Trip Reports - tom911 goes to the 2008 Olympic Games (includes swimming updates on Natalie Coughlin)

Can you believe I'm going to my second Olympic Games? I'm still in awe that everything has once again fallen into place and I'm in transit on the way to Beijing.

I booked an award ticket 11 months ago (AA award in business, 90K, $60 in taxes), and I'm glad to be able to use it rather than restacking the miles. Of course, this did require some flexibility, and it will take me four travel days and three flights to get there, but I have plenty of time (benefit of retirement), and will enjoy the stops along the way. I'll meet up with swimmer Natalie Coughlin's parents, sister, grandparents, and fiance in Beijing. I arrive at noon the day of opening ceremonies. They arrive one day ahead of me.

I'm writing from the American Airlines Admiral's Club at the Honolulu Airport.

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/345949951_gaxhY-S.jpg

I flew over on the nonstop AA flight this morning at 9a.m. in business class (757, sat in the last row). Breakfast was a Portuguese sausage quiche with macadamia nut bread. The breakfast item was a Sam Choy signature item that AA serves on Hawaii flights. I did have one glass of wine prior to arrival (Niner Sauvignon Blanc Bootjack Ranch from Paso Robles in CA).

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/345949719_ousna-S.jpg

Last night I had pizza and beer with Natalie Coughlin's parents, Jim and Zennie, and her sister Megan. They ran me over to Pleasant Hill BART afterwards for the train ride to SFO. I had a very nice room at the Sheraton that I booked on Priceline for $59, arriving there just before 10p.m. I was out the door at 7 this morning.

For those that have not me, I'm a long time family friend of swimmer and Olympic Gold Medalist Natalie Coughlin's family. Her father Jim and I both worked at the same PD in the Bay Area for over 30 years. I've been following Natalie's swimming since she first set foot in her backyard pool almost 26 years ago, and have traveled to many of her international events.

I wanted to take a minute to give everyone an idea of what the television coverage should be for Natalie's events.

These are the times the events will be broadcast in the U.S.:

U.S. television schedule:

8/9, Saturday, evening, 4X100 freestyle relay finals

8/10, Sunday, evening, 100 back semi-finals

8/11, Monday, evening, 100 back finals (Natalie holds world record), and 200 individual medley semi-finals

8/12, Tuesday, evening, 200IM finals

8/13, Wednesday, evening, 100 free semi-finals, possibly 4X200 freestyle relay (final) if selected for event in Beijing

8/14, Thursday, evening, 100 free finals

8/15 no events

8/16, Saturday, evening, 4X100 medley relay (final) if selected for event in Beijing

Also, yahoo news photos (http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=natalie+coughlin&c=news_photos) will have photo coverage of her events during the week. Right now they have quite a few photos from training camp in Singapore, as well as some from Beijing.

The San Francisco Chronicle had a nice article this weekend (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/02/SPA0121MHD.DTL).

And always plenty of news stories on google (http://news.google.com/?q=natalie+coughlin&ie=UTF-8&scoring=n) news.

That's it for today. Heading into Waikiki in a few minutes, and dinner later tonight with some local FTers. Back to the airport on Wednesday morning for my next segment.

I will be using smaller pictures for this trip so they load quicker, but feel free to click on my website where there are larger pictures available for viewing.

I look forward to your reports tom911.



For those that have not me, I'm a long time family friend of swimmer and Olympic Gold Medalist Natalie Coughlin's family. Her father Jim and I both worked at the same PD in the Bay Area for over 30 years. I've been following Natalie's swimming since she first set foot in her backyard pool almost 26 years ago, and have traveled to many of her international events.


Thanks for the explanation; I must have missed it before. I just thought you were a Natalie stalker. ;)

Should any of my countrywomen not make it to a competing round Natalie has a fan in Canada. Irrelevant of that I still will look forward to your updates and pics. Most definately something to look forward to, as I followed your trip to Omaha with baited breath for the outcome of those results.

Thanks for doing this, Tom - it really helps those of us who can't make it to Beijing a true feeling of what it's like to be there.

I very much look forward to your observations on not just the swimming events, but the atmosphere, the vibe, and the overall Games.

Best of luck to Natalie, and all of US Swimming!

tom911, I recall a very pleasant dinner with yourself and Natalie's parents (and her sister was there at some stage) and some other FTers when you were here in MEL for the world swimming championships a year or two ago. Very pleasant and down to earth people with none of the snooty airs or graces that could potentially come with being family of a champion athlete.

Nice to see the support she is getting from you and her family, and I do wish her all the best, but I will of course be supporting the Oz girls! (though it's hard to see her getting rolled in the backstroke).

Have a great time in Beijing!

That must have been in the Crown Casino when they had the cheap steak night there that packed the place ($A10 for dinner?). Not that I planned for that specific discount but it was a nice dinner with good Australian beer.

I'm in the JAL lounge at the Honolulu Airport awaiting my next flight out. Had a very nice Thai dinner last night with Ripper3785 and his wife, Amy. Nice to talk travel and about some of the same FTers we have met (is there anyone that has not met my long time FT friend DHammer53?).

This morning I went over to the Shorebird Grill at the Outrigger Reef Hotel for their breakfast buffet ($12.95), and was early enough to get a table right on the beach facing Diamond Head (benefit of being there at 7:20a.m.---I'm still on CA time and was sound asleep last night by 9:30p.m.).

I'll just add two photos for now, and the rest from this stop are linked below.

Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/346443328_J7jmJ-S.jpg

Diamond Head with Queen Kapiolani Park below
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/346444054_vVdvS-S.jpg

Forgot to add that Natalie is posting on her blog, and it's on this web site (http://swimroom.com/unlog.php). Can never tell when she's going to add something (last post was 4 days ago). Looks like she enjoyed shopping in Singapore.

Great photos, and thanks for sharing, Tom. You're making me homesick.

Safe travels in the Middle Kingdom, and GO NATALIE!

I am happy for you that you are able to travel to the Olympics and support your friend. I, too, look forward to seeing the completed Trip Report.

great pics of hawaii, cant wait for more. too bad u didnt have a 763 over to hnl. i saw that 757 safety booklet

[QUOTE=tom911;10160831]That must have been in the Crown Casino when they had the cheap steak night there that packed the place ($A10 for dinner?). Not that I planned for that specific discount but it was a nice dinner with good Australian beer.

QUOTE]

'Twas indeed! Don't know if they still do it, but yep, was great value, planned or otherwise.

Making progress. I arrived at the Kansai Osaka Airport (KIX) about 4 hours ago after the 8 hour flight from Honolulu.

I've crossed a time zone and it's just after 8:30pm Thursday night here, just one day away from opening ceremonies in Beijing. By now the Coughlins have arrived in Beijing, and I'll be joining them there tomorrow afternoon. I spoke with them at SFO just before their departure. My flight to Osaka left Honolulu about an hour after their nonstop flight to Beijing.

I've been able to do carry on so far on this trip, and avoided checking any baggage. With 3 different flights it seemed a recipe for lost luggage.

I selected one of the western lunches on this flight (shrimp and scallops), and the other choice was a beef dish. After looking at the Japanese meal that the guy next to me had I was pretty happy with my selection (his meal included eel and duck). I did take a photo of my meal and it will be in the gallery linked below. I also enjoyed red and white wines from the Sonoma Valley, and Piper Heidsieck champagne. This flight was 8 hours long.

The seats, sadly, do not fully recline, but this is probably because although the flight has JAL 747 markings, it is operated by Jalways which offers service from Japan to Honolulu and Guam, primarily to leisure travelers. This was a daytime flight so I was eating, drinking, moving photos to the laptop, or watching movies/TV, so the minimal recline was tolerable. I watched the movie "21" on the flight, and then 2 television programs on the laptop that I have along. I also read two newspapers that were supplied on board, one being the Japan edition of the International Herald Tribune. That pretty much took care of the whole flight.

I did meet three U.S travelers from Hawaii that are also on the way to Beijing, though they're going for volleyball. One of them was wearing a USA Volleyball shirt (I was wearing a USA Swimming Beijing China t shirt and a cap with USA and Olympic rings).

Wednesday morning, before leaving Honolulu, I went over to the Shorebird Grill at the Outrigger Reef Hotel for their breakfast buffet ($12.95), and was early enough to get a table right on the beach facing Diamond Head (benefit of being there at 7:20a.m.---I was still on CA time and was sound asleep the night before by 9:30p.m.).

When I arrived at the Honolulu Airport I checked out the Japan Airlines Sakura lounge, but it looked a little too sterile for me so after an hour I bailed out and went to the American Airlines Admiral's Club, which just happened to be right next to the gate for the Osaka flight. I took a shuttle van to the airport this time ($10), rather than the ciy bus I took in ($2), because my experience is that all the tourists are heading out by bus to Pearl Harbor in the morning, and I didn't want to be standing on a bus with 2 bags for the ride to the airport. Well worth the cost.

That's it for tonight. Added more photos and they're all linked below. If all goes well next e-mail should be from Beijing.

lunch on the Honolulu-Osaka flight
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/346934632_ePzmW-S.jpg

after dinner drink
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/346934744_gJJe3-S.jpg

tom911, looking forward to more of your great reports! Best of luck to Natalie! (For this occasion, I'll let slide the fact that she went to Cal! ;))

:-::-::-: It's 8-8-08 in this part of the world. It's finally arrived. :-::-::-:

I'm in the lobby of the Hotel Nikko, all of a 2 minute walk across a ramp from Kansai Osaka Airport. I booked here on an internet rate of 12,000 yen (about $111) to avoid leaving the airport vicinity. They have wi-fi in the lobby for a $5 fee for 24 hours.

Have added a few more photo from around here. Will walk across to the airport and check in for my Beijing flight in about 2 hours. Going to be a very exciting day ahead, and hopefully a great week for Natalie.

Safely arrived in Beijing just before noon and made my way to the airport express train for the trip to my hotel (25RMB, about $3.75). The shuttle trains connecting the gates with baggage claim/arrivals hall were packed, and quite a crowd in the arrival's hall, but everything did work. I did not see a sign for my station, but one of the locals heard my pronunciation, and saw me pointing as to whether I should exit, and I ended up at the right place.

Have talked with the Coughlins and we'll be getting together for breakfast on Saturday morning to start the day. I'm heading out in a few minutes to get my bearings to their hotel, and then a stop to watch opening ceremonies somewhere else. Opening ceremonies start in less than 3 hours.

Prior to leaving KIX I did visit the JAL Lounge, and also noticed a JAL aircraft painted in One World colors, a new site for me. These photos and many more linked in the two galleries below.

shuttle train from gates to arrival's hall
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/347466612_g6n3i-S.jpg

arrival's hall
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/347466954_LMe3M-S.jpg

airport express train
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/347468717_2a5Xj-S.jpg

There was a nice piece on Natalie Coughlin and the swimsuit she will be wearing on The Today Show this morning - 08-08-08. It now makes reading your reports that much more interesting!!

