Reflections on the Olympics: The competition.
“The hard days are the best because that’s where champions are made.” — Gabby Douglas, Olympic
champion Evie and I were not planning to watch the 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad or commonly known as Rio 2016, from Aug. 5 to 21. We were out of town during the opening days and our attention was focused on other things. But when we got home on Aug. 10, we started watching, and once we started watching, we were hooked.
Now that Rio 2016 is over and the 11,000 athletes have gone home, I have some reflections to share over the next three weeks. This week: The Competition.
The Commitment: Every time I watch Olympic athletes, I am amazed at the amount of commitment it takes to achieve world-class status. Whether we are shown pictures of them as little children working on the fundamentals or we hear them talk about the economic sacrifice, emotional determination, physical discipline and just plain hard work to excel at that level, my admiration knows no bounds.
The Surprises: There are always surprises at the Olympics. Some of the most publicized athletes falter and some of the unknown athletes receive the gold. There are no guarantees and that’s part of the drama. I was even surprised that one equestrian rider withdrew in the middle of her competition because she cared more for the health of her horse than getting a gold medal.
The Behaviors: On the world stage with cameras everywhere, we all get to see the best and the worst of these athletes. We saw two runners collide in one of the 5,000 meter heats and then stop to help a competitor finish the race. That was indescribably inspiring. We also saw the scandalous behavior of some swimmers embarrass themselves and the USA. That was profoundly disappointing.
The Emotions: With all of the effort and all of the pressure on the athletes, it is almost impossible for them to hide their emotions. Tears of joy and sadness were obvious from just about every competition. And it wasn’t only when the gold was won or lost. To see some athletes respond, it seemed as though even they were surprised they received a medal at all. Some of the most passionate tears of joy were for the silver and bronze winners.
The Camaraderie: I cannot imagine the close connections of the athletes within each country. The American gymnasts who dubbed themselves “The Final Five” will probably be bonded together for life. But I think it was the Decathlon competitors who showed the most remarkable camaraderie. Following 10 strenuous categories of competition over two entire days, the athletes congratulated each other, winners and losers, as though they all had won.
The Loyalty: I love to watch the faces of the winners on the podium as their respective national anthems are being played. I try to imagine what is going through their minds as they stand there listening to the song of their homeland. To see them carry their flag with pride during their victory lap reminds me the world is much larger than the USA.
The Setting: As the days of Rio 2016 unfolded, we were all introduced to the beauty of the host city and country. I have never been to Brazil but after looking at the pictures and hearing about the scenery, who would not want to visit? Sure, there were concerns about the Zika virus and the water contamination in Guanabara Bay and personal safety, but in spite of those things, we will be grateful for the wonderful hospitality of that wonderful place.
Each athlete has a story and each story communicates an inspiring message to each of us who watched them. As the Olympic champion and multiple gold medal winner said, “I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps; I’m the first Simone Biles.” THINK ABOUT IT.