London Olympics 2012

[Ciaran]

Originally Posted by JustJo

I am almost more impressed with those athletes who train for countless hours, travel to the Olympics and give it everything they've got.....even as they know that they have virtually no chance of medaling. What must it feel like to be swimming against the likes of Phelps and some of these others.....putting your whole heart into it and knowing you will lose before you leave the blocks? But here's the amazing part....they don't let it stop them....and watching them go as hard as they can, I am impressed as hell with their character, dedication and courage.

This is a very important aspect of the Olympics. Okay, so all the competitors are great athletes in their own right and, no doubt, better than 99.99% of people in their sporting field. However, many compete for the love of their sport, make significant personal and financial sacrifices and, of course, many hold down "normal" jobs and lead "normal" lives.

Therefore, to compete in the Olympics, with the best in the world and at the world's second highest profile sporting competition, must be amazing for these folk. Looking at the athletes parade at the Opening Ceremony and seeing many of them capturing the moment with cameras and phones reiterates this ... okay, so you probably won't see the World's best do that but it does bring home just how personal it is for all those involved and how much it means.





This photo, in my view, sums up the best of the Olympics (and there's still a lot of bad):



It shows Ruben Limardo, a fencer, who had just won Venezuela's first Olympic gold medal since Mexico 1968. He's pictured travelling back from the successful tournament to the Olympic Village, travelling on the London underground i.e. public transport, alongside spectators and commuters. He's just won his country's first gold medal in a generation, the delight is infectious and there's no need for a chauffeur or a limousine ... he's using public transport.