Go USA

There was a nice piece on Natalie Coughlin and the swimsuit she will be wearing on The Today Show this morning - 08-08-08.

Hopefully my TIVOs caught that, as I have it set to record the Today Show for the week along with the final events of swimming. I'll add to my trip report later today after I see the Coughlins.

Having breakfast with the Coughlins at their hotel (many folks in official Olympic gear about). Their seats at Opening Ceremonies were about 4 rows up from where the athletes entered the stadium, and they say it was "grab any seat" in your section when they arrived. They went through several rounds of security, and Natalie's grandmother had to eat one of her mints to prove they were safe. They were moved from line to line and her grandparents finally got through when they were moved to the "old persons line".

They saw Roger Federer, LeBron James, Rafael Nadal, Kobe Bryant, Lisa Leslie, among others. They did not get back to their hotel until 2a.m. We met for breakfast at 8:30 this morning (Saturday).

Now, as to where I ended up last night...

I had my first geography challenge here on Friday night and lost. USA Swimming was hosting a television viewing of the Opening Ceremonies, so after I found the Coughlins hotel, 1-2 train stops away depending how you approach it, I took a 45 minute trip over 3 different subway lines in search of the hotel where many of the U.S. families are staying with a package deal (with hotel rates about 6 times higher than mine). From the hotel site I established it was in the Xuanwumen neighborhood, but after fruitlessly walking around that neighborhood for an hour, going in three different directions, no sign of the hotel. The hotel did not have a map of the area on its web site, and the map in the subway station was all in Mandarin, so couldn't locate the street on it, either. I did an internet search before heading over there and could not find a map of the hotel area or directions how to get to it, so took the chance I might find it (and did not).

I popped into the Grand Mercure hotel while wandering about, which had about 50 guests and employees watching the opening ceremonies on flat panel televisions at their lobby bar. They wrote down the name and address of the hotel in Mandarin, and tried to flag down a cab for about 15 minutes (they send an employee out to the main road to wave at them as they come by, as the hotel is on a separate acess road on the side). No takers, so back into the hotel I went, ordered a Chinese better (32RMB, less than $5), and watched the entertainment portion of opening ceremonies there.

opening ceremonies as seen in the lobby of the Grand Mercure
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/347771026_9tr4f-S.jpg

After Greece marched in I made my way back to my hotel, though got off one stop ahead to see if I could walk back from the area of the Coughlins hotel. That didn't work, as although I was heading in the right direction, there was an overhead expressway blocking my view and not one of the buildings I could see looked familiar. I did pass some name hotels (Hilton, Westin, Kempinski), and saw at least one sign that I was in the right neighborhood, but ended up backtracking to the last subway station and took the train out to my hotel. Even coming out of the train station and looking around I didn't recognize anything I saw when walking about, so think I'll be relying on the subway. By the time I was in my hotel Switzerland was marching in (there will be a special photo in my gallery for my friend Rudi in Switzerland), and I had missed the USA, but I'll catch up with that when I get home on TIVO. Natalie would not have marched in due to the time on her feet before, during, and after ceremonies (each a few hours), so I knew not to watch for her.

Not that the subway is going to break me (2RMB, about 30 cents a ride).

Had a diet coke in the lobby bar for 15RMB ($2). The bartender did not understand "Diet Coke" and had me point at in on their bar menu. I watched some of the opening ceremonies in the bar, and then the last 30 minutes in my room.

I do have a brochure from my hotel with a map in Mandarin in case I need a cab to get back to it during the week. The subway stops runnng around midnight.

Did watch the BBC news when I was up at 5:15 Saturday morning, so nice to get something in English. Couldn't find anything in English channel surfing on Friday afternoon. Also no English programs on my shortwave radio that I have along.

There are bag checks through a scanner at some subway stations. I haven't quite figured out why some stations have them and why others don't, or whether it varies on time of day. I tend to be the only person at the scanner, even for just a camera, and it's a quick process.

New photos linked below. Some are of TV coverage of opening ceremonies, so if you don't want to see them before they are televised in your part of the world wait until later today to click. Once Natalie starts swimming I'll add links pointing to a specific page so you don't have to surf through the prior days photos.

Off for some touring. It's just after 0930 Saturday here.

Enjoying your updates greatly, and have enjoyed your blog pics as well, thanks for the effort by allowing us to live vicariously through you.
After the US trials she's looking like she may have a little dolphin in her.
Best of luck to her and keep the updates coming.

Packed in a day of touring, and also a stop at the Bank of America Family Center, where President Bush 41 was due there at 4:30 to officially open it (90 mins before I posted this), but we bailed at 3:30 to get back to the Coughlin's hotel so they could shower, change, and head out to swimming prelims tonight (Natalie is not swimming in prelims, so I don't have tickets for this event). I'm joining them afterward at a restaurant for a social event sponsored by U.S. Swimming, so may be a while until I find free time to type up my notes.

The new photos for this segment start HERE (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb#348016442_rXYNA) commencing with photo #35.

entry to the Forbidden City
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348020865_2UJhn-S.jpg

Olympic Rings in Tiananmen Square
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348018201_N33QT-S.jpg

enjoying the #1 train to Tiananmen Square
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348016816_dPDe7-S.jpg

yes, you can see the air
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348019302_gGiyL-S.jpg

I'm pretty stretched for time so forgive me if I don't respond to some of the posts offering Natalie support or thanking me for posting. I'm happy to share, as are the Coughlins, who have met many of the FTers around the world that I know, and I do appreciate all the comments.

PLEASE share this thread, or even just the photos with family, friends and coworkers that want to get a feeling for how 10 days at the Olympics falls into place for those that show up.

Just sent out this e-mail to family and friends. Some info may be posted already but most is new.
-------------------

I met the Coughlins at their hotel, just one train stop away from mine, for breakfast on Saturday morning at 0830, my second day here in Beijing. They updated me on their attendance at opening ceremonies where they sat 4 rows up from where the athletes entered the stadium. They saw Roger Federer, LeBron James, Rafael Nadal, Kobe Bryant, Lisa Leslie, among others. They did not get back to their hotel until 2a.m. Megan took some great photos of the athletes, entertainment, and fireworks, but I can't get her memory card to work with my laptop (might be because it's a 4gig card and I'm using a 3 year old dependable laptop that may not be compatible).

The seating was not entirely organized. They say it was "grab any seat" in your section when they arrived, and they also went through several rounds of security. Natalie's grandmother had to eat one of her mints to prove they were safe. They were moved from line to line and her grandparents finally got through when they were moved to the "old persons line". Jim tells me they were just dripping in sweat and uncomfortable for the 4 hours they were in the Birdsnest Stadium, though cold drinks including beer were provided as part of their ticket. That didn't help much with the hot and humid weather.

At breakfast the boxing coach from the Philippines stopped by to say hello. We had an assortment of hot food (eggs, french toast, dim sum, pork buns) and cold food (cereal, salad, fruit) to choose from. I went through about 6 glasses of juice just to get rehydrated, and now have bottled water in my room which I picked up this afternoon on the way back (didn't want to drink tap water as recommened by the travel nurse I spoke with before departure from the U.S.). The heat and high humidity here is taking its toll on all of us, as we can't recall a bigger weather challenge in any other city we've been to before. My baseball cap is soaking wet again.

Headed by train to Tiananmen Square, taking two different trains (2RMB, 30 U.S. cents). The first was air conditioned and comfortable on the new #10 line. The second train had us packed in there like sardines, and more people entered our car at each stop along the way. If there was air conditioning, it didn't have much of an impact when you're up front and personal with all your neighbors on board. I have a photo of this that will give you an idea what it looks like.

At Tianamen Square our first stop was for cold drinks. I had bottled ice tea from a street vendor in a mobile canteen for 3MB (45 U.S. cents). Coke was 1 RMB more.

Quite hot, no doubt reflected by the pavement, during our visit here (and you can "see" the air in the distance), and lots of people about. We saw the Olympic rings in the square, and toured the gardens in the Forbidden City (did not go into the Forbidden City due to time constraints, and hope to get back in the next few days between swimming events). We met some members of swimmer Kara Lynn Joyce's family there, as well as two tourists from Contra Costa County, which is where all the Coughlins live. Bought some more bottled water inside for the same 3RMB cost (we'll be buying a lot of water this week).

Afterward we headed back to the area around the Coughlins hotel and flagged down two cabs to take us to the Bank of America family center. I was able to get in as a guest after registration and photo. Enjoyed some shrimp in a spicy sauce, rice, and egg rolls. My first Diet Coke was warm and served without ice, so after that I took the risk and asked for ice, as I was dying for something cold.

At the family center they lend out laptops, and encourage families to mingle. We had family from Arizona at our table that are here to support their son in archery. At the next table there was a family here for rowing.. Natalie's fiance, Ethan, had made it over here on his own after sleeping in and we caught up with him.

President Bush 41 was due to officially open the center at 4:30, however I left with the Coughlins at 3:30 to get back to their hotel. Zennie's parents stayed behind hoping for a photo opportunity. They're going to allow time to get back to the hotel and onto the swimming event tonight, and that should work if everything is on time.

The cab fares are very reasonable. Our trip to and from the family center was 12RMB, about $US1.80, for a trip that was at least 4-5 miles. We had the location in Mandarin so the cab driver could easily sort out the family center as well as the Coughins hotel locations.

I'm due to meet the Coughlins after swimming for a USA Swimming sponsored event at a restaurant.

Next report should be after Natalie swims in finals of 4X100 freestyle relay here on Sunday morning (broadcast Saturday night in the U.S.). This will be her first medal opportunity.

Todays photos start at this link:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb#348016442_rXYNA

Off to the pool in about 45 minutes. Natalie will be swimming in the finals of the 4X100 freestyle relay. This should be broadcast "live" on the U.S. east coast as that's the whole point of having finals, for the first time ever, in the morning here. It's just currently 7:40a.m. Sunday in Beijing, and finals for this and other swimming events start at 10a.m. local time. This would be Saturday night in the U.S.

Best of luck to all of you and have fun!

Only have 30 mins before I have to head out to the pool for prelims in 100 back tonight. Team USA won a silver medal in the 4X100 freestlyle relay this Sunday morning The gold medal went to the relay team from the Netherlands.

Some very special guests joined us on the other side of the pool and cheered for the U.S. team as their names were announced and waved their flags. You'll see them below. No time to label photos, and I'll try to add some more later tonight. These are all from the 4X100 freestyle relay event this morning.

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348620572_Cdr7V-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348621201_D48r3-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348621785_PgTm6-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348621641_x7SD2-S.jpg

Megan and Jim/Zennie Coughlin with Natalie's flowers from awards ceremony
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348627548_xWYid-S.jpg

Rest of the photos start HERE (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb#348620323_ZRgPe) on my web site.

Just watched the heats for the women's 100 back (not live, replay on BBC)

Natalie had a great first 50 and brilliant turn, but I must say that Kirsty Coventry came back like a train in the second 50.

