Paris Olympics: table tennis and volleyball (31-07-2024)

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Today there was a day planned to be close to home: morning table tennis and afternoon volleyball, both at the Paris Sud Arena (different arenas), according to the guide at one metro stop. In reality I discover that it was not so on the doorstep: arriving at the indicated stop one had to walk almost 2 km, it was closer to walk directly from the hotel. So I arrive at the entrance that it is already 10 o'clock, the start time. The bag checks are also the most thorough, and consequently long, that I have encountered so far: they even examine my umbrella. What's more, my arena is the furthest away in the venue (or rather, its entrance, I will discover on the way out that the other side was much closer): there would also be a treadmill, but it doesn't work, and my sector is the furthest from the entrance. Passing by, Chinese fans are handing out cards cheering for Fan Zhenyong, No. 2 on the scoreboard, who is playing at 12 o'clock. I get into the grandstand and struggle to find my seat and need assistance, as the numbers are on the inside of the seats and when they are occupied they cannot be seen.

 ccupati non si vedono.

As soon as I take a look at the coiurts, I realise that it will not be easy for a neophyte like me to understand them. I had already seen the final of the 2022 European Championships, but as a final, it was a single match, this time there are four of them side by side: you often hear shouts and the problem is to understand which match they are associated with. Even the scores, of course, are not told: there are scoreboards next to each court (but the far one doesn't always read well) and there is a summary one next to my sector, but the courts are not in the order we see them (I later find out that they are in order of court number, and courts 1 and 2 are the middle ones).

 

I am all on one side of the arena, so I can see a match very well, but for the one further away you need binoculars. From closest to farthest for me, the matches are between a Korean and a Hungarian, a Japanese and a Hong Konger, a Chinese and a Swede and a Briton and a Slovenian. At first I think I only look at the one closest to me, but you can't, the shouting from the other courts distracts you too much. Soon I realise that most of the shouting refers to the match between Chinese Wang (who I later find out is the No.1 seed) and Swedish Moregard, who is surprisingly ahead. The Chinese has the support of the many countrymen present, the Swede that of the rest of the audience, not just the Swedes, who are also quite numerous. After all, I too understand that it's the match at a higher level. The British cheer for their player also makes itself felt. The other three matches end almost all at once, although they were one in 4 sets, one in 5 and one in 6: we can concentrate on Wang-Moregard, then won by the Swede in 6 sets. The winner takes a knee and the whole audience applauds him.

Out go the last two players of the first turn, in come those of the second turn. Hardly anyone leaves their seats, so I don't either. Here the most popular match is between the Iranian Alamiyan and the Japanese Morimoto: both have a lot of fans in my block, probably the Iranian more, but those of the Japanese (including my neighbour, who is not Japanese) are very vocal. The Iranian is funny: he has unorthodox strokes and makes great recoveries, but he also makes a lot of mistakes and finds himself down 3-1. In the fifth set he recovers, but ends up losing 4-2. I also try to have a look at the women's seed no. 1, China's Sun, who dominates a Luxembourger also of Chinese origin: 4-0. with only the third set hard-fought. Especially in the breaks of the others, I also take a look at the match furthest away from me, that between the Indian Akula and Zeng from Singapore: the Indian, favourite, finds herself down 2-1, but then wins 4-2. Like many I think, I will instead follow very little the match closest to me, that between Dane Lind and Pole Redzinski, which also, from what we can glimpse, has some very spectacular moments. It will only get attention when, by now in the 7th set, will be the only match remaining; the Dane will win.

Third round of matches, where there is the highlight for most spectators: the Frenchwoman Yuan against a Canadian also of Asian origin. Only now do I realise how the French are still clearly in the majority, despite the strong international presence, especially Chinese. They will support their player not only with the usual 'Allez les bleus' chorus, but also with 'whoever doesn't jump is not French' and during the fourth set, with the game in progress, they will start singing the Marseillaise (after all, this is not tennis...). I too mainly follow the Frenchwoman's match, both because it is the one closest to me and because it is the one that elicits the most reactions from the public, but it is certainly not the most spectacular: monotonous play, diagonals close to the table until someone makes a mistake. There is also Fan, playing against a Hong Kong player, who dominates two sets, loses one and then dominates again: 4-1. I also try to follow the match further away from me, where the Egyptian Meshref resists the no. 3 seed, the Japanese Hayata: it ends 4-0, but three sets are very hard fought, the first one ending 15-13. The most interesting match is the one between the American Jha and the Greek Goumis: the Greek has very peculiar strokes, which look more like tennis than table tennis. He loses the first three sets, however, but then wins two and so their match remains the last. A few Frenchmen left after their player left, but most stayed. It ends 4-2 for the American.

