I’m not normally a sport watching kind of girl. In fact I will go out of my way to avoid watching sport on television.  When the countdown to the London 2012 Olympics started I was dreading it.  (Everyone knows there’s never anything good on television once the Olympics starts!)

When Australia hosted the Olympics in 2000 I didn’t even bother watching the opening ceremony that’s how little the whole thing means to me.  So in 2012 I was prepared to go the fortnight without seeing a single event.  What I hadn’t counted on was the Twitter effect combined with the Sam effect.

I’m a fiend for Twitter and one of the things I love about it is the ability to interact in real time with people from all around the world.  So when everyone is talking about the Olympics I want in on the action.  This was how I found myself watching the Opening Ceremony.   Which then lead to me crying like a big girl when the cauldron was lit.

So because of the buzz on Twitter I’ve been tuning in and watching things that I wouldn’t normally watch.

Image source: London2012.com

Now it’s a double whammy because with Sam requiring feeding during the middle of the night I’m up at weird hours. However given the time difference this has been a bit of a blessing as I’m getting to see some of the events that I would normally miss.

I’m a sucker for any of the gymnastic events so I watch it whenever I get the opportunity.  I was lucky enough to catch the US Women’s Team win their gold medal.  I actually shed a small tear when the last routine was nailed.

I love the diving and I can guarantee that by the end of the first 3 rounds I’m an expert on how much splash is too much and when divers are rounding their entries.

Last night I got the awesome opportunity to see the synchronized swimming.  I know that a lot of people don’t think it’s a sport, but I love it.  Adore it even.  It reminds me of those old school Hollywood movies that had synchronized swimming routines in them.  The outfits are always amazing (and I note with a little bit of prudity that they’re getting a little skimpy around the bottom this year!) and the routines are such an awesome display of strength and control.

I think that my hormones are still all out of whack from being pregnant because I keep finding myself tearing up over people’s performances and the way in which competitors interact together.  (I love seeing the gymnasts crossing the floor to shake hands and congratulate competitors from other countries!)  I love hearing the stories of how people have overcome odds to get to compete.  I love seeing the underdogs competing.

Image source: The Telegraph

To add to the emotion I’m really loving how people are getting involved and are celebrating the Olympics.  I’m particularly impressed with the Mystery Knitter who yarn bombed a pier in the UK.

I just wish the Australian media was as full of support, joy and abandonment when it came to supporting our athletes.  It’s been disgusting to see how the media has built our Olympians up prior to the games only to rip them apart while they’re over there.  Gone are the days were people were celebrated for being able to just compete, now they’re being vilified if they have the audacity to only win silver.  It’s so disheartening to see this happening.  My heart goes out to the athletes and their families and friends.  I think of all the sacrifices they’ve made to represent our country and this is how we repay them. It’s just another example of how the media has been allowed to become a law unto themselves.

But enough of my high horse, it’s time I signed off the internet and went and got some sleep.  I have to be up at 2am to see the synchronized swimmers, I mean, feed Sam.