Mind you, these are only the heats and the Olympic record fell 3 times in each of heats that I saw back to back. However given Kirsty's performance at the Worlds in Manchester earlier this year, she is on blistering form at the moment.

Either way, we are seeing some truly fantastic swimming at the Olympics and the battles for medals will no doubt keep us all on our feet screaming like lunatics. God I miss competitive swimming :(:(:(

tom911 - does the water cube look as impressive close up as it does on the internet ? What does Natalie think about the pool facilities that have been built from scratch ?

Quite amazed at the swimming, and the reports Tom. In 5 years I have not turned on the TV in my office (they have replaced 3 times) -- you made me want to watch Natalie.

Hurray to you all of you, be safe, and best of luck,

Phil

Just watched the heats for the women's 100 back (not live, replay on BBC)

Natalie had a great first 50 and brilliant turn, but I must say that Kirsty Coventry came back like a train in the second 50.

Just after 11pm and what a miserable, soggy night it has been here. Apparently drainage has not yet been invented in vast parts of the pedestrian areas outside the subway system, let alone on city streets. We're all soaking wet, and my hiking boots probably won't be dry by morning from all the puddles I had to walk through. Coughlins seem to have caught the worst part of a rain storm walking these vast stretches because they headed out about 20 mins before me, and then standing in line outside the subway line to the Olympic grounds for security screening (tonight Natalie's grandmother was told to take a photo with her camera---they tend to invent the rules as they go along). At least we got a nice Italian dinner in after tonight's events). Have to leave for the pool at 8am Monday so another quick turnaround to deal with transit and security issues.

Did walk by the Today Show set as we left and it looked like Lester Holt sitting there. Too hungry and tired to want to go over and check things out. All of us across the board are just worn down with the hot weather and humidity, as well as those security checkpoints where they have to check my wallet and notebook in my pocket each time, and tonights storm didn't make things any better. Almost left my camera behind tonight while they were checking me out but made a quick u-turn back for it.

This is only prelims, so the top 16 go onto semi-finals. By the time Natalie was in the pool in the last heat she already knew what times she was facing, many IIRC were over 1 minute. She holds the world record and is the only swimmer to ever break 59 seconds (58.97), and she did that at Olympic Trials. Hang in there and see what happens when they swim finals on Tuesday morning here (Mon night in US). I think she's held this record continually the last 5-6 years, except when she lost it for 2 minutes at Olympic Trials this year and took it right back. There is some tough competion, no doubt, but hopefully she will do well.

None of us see Natalie when she is in the Olympic Village for the week, so can't answer your question about her view on the facilities. It looks pretty bland during the day
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348768983_B2WLG-S.jpg
but at night it's impressive when lit, as is the Birds Nest. Couldn't take any photos tonight because it was still raining when we left. Both of them would look a lot better if you had blue skies in the background, but have not seen those, and visibiity is probably about a mile or two at best.

Working with my photos and just took a second glance and the one with President Bush. Is that Henry Kissinger below him? I know the Australian PM is above the President.

Hello Tom,
Greetings from the Netherlands. I got up in the middle of the night to
watch the finals 4 x 100 relay freestyle for the women, and didn't
regret to watch it live.... Great race with a nice outcome for us dutchies.

As for the photo: yes, it looks like Henry Kissinger, some commentator here
on dutch tv had mentioned him already being in Beijing, it seems he is a
big fan of football (soccer). Maybe not surprising, him being european-born.
I am wondering if he attended the soccermatch USA - Netherlands today
as well.... Quite a thriller with the dutch coming alongside in overtime, 2-2.

Do you realize you have royalty on that photo as well? The guy all the way
down with the orange shirt is crown prince Willem Alexander, oldest son of
our queen Beatrix. It seems he is talking to his wife, left of him, Maxima.
Willem Alexander is member of IOC, and always around when there are
important matches where the dutch are competing.

Following your stories, thanks very much for the reports. Above all: enjoy
the Games and good luck for Natalie!!

Tom -- What could be better than reading about my favorite sport on my preferred website? Thank you so much for your wonderful commentary, descriptions and informative photographs. As others have said, I feel that I am traveling with you. I also love reading about Natalie and her parents and look forward to further postings. I am a big fan of hers and listen to downloads of her technique tips. She is as good an athlete as she is stroke coach!

Is that Henry Kissinger below him? I know the Australian PM is above the President.

Yes, that is -- they pointed him out on the NBC coverage.

PS I'm enjoying the thread and details very much. Thank you!

Is that Henry Kissinger below him?
Yes, they announced it on NBC last night as he and Nancy were greeting the Pres.

Really enjoying your reports, thanks.

Working with my photos and just took a second glance and the one with President Bush. Is that Henry Kissinger below him? I know the Australian PM is above the President.

It certainly looks like Henry and Nancy Kissinger to me.

(oops, i should really read to the end of the thread before answering!)

Tom...I loved reading your posts 4 years ago and am so excited!!! She looked AWESOME! last night in the relay. I am so excited to be getting your updates. Tell her my 4 y.o. and 2 y.o. are so excited that we "know" Natalie through all of your reports!!

Go Team as my 2 y.o. would say!

Just before 8am and off to the pool this Monday morning for semi-finals in Natalie's premier event, 100 backstroke. Went back and added some addiitional photos from yesterday, mixed in with the few I uploaded, and they start HERE. (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb/10/349065629_YNb7Q#P-6-20)

Thank you for the comments. I am reading each and every one.

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/348768598_BzvPH-S.jpg

security checkpoint in rain at Olympic train station
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/349064527_6UaCE-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/349066924_wjF5Q-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/349067300_UWcii-S.jpg

Just saw her win her heat in the 100 back heat as I'm sure you just saw, though you're getting to see it in person; I'm jealous. :D

And they're grilling her about the lane lines on the post swim interview, which seems silly but I guess it gives them something to talk to her about.

They also did a bit on her life in San Francisco right before the race. A bit of a personals ad almost, IMO, but it was fun to watch.

I got to see swimming finals in Atlanta on the first night, when a classmate and good friend of mine won the silver medal. There's nothing quite like being there to see someone you know so well succeed on the highest stage. ^^^


ETA: And then a new world record from Coventry!! The finals are going to be a heck of a race!

Just about to see the Womens' 100m Butterfly final. ^
Favourites are looking happy, relaxed etc.

Here we go!

Tom, thanks for the great pictures!!

This is great, watching the swims live, and catching up on this FT swimblog...^

Thanks for the photos Tom...
It's a great day to be at the pool!
Right now here's another great semi for me...

Lovely to see swimmers congratulate each other on great swims in the semis - on their performance, independent of their country... a little show of community. :)

Tom the men are setting ORs in the backstroke heats so you should have an excellent day come the finals. :)

Let's hope for competition, records and gold. :D

Woah. How about that men's 4x100 freestyle relay?!?! Great story leading up to it, too - merci! :p

The water cube is seeing some seriously fantastic swimming at the moment. tom911 - you must be fit to burst with the excitement of actually being there to experience it all, I think that most posters to your thread are very very envious of you at present -- but in a nice way.

Just watched the replay of the Mens 4x100 and what a race that was. Eamon literally flew down that first 100m, but the finish from Lezak was tremendous -- from one angle it looked like he nearly went through the touch pad he hit it so hard. And was it the first 4 to finish broke the old world record !?

And of course I must mention about the Team GB ladies who took 1st and 3rd in the 400 free final -- again another nail biting race, it is great to see GB Swimming back on form. Did you know that is the first Gold won by a female GB swimmer in the Olympic pool in 48 years ? Amazing swimming.

This is turning out to be a fantastic Olympics in the pool, records falling like flies, nail-biting finishes and so much entertainment.

tom911 - please, please keep posting here so that all around the world who are living vicariously through you can keep up to date with your pictures.

What a packed day today. I'll start at the beginning and work through it. I made it back to the hotel at 10 tonight and might actually get to bed before midnight. I'm at the point I need a good 8 hours of solid sleep. Last time that happened was in Honolulu a few days ago.

Off to the pool at 8am this morning (passed on breakfast--just ran out of time--but did sleep a solid 6 1/2 hours which is the best I've done the last few days). Leaving at 8 lets you bypass those long security checkpoints when changing to the Olympic train line, as it only took 10 minutes to get through this morning instead of the 30 it's taken at the worst time. Still have the good half mile or more walk to the pool. I arrived shortly after 9a.m., purchased some ice cold bottled water at a kiosk (3RMB, 45 US cents), and waited until 9:30 to enter the pool. Due to the ticket assignment, I was seated in a different area than the Coughlins by myself, and was up pretty high in the stands.

Jim tells me he saw President Bush and Laura Bush in the stands again in the same section they were at yesterday. I didn't notice them myself, but didn't go out of my way to zoom in over in that section to see if I recognized anyone.

Natalie swam the semi-finals of 100 backstroke this morning (Sunday night in the U.S.), and competed in the first heat which she won. We were in for a surprise in the second heat when Kirsty Coventry, who trains in the U.S. and represents Zimbabwe, finished first in her heat, the second woman ever under 59 seconds, and broke Natalie's world record.

Needless to say, we're expecting an exciting race on Tuesday morning when we're back for finals in this event (broadcast Monday night in the U.S.)

Kirsty's parents are staying in the same hotel as the Coughlins and we've all seen them a couple times this week. I sat with Kirsty's boyfriend when she swam a day or two ago (I'm surprised he has a voice left after cheering so loudly), and her parents were at the next table when we hit the Italian restaurant on Sunday night. They're very nice people.

Also this morning we had the mens 4X100 freestyle relay event which was dominated by France, until the very last lap, when Jason Lezak pulled a rabbit out of a hat and moved at lightning speed to surpass the French swimmer and hit the wall fast. I do have photos of them passing by in front of us after the event and will add some of them to the web site.

Jim tells me he has seen past Olympic swimmer Janet Evans in the stands behind them today, and we both saw Gary Hall in the pool lobby. Word is that Jenny Thompson is also about but we have not seen her.

After morning swimming it was off the Sun Park for Speedo's Media Day, in which media outlets are invited to interview parents of athletes with Speedo contracts. Jim and Zennie were interviewed by a half dozen outlets, and they and Ethan (Natalie's fiance) and Megan were all interviewed by Billy Bush of Access Hollywood (he got them in Greece 4 years ago, too). Watch your television in the next couple days and see when it airs (hopefully Monday but no idea, really).

Part of the Speedo Media Day included a buffet lunch. I had lamb and chicken kebab, cole slaw, and potato salad. They offered cold drinks, wine and beer. We were outdoors and there were hints of rain for a short time, but that seems to have passed and the heat and hostile humidty (95% the other day) returned. Strangely, tonight it seemed to cool down some, but there was a very light rain for a few minutes that may have caused the weather change. Visibility was the best of our trip.

