outfits (even though we won't be marching).

I went to the range for the first time yesterday and today we trained. The range is absolutely beautiful and one of the best in the world. Unlike Sydney and most other ranges which are prodominately concrete boxes, these ranges are inviting and air conditioned!!! All the countries even have their own chill out room. I had a bit of trouble with the smog on the 50m range yesterday but hopefully it will rain the day before my match to clear it up.

We have our official flag raising ceremony today in a few hours, after that we'll meet Kevin Rudd and have a team reception. Opening Ceremony is tomorrow which I will be watching in the Village as I shoot on Saturday. Sue and I also had a photo taken with the Prime Minister

DAY 1 - SATURDAY - down to business

9th August - started like the others in Beijing....hot and humid. The girls were on Bays 54 (Sue) and 60 (Robyn) which made it far easier for Miro to see what was happening. In the scheme of things, both had good strings of 10s throughout the match and also unfortunately, a fit of the "9.9 itis" with far too many of the shots being 9.8 or the dreaded 9.9 Those shots are unkind, as they are so close, and yet so far.

Of course, the results were far below the level that the two girls have been achieving in the past few days and weeks, but that is how it goes sometimes - Sue with a 386 and Robyn with 384.

What was fantastic to watch, was Katerina Emmons (CZE) shoot the ONLY 400 of the match....followed closely by Lioubov Galkina (RUS) with 399.........who, incidently shot the 9 for her FIRST shot, and then proceeded with the match and 39 x 10s. That took courage!

The Final was good with 3 shooters on 399, yet Katerina was just too strong on the day, and she took her Gold medal with a huge smile, much to the relief and joy of her father / Coach Peter and husband Matt. The Chinese shooter Li Du (qual 399) could not produce the magic that has seen her win recent events, and finished fourth.

After a trying day, Sue & Robyn were last seen at the Silk St Markets, bartering over silk items!
They both now have the Womens 3P event on the 14th August.

What could be said about the range? - it is absolutely fantastic, and I would venture to say that it is the top of the ranges in the world at the moment. Photos will be added to this area very soon. Val & Reg McCready are also in China to support Sue and the other shooters - photos from them will be added if at all possible.

John and I had taken a taxi to the range - very efficient and so cheap. The trip was approx 30 minutes through rather hairy traffic and cost the equivilant of AUS$10 or RMB60. The experience was to be enhanced when trying to get back to the hotel. With lots of head nodding, map looking and smiling (and NO english), the transport monitor and taxi driver motioned us into the taxi and off we went......after the 35 minutes or so....we were delivered, not to the Red Wall Hotel, but the Great Wall Hotel...welll away from where we should have been!! Into the Great Wall Hotel for help, and a new taxi. Finally back to the Red Wall Hotel, none the worse for wear.

DAY 2 - SUNDAY

10th August - started like the other days in China - hot. However, today, something new was added...rain. This would not have bothered the Womens Air Pistol shooters Dina and Lalita, but it made the Clay Target range rather more challenging. No smallbore events on today, so the team went to support Michael Diamond in this quest for another gold medal....sadly not to be.

Famous faces seen today at the village included tennis players Rafael Nadal, Alicia Mollick & Casy Dellaqua and Lauren Jackson (very tall basketballer). Village life is reportedly very good....more on that another time.

Today was "tourist" day for me - John and I went to the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Both are stunning for totally differing reasons. All visitors to Beijing should ensure that both are on the "must see" list.

DAY 3- MONDAY

11th August - Matthew Inabinet and Ben Burge shot Air Rifle - this was not the most memorable match of their careers, with Matthew on 579 and Ben with 576 finishing well down the place list. I spoke to Matt back at the village, and he was already throwing his energy towards the upcoming 3P match.

Robyn had arranged for John and I to visit the Olympic Villiage. After a long papertrail, including the checking of passports, we were finally on the "visitor transport" bus and into the village. This place is fantastic with all needs catered for very efficiently. Facilities include 9,000 rooms in 42 buildlings capable of housing 17,000 guests.... the dining area has 5,000 seat with 5 different food "zones" and serves some 3,000 tons of rice per day!

Athletes can visit a Medical Centre, supermarket, bank, post office, travel agency, coffee shop, chinese tea shop, internet cafe, games arcade, jogging track, fitness centre and 50m outdoor pool as well as cultural displays without leaving the village zone.

Security is tight, but no more so than in Sydney. It is practical and essential with the 500,000 volunteers taking their job very seriously, albeit with a smile. English language is now taught in schools, however many students do not get any conversation practice, resulting in them being rather hesitant to try to talk in english. Good humour and a smile do get through in the tight spots.

While in the village, we caught up with Sue (who had come back from training) and were just in time to see the Danish royal visitors to the Australian HQ within the village. Prince Frederick and Princess Mary were gracious with their time in posing for photos with athletes, and wished all the very best in the competition.

DAY 4- TUESDAY

12th August - Pistol & Clay Target Shooting filled the shooting program.

Russell Mark, after finishing = 6th with three other shooters after the Qualification, had to contest a shoot-off to claim a berth in the final. He gave himself a good shakeup and made the Final...however he must have been "off with the pixies" for the first shots, as he missed both houses! Having started with a miss, he made up for it during the balance of the final, and climbed a place to finish 5th.

Although not at the range that day, I "watched" the Final from the quiet and cool of our hotel room...via the internet. This was not a streaming process (ie I did not see the shooters), however it was a visual updating scoreboard on the screen - hence I can see what shots were hit. It was extremely interesting and in real time.

