The Loop

And suddenly it was Wednesday and swimming with the boy. My how we splashed about in the pool and that was after a night in which he woke up to push off the covers and cough and splutter.

At one juncture I was awoken and administered the water but then I couldn't get back to sleep. Oh the joys of BBC World Service. Also tuned into a few South Park cartoons courtesy of the internet.

And sleep was mine. Should have got up early to go swimming but was too tired to go. Might have had something to do with the early start on Tuesday to come back to Paris.

It's late on Wednesday. England have won their fourth straight game in qualifying for the World Cup. This time it was 3-1 against Belarus.

But it's more about the Olympics 1968. Bob Beamon made his record breaking long jump and Tommie Smith, John Carlos and Peter Norman made their silent protest during the medal ceremony for the 200 metres.

It was October 16, 1968. And all protests since then have been tame. I met Tommie Smith when he came to Paris a few years ago to inaugurate a gymnasium named after him in St Ouen.

He still looked the part.