Afterward Speedo arranged for a bus to the pool for us, as well as Katie Hoff's family (she's from the Baltimore area). After arrival we zipped through security (no line for the usual train with thousands of people trying to transfer) and went over to the Omega Hospitality Center. Again, we enjoyed wine and cold drinks along with some snack and dessert items. I had two strawberry smoothies which are just addictive when you're dehydrated. I went out on their upper deck and took some photos and will also get some of those up.

Tonight Natalie swam the prelims of 200 individual medley, an event where she swims 4 different strokes. She had not swam this event for a number of years until just a couple months before Olympic Trials, and she had no problem making it into semi-finals which will be swam on Tuesday morning here (Monday night in the U.S.). Katie Hoff also made it to semi-finals.

Jim tells me he saw the men's basketball team in the U.S. athletes section, but I was way down on the opposite end of the pool without a view of that area to even notice. Seats seem to change just about every day.

After this event, we wandered by the Today Show, I hung around for a while and watched the whole crew do a noodle rolling demonstration. Looked like Ann Curry had it down, and she even hung a round to sample some food when off camera. Will get those up, too. If you're on the west coast this segment airs in the 0830 hour and it's possible you might see me in the crowd to the right rear of the cooking set. That's 1 minute from when I'm sending this.

NEW Photos start HERE. (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb/13/349585496_GYDNT#P-7-20) I'll add a couple in a new post.

mascots
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/349581443_FGYXy-S.jpg

mens 4x100 freestyle relay GOLD MEDAL
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/349582732_Dv7o3-S.jpg

Natalie poster at Speedo Sports Club (I first saw this at the Speedo Store in London in June)
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/349584444_f7jZH-S.jpg

Birds Nest at night
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/349597531_MeCRe-S.jpg

pool "The Cube" at night
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/349598074_cyhLs-S.jpg

Great stuff Tom, many many thanks for taking the time to write this while all the excitement goes on in Beijing! Looking forward to reading more...

Will you have any chance to meet with our Swiss FT emissary to the Games? I think he can be found around the tennis courts... :cool:

Now, off to my local pool to feel slow... ;)

We do overlap a day or two, but not much free time with swimming two times a day so far. We tend to have enough time for lunch somewhere and back to the pool. May have some free time towards the end of swimming.

Have to get to bed. After midnight here and back to the pool at 8a.m. for Natalie's two events.

Thanks for the updates, Tom. We missed you at SEA Do this year, but understand you had another trip planned. ;)

p.s. The French swim team looks a little dejected in your photo...

Thanks for the updates, Tom! I am enjoying all of the details!
:):):)

p.s. The French swim team looks a little dejected in your photo...

Well, they did win a silver, so have to give them credit for that, and they beat out 6 other teams in the finals. They came very, very close to winning that event and, if they had, Michael Phelps could have written off his quest for 8 golds. Speaking of him, I sat next to one of his sisters at the pool last night, who was there with her husband, from the D.C. area.

For the first time here there is a bit of blue sky this morning among scattered clouds. Hope the rain has moved out some of the bad air.

Thank you for letting me live vicariously through your posts for this amazing event! Can't wait for the next installment!

I taped the Today Show here in boulder! I will save the tape and I can send it to you!!! What are you wearing???

Awesome.

p.s. The French swim team looks a little dejected in your photo...

It has to be hard to break a world record by 3.9 seconds and still come in second. And just missing the huge win is also tough.

On the plus side, Natalie's on right now and just picked up the gold in the 100 back. Great finish. ^^

She got the gold! Congrats Natalie!

ARGH!!! I know the out come and we are watching Beach Volleyball!!

Gong Xi (Mandarin for Congratulations!!!)

Way to go Natalie from Boulder!!

How great is this!!

Very nice!

Congratulations! ^ ^ :)

I missed the tv coverage... is there youtube video available?

Well, they did win a silver, so have to give them credit for that, and they beat out 6 other teams in the finals. They came very, very close to winning that event and, if they had, Michael Phelps could have written off his quest for 8 golds.

Not sure if you heard about it there, but here, the American press was playing up a comment by Alain Bernard that the French were going to "smash" the Americans...made Lezak's incredible comeback in the last 50m that much sweeter. :p

congrats on Natalie's gold!!!

Tom - Congrats to the Coughlins on a wonderful victory. Thanks for your postings and I hope you continue to enjoy your amazing visit to Beijing.

Wow, I really enjoy your reports and pictures so far. Looking forward for the rest of them ^

Please add my thanks and regards to your ever-expanding list. ^
I can't wait to see the pictures, in a few hours. Thanks Tom!

Wishing Natalie, her family and your extended 'team Coughlin' all the best. :)

Tom-

thanks for all your updates so far- very informative for those of us stuck back in our day jobs!

Now it's my turn to get the adrenaline rush- my nephew, Ricky Berens, was in the prelims for the 4 X 200 and had the fastest split of the group. (Phelps was probably taking a well-deserved rest.) So, it's likely he'll swim tonight and regardless, whatever medal the team gets, he gets.

Reports from my brother and his wife (also in Beijing) are that Ricky is having the time of his life- the Shangri-La in Singapore where they did their training just before they arrived in Beijing was a spectacularly beautiful place to work through the jet lag. He's meeting other swimmers, watching what they do, and learning from them.

I'll be glued to the TV tonight and maybe my husband will divert his attention from the Women's Beach Volleyball matches. I had no idea he was so passionate about volleyball. :D

I taped the Today Show here in boulder! I will save the tape and I can send it to you!!! What are you wearing???

I had a white t shirt on with big USA letters on the front of it. I have 4 baseball caps and can't recall if I had one on or not. You'd see me holding up my camera most of the time, as I was in the second row and between some other folks looking on. Not even sure I was in the cameras range. There's a bunch of photos of me scattered around the Olympic pix if you want to just check there first. Thanks.

Composing another message of interest with photos and will be back shortly.

How great is this!!

I guarantee you there with be an FT exclusive that no one else has a photo of in just a few minutes.

Now it's my turn to get the adrenaline rush- my nephew, Ricky Berens, was in the prelims for the 4 X 200 and had the fastest split of the group. (Phelps was probably taking a well-deserved rest.) So, it's likely he'll swim tonight and regardless, whatever medal the team gets, he gets.

That's one great thing about swimming, in that swimmers that get the team the slot for finals by swimming the qualifying heat also get the medal. One of the Cal swimmers, Emily Silver of Bainbridge Island, WA, swam the prelim part of the 4X100 freestyle relay, while Natalie swam in finals, and they both took silver.

It's just after 12:45a.m. here on Wednesday, August 13 now, and another packed day with activity. I didn't get back to the hotel until just a few minutes ago. Sleep is going to have to sacrifice some so I can get the report out on tonight and upload some photos. I'll limit myself to mostly swimming photos tonight, even though I do have some nice outdoors photos with the sun out for the first time since I arrived 5 days ago. Maybe I'll find some time tomorrow to get some of the others up.

By now I'm sure you've all heard that Natalie won the :-::-::-: GOLD MEDAL :-::-::-: in the woman's 100 backstroke event swam about 14 hours ago at 10:20 Tuesday morning here. She is the first woman ever in Olympic history to get back to back gold medals in this event, having attained one in Athens 4 years ago to go along with the one she won in Beijing earlier today. This is a record that is going to be hers alone for years to come. Congratulations, Natalie! This is the first GOLD MEDAL for an American female swimmer for this Olympics.

U.S. Swimming and Cal coach Teri McKeever surprised us with a post-win visit in the pool lobby, and brought along Natalie's GOLD MEDAL. It has a different design on both sides. Look for it in the photo gallery as it looks grand, with a white jade inset on one side, and gold on the other.

I was six rows from the very top seats in the pool, so photos are taken at about the maximum my zoom will go out (18X). The Coughlins were down in the lower section and hopefully Natalie was able to see them during the victory march.

Afterward we were again guests at the Omega Hospitality Center, and who do we find there but Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe. He chatted with Coughlin family members for a while, was glad to have some photos taken, and offered some comments on the race when watching a replay with us. No sooner does he leave than another Olympic Gold Medalist, Michael Johnson of track and field, stopped by for a photo op and said he'd be cheering for Natalie in her next event, finals of 200IM on Wednesday morning here (broadcast Tuesday night in the U.S.). Look for photos of both of them, too.

Forgot to mention that after the GOLD in 100 back Natalie came back for semifinals in 200IM, and is seeded 4th going into finals this morning. This is the event she just started swimming a few months ago after a multiple yer break, and she looked great in the pool. Might have another medal in the works on Wednesday. Back to the pool in just a few hours for that event. Recall she already has a silver from a prior event, so silver and gold in her pocket tonight.

The Coughlins had foot massages tonight at a place we took a cab to ( I hiked around a shopping district and visited food stalls where they sold cooked bugs on sticks instead), and afterward we had Peking Duck at the Quandude Roast Duck Restaurant. Cabs were impossible to find, and we split up into two groups and headed in different directions hoping for better luck. The group I was with placed second, waiting about 30 minutes to find an empty cab. Seems like 100 went by us all occupied. No time to work on these photos tonight but I should get them up in the next 24 hours.

GOLD MEDAL photos start HERE (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb#350411895_mzuQ2)

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350419755_Xnk8W-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350418580_WZNAX-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350430247_KFQ8m-S.jpg

Natalie Coughlin's 100 backstroke GOLD MEDAL
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350432915_7F8rh-S.jpg

Natalie Coughlin's 100 backstroke GOLD MEDAL
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350433231_2dkUm-S.jpg

Great Pictures, keep it coming and thanks.^ Good luck to Natalie.

You are mixing my two favourite things in life in one trip report: sports and aviation. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for you to post reports and pictures on a "real-time" basis, much appreciated! ^

I, for one, am extremely jealous of you and wish you a safe remainder of the trip as well as the flight home. I can't wait to read more as well as see the pictures. Thanks!

zz :)

After watching Natalie win last night my thought was “I can’t wait to read Tom911’s post and see his pictures of this”.

We now read your updates before the Chronicle’s in the morning; please keep up the great reports!^

Great updates tom911. Keep em coming ^

After watching Natalie win last night my thought was “I can’t wait to read Tom911’s post and see his pictures of this”.


I was thinking the exact same thing.

Great to hear about what's happening from someone on the ground. NBC (and USA) is doing a good job this year in broadcasting and scheduling their coverage. Watching the swimming has been a blast this year. Talk about records falling one after the other .... Good Luck ro Natalie and the rest of the USA team!!

We are so excited for Natalie and Go Team!

well done tom

congrats to natalie!

Six hours sleep and I'm ready to go again. Yesterday (Tuesday) we had bright blue skies here. I didn't know there was a range of buildings behind Bird's Nest and the Olympic grounds, as you just could not see out that far past the haze. These photos look a lot better than the ones I took a few days ago with limited visibility. I've added more to the gallery.

Didn't last long, though. Looking out my hotel window this Wednesday morning the haze has returned and I can only see about a mile.

