David Isaacson's second week at Rio Olympics Games

21 August 2016 - 02:00 By David Isaacson

David Isaacson's shares his best moments of his second week at the Rio Olympics Games. NOT SO HOT: Forget the Zika virus - the ice-cold air-conditioning in several media venues and shuttle buses here has claimed more victims. Some places are so cold that well-equipped hacks have been spotted wearing jackets and scarves suited for the Arctic!At least three South African journalists were felled by heavy chest colds this past week, and none of them has been bitten by a single mosquito. The one reporter who has been feasted on by almost every mozzie in South America is still in good health. Go figure.SARTORIAL SATIRE: The tracksuits given to South Africa's athletes seemed better suited to clowns. A photo has emerged from the Olympic village of two athletes - a man and a woman - both snugly fitted into a single pair of South Africa's green tracksuit bottoms. Perhaps the trousers had been manufactured to fit the fat cats.story_article_left1PANTING A LOT: Speaking of getting into pants, one team official reported late this week seeing organisers refilling the free condom vending machines in the village.OLYMPIC CLAN: Henri Schoeman, who won bronze in the men's triathlon this week, is the brother of an Olympic swimmer. Several people assumed it was Roland, the winner of three Olympic medals at Athens 2004.Actually, it is the lesser-known Riaan, who competed in the 400m individual medley at Beijing 2008 and London 2012. Riaan won a Commonwealth Games bronze in 2010 as well as an assortment of All Africa Games medals, including two golds.LUCK OF THE IRISH: Did you hear about the Irishman and the sexy Brazilian lady? An Irish visitor to Rio found himself at a bona fide street party recently. Next thing a local lady came up to chat, and within a minute she was kissing him.The pair shuffled off for a little more privacy, and soon afterwards she disappeared back into the crowd. At first he thought she'd taken his heart, but soon discovered she'd actually stolen his cellphone.COLOUR QUESTION: Do you know that none of South Africa's stars at the Rio Games - or any Olympics or Commonwealth Games - earn national colours? "You only earn Protea colours for the highest level competition [in your individual sport]," says South African Olympic Committee CEO Tubby Reddy, the chef de mission here.If that's the case, Sascoc should consider changing the colours of all its multi-sport teams from green and gold to something more colourful, perhaps the red, white and blue in the South African flag.OPENING GAMBIT: The best opening ceremony attire worn by South African athletes remains that from the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.They formed a moving South African flag. It was apparently a nightmare to arrange South Africa's marchers into the right order, but it was a powerful moment...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.