Paris Olympics 2024, Track and Field Men's Javelin Throw: Outta Here

The Javelin Throw is such a very specific Olympic discipline.  I can see it being vital when the Games began in ancient Greece, but now... not so much.  Regardless, having faulted in his first throw, Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan) let fly with a huge throw of almost 95 meters.  For those unversed in metric, that is over the length of an American football field.  He didn't throw that far again in his ensuing attempts, but it was more than enough for the Gold Medal.  It was the first and thus far only medal for Pakistan.  

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Outta Here PO24-80" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Track and Field Men's 200 Meters: Running for Mom

Letsile Tebogo (Botswana) was running not only with his legs, but with his heart also.  His mother had passed away this year and it was her dream to see him race in the Olympics.  Clearly that wouldn't be possible, but he did run with her name and birthdate on his shoes.  Equally clear was that he had that extra lift to outsprint a field of great athletes to take the only Gold Medal (or any medal for that matter) for his country.  And the only Gold for his continent in the men's 200 ever.  Rounding out the podium are Kenneth Bednarek (USA) taking Silver - he is at the bottom of the frame - and Noah Lyles (USA) for the Bronze running in the lane just inside of Tebogo.  Lyles had hoped to do the double Gold in both of the men's sprints, but Tebogo's mother intervened.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Running for Mom PO24-79" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Track and Field Men's 110 M Hurdles: Leaps and Bounds

It was Grant Halloway (USA) who was literally leaps and bounds, or I guess bounds and leaps ahead of the rest of the field in the Men's 110 Hurdles.  He was over the final hurdle before either of the other two medalists had even started their leaps.  In the land next to him was Rasheed Broadbell (Jamaica) who took Bronze.  Ruining next to the Jamaican is the second of three Americans in the final, Daniel Roberts (USA) who just eked out the Silver Medal giving the Americans the top two spots on the podium.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Leaps and Bounds PO24-78" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Women's Skateboarding: Drop It

Watching Arisa Trew (Australia) was just awesome!  And that is a word I use as sparingly as it should be.  Her tricks were stunning, and her fluidity was seamless. Wow!  Clearly, she was the gold medalist even before the remaining skaters had their turn.  None were able to outscore her final run.  So, an Olympic Gold Medal it is!

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Drop In PO24-71" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Men's Road Race: The One Thing...

As the leader on the road approached the gate to the grounds of the Louvre he held out his arm, apparently celebrating is impending Gold Medal.  But no, the only thing that could risk Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) from taking his second Gold Medal of these Games would be a mechanical, and that is exactly what he was letting his team car know about.  As he somewhat calmly laid down his bike at the barrier, is mechanic took his spare bike off of the roof of the car.  Normally calm, the Belgium was freaking out about getting his bike as quickly as humanly possible.  It was a very quick bike change, but I am sure it was an eternity for Evenepoel.  As he got back underway - without his bike computer - he kept gesturing to the TV Moto to tell him what the time gap was.  Finally, his team car came up alongside him and let him know he still had almost a minute on the chasers.  It was enough for Evenepoel to take the Gold and in so doing became the first cyclists to win both the Olympic Time Trial and the Road Race at the same games.  Chapeau!

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"The One Thing PO24-58" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Women's Gymnastics Individual All Around: Just Four Inches

Many things amaze me about women's gymnastics, many, but the balance beam just boggles my mind.  Just four inches wide and just over three feet in the air, it seems a strange place to do such feats of aerobatics.  And then here is Simone Biles (USA) spinning around three times on one foot atop this narrow expanse.  Her routine enabled her to take the lead in this rotation, a lead she never gave back up!  She has again won the Gold Medal as the world's best female gymnast!  She truly is the G.O.A.T.  It was fun to notice that she was wearing a silver goat as a necklace in her post event interview.  Perhaps someone will get her a new gold one.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.  

"Just Four Inches PO24-49" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Women's Triathlon: Winning at Home

I should say that I don't know if the Frenchwoman, Cassandre Beaugard lives in Paris, but I am sure the City of Light has adopted her tonight.  She was clearly urged on by the French fans as she made her move in the last kilometers of the Women's Triathlon.  She dropped her teammate Emma Lombardi, as well as Julie Derron (Suisse) who you can see behind just coming over the rise of the Pont Alexandre III for Silver.  Not yet turning onto the bridge is Beth Potter (Great Britain) who claimed the Bronze.  The French end today with a total of 26 Olympics medals eight of which are Gold.  They only trail China in total Gold Medals by one, and the USA in total medals by four.  These games have already been an epic success for the host country on both the sports side and the host side.  Chapeau!

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Winning at Home PO24-41" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Beijing 2022: Out of the Final Turn

This might just be the best painting I did if these Olympics.  But then I am rather found of speed skating having strapped on a pair a few times in my youth.  Chung Jae Won (Korea) led the field out of the final turn to open up the sprint for the line with his teammate, Lee Seung Hoon, poised to come out of the draft for the win.  However, it was Bart Swings (Belgium) who had the legs to win the sprint and the Gold medal.  It is his country's first Winter Games gold medal in 74 years!  Chung took Silver. That left Lee Seung Hoon and Joey Mantin (USA) literally fighting it out for the Bronze.  Despite Lee pulling back on Mantin as he pushed his skate over the line, the Bronze was awarded to Lee.  Mantin was left in fourth by 2/1000th of a second with his protest denied.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Winter-Olympics-2022/3868197-57-293321/Painting/out-of-the-final-turn-beijing-2022.html

Flanders 2021: The Sprint to the Rainbow

Having been led out in her sprint by none other than her country woman, Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) Elisa Balsamo had nothing for it but to go hard to the line, braid flying out behind her.  Also behind her and unable to come around was the three time World Champion, Marianne Vos (Netherlands).  Bringing up the best of the rest is Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland) claiming her first medal in the UCI Road World Championships.  But it is Balsamo who will be wearing the Rainbow Jersey every time she takes to the start in a road race for the next year.  What a nice new jersey to bring to her new team, Trek-Segafredo, starting next season.  As Balsamo raised her arms in victory, we could just see Longo Borghini mirroring her celebration in their distance.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above.  Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Flanders-2021/3838702-27-292177/Painting/sprinting-to-the-rainbow-uci21-27.html

Yorkshire 2019 - Jr Women's ITT: Getting Back on Course

This had to be one of the more amazing moments in a time trial race.  By the way, this is the painting that I felt was fore shadow with "Finding Her Own Way."  Aigul Gareeva (Russia) missed the final turn going of course.  She had the where withall to turn around and follow the directing offical to get back on course.  This moment could have been heartbreaking, but she had enough time in hand to still take the lead by six seconds.  The only rider left on the road just made it onto the podium in the Bronze Medal position.  Chapeau!

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3393384-14-266225/Getting%20Back%20on%20Course%20%20UCI19-14.html