If I had to choose between my wife and my putter... well, I’d miss her.
Goalball Men Game 1
GB Men’s Goalball team suffered a crushing 1-11 defeat at the hands of Lithuania in their opening game in the 2012 Paralympics. Lithuania are the reigning world champions and a medallist in 2008, so it was always going to be a tough ask for GB. As Michael Sharkey put it, “They are not world champions for nothing. The tournament effectively starts for us tomorrow”. GB can still reach the semi-finals if they finish second in the group.Michael scored GB’s goal half way through the first half to make it 1-2 and to put GB back into the game. However Lithuania scored six times in the last four and a half minutes of the first half. When Lithuania added two goals early in the second half, the game came to an abrupt end as a ten goal margin is game over. Afterwards Michael said, “I was pleased to score the first goal. That was a nice moment”
He is loving the whole experience: “The village is looking wonderful. I have loved it. It has been fantastic and really good fun. You really don’t know what to expect but it has been everything you are hoping for. It is fantastic to be here”.
Michael’s only complaint was that the fireworks at midnight in the opening ceremony woke him up! As they were playing early next morning the goalball team opted to miss the ceremony.