Recollection of 2008 - The Sports

Recollection of 2008 – The Sports

Posted By Adonis on January 7th, 2009

I’m a big fan of sports, Football, F1, Tennis and Athletics are my main points of interest. 2008 saw a lot happening within sports in general not forgetting the little event taking place in Beijing called The Olympics. Whilst the Great Britain team saw the most successful medal haul in their history most were achieved in events I personally don’t have any interest in. For me the Olympics is all about the Men’s 100 Metres, 200 Metres and 4×1 100 Metres relay events, as these were the ones I took part in school, they hold a special interest.

Usain Bolt and Jamaica

Usain Bolt 100 Metres WR

There is only one thing to say about these 3 events Usain Bolt and Jamaica, they obliterated the competition and took Gold in all 3 with Bolt responsible for setting 3 World Records, one of which is beyond imagination (9.69 in the 100 Metres event) and taking home 3 Gold Medals in the process. Whilst the 4×1 100 Metres relay was going to the Jamaican team anyway, the only factor that could stop them would be down to how smooth the exchanges between the runners would be. The main shock and a wonderful performance was from the main man Usain Bolt, who cruised to a World Record 100 Metres win and also broke Michael Johnson’s long standing 200 Metres World Record by running a 19.30, something many said would never be done!

Bolt admitted later on he was personally aiming for the 200 Metres as that was the event he mostly wanted to win and the 100 Metres was just a bonus and one wasn’t aiming or expecting to win or break the world record for, which would explain the early celebrations with 20 metres to go!

Lewis Hamilton

What can I say about Lewis Hamilton, he is an idol, a talent and has the world at his feet. He achieved in 2008 what he just missed out on in 2007 in his début season in Formula One. Going into the last race of the season Hamilton was once again in familiar territory, the race was in his hands. He had to finish 5th or better to become the youngest Formula One World Champion ever. It was nerve racking watching the race, all was going to plan until the last few laps, when the rain came, Hamilton along with with Masa and many others had changed tires and needed the rain to fully pour to take advantage, but it didn’t quite come as early as he would have liked. Going into the final turn of the final lap Hamilton was in 6th position and it looked like a 2nd year in a row he would narrowly miss out. But as he turned into the final turn he overtook Timo Glock, one of the few who hadn’t changed tires and was struggling, this put Hamilton back into 5th position which despite Massa’s win in his own Home town gave Hamilton the title, thus making it sweeter and breaking the World Record as the youngest champion ever.

Spain Win Euro 2008

Fernando Torres - Euro 2008 Winner

Since 1964 Spain have underachieved, and on a major scale. They have had some world class players but always fell when it came to the big time, the time when they had to perform, time and time again they have been tipped to win, be one of the contenders and time and time again they had failed. Their wait for a major trophy is longer than England’s, and finally in 2008 they put the ghost of past failures behind them by achieving what England can only dream of.

When the Euro 2008 competition started most were sceptical about Spain’s chances ans rightly so, they have for decades seen them fall over and over again, but still they were amongst the favourites with an outside chance. With the twinkle toes of David Villa up front partnering Fernando Torres, Xavi Hernandez in the middle pulling the strings and Puyol at the back marshalling the young inexperienced defence with only the World class Casillas in goal Spain’s team looked odd at times. But Coach Luis Aragones had built a team which played great passing football and eased through the qualifications rounds and groups stages. Villa was at the forefront scoring a Hat-trick in the first game destroying a very impressive Russian side 4-1. Villa would end up as leading goalscorer of the tournament with scoring only once more to tally 4, but he would suffer injury, leaving the burden on Torres to get the goals.

Torres on the other hand wasn’t looking like the record breaking goal scorer for Liverpool in his début season, adjusting to the National team’s style was proving harder and with chances few and far between he knew being clinical would be key, something he has learnt since joining Liverpool. Clinical he was as he went on to score the winning goal, but it was the performance of Xavi which caught the eyes of the world, and the depth of Spain’s midfield with Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas showing they can step up to the challenge when required.

Italy would fall to Penalties against Spain, whilst the Russians would get demolished a second time in the semi-finals where Spain would meet Germany. Here Torres shows his class with a deft finish, chipping over Jens Lehman scoring the only goal of the game to win the game and see Spain crowned champions once again, finally putting the ghost of 64 to rest.

Wimbledon 2008

Roger Federer

Would this be the year when Roger Federer would make history and beat Bjorn Borg’s post war record of 5 consecutive Wimbledon titles and equal Pete Sampras’s Grand Slam record of 14 titles thus putting him in a class of his own. Instead it would be the year of another young Spaniard, Rafael Nadal is a prodigal talent and the only one standing in the way of the Swiss Express. Nadal has dominated Federer in the French Open recording 4 consecutive titles and absolutely destroying Federer in the 2008 French Open 6–1, 6–3, 6–0. This shows the dominance the Spaniard has over not only Federer but most others on clay and in particular the French Open. The only thing that was stopping Nadal was his grass court game, something that Federer was king of. Having lost the 2007 final to Federer, Nadal was eager to set the record straight, and the crowd were in for a great spectacle – a five set thriller by the best two players in the world.

Nadal got off to a great start winning the first two sets 6-4 6-4, Federer was struggling and had no answers to Nadal’s powerful forehands and the energy behind his game. But the Champion would not be defeated this easily, he made an effort and seemed to step up another level playing shots out of this world taking the next two set 6-7, 6-7 to even the game up. Going into the final set both players could say they had done enough to win any Grand Slam, but this wasn’t any Grand Slam, this was a defining one, one of the most important in modern times, one that would define one man’s career and probably break the others.

Rafael Nadal - World Number One

The final set was a close fought contest, both players were playing out of their skin and there wasn’t much to separate the two, eventually going into a final tie-breaker. Nadal finally won the set 9-7 with some scintillating shots and energy which could only come from being the younger of the two. Federer looked a beaten man and he was. The dream was over, he would stand alongside Bjorg as one of the games greatest, whilst still living under the shadow of the great Pete Sampras one short of equalling that record. Worse was to come as Nadal took over as the World’s Number One rank, a position Federer had a held for a record breaking 237 consecutive weeks! He still holds the record for the only player to win 5 consecutive Grand Slam titles at two separate Grand Slam Events (Wimbledon 2003-2007 and US Open 2004-2008). He is still a legend, even though his best is most probably past him, even though is only 27 years old!