"Ryan In Rio" Olympic Blog

Manhattan College track & field Associate Head Coach Joe Ryan is currently in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he is the coach for Guyana's track & field team at the 2016 Olympic Games.  Throughout the Games, Ryan will be blogging about his third Olympic experience.  He will also regularly be posting photos and updates on the Manhattan track & field team's Twitter account.

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August 22 - Closing Ceremony

August 21 - Big Night For USA Track & Field

August 20 - End of an Era

On Wednesday night, I made my way to the stadium to witness Usain Bolt's last appearance in an individual Olympic event.  The stadium is always packed for his appearances, and his race was the last on the card.  There were plenty of exciting moments that night, particularly for the U.S. team.  Wins in the decathlon, women's 400m hurdles and men's shot put, and good qualifying performances by U.S. athletes made for some exciting moments.  

I sat very close to the track behind the photographers hoping to get the best shots.  Rain started to fall and I wondered how this was going to effect his performance.  The 200 meter men were introduced and I felt the sprinters did not want to spend time in the damp conditions.  As usual, Bolt asked for quiet before the start.  At the crack of the gun, Bolt took off around the curve and I could sense that he was going to run this race right to the line and that's exactly what he did--not letting up until the line was crossed.  You could see the relief on his face having realized his ambition to bring off an unprecedented triple double in the 100 and 200.  He came over to where I thought he would come and I got my shots, which I have posted.  He then proceeded celebrating around the track taking selfies with as many people as he could.  Bolt is the best showman that track and field has ever had bar none.  He will be missed and it's been fun for me to have watched this athlete at all his greatest moments.

Other news for me is that Irish boxer and world champion Michael Conlan was robbed of a decision against a Russian in a preliminary bout.  This decision has become one of the most controversial of the Games, and a number of boxing judges have been sent home for suspicious officiating.  This doesn't do Michael any good.  He erupted in fury after the decision was given.  He has blasted the IABA and has ended his illustrious amateur career to immediately turn professional.  This was expected, but under different circumstances.

Yesterday was a great day for sightseeing, and once again I was impressed by the friendliness of the Brazilian people. Very helpful and really good-natured.  We made it to Sugarloaf mountain on a cable car and were treated to spectacular views of Rio.  Highly recommend it.  We had dinner at Ipanema Beach and took a few photos of the statue of Tom Jobim, the great Brazilian singer who penned the world wide hit  "The Girl from Ipanema".  If you are looking for a typical Rio street party, then I suggest you try the Lapa area of Rio.  I can't imagine what Carnival is like here in February.

More track and field tonight at the stadium.  Looking to see how Matt Centrowitz will do in the 1500 meters.  He is one of the favorites.  His father, Matt, was an outstanding runner in the 1970s and is well-known to many Jasper track alums.  We are also preparing for the Closing Ceremony, which will be much less formal than the Opening Ceremony.  Expecting a good show!

That's all for now! Cheers!

August 18 - Winding Down

My coaching responsibilities ended yesterday with Troy Doris finishing seventh in the triple jump final.  Brenessa Thompson ran 23.6 seconds in her heat of the 200 meters, completing a very long season for her since she has finished up her freshman year at Texas A&M.  Aliyah Abrams, the South Carolina sophomore, ran 52.7 in her heat of the women's 400.  I look forward to seeing what these young athletes will accomplish in the future and in my view did a remarkable job to qualify for these Games.  Sydney McLaughlin made it to the semifinals, a feat all the more remarkable for one so young.  She now moves into her senior year at Union Catholic.  I'm sure a big welcome awaits her when she arrives back in New Jersey.

You can sense things are winding down in the Village, and people are beginning to move out at all hours of the day and night.  Some nations will keep their people around, but others will send them home so that they are not a distraction to remaining athletes who are still competing.  May not be fair, but that's the way it is.  You will also see trucks moving about the area transporting all types of equipment to be shipped to the airport.  The atmosphere has become more relaxed since most people are done.  The main activities are now sightseeing and enjoying the Rio scene.  A little known fact is that some countries have set up special "houses" in different parts of Rio where their Olympic officials and athletes can relax.  Yesterday, my wife and I basically talked ourselves into the German House and I was impressed by the sumptuous surroundings.  I was told that this is where a lot of athletes were celebrating their performances.  It was located opposite the beautiful Barra Beach and not far from the Village.  A few other "houses" have been set up on the Copacabana Beach.  A nice touch and good PR.

