Jelly Babies at the Olympics

As I’m sure you know, the Olympic games only occurs every 4 years, and by some strange quirk of fate it usually coincides with the Redbridge 18 Plus Jelly Baby Olympics (we don’t just throw the programme together, sometimes we think about it for almost a minute or two).

Anyway, the first Friday of the Olympic Games saw us all gathered at our usual Friday night venue, the Goodmayes Community Centre, along with a large boxful of jelly baby competitors. Everyone chose a jelly baby competitor to take part in the 5 events which make up the Jelly Baby Olympics: - running, long jump, target shoot, javelin and high jump, and the competition was ready to start.

The running is split into several heats with the heat winners qualifying for the final. Unfortunately I didn’t make final, which was a close run (sorry for the pun) affair with Francesca claiming the gold medal with Martin P and Jeanne getting silver and bronze respectively.

The long jump was won by me (Trev), followed by Martin P and Graham. Elise won the target shoot game with scores of 10 and 8 (it’s a long time since anyone scored the bulls-eye 10) with Graham and Martin P finishing 2nd and 3rd, respectively. The javelin competition saw some very good throws from the competitors and was won by Jeanne, with Martin P being 2nd and Trev and Elliot tying for 3rd place.

Going into the last event, the high jump, several competitors could still win the competition overall. Virtually everyone cleared the first height. However, the second height saw jelly baby carnage, with just 4 competitors clearing the bar, so needing a jump-off to decide the places, Trev winning with Elliot 2nd and Fran and Jeanne tying for 3rd place.

It was now time to work out the final scores to determine the overall winner (and embrace a new sporting legend!). Jeanne was third overall and so claimed the Bronze medal, whilst Trev and Martin P were tied on points, but Trev was declared the winner, as he had won more individual events (and he was running the event anyway, so he gets the final say!).

It had been a fun event with some very silly games, but it’s always a popular event, it just shows what strange, but fun, ideas for events you can conjure up on a very boozy night out with some like minded friends.

Trev Eley