Changing China
Giant on the move
Snapshot Beijing, 1: Matt Emmons
So much goes on in such a short space of time at the Olympics that for many of us it all tends to blur into one. You’re lucky if you can come away from the Games with one indelible image in your mind, a moment you’ll always remember for the drama, the colour or the sheer brilliance of the performance.
We’re almost at the end now, so I’ve asked Reuters correspondents to share a favourite golden moment from the Games. Here’s the first from Erik Kirschbaum, who watched aghast as history repeated itself at the shooting. Erik writes:
As Yogi Berra might have said, it was deja vu all over again.
American Matt Emmons had just thrown away another gold medal on his last shot — just like he did four years ago in Athens when I was also watching from about 15 metres back. I bet Emmons will be remembered in 100 years for the unique feat. It was, for me, hands down the most incredible moment of the Beijing Olympics.
I spent 3 hours last Sunday watching Emmons, an unbelievably friendly accountant from New Jersey, build up a huge 3.3-point lead in the 3-positions shooting competition.He made that marathon event famous four years ago by firing at the wrong target on the very last of his 130 shots and throwing away a 3-point lead and a sure gold medal.
Shooting for a good story
While talking with Matt Emmons in the “mixed zone” after he won a silver medal on Saturday, I suddenly noticed the American sharpshooter had brought his rifle with him.
Resting casually on his left foot, it was pointed up at the ceiling, presumably empty of the ammunition he used to hit a thumbnail-sized bullseye 50 metres away nine of 10 times, but still, it was a reminder of how much I hate the things.
Shooting’s love story gets an even happier ending
It’s not every day you see an Olympic athlete wearing hunting gear put down her rifle halfway through an event, stroll into the crowd, chat with a nice-looking young man for a few minutes — and then see the two start kissing like high school students who have just fallen in love.
But that’s exactly what happened at the Olympic shooting venue today — in front of about 2,000 spectators and scores of happy photographers whose rapid-fire clicking echoed through the hall. Was it love doping? Was it allowed? Was it even good for her?