This morning-Wednesday (Tuesday night in the U.S.) we're off to see Natalie compete in the finals of 200IM, an event in which she swims four different strokes. We return to the pool again this evening for prelms of 100 freestyle.

I did have a message asking about the award ceremony for Natalie's gold medal win. Apparently that aired after midnight in the hour segment they run late, so most probably did not see it. I do have the TIVO set for it.

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350673485_E8Ehe-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350667739_XWNsV-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350669487_Xp4Zz-S.jpg

Tom-

great pictures! If you took them from that far away you must have a darn good telephoto lens and a steady hand!

Congratulations from us to Natalie.

I am looking forward to your reports today, Tom... especially on the 200IM.
Please keep an eye out for a good shot of Stephanie Rice, should she repeat her 400IM performance.

It will be one of the races of the Games, with so many in-form competitors. ^
I hope you get lucky with seating... all the stories locally have been the difficulty of families and other friends & supporters not being able to sit together.

Tom...those are amazing pictures...and your reports are awesome too. It almost feels like I am there. I am glad the Natalie has done so well. She swam a great race. Pass our congrats to her and any other Olympians you run into. Keep up the posts and the pictures.

Tom, your reports and photos are just great; really appreciate you taking the time to keep us all posted on the "inside details" of the Olympics. Special congratulations to Natalie and may her run for gold continue!

Now it's my turn to get the adrenaline rush- my nephew, Ricky Berens, was in the prelims for the 4 X 200 and had the fastest split of the group. (Phelps was probably taking a well-deserved rest.) So, it's likely he'll swim tonight and regardless, whatever medal the team gets, he gets. Congrats!!! ^^^

After watching Natalie win last night my thought was “I can’t wait to read Tom911’s post and see his pictures of this”.


I'm with you on this one, too.

Natalie just picked up a bronze in the 200IM in yet another world record setting race. The NBC announcer actually exclaimed something to the effect of "how many world records are we going to see in these games!"

Lacking any other reasonable explanation, I'm going with my own personal conspiracy theory, which is that the pool is 6" shorter than it should be, hence all the records. :D :eek: :D

Seriously, though, congrats to all the athletes putting on such a show for us, and thanks to tom911 for sharing the on-the-ground experience. What a great way to live and relive the experience.

Oh, and the men's 4x200m freestyle relay is over 4 seconds ahead of World record pace and they're only 300m into the race. The green bar that NBC has chasing them (which is pretty cool technology) can barely keep up. Just amazing.

ETA: They won by more than 5 seconds. It is borderline obscene...

Athena53 Congrats to your nephew! What a great race and likely having the time of his life.

I can't wait for your latest report and pics, Tom.
A phenomenal race I can't wait to see in replays.
Natalie gets praise from Stephanie here:
"It's something I've dreamed about for a long time," she said.

"I put a lot of effort into this preparation so I'm really excited to see the results.

"It was a great battle, and that's what the Olympics is all about.

"Having Natalie Coughlin there really take it out was really good for me to get me out there.

"I knew that Coventry was going to be there the whole race and I knew she's extremely tough.

"It was really great for me to have her there pushing me along."

Rice says the race was even closer than she thought.

"It was extremely close and I didn't realise how close it was until I saw the scoreboard at the end.

"It was a phenomenal race."

I hope you get lucky with seating... all the stories locally have been the difficulty of families and other friends & supporters not being able to sit together.

That's the case here. I was about 20 rows above the Coughlins today, and when she won her 100 back gold I was 3-4 sections down the pool from them and 6 rows from the top. I do tend to sit with some of the U.S. families but we all tend to be in different seats each day. Today I was way down by the diving area--would have been an excellent seat if I wanted to photograph diving.

Now it's my turn to get the adrenaline rush- my nephew, Ricky Berens, was in the prelims for the 4 X 200 and had the fastest split of the group.

Ricky has a :-::-::-:gold medal:-::-::-: from finals in this event from about 4 hours ago, and a :-::-::-: world record :-::-::-: to go along with it. ^ Congratulations! Recognize anyone in this photo from poolside just 5 hours ago?

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350964133_aJ3Du-S.jpg

or here?

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350964001_N84ej-S.jpg

That's Ryan Lochte on the left and Rick Berens on the right for those not up on swimming.

I took 150 photos for you which are unedited, so some may be good and some may be so-so. I'm going to put them in a password protected gallery to hold down the traffic, but feel free to share them with family and friends. You will be able to view them in original size and download for printing. I can also move to CD or DVD when I'm home. I'll keep the gallery on line until the end of September. I'll PM you the link and password.

Natalie was always a wild card in the 200IM, being that she had not swam this event in years, so no one really knew what would happen in finals. To our delight, she placed third and now has a bronze medal to go along with her previous gold and silver medals (3 medals for 3 events). She still has 3 more events to go (only had 5 events in Athens and took medals in them all).

Just back from another visit to the Omega Hospitality Center. Natalie graces the cover of their official Olympic Edition magazine (article in there, too), and I've put a photo of the cover in my gallery. We enjoyed pork, scallops, wine/champagne, and brownies, cookies, and gelato (needless to say, I enjoyed the last three of those the most). Coughlins are off to visit U.S. families at the Bank of America center while I play catch up with photos and e-mail.

Back to the pool tonight for 100 freestyle prelims, Natalie's third and final individual event. New photos in my gallery start HERE. (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb#350952618_xDgjB)

Photos from 200IM:

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350953211_8VC2v-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350954073_jyRBL-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350956962_pVNbR-S.jpg

Some basketball players drop by to cheer for the swimmers:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/350952618_xDgjB-S.jpg

Just as a side note, tonight (Tuesday) is our normal trivia day. We do it every week. But the really cool thing was, our DJ would stop the trivia sessions just to let us watch every swimming match that was on TV. It was a huge roar all around for every American that placed!

Congrats to her and her family. Tom, again, much appreciated :) ^

Let the atheletes know that they have our 100% support!

zz :)

Natalie 胜 = victorius, congratulations for her swimming performance!

Tom911 胜 = victorius, congratulations for your reports!

a question: after so many bad forecasts about smog and the influence of smog on athletes performance. How does it look like, from your point of view, for the swimming athletes? (also how is the temperature/air in the swimming arena, looking at the performances, conditions must me pretty good for the athletes there).

And what are your comments about the swimming infrastructure: the Arena? compared with others that you have been (like Athens).

After having heard interviews with several swiss Olympians (Federer tennis, Cancellara cycling, Meichtrich swimming and the swiss medial doctor on site):

so far:

* No smog problem at all
* but some humidity problems, some times humidity did reach > 98% in the tennis arena - sweating (cooling down by intensive sweating) difficult, because what they sweat stays on their skin and doesn't easily evaporate at that high humidity level.

Tom911 - I am really enjoying your reports. The winner of the womens 200 and 400IM went to the same school as I did - she didnt start serious swimming till she was about 14 or so.

Tom-

thank you SO much for the link to the pictures! We saw the victory last night on TV but they skipped the medals ceremony and cut right back to women's gymnastics. I've been loading my iPod up and these will be on it before I head into work this morning.

Megan, Natalie's sister, has a phone with international coverage and heard from a friend in the Bay Area that the medals ceremony for her gold medal in 100 back aired sometime after midnight in the extra 60-90 minute segment they run after local news (it would have occurred about 20 minutes after her event). I had the TIVO set for those and will hopefully have it when home. Also heard that Access Hollywood ran the piece they filmed here on Sunday on Tuesday night. I remotely set the TIVO and should have that when I get home, too.

Back to the pool Thursday a.m. for semi-finals of 100 freestyle.

Just in from a German beer hall having sausage, potato salad, and beers. Cost up about $20 a head which I thought was very reasonable. I found this place in a publication highlighting restaurants on the new #10 train line.

a question: after so many bad forecasts about smog and the influence of smog on athletes performance. How does it look like, from your point of view, for the swimming athletes? (also how is the temperature/air in the swimming arena, looking at the performances, conditions must me pretty good for the athletes there).

I think the swimmers are less impacted because they are indoors for their events. There was a report last week that the Australian coach was concerned about a layer of haze on the pool, but I've seen nothing like that so hopefully the cause was sorted out.

The pool temperature is about what I'd expect. They do offer bottled water for 3RMB (45 cents U.S.) and I've been getting two bottles once I get inside, but that's to deal with the hot weather and humidity on the walk from the subway station (half mile or more). None of us are dealing well with the humidty, though the storm two days ago seemed to drop those numbers down from the 95% figure that was just killing us.

I'm still concerned about long distance events such as the marathon. I can't tell what is fog, smog, or haze, but I can tell the visibility is fairly limited most of the time, and if is is bad air I wouldn't want to be out running 26 miles in it. I've only seen one day of blue skies (posted some photos as it was a big change), but the marathon was not scheduled for that day. Even if the air was perfect, do marathoners run in 95% humidity?

And what are your comments about the swimming infrastructure: the Arena? compared with others that you have been (like Athens).

I spoke with Natalie's parents about this very item, and they think the stadium is not as good as what we had in Omaha. There is less seating (nothing in the "end zones"), a good half of one side is devoted to media, and views are obscured by railings. Biggest complaint seems to be locations of seats, as we're used to having premium seats near the starting blocks, and being down near the diving platform is surely not a premium location. You need to view the video monitors to decide who hit the wall first.

We did have a similar situation in Yokohama a few years ago where the seats were in the end zone and you couldn't even see the starting blocks. We complained and the Japanese swimming federation offered a complete refund of our tickets. I have a lot of respect for them.

Also heard tonight that Natalie is ranked #3 for total Olympics medals of any American female athlete since the Olympics began. Don't know what the count is for the other two athletes to know if there's a possibility of surpassing one or both this week. She has three events to go.

ESPN had a great article about her yesterday that we all read here:
Veterans Coughlin, Peirsol help U.S. swim team save face in Beijing (http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3530905)

Also heard tonight that Natalie is ranked #3 for total Olympics medals of any American female athlete since the Olympics began. Don't know what the count is for the other two athletes to know if there's a possibility of surpassing one or both this week. She has three events to go.[/URL]

I think it's Jenny Thompson (12), Dara Torres (10), and Natalie (8).

Incidentially, it was mentioned on NBC last night or this morning that Michael Phelps just surpassed Jenny Thompson on the total medals count (13) and is now the most highly decorated US Olympic athlete in history. He's third on the all-time list, behind two Soviet gymnasts with 15 and 18 :eek:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multiple_Olympic_gold_medalists

I think it's Jenny Thompson (12), Dara Torres (10), and Natalie (8).

That makes sense. They did announce Michael's accomplishment at the pool.

Natalie swims semi-finals of 100 free this morning (Thursday), and she's been selected to swim 4X200 freestyle relay finals, the same event the men's side set a world record in yesterday. This will air within a few hours and would be her shot at a 4th medal.

Off to the pool....

Congrats to Natalie and congrats to Athena53's nephew as well!

All these photos and coverage take me back to the excitement of being at the Athens games in 2004. So hard to believe it was 4 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Tom, enjoy! I know you will! Thanks for the great play by play.