A big topic of conversation has been the incident that happened with the US swimmers claiming they had been held up at gunpoint.  It now is established that that did not happen and they were in fact behaving in a very un-Olympic fashion at a gas station.  Read the reports online.  While security has been an issue here, I have to tell you that I have been out and about and I have found Brazilians to be extraordinarily friendly and more than helpful.  It's a beautiful location and yes, it does have some severe social problems exacerbated by the worst recession in Brazil in a very long time.  As a result, crime has increased and I know that a number of countries are discouraging their athletes from going into Rio during the night time hours due to a number of incidents which happened before and during the Games.  When I leave the Village, I generally wear ordinary clothing and keep my identifying credentials inside my shirt so as not to draw attention.  We use Uber all the time because the service and pricing is good.  Rio is tough to get around due to traffic, however NYC is worse in my opinion, and the Village is about a good hour from Copacabana.  This city is probably the least ostentatious city that I have ever visited.  People dress casually and avoid displays of wealth on their person.  Travelers to this city should do the same and pay attention.  Enough said!

Tonight a few of us are heading over to the track to see Mr. Bolt in action for what might be his last Olympic appearance in an individual event.  He will of course run the 4x100 relay for Jamaica at the conclusion of the Games.  Bolt in his career has always won the crowd and tonight will be no exception.  The Brazilians chant his name when he walks on the track, but I do expect tonight to be a little special.

That's all for now! Cheers.

August 16 - A Teacher at the Olympics

The big news for the team here is the seventh place finish in the triple jump final for Troy Doris, who is a physical education teacher in Chicago.  His personal coach, Andreas Paoli, is from Greece.  Troy qualified yesterday in sixth place with some fine jumping.  At one point , it looked like he was dropping out of contention, but he came through with a big jump.  All exciting stuff.

This morning we all got to to the track early and Troy was in good form.  His first jump was 16.88 meters and Christian Taylor from the US unleashed a big one to take the lead.  It was a very exciting competition to watch.  The two US jumpers stayed in first and second place for the duration of the competition.  Troy at one point unleashed a massive jump, which would have gotten him into fourth place, but the tip of his spike grazed the foul board.  We actually got a hold of the video after the competition and believe me it was a bare touch.  Troy eventually ended up in seventh place.  His first Olympics and a wonderful performance.  All of Guyana was pulling for him.  I waited outside in the warmup area with Aliann Pompey and took the all important pictures with warmest congratulations.  I made him promise that he would put a big picture of his jump in his gym so that his students would know how Mr. Doris spent his summer.

Sydney  McLaughlin, the daughter of MC alums Willie and Mary runs tonight in the semifinals of the 400 meter hurdles after qualifying as one of the fastest losers last night.  What is most remarkable about Sydney is that she is only 17 years old and is running world-class times.  Her fathe,r Willie, co- holds the MC school record for the 400, and Mary was the track team manager.  Great people, and Sydney will have the guidance necessary to navigate the next few years.  I look forward to her race tonight and I wish the McLaughlin family all the best.  They deserve it.  I haven't run into Sydney in the Village yet, but I hope to see her at some point.

We visited Copacabana Beach last night and I have to tell you that the beachfront in this city truly is spectacular.  You can walk the entire beach starting at Copacabana to Ipanema, and ending at Leblon.  There are kiosks set up at different points where you can enjoy the local beverages and food.  Unfortunately for us, we were hit by a tropical rainstorm, which forced us to spend some time in a kiosk in Copacabana.  We made use of the time!  Here is a tip--Rio is a tough city to get around, but we have been using Uber.  Quicker and cheaper.  They generally look for the quickest way to get you to your destination.  Highly recommend it.

That's all for now!  Cheers.

