I adore the Olympics. I will watch any event at any time, although I admit that water polo bores me beyond reason. And I have some serious quibbles as to why China was even awarded these games, but I am still watching. I adore the concept, the pageantry, the back stories, the competition, the pride.
For me, it is not about the medal tally. Certainly I want my country to succeed and to represent us well, but I don't get caught up in the medal count or not rooting for any athlete who is not from the US. On the flip side, it aggravates me that some in the world go to the Olympics with the sole goal of beating the US. Sheesh, people.
It is amazing that countries send delegations to the Olympics knowing that they will likely not win any medals. So it thrilled me to no end to watch Benjamin Boukpeti win the nation of Togo's first Olympic medal ever, at any time, in any sport. He won the bronze medal in the men's single kayak competition and the joy on his face when he learned he had won was priceless. And how wonderful for Togo!
Of course, I have since learned that Boukpeti is French, born to a French mother and a father from Togo, and that he last visited the country as an infant. But he still went into the competition ranked 56th in the world of kayaking, and he beat all but two other athletes. How cool is that?
1 comment:
Remember how much fun we had watching some of the 1996 Olympics while we were in Vermont! Oh, and the singing we did on the way to the Trapp Family Lodge!! :-)
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