I've been watching these swimming events and Natalie is doing a fantastic job. All of these swimming events have been very exciting to watch. Please send my congratz to Natalie for yet another medal.

Try to also enjoy Beijing, you may like the city :)

Tell your nephew it was great seeing him on the Today Show yesterday!

Go Natalie Go!!!

My neighbor here is from your area in California...she wants to know which HS Natalie went to?

Go USA FlyerTalker Swimmers!!!

My boys are really working hard in their swim team this week from your inspiration!!!

Tom911: thanks for this great report and :) to Jason Lezak :) for his really, really outstanding finish in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

And what are your comments about the swimming infrastructure: the Arena? compared with others that you have been (like Athens).

As Tom911 mostly commented on the facility from his point of view as a spectator, I would like to focus more on the swimmer's point of view.

Athens was very difficult for the swimmers, as it was very hot those days back in 2004. As ATHOC messed it up with the roof, they also had problems to keep the water temperature down to reasonable levels. Especially the swimmers of the longer distances, i.e. 800 & 1500, are rather sensible to these water temperatures. The swimmers were forced to wait and warmup/warmdown in a small 25m indoor pool between races in order to not get too much sun. It was really not planned like this, but ATHOC first played the "wait and see" and finally the "now it's too late" tactic and FINA & IOC had to swallow the bad news.

At the other extreme, I remember the 2004 Madrid European Championships in a rather cold and rainy month of May. It was all but comfortable for the swimmers.

Therefore big swimming events are more and more indoor events to have more or less similar conditions. Looking at world level, i.e. governed by FINA, the big events of the last ten years all have been indoor, except Athens (roof problem) and Montreal (I don't know why). In addition the trend also goes into transforming big event halls into temporary pools (Barcelona'03, Melbourne'07), as it is easier and less expensive to achieve the required spectator seating that way and you can provide better seating for the spectators all around the pool. And I would bet that the divers would love to have a separate facility, so their trainings sessions are not limited by the swimming events.

Only the Olympics can justify the construction of new and big swimming facilities with seating for more than 10'000 and during the Olympics you cannot just use the gymnastics hall for the Swimming, as it was done for the worlds in Barcelona'03.

My neighbor here is from your area in California...she wants to know which HS Natalie went to?

She went to Carondolet in Concord.

Tom, this is a fantastic report so far and the pictures are excellent. This is making me witsh I hadn't left Beijing on 8/4.

We need the days to be longer than 24 hours during the Olympics, as there is just too much going on here. Last night I got 7 hours sleep, the best I've done the entire week. Looks like I'll be back to about 6 hours tonight by the time I finish up photos and this message.

This morning (Thursday), Natalie competed in semfinals of 100 freestyle and is seeded #1 heading into finals on Friday morning (broadcast Thursday night in the U.S.) This is her last individual event. On the way to this event, they actually had English announcements at the train station we transfer at, and signs on the Olympic grounds pointing towards the subway station in English. This should be helpful the rest of the Olympics. Signs in English seem to be lacking.

About an hour after that event she swam a leg of the 4X200 freestyle relay, in which the top three teams all broke the existing world record. Australia and China were hard to beat, and Team USA comes home with the bronze. This is Natalie's 4th medal for this Olympics.

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/351753101_yi7aY-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/351757188_nckyT-S.jpg

After the morning events we walked over to the Omega Hospitality Center again for lunch. Zennie passed out some cards about Natalie to some very helpful staff members there, and we took a photo of two of them with Natalie's flowers from today's event. While we were here it started raining heavily, so we ended up spending about 2 1/2 hours until it cleared enough.

We made our way back into the city center by train, and caught a cab to the Silk Market, a 5 story center with vendors willing to haggle prices. I picked up a pair of cargo pants for $11 (initial price $40) after haggling, as I needed these for an event later in the evening that shorts were not appropriate for. Jim picked up a pair, too. Mine have a waist that's too big, and a length that is too long, but they did serve a purpose as you'll see shortly. Don't think I'll be packing them for the trip home. There is nowhere to try clothing on, so you have to take the sales clerks at their assurance that "it will fit fine". At least they weren't too small.

While at the Silk Market Zennie and Megan picked up some jade items and jewelry. Tom, Jim, and Natalie's grandfather left and went for a beer. We visited with a TV producer from Finland who had one day off during the entire Olympics and was at our table. I also took a photo of an older woman collecting plastic bottles. I've seen this at other places around town, too.

After the shopping was done, off to the Omega Residence near Tiananmen Square by cab. This is a private club taken over by Omega during the Olympics, and they feature a buffet dinner (very good perch, pork) and an assortment of wines (they had Berringer, Kendall-Jackson, and Columbia from the U.S.) and other drinks. We were also given a tour of the history of the residence.

A special guest stopped by and said hello to Tom, and Australian Olympic Gold Medalist Ian Thorpe also showed up at our dinner tonight and I got another photo of him and Megan. I like my photo with the special guest better, though (sorry Megan).

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/351769320_tzjY8-S.jpg

WOW! Impressive, Tom. She's still gorgeous.

Back to the pool in a few minutes for finals of 100 freestyle, Natalie's last individual event and chance for a fifth medal. For the second day this week blue skies and I can see the sun. :)

Congratulations on a very successful Olympics, Natalie. We are very proud of you.

Megan, Natalie's sister, has a phone with international coverage and heard from a friend in the Bay Area that the medals ceremony for her gold medal in 100 back aired sometime after midnight in the extra 60-90 minute segment they run after local news (it would have occurred about 20 minutes after her event). I had the TIVO set for those and will hopefully have it when home. Also heard that Access Hollywood ran the piece they filmed here on Sunday on Tuesday night. I remotely set the TIVO and should have that when I get home, too.


Just wanted to give you a heads up, if you're not already aware, that the primetime broadcast on NBC has been running late recently, sometimes by more than an hour (last night's broadcast that was to end at midnight ended at 1:30am). Nothing is being preempted - they're just pushing everything back. I am also in the Bay Area and NBC11 news always follows the primetime, followed by NBC latenight coverage, and then primetime replay.

I don't know if the Tivo is smart enough to figure this out, but my Comcast Motorola DVR can't, so I have to either start recording again or just use my Mac DVR (http://project-tigershark.com/people/rob/blog/2007/01/14/cable-tv-mac-firewire-hd-pvr). Hopefully you got everything you wanted!

I have one TIVO set for NBC primetime until around midnight or so, another for NBC local news afterwards, and then the late night coverage from around 0030-0130 each night on the first machine, so I should be pretty well covered between all those from 7pm until 0130.

After yesterday's storms, today we have the best weather day yet, with sun and brought blue skies, and an absence of the stifling humidity.

Natalie did race in the 100 freestyle event about 5 hours ago and placed third, so bronze medal for her effort, the same color she had in this event in Athens four years ago. The amazing thing about this race is that the silver medalist, from Australia, placed 9th in semifinals yesterday and ordinarily would not make it into finals, as only the top 8 advance (bear in mind she is the world record holder in this event, too). The swimmer from China was disqualified for movement on the starting blocks that is not allowed, so that allowed the Australia swimmer to make it into finals seeded 8th. Without the Chinese error, she would not have been in the pool for finals.

If you watched Ryan Lochte's gold medal win, I am standing next to his father when he swims. I'm wearing a white T shirt with a USA Swimming logo, and probably had on a blue baseball cap with a flag. Had an e-mail from a former coworker that she saw me on NBC and rewound the TIVO for a second look. ^

Some more details within the hour, as well as todays photos.

If you watched Ryan Lochte's gold medal win, I am standing next to his father when he swims. I'm wearing a white T shirt with a USA Swimming logo, and probably had on a blue baseball cap with a flag. Had an e-mail from a former coworker that she saw me on NBC and rewound the TIVO for a second look. ^

I will look for the shot and try to screencap! Looking forward to seeing more of your pictures.

The Australian silver medalist was Libby Trickett, who probably benefited from the empty lane next to her. As a follow-up to an earlier post, this article (http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/08/olympic-swimming-pool-records.php) features the designer of the Beijing pool, and he talks about porous endwalls and starting podiums which were left out of the final design.

After swimming ended before noon we headed back to the Omega Hospitality Center for lunch. Noticed Cindy Crawford there in shorts, but didn't take any photos as the place was rather crowded (track and field events started today, so more guests, and longer security lines at the train station).

On the way out a number of visitors wanted photos with the Coughlins and Natalie's floral arrangement from the bronze medal win. They were happy to be photographed.

We headed down to the official merchandise building around 2pm, but found the line out the building and around the block and gave up (we have not seen much about town in the line of Olympic souveniers). Next we went over to the Johnson and Johnson Pavilion to see the Terracotta Warriors from Xian. They have been allowed to move 5 of the Terracotta Warriors from the excavation site in Xian to Beijing. We also stopped in their lounge for some cold drinks and visit with their staff. It's quite impressive if you read about the history of the Terracotta Warriors.

Link to J&J press release on the Terracotta warriors (http://www.jnj.com/connect/news/all/20080806_110000)

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/352214389_eCY8C-S.jpg

Natalie also participates in a program where Johnson & Johnson contribute funds to the humanitarian relief organization Right to Play for each medal she wins ($20,000 per gold, $15,000 per silver, $10,000 per bronze). Looks like her tally is up to $65,000 they'll be contributing on her behalf, and we're hoping to see to see them spend a little more come Sunday.

Link to J&J press release on Natalie's participation in the Right to Play program (http://www.jnj.com.cn/olympics/en/olympic/goldheart_en.html)

Tonight I'm heading to Tiananman Square to get some photos after dark and do some exploring about. Coughlins are heading out shopping. We'll catch up on Saturday a.m. with a tentative plan to go to the Great Wall. Saturday is our one and only free day.

Natalie's next and final medal event: 4X100 medley relay, swam here on Sunday morning, the last day of swimming, and broadcast in the U.S. on Saturday night.

New photos start HERE (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb#352210146_dGMys)

Some photos from the 100 freestyle bronze medal win today:

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/352210288_9FBnS-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/352210581_rYkbw-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/352212002_fBSy6-S.jpg

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/352212679_QTMXw-S.jpg

If you watched Ryan Lochte's gold medal win, I am standing next to his father when he swims. I'm wearing a white T shirt with a USA Swimming logo, and probably had on a blue baseball cap with a flag. Had an e-mail from a former coworker that she saw me on NBC and rewound the TIVO for a second look. ^

Ha, I knew I saw you when the race was on last night. My wife did not believe me though... You were shown twice on the NBC live coverage.

Britta Steffen's comment after winning: "My life is beautiful!" :) She got the first german swimming gold since 1992.

