Happy Olympics

I have to reiterate it again: I LOVE THE OLYMPICS!

After watching the women's team gymnastics take the silver medal earlier this week. It was amazing to watch the individual all around championship.

I'm sure I am not alone in congratulating Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson for their 1-2 to win the gold and silver in the women's all-around gymnastics final.

Nastia Luikin

Shawn Johnson
Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin and Yan Yillin
these pictures came from ww.zimbio.com

During the 2000 Olympics I wrote my thoughts about watching those and find that my feelings are much the same (if not more profound) today.

I started by writing about swimming:
"I watch swimmers go for 100, 200 and 400 meters within world record time with relative ease. In the excitement I imagine myself in the water making a similar attempt. What amusement that image conjures. In my best efforts, with limbs flailing gracelessly about, I can barely swim even 50 yards to the other side of the pool and that's purely out of desperation to avoid drowning! I make it to the edge of the pool in time only to prevent a lung from bursting and then cling desperately to the side to avoid being sucked into the now angry waters that are assaulting me from all angles for having dared make such a mockery of swimming by entering the pool!"

Continuing to gymnastics:
"Here again, my imagination gets the better of me. Even in my greatest imaginings, I must chuckle at what my attempt would look like: I face the vault boldly some 50 yards away. I remember running the 50 yard dash in junior high school and know all I have to do is flip gallantly over the piece of equipment that now stands menacingly at the end of my run. I start my run . . . . hang on, I gotta catch my breath *puff on the inhaler* . . . . hobble and limp the remaining 40 yards to the vault. I turn around, and scoot my backside onto the "horse," gracefully turn around with my legs together (I don't want to lose that 1/100th of a point) and land solidly on my feet. I lift my arms proudly above my head arching my back and pulling all the muscles in the process and beam at my accomplishment: I ran 10 yards!"

Go USA!