August 15 - Sprinters and Rowers

Sunday night played witness to Usain Bolt winning an unprecedented third consecutive Olympic title in the 100 meters.  Always the showman, the crowd chanted his name before and after the race.  At the crack of the gun, most of the crowd stood and, while his start was not great, he took command of the race when it counted and started the celebration just before he hit the line with Justin Gatlin (US) trailing in his wake.  Supposedly, he will retire after these Olympics so I appreciated the significance of the moment.

However  that wasn't the only drama that occurred that night.  A young man from South Africa, Wayde Van Niekerk staggered the track world by breaking the 400-meter world record held by Michael Johnson.  His time was an amazing 43.03 seconds for a quarter mile and he did it from Lane 8, the outside lane, probably not seeing anybody in the race for the whole distance.  I stood up in my seat cheering when he hit the 250-meter mark appreciating how fast he hit the 200.  On the last 50 meters of the race, he extended his lead and won by 0.7 seconds, a huge margin at this level.  I thought about what I was watching for a moment and then it struck me that since 1996, I have seen live every time the world records have been broken in the 100, 200, and 400m in different parts of the world (as well as David Rudisha's world record in the 800 at the London Olympics).  I should mention that Van Niekerk is the world champion from last year so he didn't appear out of nowhere and his coach, Namibian Anna Botha is a 74-year-old grandmother.  I love it.

I always enjoy striking up conversations with people no matter where I am.  Big surprise to my friends.  On the way over to the stadium, my colleague on the Guyanese team and I got into a conversation with two female members of Team UK.  Having lived in England as a kid, we had plenty to talk about.  Then we got around to what their events were.  They were rowers and had just won the gold medal in their event.  We were impressed.  Not only that, but they did the same in London.  They were excited about seeing Bolt and after taking the obligatory pictures once we exited the bus, we helped them to navigate the stadium.  You never know who you can meet here.  A nice start to the night.

That's not the only story about rowers.  The O'Donovan brothers from Sibbereen in West Cork are fast becoming social media stars after the hilarious interview they did with Irish TV when they won silver in their event.  The accents and their description of what happened after their race is hilarious and I highly recommend that you watch it.  Beware, the Cork accent is a little tough to get at first.  My grandmother was from West Cork so I had no problem.  I hope to run into these lads in the Village at some point.

Well that's all for now! Cheers

Big news! Our Triple Jumper Troy Doris made the finals in his event.  It starts at 9:30 a.m on Tuesday.  I will have a lot more to say about Troy in my next post.

August 14 - Marquee Event

Tonight we will witness the 100 meter finals and see if Bolt can pull off three Olympic titles in a row, which is unprecedented in the 100.  This is the hottest ticket in town and I managed to secure one for my wife, Jules.  I have complete access to all events and there is a reserved area in the stadium for athletes and coaches.  I will to get over to the stadium early to get a seat, though, and that has been my experience every time this man runs.  I have been fortunate see all his Olympic titles and world records live in Beijing, Berlin and London.  Let's see what tonight brings.  Jamaica has a new star in Elaine Thompson, who won the women's 100 last night in one of the closest women's  100-meter races in history.  Two-time Olympic winner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was third and one can feel that she passed on the torch to her fellow countrywoman.  Remarkable that a small nation should be so dominant in the short sprints, but there you have it.

Sara Treacy,  daughter of two friends of mine in Ireland from my days of competing qualified for the final in the 3000-meter steeplechase.  During the race, a number of athletes were tripped up in a very serious fall, including Sara.  One of the athletes lost her shoe in the fall and couldn't get it back on.  She then took off the other shoe and proceeded to make up for lost ground.  She brought the stadium to her feet with her brave effort but couldn't make enough ground to qualify.  The good news is that Sara and the other athlete have been added to the final.  Justice was served.  The nephew of my sister's husband, Michael Conlan, won his boxing bout today and now moves on to the last eight.  All of Ireland is pulling for Michael.  He won bronze in 2012 and is the current world champion in his weight class.

