Never underestimate the power of shoes

NORMALLY I switch my TV off as soon as sport appears. So I have surprised myself by how hooked I have become by the Olympics.

I'm not qualified to comment on the sporting aspect of the games, but I can discuss them from the point of view of two things I know a little more about - their TV entertainment value, and fashion.

Shoes, to be more precise.

Bear with me, because footwear has played a vital role in activities in Beijing. We probably wouldn't have won one of our gold medals without the power of shoes, which should never be underestimated.

Rebecca Adlington became the first British girl to win an Olympic swimming final in 48 years when she won the 400m freestyle. And she revealed that, when she was training, her mother would use the incentive of buying her a new pair of shoes if she won a race.

Apparently she was promised a pair of Jimmy Choos AND Christian Louboutins if she took Olympic gold. That would certainly have made me go faster.

Congratulations, Becky, but I couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for her during the medal ceremony. For someone who obviously takes pride over her appearance, I bet she looks back on the photos in years to come and thinks "I wish they gave us time to dry our hair first". Wet hair, marked from the elastic in those oh-so-flattering hats, is not a good look.

Elsewhere in Beijing, Gabby Logan has taken the fashion medals, sporting some very nice outfits on the Games Today round-up show. Sue Barker, on the other hand, needs to put in some more training in the shops as she's been looking very last season, darling.

I love the way the red button gives viewers so much freedom in what we want to watch, whether it's re-runs of the Games Today or highlights of more obscure sports.

If you're not interested in what they're showing on BBC1, there's bound to be something on somewhere that takes your fancy. Never has the TV coverage of the Olympics been so comprehensive, innovative and entertaining.

I like all the new technological gizmos, like the Stro-motion effect and the green line which travels across the swimming pool to show how far off the world record pace the swimmers are - or in Michael Phelps' case, by how many seconds he is smashing the times.

By the way, playing the Jaws theme tune every time you talk about Phelps is getting very boring, guys.

It must be costing a fortune, but generally the Beeb has excelled itself in its coverage. For once, this is licence fee money well spent.