At the weekend Team GB collected four gold medals, a silver and four bronze in Beijing.

Rebecca Adlington kicked off the medal haul by winning the gold in the women's 800m Freestyle.

Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy got gold medals in cycling.

The mens coxless four got a very well deserved gold (as pictured) in a very exciting race, quashing the memories of Athens 2004. GB also claimed bronze medals in the women's and mens double sculls.

All in all GB's best day at the Olympics in 100 years!

Impressive!

Watch all the replays on the bbc iplayer on the bbc's website at www.bbc.co.uk (GB only)

A huge congratulations to Rebecca Adlington on winning the Women's 800m freestyle getting her second Olympic gold medal and breaking the oldest standing swimming world record, getting a second Olympic gold medal in what was a truly brilliant swim for Great British swimming!

Well Done Rebecca!

It looks good for London 2012, but I say savour the moment now! Four years is a long time and two Olympic gold medals is more than many would dream for.

After all the hype Michael Phelps eventually achieved the Olympic feat that no other human being as ever achieved, taking away Mark Spitz's record of 7 Olympic Golds in one Olympic games and stepping it up to 8! A worthy accolade for such a fantastic sportsman. Although it didn't go without a challenge, the 100m Butterfly was incredibly close, with Phelps winning by just one one hundredth of a second! It really was history in the making for Michael Phelps' Beijing 2008 Olympic campaign and fantastic to watch.

That's not to take away from the fact the whole of the rest of the worlds advancement in swimming. Swimming has really moved up a gear. Roll on London 2012!

08/08/08

- A special day for elite sportsmen and women world over. The 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

The Olympic games is the pinnacle of most sports men and women's careers and always makes for a good show with many guaranteed outstanding sporting performances.

Having swam in the past for Great Britain I will be closely following the swimming during the course of the games, but on this blog I will also report on any other outstanding achievements as well as the obvious blue ribbon events (men's 100m running etc.). And looking into the training equipment and methods used by the best of the best!

The opening ceremony begins tomorrow - August 8, and the closing ceremony is on the August 24th.

Let the games begin!

The Mens 100m world record was broken this weekend by Jamaican Usain Bolt Clocking a staggering 9.72 at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York on Saturday night just prior to the the Olympic games later this year in Beijing China.

This may have sparked inspiration into all you gym fanatics out there to grab those trainers or spikes and start running, but here in the UK the weather doesn't always help with your training. So, are treadmills really a good alternative?

There is a slight decrease in energy expenditure when running on a treadmill because of the lack of wind resistance and because the treadmill belt does propel you along a bit. To make your treadmill workout closer to outdoor exercise, simply raise the treadmill incline to 1% and you will expend as many calories as if you were walking or running on flat pavement outdoors (1).

Treadmill Running Pros:

* No weather, temperature, or terrain issues
* Can stop any time you need or want
* Can workout while watching TV if you like
* Smooth, cushioned surface is easier on the joints
* No concerns about personal safety

Outdoor Running Pros:

* You can run anywhere
* You get to enjoy the scenery, get fresh air, notice changing seasons, weather, and enjoy nature.
* It's generally more challenging and you expend more calories
* Possibly more motivating (must complete a distance goal)
* Most people report a greater feeling of accomplishment
* You can take new routes and see something new everyday

Please check more information on treadmills, what to buy and what to look for in "Cardiovascular Fitness Equipment".

More information on the world record.

(1) Source
A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running.A 1% treadmill grade most accurately reflects the energetic cost of outdoor running. Journal of Sports Science, 1996 Aug;14(4):321-7.