I never lose an opportunity to get out of the Village and sample the local fare.  Last night, Jules and I went off to the Santa Teresa section of Rio.  Think of it as the Greenwich Village of Rio, only it's on the side of a mountain.  Had a great meal of some fish that I have never heard of.  The national beverage of Brazil is Caipirinha.  Highly recommend it.  We found a bar with fantastic live Brazilian music and we decided to see what Brazilian " joie de vivre" is all about.  We were the oldest there by far, but I was dressed in all black and Jules of course always can pull it off no matter where she is.  The bar was actually an old mansion and a very a popular place.  Brazilians are superb dancers and reputation is well-deserved.  Enough said.

That's all for now.  Cheers! 

August 13 - World Record On Rio Track

Track competition opened up yesterday morning with one of the greatest performances ever seen on a track.  Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia ran a staggering world record of 29 minutes and 17 seconds for the women's 10,000 meters.  She smashed the record by 14 seconds and seven other competitors in the race established national records!  A great opener to these Olympic Games with a performance that has the whole track world talking.  She will also run the 5000, and who knows what she might do in that event.  Of course, my main interest was Winston George running the 400 meters at 9:45 p.m.  He gave it a great effort, leading the race for quite a bit, but he missed qualification and finished 26th overall with a time of 45.77, equalling his season best, but still disappointed. I got back to the Village rather late after midnight and had a quick bite to eat.

During the day, I took the opportunity to get my wife Jules ' 81 a guest pass into the Village.  A lot of dignitaries like to see the Village and experience what it's all about.  I walked Jules around the Village and of course, like everybody else, she found the the experience fascinating.  One of the most popular spots in the plaza is the souvenir shop.  A great place to pick up shirts, hats, and Olympic souvenirs.   She did, of course, want to sample the food in the gigantic cafeteria and  I was happy to oblige.  She stayed until around 7:00 p.m.,  then left the Village for the track competition after she returned the guest pass.

Tomorrow, we have Aliyah Abrams compete in the women's 400 in the morning, and we will also see the first appearance of Mr. Bolt in the 100.  He has kept a very low profile in the Village.  In previous Olympics, I have usually seen him a lot more, but not here.  Either way, he is the symbol of the sport at the moment and the 100 meters, as always, will provide some great drama as some of his competitors are showing really good form at the moment.

Starting to meet up with some of my cronies.  A shout to Irishman Stephen Maguire who is UK Athletics' sprint coach. Also met up with Robyne Johnson, U.S. women's track coach at the Games.  Great people.  That's all for now.  Cheers! 

August 11 - Competition

Tomorrow begins the track and field events in the Olympic Stadium.  First on deck will be Winston George, who has a best of 45.25 seconds in the 400 meters. He is in lane 7 of heat 6.  Just about every man in these heats has run 45.5 or better, so these are truly the best in the world.  I met Winston at the London Olympics and we struck up a friendship.   He ran 46.8 in London and felt he could vastly improve on that. Aliann Pompey ran her last race at those Olympics and encouraged Winston to come to New York to train with me.  He is a sergeant in the Guyanese police force and they have been generous in giving him time off to train.  Like Pompey, we have spent countless hours training at Van Cortlandt Park and running hill repetitions around the Riverdale area.  Training and competition has gone well, so my fingers will be crossed to see him advance to the semifinals.  He finished 25th overall in Beijing last summer at the World Championships and broke his national record.  In addition, Brenessa Thompson who hails from New York, will run round one of the 100 meters.  She has a best of 11.14 seconds and 22.99 in the 200.  I feel she has enormous potential for one so young.  We will leave the Village at 7:15 p.m. for the stadium.  Brenessa' s heats have not been drawn yet and I expect we will know her draw by 12 p.m. tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

Two more Jaspers arrived in Rio today.  My wife Jules ' 81 and Aliann Pompey ' 00.  They missed their connection from São Paulo.  I took advantage of the delay to do some sightseeing.  We drove through the Maracana area of Rio and I had an opportunity to see the famous favelas up close.  Favelas originally were shanty towns built on the side of the mountains that ring Rio.  They have a notorious reputation for drugs and violence and have been the subject of films, documentaries, and books.  The truth about these communities, however, is much more complex and nuanced.  The Brazilian authorities have spent a lot of resources trying to pacify these areas with mixed results for years.  I did find it interesting that during the Opening Ceremony that these communities were acknowledged as part of the mosaic that is Brazilian society.