Well tom911 you must be near exhaustion with all the adrenalin flowing round your system at what is coming out as an all out amazing swimming meet for all athletes. Just used the weekend to catch up on records falling, new kids on the block making their presence felt and many many nail biting finishes !! Thanks for continuing to upload the pics and the regular updates of what is happening that you cannot always see on TV

Natalie will be swimming a leg in the 4X100 medley relay on Sunday morning (Saturday night in the U.S.). This will be her shot at a 6th and final medal. Right now she is tied with Dara Torres for 10 Olympic career medals, though Natalie's come over two Olympics, and Dara's over a bunch. Only Jenny Thompson has more medals than these two women over her Olympic career with 12.

Last night (Friday) I did make it down to Tiananmen Square and took some night time photos. Those photos start HERE. (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb#352506364_YhCih)

from Tiananmen Square:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/352509214_8xKhg-S.jpg

I have to get an early start in the morning to collect my ticket for the swimming events, so I'm not going to post any new photos from today. We visited The Great Wall, attended a soccer match (Belgium vs Italy), and ended the night at Hooters (I needed a burger badly). I have photos of them all but they're still in the camera.

Will post a message when I add additional photos from today's events, as well as Natalie's last event. Hope to have some free time on Sunday night, and then fly home on Monday. Off to bed---I'm exhausted.

Was up at 6 so got some of the of the photos on line (just the Great Wall--will add soccer later). The new photos starting with the trip to The Great Wall begin HERE (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb#353019661_MNAzN).

A couple samples:

Olympic vehicle traffic lanes
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/353021994_kHqFp-S.jpg

The Great Wall at Badaling
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/353031958_mcZN8-S.jpg

tom911 - I've been enjoying your great commentary and photos. I think we all wish we could join you. :)

Tom,

Thanks for the updates and pictures... I wish I was there!

Congrats to Natalie for win #6... the most for a US woman in a single games ever... what an accomplishment!

Now, you just need to convince her to become a FlyerTalk member... smile

6 ^

We're so proud of Natalie! :-:

Congratulations to Natalie and the entire US Swim Team -- An impressive showing all around with so many new world/olympic records and the new records for Natalie, Michael and Dara as winners of record medals.

she just had a great first leg! cant wait for more pics

Just watched the replay of the Mens 4x100 and what a race that was. Eamon literally flew down that first 100m, but the finish from Lezak was tremendous -- from one angle it looked like he nearly went through the touch pad he hit it so hard. And was it the first 4 to finish broke the old world record !?


Actually, the first 5 teams swam faster than the previous WR (which was set in the semi-finals by the US team).

tom911 - great reports from Beijing ^, I wish I was there too!

Great report^^^ Having done Athens and Torino, the Games are great and anyone who has the opportunity to go once should definitely do it. That said, I am enjoying a nice two week cruise in Europe with the kids :D

Congrats to Natalie for win #6... the most for a US woman in a single games ever... what an accomplishment!

And I have to tell you when we saw Natalie tonight she just looked exhausted and ready to go home. She's going to hang around Beijing for a few days (in Athens she flew right home to be on David Letterman).

We were invited over to USA House at the Jasmine Restaurant near Worker's Stadium tonight to meet with Natalie for a few minutes. She was in the middle of a charitable event with McDonald's (think it was for Ronald McDonald House). Seemed to be quite a few people about dressed in McDonald's attire, though most were kids, and they were up on the second story, while we were out on a nice cool patio (weather cooled today with no humidity to worry about, and an occasional sprinkle).

You needed credentials to get into USA House, and we were signed in as guests. Gather this is some facility run by USOC, but was my first and only visit so can't say I know much about it. They offered drinks and a small buffet meal, including burgers. Tom was happy :) They also had ice cold Diet Coke. Tom was happier even more. :)

Working on next segment of trip report and photos and they will be up before I go to bed tonight, no matter how long I have to stay up (11:3pm right now and just got in).

Natalie swam her last and final event this Sunday morning (Saturday night in the U.S.), the lead off leg of the 4X100 medley relay. Her leg was 100 backstroke, the event she won the gold medal in. Australia was not to be beaten though, and they took the gold and set a new world record in the process. Team USA comes home with the silver. Natalie was below 59 seconds on her leg in excellent time.

Team USA being introduced before the race
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/353423190_RBnxD-S.jpg

Natalie leaving pool deck after silver medal win (6th medal of the Games)
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/353425635_jzHzZ-S.jpg

on the award stand:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/353435800_ixcKa-S.jpg

This is Natalie's sixth Olympic medal at the Beijing Games, and her 11th overall including the Athens Games. As Dara Torres won two silver medals today and has tied with Jenny Thompson for 12 medals, Natalie is only 1 medal away from them. Natalie is the only one of this group that accumulated her medals over just two Olympics, an enviable feat.

After this event our final visit to the Omega Hospitality Center and farewell to their outstanding staff that looked after us all week. We headed over to the Superstore for Olympic merchandise, and received word while there that we could rendezvous with Natalie later tonight.

Back on the train to the Coughlins hotel, and then off by cab to USA House located in the Jasmine Restaurant near Worker's Stadium (soccer events played here). We grabbed some seats on the patio, some cold drinks and items from a small buffet table, and waited about 45 minutes until Natalie could break free from a charitable event with McDonald's to come down for a visit. I also picked up a Chicago 2016 pin for my USA cap. This center may be operated by USOC as you needed credentials to get in. We got in as guests.

Natalie arrived, looking very tired, and was heading to a second event when she was through here. I was able to get a couple photos with family, and had one taken of me, and she had to head back to the event with McDonald's. It's been one long day for her and hopefully she can sleep in tomorrow.

Natalie, Megan, Jim and Zennie at USA House-first time they've seen Natalie since training camp at Stanford last month
http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/353443078_CCUYu-S.jpg

After we left USA House, back to the Silk Market we went. I do believe that Zennie and her mother have completely finished their Christmas shopping for this year. I didn't buy a thing. We visited with some tennis officials from Great Britain while discussing the eveing purchases (from Salisbury, Southampton, and High Wycombe), and got a photo of them at our table.

Megan and Ethan did not join us at the Silk Market and were hoping to catch up with Natalie later in the evening again.

Just after 1a.m. Monday here, and I fly home this afternoon.

Photos of our trip to the Great Wall on Saturday (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb/49/353426983_9XrDA#353019661_MNAzN)

Photos of Italy-Belgium soccer Saturday (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb/49/353426983_9XrDA#353402521_MiBwF)

Photos of Natalie's 6th medal (silver) on Sunday (http://tom911.smugmug.com/gallery/5597554_RomWb/49/353426983_9XrDA#353419629_CGihU)

Looking forward to the trip home. I arrive too late Monday so I have a priceline room at SFO for the night for $62.

I hope everyone has enjoyed this report and the photos that go with it (and to think I have about 1,000 more that I haven't put on line in the gallery), and can share a small part of Natalie's success at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

I'm not going to review the flights home as I want to sleep, sleep, and sleep some more.

I'm off to bed in Beijing for the last time.

Good Night!

Tom

Tom thanks very much for sharing your experiences with us.

Have really enjoyed reading and viewing your pics.

Tom,
Safe travels home back to the Bay area.
Thank you so much for including all of us in your travels. I have really looked forward to your daily reports and photos, they give all of us an up-close perspective of what we can only see thru the TV.
Thanks again, ^

Tom - thanks for a super report!^^^

Tom

Thanks for all the reports and pics. have a safe flight back to cali.

Tom thanks very much for sharing your experiences with us.

I took the handful of soccer photos just for you. :D

Checking out of my hotel in a few mins. I was at the Ibis Sanyuangiao which just opened on August 1. Very convenient as it's just 2 minutes from the Sanyuangiao subway station on the new #10 line, which is also a stop on the separate Airport Express line that I'll be taking out to the airport. The rates here are typically about $40-50 a night on their sign out front, while I paid $130 a night during the Olympics. Quite happy with my stay, though only did the $3 breakfast once as it was not a Western breakfast and I can just do the toast and orange juice part so much. Ended up holding out for lunch most days instead. Rate included wired internet in room and wi-fi in lobby.

Still a bit of construction going on with the roadway and sidewalks around here. I would stay here if I visited again. There's a new Novotel right next to it that isn't done yet, though their restaurant is open and offers a seafood buffet. Wish I had the time to check it out, and was thinking about popping in on Sunday night, but the last minute meeting with Natalie changed those plans.

I have to say one of the most intriguing parts of your posts is the view to what's done for the parents/families of the athletes with all the pavilions and other special access locations. Also that for the athletes (and their families), this is really a business now. Natalie still "working" in the evening, her folks handing out cards about Natalie during one of the events you attended.

Thanks again for all your posts during your trip. Sleep well on your flight home :)

I agree ... the best part after Natalies amazing swims is hearing everything that is done for the families of these amazing athletes... I would start yelling your reports to my husband and two boys, the excitement was amazing..

Being involved with USS (United States Swimming) since the 1980's, I know first hand what my parents sacrificed for me! We used to meet up with swimmers and house swimmers when they came to Indianapolis, the racing capital of the world and home to the fastest pool in the world!!!

Thank you for sharing your amazing experience with all of us!!!

We cannot wait to watch her live in 2012!!!!

The Boulder Swimming Family...

I have to say one of the most intriguing parts of your posts is the view to what's done for the parents/families of the athletes with all the pavilions and other special access locations.

A lot of that involves sponsorships. The B of A Family Center, for instance, was open to families of any U.S. athletes here and that's where you would run across a lot of families from other sports besides swimming. I spoke with folks involved with archery and shooting, sports I wouldn't follow, but when you hear about the training and process to get on the Olympic Team you do get a newfound respect for those sports. We also ran across one west coast family at the pool that knew nothing about this center, and I don't know where the fault lies that the info did not get to them. Fortunately they only missed out on the first day or two.

The Omega access was limited to those with some type of sponsorship with Omega. Michael Phelps photo was on the front of the place covering several window panels, so likely his family had access, but we never saw them there or at B of A. I don't know "who" gets into the USA House, as there were a lot of family members there last night from other sports, so there's some type of criteria to get in. Once I left to visit their gift store and they didn't want to let me back in because I didn't have credentials (gift store was in the basement) but after some discussion as to why I was there they let me in. Sounded like anyone could walk in from the street and get into the gift store (with U.S. prices--a Team USA baseball cap I liked was $35, so it stayed behind).

I know some of the swimmers have sponsorships with Visa and Nike, and there's probably a lot more than that. I suspect they had some type of hospitality center for them, but Natalie does not so we wouldn't expect that access from those companies.

As to the cards handed out, I doubt the Coughlins handed out more than a dozen, and they were just promotional cards from Speedo with her photo on one side and some swimming stats on the other. I even have a couple of those but they stayed at home for family members and will accompany Olympic souveniers I bought here. Their cards went to people they met along the way that went out of their way to be helpful. That included some of the Omega staff as well as the Olympic staff at a desk in their hotel lobby that wrote notes all week long in Mandarin so the cab drivers would know "where" to take us when we only had the info in English which was basically useless for cab drivers.

Tom in the Air China First Class Lounge in Beijing

We cannot wait to watch her live in 2012!!!!

