Tragic Moments – Part 2

Greg Norman the Australian golf legend needs to be mentioned as well. He made a bitter experience in the US Master cup in Augusta. In 1996, after 16 years without success he led with 6 hits before his biggest competitor Nick Faldo. Thus he was close to win the most important golf cup in the world.

However, the margin became smaller and at the end Nick Faldo won by 5 hits. Greg Norman lost 11 hits at 18 holes. At the end the way to the clubhouse looked like a funeral procession. Even the winner Faldo had to cry because of pity. He could not really enjoy his victory …

Tragic Moments – Part 3

Just recently two real tragic incidents happened in the soccer world. In 1997 the Australian soccer national team (the ‘Socceroos’) were close to the qualification for the World Cup. In the playoff against Iran they were leading 2:0 when a rowdy (well-known to the Australian public) ran onto the playing ground, destroyed the net of one of the goals so that this had to be repaired. In the meanwhile the Australian team lost their flow of the game so that when the game was continued the Iranians balanced out within 10 minutes to 2:2. Thus they went to the Word Cup in France instead.
At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Australia had qualified; they even made it to the last 16 where they met the Italians. At halftime the result was 0:0 and the Socceroos played quite well against the Italians smaller in size, as they had lost a player, Materazzi, due to a red card. They believed they would make it to the extra time when Fabio Grosso made a brilliant dive that resulted into a penalty for Italy.

Francesco Totti scored and Italy went to the next round. And everyone knows at the end Italy even ended up in the semi-final against Germany and won the Cup.

Tragic Moments – Part 4

Even closer to a medal was the track and field athlete Jane Saville in the Olympic games in Sydney 2000. In the 20km walking discipline she was as close as 150 meters to the finish line, no chaser behind her who could take the gold medal away from her, when all of a sudden something unbelievable happened. She made a technical error in this discipline, received her 3^rd warning and was disqualified. 150 meters before the finish line!

Tragic Moments – Part 5

It can’t get any closer? Well, sure it can! The 4x200 meter women relay in Japan, in Fukuoka, managed to do so. The last swimmer Giaa Rooney had already reached the finish line and thus the Australian team won the gold medal. However, seconds later they got disqualified. What happened? Petria Thomas was so excited about the success that she sprang into the pool to her mate before all others had finished. This is unfair behavior and thus they got disqualified. What a tragedy!

Amazonians

Before we arrived in Sydney we found out that a former colleague of ours will be in Sydney at the same time. Thus we got in touch with Soraya to see if we could meet. Not only did Soraya set up a meeting with us, she even got in touch with 2 other Ex-Amazonians who live in Sydney – Bjoern and Agnes. Thus in Sydney’s city center in a Bavarian restaurant we all met and we had a wonderful evening! Unfortunately too short!

Soraya who is Australian and therefore visited her family in Sydney left the town the next day (btw. it was a pity that her husband Cristiano could not join another Ex-Amazonian). However, we had the opportunity to see Agnes and Bjoern once again on Saturday. Thus we got to see the Northern Beaches where they live and work. The view from their office to the beach is spectacular. They can go for a surf in their lunch break, as the beach is 100 meters away. Btw. they plan to camp thus as we could get rid of some of our camping equipment which was very convenient.