We also paid a visit to the Rio Zoo.  The bird life on display was amazing and, having spent spent some time in the Peruvian Amazon last summer, I was awed by the diversity of wildlife that exists in the rainforests of South America.

We made our way to the airport eventually. My driver, Edward, and I shared a lunch--coffee and Peruvian sandwiches.  Now, the big question is how does an Irishman converse with a Brazilian who only speaks Portuguese?  Simple.  I discovered the wonders of Google Translate and over two hours we managed to have a great conversation about Brazilian soccer, his family, and work.  A great use of technology to bridge barriers and I am now a fan of this app.  My wife and Aliann were impressed or just pretended to be impressed (which is probably more likely).  It was great to see them and we got them squared away in their lodgings beside the Village.

That's all for now. It's been a long day. Cheers!

August 10 - Sightseeing Around Rio

Today was an off day for practice, and it was just as well.  The weather in Rio today was miserable, very similar to a damp wet day in Ireland.  Despite this, I arranged with my driver and Selma to drive along the coast road to see Ipanema and Copacabana.  I was not disappointed.

The beaches are spectacular and I obviously intend to go back when the sun comes out and do some real sightseeing.  The Brazilians constructed the beach volleyball arena on Copacabana.  Smart move.  There are many places to play volleyball on the beach and the Brazilians love the sport.  Because of the rain, we didn't stop, but we moved off the beach area and into the more historical part of Rio.  We ended up in a cove area that was flanked by the famous Sugarloaf Mountain.  I didn't realize that you could take a funicular to the top.  Selma told me that she thinks it's a better view of the city than the other famous landmark, Christ the Redeemer, which I also intend to see.  I am assured that it is better to view the city from these landmarks early in the morning.

I had to get back to the Village for an important Technical Meeting where the running of the track & field is discussed.  I have participated in these meetings before so I knew what to expect.  Some of the best coaches in the world are at this meeting and it is conducted in English.  However, you have the option of listening in other languages as well.  The tone is very respectful and questions have to be submitted in advance for consideration.  No questions will be taken from the floor.  This may sound funn,y but coaches have been freaking out because the numbers (or "bibs" as they are called) haven't arrived yet due to a supplier issue.  Track starts on Friday so all these type A coaches are concerned.  Hopefully, they will arrive tomorrow and we can relax.

After the meeting I met up with an old friend mine from Co. Donegal, Patsy McGonagle.  Patsy is the Irish team manager and is on his fifth Olympics.  We chatted for a while over coffee in the cafeteria.  At one point, Patsy started whispering " Joe, turn around quick" in his great Donegal brogue.  Lo and behold, it was Michael Phelps eating his dinner directly behind me.  I thought for a moment that I startled him because he was covered up in his hoodie to perhaps disguise himself and maybe realized that he had been discovered by two Irishmen speaking in an Irish brogue.  We left him alone to ponder.  Anyway, that's all for now.  Enjoy the photos and videos.  Cheers.

August 8 - Settling In

The whole concept of the Village is to provide an environment where all your needs are met and your security is assured.  The Village in Rio is gradually settling down.  There have been teething problems and I will let it go at that.  It's situated amid a stunning landscape and very close to one of the great beaches in Brazil.  The area around here is commonly called Barra, and it is being rapidly developed as an alternative area for upper and middle class Cariocas, as people from Rio are commonly called.  Some parts of it remind me of Miami, yet within a few minutes is a rainforest preserve, which is worth a visit, and a beautiful coastline, which I explored this morning with my interpreter, Selma, and our driver.

