More Olympic Mindgames

Don't know what the The Daily Mail and its online version are up to. They seem to be trying to undermine the British Olympic athletes and make up new ones at the same time.

Last week, they were having a go at Zara Philips for only coming second! - the paper's front page was worse and that was after attacking the Opening Ceremony. One of my Facebook friends found that - I bet Fox News were having similar thoughts - another odious, right-wing, propaganda-and-half-truths media organisation.

Next, although admittedly (presumably) with her consent (to promote her autobiography), they've got Victoria Pendleton down as some sort of scheming, womanising, ruthless person.

Today, however, they have a story about another Olympic Gold Medal winner - 30 year-old Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Haig, or, more specifically, her 1.5 litre Singer Le Mans sports car - were you worried that this post wasn't getting car-related?That's not her in the photo, by the way, that's some woman who works for The Savoy - it is the car, though.

The story tells of how they crossed Europe battling border-guards to win the Motor-Rally Gold - beating those nasty BMWs into the bargain - it doesn't actually say that last bit but that is definitely what the writer is thinking.

Anyway, quite an interesting story.

Pity I don't believe it.

I can't find any evidence of a Motor Rally Gold medal at the 1936 Olympic Games. Even the official Olympic Website doesn't mention it - Britain only won four Golds that year - not like this year eh!?

Apparently, motorsport was a demonstration event in the 1900 Olympics - maybe they should reinstate it - Britain does particularly well at sports where you compete sitting down.

They did have some "Art" Gold Medals in 1936. Maybe that is where the Mail is getting confused, although it was an Italian, not a Brit who won gold for his "Sulky Driver":That is a statue of a man driving a two-wheeled cart called a "Sulky" - it's not an Audi driver who has got a gob on.

Like the Mail story I commented on last month, this Mail story also goes on to shoot off at a tangent. Last month's went off on a rant about BMWs, this one's gone with Sat-Navs.

Maybe they should try for a shooting Gold.