Natalie says she will swim in 2012, but she is taking a break of as much as a year starting now. She has to plan for her wedding in the Napa Valley in April, and she wants to do some international travel where you actually leave the swimming venue and get out and sightsee and try out the restaurants. While we've been able to get out and get a fair look around Beijing, she has not been away from the Olympic venues/village until last night.

Recall that the USA Team went directly from Olympic Trials to Stanford, then Singapore, then Beijing, so she has been "on the road" and not home for more than 7 weeks, as have all the other swimmers on Team USA.

Tom, I can't imagine how tired the swimmers are but I thank you for your Tom's Eye View of the events and behind the scenes.

I hope your last night in China left you well rested and that your trip back to CA is pleasant and restful. :)

I was looking out for you during the 4x100m relay final. :)

BB in Sydney - where a big black helicopter is circling above the CBD. :rolleyes:

I was looking out for you during the 4x100m relay final. :)

I was down at the diving end again during that event which is why you see the photos from behind the starting blocks. Coughlins were up against the wall near the awards stand at the complete opposite end of the pool from me. Fortunately, easy to catch up in the pool lobby afterward. It's really been hit or miss on seat assignments this week, so some days I have better or more pictures that others.

Probably not the same helicopter that continually circled over the Cube ;)

Brian Williams from NBC News passed by me on his way out of the pool on Sunday morning. We also ran across Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe again walking along the promenade (he seems to show up all over the place, and he is one of those faces of swimming we all know). He was taking a photo of a couple that had just got married, with the man in a nice suit and the woman in a gown. Even had Michael Klim in front of me one day in the stands.

As to sleep, I had about 6 hours. Although my alarm clock was set to wake me up every morning, I was up on my own without it generally between 6 and 7a.m.

Tom on his airport tour heading home--back at the JAL Lounge at KIX (Osaka) watching the Japanese men play beach volleyball on TV

Thanks for sharing your journey, Tom. Always enjoy reading your posts.

If Natalie decides to travel, I'm sure there'll be plenty of hosts and/or guides waiting for her all around the globe; and most of it will be because of you. :)

She probably has more contacts around the world than I do, as she has been going to these international swim meets since she was about 16 (turns 26 this week and will definitely be home for her birthday). She took her entire university swim team to Sydney a couple years ago for winter break and Ian Thorpe invited the whole bunch over to his house for a BBQ.

Here in Aussie on the 6:00 pm Channel 9 TV News tonight (Monday) at what looked like an “after swimming finished” party Natalie, various Aussie swimmers and/or partners - parents and even Phelps’ mother were interviewed by a Australian TV reporter. First time since 1976(?) Aussie men did not win gold at the swimming.

Enjoyed your reports and photos as always. ^

First time since 1976(?) Aussie men did not win gold at the swimming.

On the other hand, some great Aussie female swimmers who consistently keep winning medals, particularly in relays (though seeing world record holder Jessica Schipper get a bronze after China won gold and silver in 100 butterfly was painful to watch, even for me).

Natalie's sister and fiance were waiting for a call with the event location when I last saw them. Imagine they were there, too. Everyone in our party of 7 is in transit back to SFO now.

Awesome job of reporting, Tom. You really brought us into the events. Thank you.

Tom,

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this trip report.... honestly one of the best I have ever read.

I thought of you often as I watched Natalie race.

Thanks again!

Natalie and the entire swim team (or close to) were on Today this morning. Natalie like her sisters/mom mentioned hitting the shops (and taking in some events) over the next few days.

Tom:

If Natalie retires from swimming and/or does not make it to London, would you be going? If not, Olympics would not be the same for FTers!

Thanks again.

Thanks for taking the time while on your vacation to give us a first hand account of the happenings at the Olympics ^

Tom -- again, a pleasure to having read one of your splendid reports. Natalie did superb and I can only guess how big you must have celebrated. A colleague of mine from Austria also got a bronze medal and we celebrated here in Vienna!

I hope we'll meet again somewhere around the globe :)

flo

Tom - really enjoyed reading this; thanks for all your efforts. Are you staying in Beijing to cover the track and field for us this week, because your report has been a hell of a lot more informative than NBC's coverage of these Olympics! (nothing short of disgraceful, in my opinion).

Thanks so much, Tom for the live reporting and and the photos. It was great so see some inside scoop.

Cheers.

Natalie and the entire swim team (or close to) were on Today this morning.

Thanks for the heads up. Safely home now. This morning I took BART/bus to Benicia after an overnight at the Hyatt SFO ($62, priceline). I should have yesterday's Today Show on TIVO and will check it out (and burn to DVD). Her parents, grandparents, fiance, and sister all arrived back in the U.S. on Monday morning on a nonstop flight, while I took the grand tour via Osaka and Honolulu and spent the night at SFO. I ran into them at the Beijing airport as we were leaving.

Natalie will be here in the Bay Area in a few days for her birthday.

If Natalie retires from swimming and/or does not make it to London, would you be going?

Natalie says she'll be in London, and I have no reason to doubt her. You do have to qualify for the Olympic Team, though, and we'd all love to go back to Omaha again if they agree to host Olympic Trials in 2012. We all had a great time there.

Are you staying in Beijing to cover the track and field for us this week

If I had a connection with one of those athletes I'd be happy to, but I don't know anyone on track and field on a first name basis.

Thanks for the heads up. Safely home now. This morning I took BART/bus to Benicia after an overnight at the Hyatt SFO ($62, priceline). I should have yesterday's Today Show on TIVO and will check it out (and burn to DVD). Her parents, grandparents, fiance, and sister all arrived back in the U.S. on Monday morning on a nonstop flight, while I took the grand tour via Osaka and Honolulu and spent the night at SFO. I ran into them at the Beijing airport as we were leaving.

Natalie will be here in the Bay Area in a few days for her birthday.
Not sure if it was sometime this morning or for tomorrow, but Natalie is doing a cooking thing with Today -- they were talking about how she loves to cook.

Natalie and Dara Torres interview on the Today Show (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26264026#26264026)(thanks sggolf for the link)

Not sure if it was sometime this morning or for tomorrow, but Natalie is doing a cooking thing with Today -- they were talking about how she loves to cook.

Reminds me of her telling Ann Curry to "keep stirring" when they cooked some risotto after the Athens Games. She took some of the U.S. Team to Chez Panisse in Berkeley while they were in camp at Stanford. She loves to cook and has taken some classes.

She talks about cooking on the Today Show on her swimroom.com blog (http://swimroom.com/?page_id=3&cat_id=4571&post_type=2) today.

Today Show: Gold Medal Cooking with Coughlin (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26288434#26288434)

Tom,

Outstanding trip report--will spend more time looking at the photos.

I look forward to running into you again someday soon (let me know the next time you're in NYC).
Now, get some sleep!

Best,
Goph

Excellent Photos^

Wow ..Cindy Crawford.
I have seen her around a few times.
She is a striking beauty.

I was only able to read emails now and I write on a mandarin Keyboard - see you somewhere somewhen again, sure.

Greetings from really smogfree Beijing. Rudi

Hi Rudi-

Sorry I missed you. Hopefully I'll see you sometime this winter. Continued good luck on the weather, which has been very different (and better) than our first 2-3 miserable hot, humid days. On our last day, Sunday, it was nice and cool as we sat on the patio of USA House over by Worker's Stadium. It was the best weather day of our entire stay.

Natalie says she'll be in London, and I have no reason to doubt her. You do have to qualify for the Olympic Team, though, and we'd all love to go back to Omaha again if they agree to host Olympic Trials in 2012. We all had a great time there.

Tom,

Thanks for all of the inside scoop and the photos. There are already high-level talks going on about USA Swimming bringing the trials back to Omaha provided they don't do what the Aussie's do and try to schedule them just before the Olympics (apparently that is being tossed around). In two years we will have our new downtown baseball stadium on the current Qwest Center parking lots to the West and there is no way the trials and College World Series can co-exist. You saw the traffic with just the trials. CWS is significantly worse. If they keep the trials earlier with a break then we should see you in Omaha in 2012. The earlier dates of London would make it impossible to do it here just before the Games.

Hope you get caught up on your sleep.

100 backstroke Gold Medal award ceremony (it aired at 1a.m. in the U.S. so I doubt many saw it). (http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.html?assetid=0812_hd_swb_me_l0274&channelcode=sportsw)

100 backstroke race--Gold medal (http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.html?assetid=0812_hd_swb_me_l0272&channelcode=sportsw)

Nice banner at Natalie's high school today:

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/356427480_cT9u4-S.jpg

Just got a heads up that Natalie will appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday night.

Nice banner at Natalie's high school today:

http://tom911.smugmug.com/photos/356427480_cT9u4-S.jpg

Ha, you beat me to it!

I live just up the street.

SEA2BA

Just a few minutes away from Natalie's appearance on the Tonight Show for those of us on the west coast. Hope some of you are able to view it. :)

Natalie has also been nominated as "Sportswoman of the Year", so if anyone wants to take a second to vote for her I'd appreciate it. LINK (http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/News-And-Events/Awards/Sportswoman-of-the-Year-Award/Vote.aspx?type=individual&athlete=3)

A couple video links since Natalie's return:

Natalie on Rachel Ray (three clips)--she talks about going through airport security with her 6 medals on one (we should all have that problem):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Eu9n6fijJw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY5Q7G35wHk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SkPWnBxB98

Opening the New York Stock Exchange:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgq8onx2lrI

Natalie on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm7SxDeBpJA

Later today she is appearing on the Nickelodeon channel as part of the Worldwide Day of Play. Last weekend she was in Honolulu, and the last few days in New York. She's staying very busy.

Nice to see NBC rebroadcasting the Opening Ceremonies tonight :)

Natalie was shown doing the backstroke in the pool during the introduction, the event she won her gold medal. For Christmas I gave her a photo (in a gold frame, of course), of the flag raising for her gold medal in 100 backstroke.

Looks like the video clips in the post above this are still active except for the Rachel Ray clips.

Hard to believe it's been a full year since my trip to Beijing. For those wanting an update on what Natalie Coughlin has been up to in the last year, the San Francisco Chronicle has an article today:

Catching Up with ... Natalie Coughlin Hall (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/12/DD2V195R5K.DTL)

I expect to be in London in 2012 to see her compete for Team USA there.

I expect to be in London in 2012 to see her compete for Team USA there.Tom - what kind of venue/facility will London have for the Games?

I wish I could tell you, but I'm not up to speed on that. I did visit with a friend in London earlier this year who told me a lot of construction was underway in Stratford, but I don't have the details about the aquatic complex. I hope, when it's done, it's more like Beijing (with a roof), than Athens (in the sun), but maybe that's not a big issue being that London doesn't see 100F days.

Here you go......

http://www.london2012.com/venues/aquatics-venue.php

Thank you. I'm impressed--very nice looking structure. Hopefully I'll get plenty of photos when I'm there.

And she will be on DWTS (Dancing with the Stars)!!!