Tropical

I have propped the windows open as wide as is physically possible in the hope that a small breeze might filter through off the busy streets below. This is not the perfect start to the week, waking up on a Monday morning to discover there is no power in the building and it is already reaching towards a very humid 30 degrees. During my few days at home I was frustrated by the even colder “feels like” forecast; it was always lagging a few degrees behind the actual temperature due to the wind chill factor. Here in Rio De Janeiro it is the complete reverse, it seems that if you are not in the shade it can feel almost a whole ten degrees hotter than the actual thermometer recording, let me just say that is HOT.

After seven days in the soon to be Olympic host city I have realised that the frequent loss of electricity is not the only concern. The organising committee are frantically preparing for the worlds largest sporting event, that arrives in just four months time.

I am here working on the Modern Pentathlon World Cup that has doubled as a test event.  It is impossible to know where to begin, the list of frustrations the athletes, coaches and organisers have experienced over the past few days is immeasurable. As an announcer I have been tested by the continuous changes to the timetable, the running order, the names and outside of anyone’s control, the weather. The women’s final was almost cancelled due to a severe tropical storm, from my commentary position it was impossible to actually see the race happening in front of our booth. The drama did not end there, once the rain had subsided the chaos then moved to the roads. Four hours later at 1am I walked into my hotel.