Rio Olympics: Victorious Trio

The podium trio of the Men's Olympic Mountain Bike Race gathered for a few quick photos before moving on to their medal ceremony.  I wonder if they would shower quickly and get to the Olympic Park for the Closing Ceremonies.  Raising his arm in a victorious salute is the Gold Medalist, Nino Schurter (Switzerland) to his left is Jaroslav Kulhavy (Czech Republic) who won Silver, and on the other side is the Bronze Medal winner Carlos Coloma Nicolas (Spain).  It was a fine race, even if Peter Sagan wasn't a player after the first two laps.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Face Plant

Unlike the Women's race, the Men's was plaqued by crashes and traffic jams.  The wet, muddy course was much more difficult to negotiate than the dry one that the women faced.  Or perhaps the cameramen didn't want to show bloodied women stuck under their bicycles.  Alexander Gehbauer (Austria) got his front wheel caught as he descended the steep stepped logs after a fast twisting downhill section.  This was his second crash in about a half of a mile.  The first had him landing on sharp boulders, at least this landing pad was mud and grass.  Small favors.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Do Some Work!

Further back from the leaders, riding fifth and sixth on the course were Mathias Fluckger (Switzerland) and Jhonnatan Botero Villegas (Colombia).  Fluckger appears to be frustrated with the Colombian sitting on his wheel.  As the duo come through the finishing straight for the bell lap, Fluckger tries to get Botero to come around and help chase those up the road.  Both were too far back to have any realistic hopes of getting on to the podium with just one three mile lap to go.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: The Slower Route

Peter Sagan (Slovakia) may have been regretting his decision to skip the road race and to take on the mountain bike trail above Rio.  Sagan had a great two laps until he had a flat tire.  Unlike the road race with neutral service vehicles and team cars behind the racers, Sagan had to ride the flat all of the way to the service area.  With that, his race was basically over.  He got back on two minutes back and just kept losing time to the leaders there after.  He was caught by the camera man dismounting to descend a difficult rock strewn obstacle, not the fastest way to get down, but better than crashing.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: In Pursuit

The Spaniard Carlos Coloma Nicolas, decided he didn't want to come to the line with Maxime Marotte on his wheel.  So on the penultimate lap he went off on his own, partly in hopes of chasing down the two men up the road, but mainly to come to the line without fear of being out sprinted for Bronze.  The course was "spectator friendly" whatever that means, but it was true that hundreds of mountain biking fans lined all of the tricky parts of the course.  Although some seemed more interested in taking selfies with the racers in the background than they were in the race itself.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Through the Woods

The Women's Mountain Bike race was contested on dusty roads yesterday, but the rain overnight left the men racing on slippery muddy roads.  Literally slipping off the front was the Swiss rider, Nino Schurter with the Czech, Jaroslav Kulhavy chasing him through the rock strewn woods, splattering mud on themselves as they go.  The duo had contested for the Gold Medal in London four years ago, and it looks like they would repeat the effort in Rio.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: S Curves

The UCI World Road Champion, Peter Sagan (Slovakia) had given the Olympic Road Race a pass so he could race the Men's Mountain Bike race on the last day of the Olympic Games.  Since Sagan has been busy on the roads of Europe (and the rest of the world) he was ranked nearly dead last in the UCI Mountain Bike Association.  Given that he started in the very last position as the event got underway.  No matter, Sagan was quickly amongst the leaders, in fact he was third wheel on the first lap.  Sagan is known for his bike handling skills on the road, but he is a former Junior Mountain Bike World Champion.  The Slovak was chasing down through a twisting descent with Victor Koretzky (France).

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics:Silver & Bronze

I knew that Feyisa Lilesa's (Ethiopia) gesture meant more than just a signature gesture, think Usain Bolt's lightening bolt pose, but I admit I had to research its meaning.  After the race, I read an article from the LA Times, that indicated it was a gesture of protest of the Ethiopian Goverment's killing of the Oromo people  When asked about it, he felt that he will face prison or death on his return home.  A brave way to bring the attention of the blight of Ethiopia to the world stage.  His Silver Medal has almost been lost in the story.  I noticed that the coverage of the Marathon medal ceremony did not show his crossed arms on the podium.  Behind the political gesture, the neophyte American marathon runner, Galen Rupp (USA) managed to finish third for the Bronze.  Ironically, the blue suited guards were there to stop the protest of Brazilians that marred the finish of the Women's Marathon.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Running Alone

The Kenyan Eluid Kipchoge had spent a lot of the early miles of the Olympic Marathon trying to organize the race to his liking.  Oddly he was trying to slow the race down early on, only to leave everyone behind in the last couple of miles.  The last two to hold onto his heals were Feyisa Lilesa (Ethiopia) and Galen Rupp (USA).  But it was this view, the back of Kipchoge, that everyone who started the race got to see (or a least to see if figuratively).  Naturally, Kipchote went on to claim the Gold Medal in the Men's Marathon.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Running with Africa

The American, Galen Rupp was the only non African runner at the business end of the Men's Marathon.  As the group dropped runner after runner, the neophyte found himself in the company of a very elite group that was down to the two Ethiopians, Berhanu and Lilesa and the Kenyan, Eluid Kipchoge.  The quartet was roughly twenty miles in, now the real racing can begin.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Calm Down

