With the opening ceremony taking place tomorrow we are almost there as you can tell from the build-up in media interest. Great work from our new marketing partner TLA in getting wheelchair rugby and our athletes at the forefront of the early Games coverage with full-page articles in the ‘Daily Mirror’ and ‘The Sunday Times’. I appreciate we would all like to see more on the sport itself rather than the human stories but in reality whether sport, politics, or anything else in the news it is more often the human element and the gossip which sells newspapers – that will all change if we win a medal!
It’s all about those final preparations now and in truth the athletes are raring to go and can’t wait to get started. Training in the competition venue has gone well and the team had two quarters of scrimmage with Denmark which gave the coach the chance to run all of his lines and the staff to get their bearings and prepare for courtside. World Wheelchair Rugby officials have completed the chair checks with no issues and Lee Stutely tells me that the volunteers and the organisation is excellent, which is what we have become used to whenever we have played in Japan – so it’s all go!
As you will know Channel 4 is the broadcaster for the Games and will cover live from the opening ceremony tomorrow. You will need to keep your eye on the schedule so you know which channel will cover the sport you want to see and if you have not yet registered for My4 then you may want to do so. More tomorrow…
David Pond
