Grassmarket

Wasn't someone saying earlier that Saudia Arabla were boycotting? There is a Saudi athlete starting in the 5000m.

Yes, I know. The irony is that the Ancient Greeks themselves thought the Macedonians were barbarian non-Greeks.

Air condition is up too high, Bouzayani of Tunisia is feeling a bit cold.

It's a complicated political thing involving the Greeks. They don't want to have a Slavonic country called simply Macedonia because Macedonia was part of Ancient Greece and I think it is a local region in Greece as well.

German girl just woke up in time!

I will see your Steve Hooker and raise you Rod Hooker.

Oh, sorry, false memory. Steve HOOKER, Berlin 2009.

I remember a few years back the Aussie Vaulter Steve Hooper won the World Championship with just two vaults, one in qualifying, one in the final. Had an ankle injury.

6 fast losers, she could still be lucky. Is currently 2nd fast loser.

In Britain we know where all these countries are because we used to rule them.

Yes, always good to see how Afghan sprinting is getting on. Not last this time, so progress!

I’ve noticed that the African Nations with well-known reputations in cycling - like Eritrea, Rwanda, Ethiopia - have got riders. Also some African riders who are probably already British citizens or residents. But there are some nations we have had trouble with in the past where athletes have been given visas for big events and have disappeared without even competing. So if your list includes Sierra Leone, Cameroon & Nigeria....

Know what...I don’t think the peleton realise that there is still an American off the front here. No race radios.

Dowsett’s our best TT specialist outside of Thomas (who hasn’t really prepared) & Froome, off sick.

We have already seen the UCI Sock Police in action with their ghastly medieval instruments of torture looking for tonsorial violations.

Don’t worry, people, Britain has plenty of rain and will not run out of orange traffic cones!

They need hi-viz clothes what with all the blizzards they get in Mexico. Well, volcanic eruptions anyway.

Completely disagree, team athletics are great! Two of the best events on the calendar are the European Team Champs and the NCAA finals: makes for extremely exciting viewing because every single performance counts. Often the hero that wins the competition is the unknown hammer thrower who throws a 65m PB to get 7th rather than the predicted 12th place and not the superstar gold medallist sprinter who gets a predicted win. Most exciting athletics event I have seen this year was the four-way battle to avoid relegation in the First Division European Team Champs.

That will be Geo-blocked in some countries. It’s also on the BBC Website if you can get to that. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live-guide/athletics

I enjoyed watching it, but overall the standard is like First Round Heats in a major Championships. But good practice for athletes before they go to training camps.

Egyptians start mixed team laser run with huge lead. just as well, Egyptian woman is a good shot, but not a fast runner, poor third shot from Egyptian man, but German pursuer even worse. decent shot from Egyptian, another mess from the German, loses his medal chance. BLR up from 8th to a Bronze.

Easy race for Belaud in the end, easily the fastest runner. Another killer sprint from Joe Choong for silver.

Should have said yesterday, but I loved the Rubik Cube fence in the jumping. Didn’t see if there was a fence commemorating the other great Hungarian inventor Laszlo Biro...

He was one of the key guys in the era when Biathlon was transformed from this weird obscure military sport into one of the world’s most exciting and popular professional sports.

You’re busted!