So the Athletics World Championships in Berlin more than lived up to expectations.
For the sport, Usain Bolt's brilliance and supremacy was confirmed. For Britain, Jessica Ennis (below) achieved the stardom we'd all hoped for - and will no doubt deliver a big moment at this year's Sports Personality in her home city of Sheffield.
Phillips Idowu lived up to expectations, too. And for broadcasters, there were some terrific audiences: more than five million in Britain for the 100m final and figures in the 2m-3m range throughout.
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One of the criticisms about sport broadcasting in general - - is that we have an over-reliance on celebrities. Since I've never knowingly employed or taken , I think what's usually meant by that is our selection of on-screen talent.
We've certainly nurtured some great sportsmen and women of the past, like and , and turned them into ; and many of our summarisers and pundits are also big figures from their sports - , , Adrian Moorhouse and all the rest.
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The 91Èȱ¬ 2012 project team is on tour - heading to the major centres of the UK to debate with 91Èȱ¬ colleagues and key opinion-formers just how the Olympics can be of benefit to the whole of the country.
I've also been chatting to the local press in Bristol, (where we liked the picture rather less) and .
It is, of course, unavoidable that much of the focus of the Olympic Games is on London. The award is to a host city, and it's London's mayor who received the Olympic flag from the mayor of Beijing.
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