When you arrive in the Village, it's an alien place until gradually you find your bearings.  The best way to explore it is just to wander around and poke your head in to see what is going on.  The center of every Village, of course, is the mammoth cafeteria which is open 24 hours a day and has to serve a little over 10,000 people.  Food is served buffet style and features food from all over the world.  I love South American cuisine, and the fruits and vegetables in this part of the world are outstanding!  I generally limit myself to two meals a day and athletes are always warned to limit food intake.  Unfortunately, a few Olympic dreams have foundered on the food lines.  The most popular food service is McDonald's.  There is always a line outside.  Go figure!

The fitness center in the Village I always find interesting.  You won't really find young Olympic athletes in here, but you are more likely to find in-shape and out-of-shape coaches reclaiming past glory.  When I inspected the gym, I found two former Olympic champions working off the pounds.  The entertainment center is set up like a club/games area, but it does not serve alcohol since it is always banned from the Village area.  The music, however is top 40.  I'm good with that.  Right now I'm in the entertainment center relaxing with a Coke and listening to Adele.  In addition, we have a clinic where you can get yourself tested for almost anything and it's all free.  We have some shops, a bank, and even a post office.

One particular aspect of this Village that I really like are the swimming pools located on every block.  It's a great place to unwind and my understanding is that these apartments are going to be sold after we move out, which is what usually happens with every Olympic Village.  A lot of people in Rio live in gated high rise compounds with multiple amenities.  Technology always plays a role in the Olympics and this one is no different.  Samsung have a real foothold here.  Wait for this, each athlete received free the latest Samsung smartphone valued at $1300.  The coaches and officials are jealous because we didn't get one despite our protestations.  Quite frankly, the athletes really deserve it.  A lot of athletes have sacrificed a lot to get here, so good for them.  There are also a number of 3D virtual reality exhibits.  I have tried a few of them.  Quite remarkable and addictive.

Well, I think that's all for now. T omorrow, we get our first workout at the Olympic Stadium early in the morning, so I am looking forward to that.  Cheers. 

August 5 - Opening Ceremony

A highlight in any Olympics for athletes, coaches and officials is the Opening Ceremony where the Games are officially declared open.  We started our preparations for the ceremony at about 4 p.m., when my colleagues and I donned our our outfits for the Parade of Nations.  We all admired our sartorial splendor and had a good laugh taking pictures in the apartment while our Brazilian liaison was desperately trying to get us out of the building to prepare for our walk to the marshaling area in the Village.  Of course, everybody is checking out the threads that everybody else is wearing and complying with requests for photo ops.  Getting 11,000 people to this event is a major operation and the Brazilians used 300 buses all earmarked for each individual delegation and all leaving and arriving at different times.  They did a great job getting us to the volleyball arena beside the Maracana Stadium.  They provided refreshments and entertainment while we awaited our turn to be called to march.  We were number 86 in the order.  Unlike previous marches that I have done, we were able to watch the opening show on a big screen.  The Brazilians are very good at putting on large-scale celebrations with large numbers of people, and I feel the show reflected that.  When we left the arena, it probably took about 30 minutes to enter the Maracana, one of the most hallowed soccer stadia in the world and the home of Brazilian soccer.  Soccer was my original sport and I still love the game, so this was a real thrill for me.

We were flanked by the Brazilian entertainers and they gave us great encouragement.  Just before we entered, we all reflexively smartened up and it was incredible to think that 3 billion people are going to see you.  "Joe, watch your step and smile.  You cannot screw this up."  When you walk out its like being being hit with a blast of energy, and I had a similar experience in London and Beijing.  The drummers directly behind me made sure that we moved at a good pace and I gave them a thumbs up for their Samba playing.  The younger members of our team were moving nicely to the rhythms of the music.  The older crowd, myself included,  were quite content to wave the flags thank you very much.  We got to the infield and started to mingle with other delegations taking pictures and exchanging Olympic pins.  I met up with John Conlan, the Irish boxing coach, and father to Michael Conlan, 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and current world champion.  My sister Jackie, who lives in Dublin, is married to John' s brother.  I met them in London and it was great to see them again.  Fingers crossed for Michael and all of Ireland will be pulling for him.

