It’s not over yet, but we just couldn’t wait
There’s nothing The Early Whistle likes more than being first at something. So, here’s our first time at being first with a rundown of who’s done what during these heady summer months…
Best individual performance – Hats off to Jason Kenny for becoming Britain’s greatest-ever Olympian, but this first honour is going elsewhere. He may have seemed the obvious choice, but cycling success is almost always a given with Team GB. So step forward Adam Peaty, whose three golds mean the nation has finally produced a swimmer in the same league as Mark Spitz, Ian Thorpe and Michael Phelps.
Best team performance – With England falling at the last in the Euros, the British & Irish Lions blowing a 1-0 series lead in South Africa, and with a collapse always lurking on the test cricket scene, it had to be Team GB. The grand total didn’t quite match Rio 2016, but the Tokyo Olympics still yielded a gold rush, fourth place in the overall medal table, and some truly historic moments.
Unsung hero – The city of Tokyo. Dogged by controversy, training facilities closed for months, critics saying the summer games shouldn’t even go ahead… Well, they did, and the Japanese showed the rest of the world that anything’s possible no matter what the circumstances.
The “Thank God That’s Over” Award – Lionel Messi signing for PSG. Now we can get on with the rest of our lives.
Best newcomer – Or “Best breakthrough act”, as it’s known nowadays. Normally, this would go to an individual, but we’ll throw a curve ball by awarding it to a tournament: The Hundred. After being postponed last year, it was great to see English franchise cricket finally take to the stage, and what theatre it’s provided.
Award for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory – Now, I’m the first to challenge anyone that says England didn’t play anyone decent on their way to the Euro 2020 final, but unfortunately Gareth Southgate fluffed his lines on the night. A shame, as it was looking good at 1-0 after a mere three minutes. However, the initiative wasn’t taken and the rest is history. A lesson learned for next year’s World Cup? We’ll see.
Most colourful fans – Summer never fails to bring out the best where crowds are concerned, so this was always going to be a difficult one to pick, especially with stadiums (in England at least) allowed back to full capacity in 2021. As the Early Whistle witnessed them firsthand, this may come across as slightly biased, but the Pakistan cricket fans sure know a thing or two about banging a drum and providing an atmosphere.
Best/worst punditry – Ian Wright has his critics, but his views on Ronaldo during the Euros were more refreshing than a cold pint in a July heatwave – although it could just have been a sly dig at his co-pundit, Roy Keane. Meanwhile, Andrew Flintoff, the man who’s like the stuff that dogs leave behind, finally found his way onto Sky Sports. He tried valiantly with his trademark bluster, but presenting/commentating on The Hundred proved a bridge too far for his TV career.
Surprise package – British tennis is in much better shape than it used to be, but there’s still only slim pickings out there. So how refreshing that an 18-year-old unknown, by the name of Emma Radacanu, burst onto the scene at Wimbledon 2021. Sadly, she left a little too much on the court during her third round exit, but the future looks set fair.
Most awkward moment – It might have been a Jamaican 1-2-3 in the Women’s 100m Final, but there was still no love lost between gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah, and runner-up Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce (was it revenge for the extra hyphen?). Just to add insult to injury, Thompson-Herah even had time to celebrate whilst crossing the finish line, so cue forced smiles as the national flag flew around the so-called team mates. Never has the laid-back Jamaican attitude been so severely tested, but Fraser-Pryce still seemed pretty happy during the post-race interview.
Best kit – “When life gives you potatoes, make crisps!” Yup, we saved the best for last. With KP and its various bi-products sponsoring the brave new world of The Hundred, it was always going to be a match made in heaven for kits and replica shirts. The best of the best? That honour has to go to Trent Rockets‘ flashy yellow number (see image above), but you be the judge of that, and while you’re at it, feel free to disagree with any of our decisions in the comments below (preferably before summer’s out).
The Early Whistle 