Second day in Nanjing

Today (Thursday 14th August in Nanjing) was a day to acclimatise to life for the best part of the next three weeks in this huge Chinese city. Nanjing is the sixth largest city in this massive country with its population a mere 8.2 million!

Today our media bus service weaved its way through the streets though there were hardly any traffic issues, just puddles to avoid. The rain continues to fall as it has in the 36 hours I have been in town, though to be fair it is now down to only being an annoying light drizzle - or like a mizzle (mist and drizzle) the new word I heard in a British golf commentary not so long ago.

Today was a settling in day; after breakfast a few of us in the media gathered in the foyer of the Nanjing Hilton and set out to find out how the hotel and Youth Olympic Games bus services work.

They did, so by and large we had a problem-free day.

I am here in Nanjing working for OBS, (Olympic Broadcasting Service) who will deliver pictures from the various sports events here to an increasing world interest in TV coverage of 'Youth' sport. From the opening ceremony local time on Saturday events will continue through until the 28th of August. It is a full Olympic programme so that rugby sevens and golf will make their first Games appearance here - with the Olympics in Rio in 2016 to follow for the 'big kids'
Athletes here will range in age from 15 through to 18; any boy or girl must be born before December 31 1997 and the age-span is directed so that you can only ever compete in one Youth Summer Olympic event.

My first event on day 1 of competition on Sunday is the first of four days of sevens rugby. There are six men's and six women's nations here and they will play a full round of qualifications over the first three days with two games for each country on each day. Then a finals day for rankings and medal matches.

Do not look for top nations like New Zealand and South Africa here. In the shortening of team sizes here those two countries were offered one team sport each for boys and girls. New Zealand will have youth hockey teams here.

Not too much more to report from this stretching of the legs day; beyond finding our way around a maze of studios and production areas, attending a couple of early meetings about style of commentary required for the various live events and edits etc.

Most of the 30 or so commentators here I have met before when I worked for OBS in London in 2012 so it was very much a 'hail fellow well met' day. A few of us wandered next door from the Olympic studios and checked out the main Stadium where an Opening ceremony rehearsal was being readied. (see picture here)

And of course from the first exploratory day (and this is most important!) I am also now in possession of a new Youth Olympic hat, Youth Olympic shirts of doubtful size and a lovely shoulder bag to lump my stuff around in! All commentators love the regular freebies they get at a time like this. As one old sweat said, 'we take 'em home after and give 'em to the kids; saves shopping!' (Not all of us are like that!)

But there was an extra surprise in the shoulder bag today. Tucked away at the bottom was a very nice Nanjing umbrella, which on the evidence of yesterday and today might be a well-used implement while I am here!

Talk to you right here tomorrow with my Nanjing diary on keithquinnrugby.com