The biggest roar of the night was, of course, reserved for host nation Brazil, who entered last as is the tradition at the Olympics.  There is usually a lot of suspense around the lighting of the flame and I feel the Brazilians did a classy job with it.  What I didn't expect was the Carnival celebration at the end and it certainly gave me a flavor of what the famed Rio celebration of Carnival must be like.  At the conclusion of the ceremony, we headed for the gates to be transported back to the Village, a journey of about 45 minutes.  Everybody was tired but elated.  On a personal note, from past experience, I can tell you that the Brazilians did an excellent job and I do like the Village.  It's very relaxing, Brazilians are very accommodating, and we have a spectacular pool complex behind our building where I am composing this blog as we speak (click on the Photo Gallery to see pictures).  That's all for now. Cheers! 

August 4 - Arrival

After leaving JFK last night at  8 p.m. and spending a four-hour layover in Santiago Chile, I arrived in Rio at 4 p.m.  As usual, I headed straight for the Olympic line, which allows you to to move through immigration with the minimum of fuss, get your gear, and then get transported to the Village.  Traffic is notorious in Rio but we had our own Olympic lane, a circumstance which spoils me, especially when I get back to New York traffic jams.  Security was very tight and I saw many heavily-armed soldiers along the route.  Much more overt than Beijing or London.  Don't get me wrong, this is a good thing.  But you can feel the tension in the air.  The Village is located in the Barra neighborhood, a very upscale area with a lot of gated compounds.  It has a very Miami feel to it.  Rio is famed for its beaches, particularly Ipanema and Copacabana, but some people feel that the Barra beach compares very favorably and has the added bonus of being quieter and less crowded.  When I got to the Village, I immediately headed straight for the accreditation area to get processed, receive my credentials and pick up a free transportation pas,s which I can use for the duration of the Games to get around on public transportation.  However, I will not neglect to mention that delegations have the use of a fleet of cars to get around if they so desire.  This is a useful perk that occasionally I took advantage of in Beijing and London, more so in Beijing.  I found our apartment rather quickly and was anxious to see our accommodations.  Good news is that we are in good shape and we have a huge balcony which adds to our space.  Our Chef d' Equipe, Garfield Wiltshire, welcomed me during a brief team meeting.  He was gracious enough to give me a bag full of gear that I can wear around the Games.  Our Opening Ceremony costume was also unveiled and you will just have to wait to see it on TV.  My lips are sealed until we walk in the Parade of Nations tomorrow night in the famed Maracana Stadium.  At one point, it was the biggest stadium in the world, capable of holding up to 200,000 people.  Originally built for  the 1950 World Cup, it has been refurbished and its capacity reduced somewhat.  It is still THE place to watch a soccer game if you want to experience the passion of Brazilian soccer.  Tomorrow, we have a morning practice and I intend to explore the Village and partake of my first meal in the cafeteria.  Afternoon will be spent getting ready for the Parade and hoping my outfit fits in all the right places.  Cheers!

August 3 - Getting Ready
Greeting to the Manhattan College Community and Friends. 

Over the next few weeks I will be blogging about my experiences at the Rio Olympics.

This will my third Olympic Games as a coach for the country of Guyana, having participated in London and Beijing.  My address will be the Olympic Village until August 23.  I leave this afternoon from JFK for a flight which will route me through Santiago, Chile, and then onto Rio, where I will present my Olympic credential to immigration and will then be processed through to the VilIage.  I call it "The Bubble," where life gets a little surreal for the next few weeks.

The hardest part about traveling for me is packing, and my wife Jules ('81) left me alone for about three hours last night to undertake this arduous task while occasionally laughing in the other room at my decision-making as to what to pack.  She inspected my efforts and I breathed a sigh of relief at the end.  Unlike Beijing and London, I will be using Facebook, Twitter, Messenger, Whatsapp and a new Samsung phone to record my experiences.  In the modern world, it's a wonder anything gets done with continual access and updates to social media.  My theory about Twitter is that it's a world wide plot to get Irish people to be more concise in their powers of description given that you are limited to 140 characters.  This will be a good exercise for me according to my friends.  I want to express my thanks to Joe Clifford from Sports Information for assisting me and you will hear from me when I reach my destination.  Cheers!