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Marty Morrissey
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 I find myself this week writing my column thousands of miles from either Dublin or Clare.
Beijing is my home for the next few weeks as the 29th Olympiad comes to this vast continent for the first time ever and even at this early stage the capitol of the People’s Republic of China is leaving an impression.
Sometimes life throws the dice and the numbers fall a certain way. Did you ever think about if you were born somewhere else to different parents that your life would be entirely different? What would it like to be Chinese and have a culture , heritage and tradition that is awesome and at times mind boggling in it’s magnitude but yet in a strange way similar but different to our own? By any international barometer our little island on the perimeter of Europe has a rich and inspiring culture that we have to thank the people who went before us for. But when confronted by sheer magnitude it’s hard to fully comprehend what being Chinese really means. The Chinese community who live amongst us and thus thousands of miles from their homeland must feel overwhelming pride these past few days. As I started to write this piece it’s last Friday night in Beijing. It’s excessively hot and humid.
For the first two days of my visit I filmed a report which would have been seen last Saturday evening on the programme presented by Bill O’Herlihy. Unfortunately because of satellite complications it had to be edited and sent on Friday night so any chance of going to the Opening Ceremony in the Birds Nest or more precisely the National Stadium were totally dashed. It’s a very strange experience to be just a few hundred yards away in the basement of the IBC..the International Broadcast Centre from one of the world’s most historic moments and then …having to watch it on TV! I could hear the fireworks exploding outside and the cheers of the 91,000 people ringing through the night air but I saw absolutely nothing. And people think I occasionally have a glamorous life !
This amazing city is home to 14 million people that travel to work each day primarily on either 9 million bicycles or 3.3 million cars. The Chinese authorities in an effort to reduce traffic problems for the Olympics and dilute the pollution or smog that hangs over the city like a dirty grey blanket restricted the number of cars entering the city in recent weeks. Only cars with even number plates could enter the city on odd days or dates and likewise only cars with odd number plates could enter Beijing on even number dates.
The smog that I experienced last November on my first ever visit to this city had in all honesty been severely reduced by the time I arrived last Thursday. My colleagues tell me that the rain that fell last week in Beijing had to be seen to be believed which led to some to the suggestion that the Government had fired some sort of chemical into the atmosphere to break up the smog. I don’t know if that’s true but Beijing’s problem is not helped by it’s geographical location in a valley where fog is sometimes mistaken for smog.
There are still crucial issues for the Chinese to sort out. Human rights are still forcing strong willed people to protest and voice their frustration but the vibrancy of the student protest of 1989 is invisible as the Olympics gets underway. Up to recently any foreign journalist had to ask permission to leave the country and while some issues can be raised and highlighted by the visiting foreign press, the same is not true for the local brigade.
The 29th Olympiad is the largest and most spectacular television spectacle ever produced for over 200 participating countries.
Four billion people around the world are expected to watch the Games over the next two weeks as athletes prepare to chase gold in their respective sport and be judged in the most prestigious competition of them all.
The whole event be it the Games or the television production is en enormous logistical nightmare which only comes together because of the professional standards that administrators, managers, producers and directors seek to achieve or attain. NBC from America, ABC from Australia, BBC in London and CCTV in China are the really big players in the TV game with more than 3,000 staff in some instances being moved or exported to Beijing.
In comparison RTE has almost 24 hour coverage with 39 of us servicing radio and TV.
I must be losing pounds on an hourly basis as every time I go outside I remind myself more and more of Christy Moore. The temperatures have been varying between 35 and 40 degrees. Floods of water are flowing down my cheeks and all everyone can do is just simply smile. I think they know we are Irish and are not used to the excessive heat.
Security and accreditation is almost impossible to deal with. All accredited journalists are given a pass to enter the various Olympic venues but upon entering and passing through the security tents one finds the ground rules have changed- another pass or armband is required and unless you have the required piece of plastic, then you ain’t goin in syndrome comes into vogue. And by the way “when these boys say no…they mean no !”
I covered Shooting last Friday and Saturday for the first time ever and although I hate guns as they hold no interest whatsoever for me I can fully appreciate the skill, the quickness of the eye and co-ordination that is involved.
Derek Burnett is a 38 year old from Keenagh County Longford (yes…the same place that produced Liam Mulvihill, former Director General of the GAA) who is Ireland’s sole representative in the trap event. It was fascinating to see the patience, timing and co-ordination that’s involved in this sport. Out of 75 marks pulled Burnett hit the target 69 times. Unfortunately he was eliminated on Day 2 and the poor man was devastated. He scored 22 in Round 4 and then the game plan fell through and he only managed 19 in his last Round.
Sadly he finished up in 29th position out of 35 contestants and after years of dedication it’s heartbreaking for Derek Burnett. I didn’t know him at all but got to know Derek out here and I have to say he’s a fierce nice guy.
Unfortunately the difference between winning and losing is so slight in this sport that it only takes a second to be rejoicing and another moment to be agonising.
For most of us if we hit the mark 5 to 10 times out of 25 we would have been well pleased. It’s a strange and solitary sport but obviously Derek gets great satisfaction from it. With no adequate range available in Ireland Derek has been travelling to Italy 21 times this year alone in an effort to get the practice in that’s needed for these Games
Andrew Bree is a fine swimmer from County Down and his efforts in the 100 metre breaststroke last Friday night was commendable while Kenny Egan and John Joe Joyce did Clondalkin, Mullingar and Ireland proud with a great win over their respective opponents in their division.. Hopefuly the Irish will continue their good form over the days and weeks ahead.
The next seven days will no doubt deliver some major surprises but take it from me the 29th Olympiad will be special.
The Chinese capitol of this magnificent vast continent is a unique place. I can only tell you what I personally experienced and clearly the Chinese people are extremely positive. They also happen to be very kind, courteous, attentive, well mannered and polite.
There is an old Chinese proverb which is “Bai nain bu yu” which roughly translated means ..”we have been waiting 100 years for this”. My gut feeling is they will not fail.
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