Thursday, September 19, 2024
I watched more TV last week than I normally do in a month. I love the Olympics, and I don’t feel guilty about so much screen and butt time. It’s uplifting to enjoy one of the great global celebrations of the human mind, body and spirit.
I love gymnastics, especially the women’s competition. What these women do is astonishing. I felt proud of myself when I taught my granddaughter how to do a somersault. I am so happy for Simone Biles, the oldest woman to ever medal in gymnastics. At one time gymnasts were all willowy children– for someone to compete at the top level of such a demanding sport as a mature woman fills me with admiration. Double that for her ability to bow out of her last Olympics competition to take care of herself when she experienced a loss of confidence and stress. To see her come roaring back like this is inspirational. My only question is how can women do these things with those long fingernails? I couldn’t even make a single day for my daughter’s wedding without chipping my nail polish, and that’s when this aging tomboy gave up painted nails forever.
I watched the women’s archery, and Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez of the United States was the picture of focus, steadiness and calmness as she qualified for the women’s elimination round. No one watching her would doubt her skill, but you also have to admire her commitment to thousands of hours of practice that led her to this competition.
As I write I am watching the men’s BMX freestyle cycling. Fit men on bizarrely small bikes fly through the air, let go of the spinning handlebars and flip completely upside down while riding up ramps and off steep high banks. The carnage of the crashes was hard to watch, yet you couldn’t take your eyes off of it. That little boy or girl who annoys you with their bike or skateboard could well grow up to be a success in the modern sports of mountain biking or skateboarding. I am happy that the Olympics includes newer sports like these, along with the ancient ones of javelin and equine dressage.
Some of the most moving athletes were the ones from Ukraine. I don’t think any athletes were as proud to represent their country as they were; my heart broke a little thinking of their friends and family at home in a war zone.
I paid special attention to the only Olympic sports where the participants include animals. The dressage, jumping and eventing showcase the teamwork of humans and horses. Equine sports are unique for many reasons – for one, men and women compete on completely equal footing, as do horses of both sexes. Equine sports also features contestants of older ages, who again participate as equals. One of the members of the silver winning U.S. jumping team was Laura Kraut, 58. The key to success at the highest level is the experience, talent and trust between the horse and its rider – something that cannot be faked. Flat racing horses are usually retired around 4 years old. One of the jumping horses in Paris was 14. I love horses and am sure to keep Betty informed of the competition results when I visit her in the barn. At 26, she’s probably a bit old to participate.
Perhaps one of the most unlikely heroes was the pommel horse gymnast of the U.S. men’s medal-winning team, Stephen Neodoroscik. Olympians keep in mind they will be on TV and take care with their “look” or style. Stephen shows up with “nerdy” horn-rimmed glasses and is known for his high-speed Rubik’s cube solving. Really the total opposite of a muscle-bound jock. But his routine cinched the first men’s gymnastics medal for the U.S. in a long time, and was spellbinding with both speed and brute strength. After he was done, he put his nerdy glasses back on and resumed his understated, mild demeanour. He was compared to Clark Kent/Superman - appropriately so.
The Olympics celebrate us - the human race. Champions come in all colors, sizes and shapes. They come from tiny countries and big ones like our own. Courage, determination and commitment are not limited by sex, age or nationality. Everyone competes under the same agreed-upon rules (a miracle in its own right,) and I saw many examples of sportsmanship. That’s television I celebrate.
You can reach me for commentary, alternative viewpoints or ideas at this e-mail address: Janiethibmartin@gmail.com.
Janie Thibodeau Martin