I go back and forth from the hotel, and around 5 p.m. I am back in the area. Incidentally, Arena 1, where the Serbia-United States volleyball match is taking place, is even a little further away than this morning. Had I known beforehand that there was all this way to go, I would have considered staying in the area, but I would have had to bring my PC and then I don't know where I could have settled in. I decided to leave my backpack at the hotel, so at least I'll go in straight away, without any checks. Entering the arena, I feel a chill, as I did this morning, but fortunately in the stands the temperature is more normal. It takes me a moment to find my seat, but for once it is an aisle seat.

 When I get to my seat, the score is 6-4 for the USA. The announcers are explaining the choreography for a great block (‘monster block’), then they explain the choreography for an ace and a grat spike (‘super spike’). The leitmotif of the match will be just that: a lot of choreographies and various entertainments, so much so that the match itself will be lost sight of. The competitive tension will almost only be felt in the fifth set. We will also be asked to move our arms left and right, alone or with the torches of our mobile phones (and almost everyone will obey, including me) and between the third and fourth set there will also be karaoke.

There are many Americans, certainly more than Serbs, but many nationalities are represented, perhaps the most international audience I've seen here (but maybe that's just an impression because the French, not being involved, didn't make themselves heard). At some point they ask us to show the flags, and we see flags from many countries: after the American and the French, perhaps the most present is that of Mexico, certainly more than the Serbian.

In the first set, after a balanced first part, the Americans took a 22-14 lead, partly on their own merit, but much thanks to errors by the opponents, then they closed 25-17. It was a similar story in the second set: Serbia made a few good moves and took the lead, but then began to make mistakes and the Americans took the lead, winning 25-20. In the first two intervals between sets a dancer-contortionist performs. In the third set the level goes way up: out of 45 points, only eight will be due to errors. There are many long and spectacular rallies, Serbia shows what it can do and wins 25.20. When Serbia takes the lead, for the first time the cheering of the Americans can be heard. In the fourth set Serbia's dominance was even clearer, the Americans seemed to not know what to do to stop them: it ended 25-14.

So we arrive at the fifth set which, as I said, is the only one where you can hear the cheering at every point, especially that for the USA, but also that for Serbia, not only of the Serbs: my neighbour supports Serbia, but she speaks English. Even the speaker will ask to cheer for one or the other. In the first half of the set Serbia is almost always ahead, up to 8-5, then the USA come back, overtake on 9-8 and take the lead, with Serbia seemingly unable to defend. They reached 14-11: the crowd was on its feet for the three match points, but Serbia cancelled the first two, and the third was wasted by the Americans with a mess in defence. At the fifth match point, on 16-15, twice the Serbs recovered when it seemed done for the Americans, but in the end they sent out a spike, thus ending 17-15.

On the way out we cross paths with the audience of the following sessions in the different arenas, after dinner I meet a procession of Polish fans. who are going to the next volleyball match, Poland-Kenya.

 Tomorrow another day of walking: golf awaits me.

European Championships in Munich - final day : athletics and table tennis

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Not having athletics until 7pm, I had decided to go see the table tennis finals. At the beginning I also had some fear not to be going to the right venue, since in the program it is called by a different name from the one shiwn on the signs, which the sponsor's one. Fortunately, at the metro stop there are signs with the Championships logo. out of the subway, I follow the flow, but I'm still not entirely sure if it's the right direction, as I don't see anyone with signs that they're going to a table tennis match, or a sport event in general. But then I meet someone with Cgampionships' t-shirts, and also a few Chinese-looking people.

 Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle is a historic venue, where the highly controversial basketball final at the 1972 Olympics was held. Entering you can see all its historicity: it seems to be projected back to 1972 and one could expect to find Alexander Belov before him. The stands remind me of our Palaeur, but on a smaller scale (but unlike Palaeur, this was not the main arena of the Olympics): the only modern thing, which contrasts with everything else, is the scoreboard that hangs from the ceiling. I am in one of the highest rows, on the back of the table: I can still see well. At the entrance there was someone looking for tickets, so it must be assumed that it was sold out, but some empty seats are visible, including four next to me. It is difficult to say how many spectators are not German, but presumably very few: the only flag of another country I saw was an Estonian one, during the break, then, when the speaker asks to wave flags, mine will also be seen. The speaker, however, will always speak only in German. However, it is noted that the share of Asian origin among the spectators is much higher than that among the population of Munich. As I said before, another feature that makes you go back a few decades is the almost total absence of themed outfits in the attendances.

While waiting for the start (as well as in the breaks) the mascot, the squirrel Gfreidi, tries to involve the public by dancing on the sidelines and in the stands. The finalists, the Austrian Safronova and the German Mittelham, enter a little before start time, 2.30 pm: I therefore discover that the time is intended like in most sports (actual start of the game) and not like in tennis (beginning of the ceremony with the entry of the players). The first game begins (because, another thing I didn't know, it says so and not "set", even if in German they use "Durchgang", which also indicates the set): the Austrian takes a few points of lead and keep them up to the end, winning 11-8. The points are called by indicating first the player who will serve in the next rally: I find it somehow difficult to adapt to the constant changes (serve changes every two points). I see that here too there is silence during the rallies, but unlike in tennis, there is cheering until a moment before serve. They are almost always short rallies, with the players staying close to the table.

In the second game the German doesn't make one thing righy and loses 11-2. Immediately after that she asks for the medical timeout, which here can last up to 10 minutes. The break is long and one wonders if the German will return: she returns, but after 3 rallies of the third game, all lost, she retires. The game ends with both players in tears, for opposite reasons. I see that in this case the official score is 4-0, even if only two games and part of the third have been played.

 There is a one hour break before the men's match. I can do a whole tour of the venue. When I go back to the stands, I see that they take a quiz, which you can sign up for by framing a QR code. I don't sign up because of my poor knowledge of table tennis, then I also discover that I didn't see the questions well, covered by the lights.

  The men's match between the German Qiu and the Slovenian Jorgic is much more spectacular and balanced than the other. The Slovenian wins the first game 12-10, the German the second 14-12. In the third and fourth, won by the German I think 11-9, 11-8, there are many errors, but also some really spectacular eallies. The German will then close the game by dominating the fifth game 11-2: difficult to say, especially for a layman like me, if more thanks to him or the fault of his opponent.

 

It's getting late and I have to go to the stadium for athletics, but I decide to stop at least at the first victory ceremony to see what is now a rarity: a victory ceremony with real flags. Then, before leaving, I decide to hear the German anthem in the second victory ceremony, to see if it can be heard singing: very little at first, then a little more, but nothing comparable to Rome.

The subway to the stadium is already crowded, almost like a football match. upon arrival, a crowd never seen before: the volunteers direct towards an alternative path, compared to what I have always done; which also gives me the opportunity to visit the 1972 terror attack memorial. The food stands all have very long queues, which would make me miss the start of the program: the only exception is that of ice cream, so I fall back on that. You see a great crowd at the entrance, but then I discover that most of it is for the ticket office (there was the 2X1): to enter there is a bit of a queue, but it flows quickly.

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My seat is one of the few that is higher than the entrance, and not by little, by 35 rows: I am in row 78, one of the last. I arrive really exhausteds, while they are playing the opening theme and just before the presentation of the first race, women's high jump. I'm on the opposite side from the other days, at the start of the final straight. from so high, I see everything from afar, but distinctly: HJ (which this time is on my side, opposite to that of the men's competition), even if I am a little too aligned with the bar, the landing of the javelin and also the finish. For the first time I also realize that behind the modern scoreboards there are still the historical ones, with functioning clocks. The stadium is fuller than yesterday, but there are still some empyu or almost empty sectors. The groups that can be seen and heard the most are always the Finns (there is the javelin final) and the Swiss, but this time I also met Italians. In the next sector there is a group of German athletes (not of the Championsg/hips, I think they were from a junior team) with signs of one letter each, to compose writings: passing by, in the end, I will see that they had large stocks.

