Spelling names should be Olympic sport
MIXEDZONE: Usain Bolt is still running in his sleep, and world-class horses are attention hogs Bev Wake
Spelling and remembering names can be a challenge at an event featuring athletes from around the world.
In Rio, the longest name belongs to Julia Vasconcelos Dos Santos, who competes for Brazil in taekwondo. In London, it was Iranian weightlifter Saeid Mohammadpourkarkaragh.
The longest name in Olympic history dates to 1956 and belongs to a skier: Max Emanuel Maria Alexander Victor Bruno de la Santisima Trinidad y Todos los Santos von Hohenlohe Langenburg. He competed for Liechtenstein, which added an extra challenge.
So we get why some athletes might be tempted to change their names, for whatever reason. We’re just not sure Shem Wei Goh — who changed his middle name to V — is the best case study.
“It stands for ‘victory’ and is easier to remember, so it’s better for me,” said the Malaysian badminton player.
There was apparently some feng shui involved in the decision, too.
It figures: Usain Bolt doesn’t lose in his sleep, either. The Jamaican sprinting star was talking about a recurring dream the other day, in which he is being chased.
“Hopefully the dream will stop,” he said. “It is always that same dream every now and then ... but it is a good dream because they never catch me.”
Horsing Around: Most athletes only have to worry about themselves at the Olympics. That’s not the case for those competing in equestrian, and their equine partners can prove a challenge sometimes.
Take Japanese jumper Reiko Takeda, who says her horse Bardolino “has a lot of character.”
“He really needs lots and lots of love. And he is always like, ‘Me, me, me,’ wanting attention,” she says.
“He also loves eating. Always, ‘food, food, food,’ always calling me, because he knows I spoil him. So I always have a lot of carrots.”
Speaking of food: Asked about his victory in the men’s 110-metre hurdles, Jamaican Omar McLead said hurdles is all about character.
“I worked hard, prayed hard and seized the moment. I can’t get my mind around this. Is this real? To God be the glory. Now I’m going to eat as much ice cream and cake as I can.”