I seem to remember that in my youth the Men's Marathon's finish signified the start of the closing ceremonies.  That could just be a hazy memory of youth, but it is one of the very last events of the Summer Olympics.  With the pace a little slower than was expected for the early kilometers, the pack was still rather large ten kilometers in.  On the front of the crowd, Eluid Kipchoge (Kenya) seemed to be gesturing for L.Berhanu (Ethiopia) and Galen Rupp (USA) to slow it down. Given the Kenyans prowess in this event, one would think he would want the pace to be as high as possible.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Still Flying

This seems to be the Olympics for the elderly,  Well for the older athletes.  Ruth Beitia (Spain) is thirty seven years old.  This is her third appearance in the Olympic Women's High Jump where she had yet to win a medal.  Tonight, she changed all of that by winning the Gold.  Now that is the way to wash away all of her previous disappointment.  Just after her unsuccessful third attempt at Beitia's height, the American Chaunte Lowe rushed over to give the Spaniard a heart felt hug.  Lowe has also not medal in several Olympics, but did not resent her competitors success.  Yet another example of the Olympic Spirit (and the compassion of female athletes).

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Building the Foundation

Setting up the anchor of a relay is all about building up a lead in the previous legs, a solid foundation of the win.  Phyllis Francis (USA) did just that for her countrywomen.  Francis was able to extend the lead over Team Jamaica that she had been handed at the first baton pass.  Team USA and Team Jamaica made it look like they were the only two teams on the track such was their lead over the rest of the field.  The Americans were able to carry their lead all of the way to the end for the Gold Medal, with  the Jamaicans taking the Silver.  For all I know, we are still waiting for the Bronze medalist to finish.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Hitting His Stride

The announcer for NBC Olympics seemed to be getting very frustrated with how everyone was racing.  It was his possibly considered opinion that no one was racing in such a way as to be able to beat Mo Farah (Great Britain).  No one did.  The American Paul Kipkemon Chelimo crossed the line in the Silver Medal position with the on of the Ethiopians, Hagos Gebrhiwet, coming in third.  Chelimo was told during his post race interview that he had been disqualified.  His reaction was genuine and amazingly not obscene (I guess he remembered he was on international TV).  With all of the elbowing and pushing, he had stepped on the line of the edge of the track.  His DQ along with three others, moved his teammate Lagat into third.  Later in the evening, he was reinstated (I don't know about the others) and was allowed to stand on the second step of the podium and receive his Silver Medal.  Farah has now taken Gold in the 5000 Meter and the 1500 Meter races for the second consecutive Olympics.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Around the Final Turn

The American Matthew Centrowitz had led the entire back around the oval lap after lap after lap.   The question was, would he still be leading when it mattered?  Happily the answer is yes.  It was fun to watch his father in the stands going nuts with delight at his son's achievement.  Centrowitz is the first American to win the 1,500 M race since 1908.  That is a one hundred and eight year drought.  Taqufik Makhloufi (Algeria) is making his move on the outside.  A move that won him the Silver.  Tucked in about mid pack is Nicholas Willis (New Zealand) who negotiated the traffic to take the Bronze Medal.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Hugs All Around

I was struck by the kindness and sportsman(woman)ship of the top four finishers in the women's mountain bike race.  Gold Medalist Jenny Rissveds (Sweden) reaches out to hug Emily Batty (Canada) who had just finished her race in fourth place.  Beside them draped in the Polish flag, Silver Medalist, Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) embraces the Bronze Medalists, Catherine Pendrel (Canada).  The mutual respect is the embodiment of the Olympic spirit and the heart of most women's sports.  We men have so many things to learn...

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: In Search of the Others

Without much time left to race, Catherine Pendrel (Canada) took off in search of those ahead.  She had dropped the last of the Swiss riders, Jolanda Neff and her own teammate Emily Batty.  Pendrel wasn't able to catch either Maja Wloszczowska (Poland) nor Jenny Rizzveds (Sweden), but she did garner herself a Bronze Medal on the day.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: All Alone

Unlike the Swiss woman who had gone off early in the race, Jenny Rissveds (Sweden) had kept herself in check.  She stayed near the front, keeping a close eye on each of the race leaders without putting herself on the front until it mattered.  With just a lap and a half to go, she made her move on the Polish rider, Maja Wloszczowska.  She quickly distance the eventual Silver Medal winner riding alone to the end of the race and claiming the first Olympic Mountain Biking medal for her country.  And it was Gold!

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

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Rio Olympics: Rough Terrain

Jolanda Neff (Switzerland) road behind those chasing her teammate Linda Indergand.  Once Indergand had been caught it was Neff's turn to carry the flag for her country.  The fans along the road had seen their Polish countrywoman ride by, showing her the Polish flag as she did so.  They seemed a little disinterested in the Swiss woman chasing their girl down.  Neff was never able to catch the wheels of those up the road.  The section that she is riding now is strewn with large cut granite, somewhat reminiscent of the early paving of ancient Roman roads.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Summer%20Olympics/2840441-196-226051/PaintingRough%20Terrain%20Rio196-Greig-Leach.html#.V7kwW5grLIU

Rio Olympics: Showing the Way

Linda Indergand (Switzerland) let the entire race around the course for two laps.  In may have been unwise to go out as hard as she did, but it is always worth the try.  Indergand successfully negotiated all of the twists, turns, rocks, climbs and sharp drops of the course.  In fact, I don't recall seeing any of the women crash.  Now that may have been a factor of the television coverage, although they tend to love to show the spectacle of the mayhem.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember this is an original work of art, so once it has been sold, it is gone.  Don't delay buy it now!

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Summer%20Olympics/2840438-195-226051/PaintingShowing%20the%20Way%20Rio195-Greig-Leach.html#.V7ktTJgrLIU