After a couple of weeks of the Olympics, you kind of get used to everyone you look at being lean, fit, muscular, possibly tattooed, with a major league 6-pack, thighs of steel and a BMI of 24. It’s like watching Love Island with IQs. And then come certain sports which make you realise that not everyone on tv has to be like that.

The weightlifters come out and they’re big. Big? They’re fucking massive. Flabby. Beer bellies. Massive boobs. And the women are just as bad. Or just as good. Or, in fact, pretty much the same. These people we can relate to. Weightlifting is the most androgynous of sports, other than perhaps shot-putting. The ‘bulk’ sports. I suppose once you hit 20 stone you can no longer see your own genitalia so it doesn’t really matter what type they are.

But then came Laurel Hubbard, the New Zealand heavyweight lifter. Who was previously a man. But transitioned a while ago and becomes the first transgender person to compete in the Olympics. And I hear you say ‘THAT’S CHEATING!’ she’s a man competing in a purely strength sport against women!! Not fair. Which would be appropriate if she hadn’t crashed out of the event rather spectacularly, without completing a lift. Poor… thing.

Britain traditionally does really well in the ‘sitting down’ sports. As a nation we simply excel at sitting. So sit on a horse, or a boat, a bike (BMX or otherwise) and we’re fab. When they pull out a chair of any kind, they might as well just give us the gold medal. We just this second won another sailing event. Well done on that… boat/canoe/cruise liner/warship, whatever it was. Brilliant.

Watching the Olympic round-ups on the ‘impartial’, ‘unbiased’ BBC, it took me three weeks before I realised that other countries are allowed to win medals. Or even take part, other than to make up the numbers so we can win medals. But heh, it is the BRITISH broadcasting Company, this is allowed. They do mention other nations, but only when they’re losing to us. Or standing up.

So I’m still lovin these Olympics and (according to the BBC) we’re winning.

Happy Tuesday

A xxxx