The first event, as I said, is women's high jump. As initial height, at the beginning I read 1.87 (at the 2013 WCH they started from 1.89), looking at the screen I discover that it is 1.82 instead. Contrary to what has often happened in recent years, progression is even too slow: after two heights they are all still in the race, with 3 fouls in total. The first race on track is the semifinals of the 100hs: Di Lazzaro is in the first, she defends herself, but finishes fifth. The first final is the men's 800: this time the athletes are presented first in order of ranking and then, once at the start, in lane order. Barontini even starts in the lead, in the. second  bend is overcome, but up to the last 150 he still gives the impression of being able to challenge the first. He finishes seventh, but still close to the group and  with a PB Head-to-head  close between Wightman and the Spaniard Garcia: I thought the former had won, but it was the latter. 

Then, after a few minutes, first the race that most of the public was waiting for and then the race that we expected the most, respectively men's javelin and 10,000. First the Finns rejoice in the javelin for the  Etelaetalo's, the first above 80 meters, then the Germans for Weber, who with 83 takes the lead after the first throw, but at the second Vadleich makes 87 and, given the general level, one thinks it could be the decisive throw. A race that, apart from the very first, will remain low-level: one entered the top 8 with 77 meters, only 5 above 80, with his PB this year Orlando would have finished fifth.

In the meantime, however, the 10,000 have started. Gressier starts at full speed: first km in 2'40 ", then the pace gradually decreases, so much so that at the fourth km, the group, which had broken into three sections with Riva in the last one, regroups and at the sixth, one that was about to being lapped regains ground. At the eighth km Crippa takes the lead for a while, but then stops abruptly, causing a collision. Three laps from the end the Norwegian Mezingi starts: chasing him. rather far away, four remain: two Italians and two Frenchmen, there is also Riva. On the last lap the Norwegian seems on the point of collapsing, but he still has a good margin, at  250 from finish Crippa starts and leaves the others, but the Norwegian is still far away: will he make it? In the final straight the Norwegian collapses: Crippa wins and the Norwegian barely holds the silver on the other Frenchman, fourth Gressier, fifth Riva with his PB.

 

 

While the races on the track continue with the victory of the Polish favorite, whose name I avoid writing, in the 100hs, we arrive at the epilogue of high jump and javelin. In the former, a first selection was made at 1.90, where 5 had gone, including Levchenko, confirming her bad moment, but above all Vallortigara: on third she seemed to have made it, but then the bar fell again . At 1.93 Mahuchikh passes, 3 clear it on first, including the two juniors Topic and Vermeer and one, Gerashenko, on third. At 1.95 Mahuchikh clears it on first, the Montenegrin Vukotic on second, then no more: the seventeen-year-old Topic is bronze. We get to 1.97 and, after the Montenegrin's first foul, the Ukrainian is expected to close the match, instead both fail three times. However, Mahuchikh wins. In the javelin Weber takes the lead on the fourth throw and keeps it until the end, then only Eteletaetelo will improve,  takeing back third place.

Alto and javelin finish at the same time: in the victory lap, Weber repeatedly raises the flag, inviting the audience to raise their hands. Only the 4X100s remain, with the men's one first: presentation with games of light and in lane order, as there is no ranking. Disappointment of the public because Germany misses the first exchange. A clear victory for Great Britain, for the bronze (Poland)  38.15 was needed, so for Italy it would not have been easy anyway. It ends with the women's race: Dosso starts well, but the first exchange is very long: will it be valid? Looking at the Italians, I don't notice that Great Britain has gone out. We arrive at the last leg with Germany clearly in the lead and Pavese who takes the baton as second, but chased by Swoboda for Poland and by a dark-skinned athlete in a red jersey who at the beginning I think is Kambundji and therefore that the Italian has no chance. But then I remember that Switzerland did not qualify, and therefore Pavese is surpassed only by the Polish, but not by the other, who turns out to be the Spanish: she is bronze, and even more clearly than it seemed live. Also this year we managed to win a totally unexpected medal, as it often happened to us once and it happened four years ago with Chiappinelli.

Almost no one leaves, and I too am ashamed to be the only one to do so: we are waiting for the victory lap of the Germans, and afterwards I will still be one of the first to leave the grandstand. I would like to get some food, but the way to the food stands is blocked. Taking a wide circle and risking to get lost I get there anyway, but there is little left, so I give up and walk towards the subway.

This time it's really over. See you again in Rome in 2024, but before that there is much more.