I anticipate the winter Olympics when they come around every four years. The Olympics provide a wonderful opportunity to watch athletes at the top of their game compete to earn the world’s highest honor–a gold medal in their sport. This year’s olympics have not disappointed, especially in the arena of both heart-wrenching and uplifting stories from a variety of Olympic athletes.
Two of these stories in particular stand out to me. One is the tragic, freak accident of a Georgian athlete who was killed in a luge crash during a training run in Vancouver just hours before his chance to fulfill his Olympic dream. The second is the inspiring story of the Chinese skating duo, Zhao Hongbo and Shen Xue, the first team in their country’s history to win the gold medal in their event, pairs figure skating.
I didn’t see the crash that took Nodar Kumaritashvili’s life, nor do I want to. The 21-year-old’s death is an event that will be remembered in the back of audiences’ minds for many Olympics to come. It has overshadowed the joyous emotion of these Olympics with a reminder of the risk that is sometimes involved in many of these extreme, hazardous sports.
Some blame the luge track in Whistler for the accident. After all, it was widely known to be one of the most treacherous in the world even before these Vancouver Olympics. The luge competitors reached record speeds of over 90 miles per hour as they careened down this steep, slippery, often out-of-control track in pursuit of a gold medal. Were these risks necessary? Was the track too much for even these Olympic athletes to handle? Fans of the Olympics will continue to disagree on these questions.
Meanwhile, changes were made to the track to hopefully secure athletes’ safety from any further accidents. The mens’ starting position was moved down to the former women’s start, while the women’s start was moved down further still. This cut off more than two football fields of length from the men’s track, and significantly flattened the beginning of the track, which helped to reduce overall speeds. Still, as I continued to watch the athletes, in their small, seemingly unstable sleds, hurtle down the track, occasionally flying dangerously close to the edge, I couldn’t help but remember the young man who lost his life to this dangerous but exhilarating sport.
The second event I will remember about these Olympics so far is the pairs skating competition. I expected another clean, crisp and fundamentally calculated performance from the Chinese skaters as Shen and Zhao, the pairs skaters, stepped out onto the ice. As the first competitors in the pairs short program, I wasn’t expecting to take a second glance at their performance. But as the music began, I found myself drawn to watch their artistry. Their short program was absolutely flawless to my untrained eye. Thankfully, the judges appreciated the program as well, and gave it a record-breaking score. But more than its technical precision, the program was bursting with emotion and pure beauty. The enthusiasm and love that shone through with Shen and Zhao’s performance was remarkable.
For me, the story of these athletes became even more remarkable when I learned of their past. These two skaters have been committed to the sport from a young age, like many other skaters. What was truly fascinating to me was their commitment to one another. The pair has been skating together since 1992–that’s 18 years. That’s nearly as long as my parents have been married. Not only that, but the couple plans to wed soon after celebrating their Olympic gold this winter. The commitment these two skaters have shown to their craft is admirable and extraordinary.
Naturally, I planted myself firmly in front of the TV to watch the pairs free skate. I was glued to my seat as Shen and Zhao entered the rink. I leaned forward and watched as the pair flew across the ice. Each shift in the music brought new suspense as the next jump, twist or throw approached. I willed the athletes to land their jumps, coordinate their spins and perform to their best abilities. I emerged from the free skate with an elevated heartbeat but a smile on my face. I knew as well as these skaters did that they had just won gold.
It is moments like these that bring me back to watch the Olympics year after year. I don’t watch for the medal counts or the records broken or even for the awards ceremonies. No, I watch for the athletes and for their stories. The most gratifying experience for me, as a viewer, is to watch a deserving, hardworking Olympic athlete earn a well-earned reward.