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For almost two weeks, our founder and CEO has been an expert commentator for TV viewers in Sweden during the Olympic Games; competitions that did not disappoint. Here is his Olympic report.
When I competed in Sydney in 2000, there were over 100,000 in the crowd at 9am when I jumped the long jump qualification. Even here at the Stade de France, it was a full stadium at all the athletics competitions and the atmosphere was electric right from the first race. Party, dance, music and battles that did not disappoint, make this one of the best Olympic Games ever.
Together with my colleague Tommy Åström, we comment the games many hours every day. We are both two people who really love athletics and all the events. You need to prepare a lot during the little time you have between competitions, but I've worked as a commentator for 21 years, so I think I know quite a lot from before.
As a Swede, of course Armand 'Mondo' Duplanti's gold and world record in the pole vault was something else. He and we dreamed of 'two competitions'; first the fight for the Olympic gold and then the battle for a new world record. He won the gold and was then the only athlete left to compete at the Stade de France that night. 80,000 in the crowd had stayed just to see his attempt at the new world record of 6.25m. In the last attempt, he succeeds and the whole Stade de France explodes in a frenzy of joy. A moment I will never forget.
The sprint events were dramatic with a margin of victory of five thousandths in the men's 100m. On the women's side, Jamaica's favorites disappeared one by one and the USA's dominance loomed large throughout the championship, although Botswana led by Letsile Tebogo shocked the USA in the 200m and almost clinched gold in the men's 4x400m.
As always, the middle and long distance were dramatic. Strategy and daily form were decisive and Kenya and Ethiopia were joined on the podium by, for example, the USA, Uganda and, of course, Norway. Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands also makes a historic effort with bronze in the 5000m and 10,000m and then goes on to win the marathon. How is that possible?
The throwing and jumping events were also memorable, with, for example, a shock victory in the javelin by Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan. And then it was Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone who crushed Femke Bol and set a new world record in the 400m hurdles with 50.37 – a world record so good it's hard to understand.
Medals and records in all glory, but the impression that is the strongest is still that the world came together at this championship and was united in joy and mutual respect for each other. Something that in the news reporting lately feels increasingly distant. I love the diversity that exists in athletics; Women and men compete in the same arena and receive equal attention.
Almost every nation in the entire world is represented at the championships in athletics. We have gold medalists from all over the world such as St Lucia, Norway, Japan, Pakistan, Ukraine, Uganda, New Zealand and so on. Tall, short, big, thin are competing – there is an event for everyone. For me, this is a big part of why I think athletics is the best sport in the world.
THANK YOU Paris! THANK YOU to the organizers who worked so hard to put this together. THANK YOU to all the athletes who fought. THANK YOU to all of you TV viewers who listened to us from morning to night. Tomorrow I'll be back at our Clubhouse in Stockholm to, together with YMR Track Club's dream team, make the best clothes for all of you who love athletics and running as much as I do".
- Peter Häggström, founder and CEO YMR Track Club