DAY 5- WEDNESDAY

13th August - Lalita & Dina shot Womens 25m Pistol - neither making the Final. Womens 3P training saw Sue & Robyn train well.
John and I did the cultural thing and visited the Art Centre and Museum - stunning 400-500 year old paintings by the roomful.
Lunch at the Jinghhan Park which overlooks the Forbidden City, and used to form part of the Imperial location, and then off to the Silk Markets for some serious haggling.

DAY 6- THURSDAY

14th August - Sue & Robyn shot Womens 3P today in cloudy, rather humid conditions. During the match it was interesting to watch the endeavour of the range volunteers, who were constantly telling the spectators to "sit in your seat please, and be quiet". Moving about to see how the shooters were doing is just not something that they had been told about in the briefings.

To put this into perspective, the spectators are in a a tiered arrangment, with the first row being some 10m back from, and 1.2m above the shooters. Between the shooters and the spectators is the Officials area and then the dual row coaches area with its plush, soft chairs. I'm not too sure how the spectators could easily disturb the shooters!

The girls shot in the left side of the range....Sue 550 (195, 172, 183) Robyn 566 (192, 183, 191) Not enough magic here today. They were in good company - Sonja Pfeilschifter had everything to gain, and did not deliver yet again. By starting with a prone 195, Sonja had her task cut out....but it was not to be, with 189 & 194 for a total of 578 and she well missed the Final of the event. The World Champion, World Cup Champion many times over is still yet to conqueur the Olympic arena.

Katerina Emmons gave the crowd a small fright...she is always a determined shooter, and had taken her time through her shots. The 10 minute call saw her with some 12 kneeling shots to complete. Unfazed, Katerina completed the shots in her routine way and scored 195....and a total of 586....with time to spare.
A solid Final saw Katerina move from her Qualification sixth place, to add a Silver Medal to her Beijing Gold collection. Again we saw her smile.

Spoke with Warren - he is ready for the event tomorrow and we just need to see how the day unfolds. He looks as ready as he can be.

Also at the range today....great to see and speak to Petr (Czech coach that came to Australia for the Youth camp a couple of years ago).
For those with longer memories - Claudia Kulla (from the pre-Sydney days) Claudia is well, now the wife of Bill Murray, and the mother of a pretty little 2 year old girl.
Watching Sonja was Rajmond Debevec, who will be in action later in the week.

DAY 7- FRIDAY

15th August - Warren & Ben to shoot in the 50m Mens Prone.......WELL - WHAT CAN I SAY. The day was hot and sunny (this sun thing was a first to be sure). John & I did not have tickets for the Mens Prone, however I know that the rest of the team were there, as were Val & Reg McCready, to watch the boys, Warren and Ben.

In the Qualifying event Ben shot 588, and Warren 595. Robyn sent me the SMS, and I did wonder at that point whether Warren would make the Final given the talent on the range. A second SMS a few minutes later, confirmed that Warren had indeed finished in fourth position...there was hope, as Warren is always a strong Finals contender.

We were wandering inside a cool department store in downtown Beijing, when I looked at one of the many large screens, and to my delight, there was Warren shooting sighters in the Final. That was enough - we stopped and watched the Final, gathering a small crowd around us, as we cheered each 10+ that Warren shot.

It was a wonderful Final, and I am sure that Miro has no fingernails left - his anxious face was constantly beamed on the screen. We could not understand the Chinese commentary (so what was new), however it was evident that they too were getting excited about a change of positions.

The look on Warren's face after the last shot, said it all.....satisfaction, composure, and relief.....above all, he had the OLYMPIC BRONZE medal. Rumour has it, that Warren is still smilling. This is the first smallbore Olympic medal, and without a doubt, eclipses the World Championship Team Gold Medal in 1986 of which Warren was a member.

CONGRATULATIONS WARREN

DAY 8- SATURDAY

16th August - John & I headed for home, very pleased with having been involved, albeit from the sidelines, in this Olympic Games in Beijing. It's interesting being a spectator - "go this way" and "do not enter here please" - a far cry from the Sydney experience when we worked and went wherever we pleased.

Another interesting fact - Athletes could not sit in the stands with family and friends - they had their own area and that was that. Can't have the athletes mix with the great unwashed!

The Rapid Fire and Skeet events were held - Australian shooters did not make the finals.

DAY 9- SUNDAY

17th August - Ben and Matthew shot the 3P event, with 1152 and 1141. While not making the final, these scores are creditable. Good to see the Grand Master Rajmond Debevec in the medal count, closly followed by Katerina's husband Matthew in 4th place. Matt's last shot (an eye popping 4.4) will again go down in history as being "event changing" - it took him from a gold to out of medal contention in one shot!

(Aside: I had this piece already written after the conclusion of the qualifying event....then "watched" the final over the internet. Obviously I had to make a number of quick changes!!)

Personal observation: If one looks at the Final scores, they are not in line with the potential of the range and the quality of the performers. This is an indoor 50m range!. Shots such as 4.4 from Emmons, 8.8 from Qui, 7.7 & 7.9 from Debevec, 8.8 from Knoegler, 7.9 from Sauveplane, and Vebjoen with 3 x 8. These are the top 8 shooters in this event, and probably in the top 20 in the world at any given time - how do they shoot 7s and 8s on an indoor range! It defies explanation!

The Emmons' will still have quite a collection of Olympic medals to take home frome Beijing with Katerina's Gold (Air) and Silver (3P) and Matt's Silver (Prone).

Today marks the end of the shooting programme - hope you have enjoyed the ramblings. I've had a wonderful trip, and now look forward to the preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

Remember to congratulate all of our 2008 Olympians when you next see any of them - they did the best they could at the time. It is easy to sit back home and potentially criticise score levels....and yes, all of the Olympians have shot higher scores in other events, however, not one shooter sat on their hands....they gave it their all.

Regards for now
S see you on a shooting range
Tricia Van Nus
August 2008