The location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The year: 2016.
The Olympic Games are something so powerful and so exciting, it gathers the collective attention of the entire world. It takes a lot of time, a lot of money and a lot of preparation; but it all becomes worth it as soon as the illustrious Opening Ceremonies begin. Beijing had their big drums and their massive mascots. London had the Spice Girls and James Bond. But Rio de Janeiro seemed to take on an approach entirely their own.
Whereas in years past, the focus of the opening ceremonies have been big flare, fireworks and star power, Rio decided to focus on something a little more important: the unity of the games. It was subtle, it was understated and it was still entertaining. Following the ceremony, there has been a great deal of excitement, heartbreak and history throughout the games. Whether it be world records being set, athletes watching their dreams fall apart or new Olympians being made, these games have definitely been one for the books.
With great concern surrounding the location of the games and even greater concern with how well Michael Phelps would perform, these events have been hyped for months. "This is like the Oscars and the Super Bowl," one reporter said, "with all of the celebrities that we have here tonight." The NBC reporter has a good point. There are countless athletes that young people look up to and that are inspirational figures to many. That all being said, these Olympics have been amazing thus far, and here are just a few reasons why.
1. Heroes can be born overnight.
My guess is that, unless you are an avid gymnastics fan or you yourself are a gymnast, you probably hadn't heard of Simone Biles before the Rio Olympics. Additionally, even if you avidly watched the Olympics, you probably didn't know much about Simone Manuel until after her medal. Both Simones have gone from virtual unknowns to household Olympians in the matter of a week.
Biles, an insane gymnast not only won the individual all around and was a part of the team all around, but she also took home her own medal for the vault. She became the first U.S. gymnast to win gold for vault and three gold medals. Continuing the trend of Simones shaping the history of United States Olympic athletes, Manuel was the first ever African-American woman to win gold in swimming in an individual event. Not only will they both forever be in the record books, but their great personalities, along with their drive and passion for their sport, makes them legends in their own discipline, as well as Olympic History.
2. Number one doesn't mean "gold."
3. Even the greats aren't invincible.
They train harder than just about anyone else on the planet; they eat right, they sleep well, they hardly do anything out of their regiment. Yet that still can't always protect you from injury. Freak accidents happen all the time, and even the slightest margin of error can end in disaster, as it did for Samir. These athletes are just regular people that found something that they are incredible at, spent the time and the money to perfect it and finally, it all pays off. However, even the best of the best, the greatest among us, still are capable of facing unfortunate ends. It's a harsh lesson, but one that people need to occasionally face.
4. A good comeback story is always fun to watch.
Aly Raisman was pushed out of medal contention in the London games after a technicality moved her from a tied-third place to a disappointing fourth place. Due to a rule only found in the cruel world of gymnastics, the two athletes that were tied for third place (and the bronze medal) were pushed apart, and the Russian gymnast claimed it.
Fast forward four years, Raisman faced the same odds. She beat out her other American teammates to take the second spot for the U.S. in the individual all around event. She fought every step of the way to make sure that her dream of winning an individual all around Olympic medal could become reality.
With a shaky uneven bar routine and a pretty decent vault and beam, it came down to the floor. She was basically a guaranteed medalist; it was between Raisman, her teammate Biles and Aliya Mustafina, the Russian gymnast that muscled her way into a bronze medal in London. The pressure of the past four years, an opportunity lost and the world were on her shoulders. Needless to say, Raisman delivered and took home the silver, outperforming Mustafina and coming back to claim what she fought so hard for four years prior.
5. The Olympics aren't just for the young.
Anthony Ervin (pictured above), Michael Phelps and even 52-year old Phillip Dutton have all come out to this year's Olympics in Rio with guns blazing. Ervin hadn't won an Olympic gold since he was 19 years old, 16 years before he won his gold at this year's games. These athletes are competing against teenagers and 20-somethings.
For athletes like Oksana Chusovitina, she is competing with Olympians that are the same age as her own child. She is literally competing with children (in her eyes). This shows the wonderful nature of the games. It doesn't matter who you are, how old you are or where you're from. You're an athlete competing for your country and you are doing it with honor and pride, giving it your all and proving that age really isn't anything more than a number.
6. A legend has completed his Olympic Career.
The most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps, finally ended his reign as king of the pool after an unfathomable 28 Olympic medals.Whether it was his charismatic mother, his insane wing span or his ability to bounce back from seemingly all of life's obstacles, Phelps will forever be remembered as one of the best Olympians of all time.
Collectively, as a country of fans, we watched him grow through the course of five Summer Olympic games, a DUI and the birth of a child. He's been resilient through it all and has truly been one of the most entertaining and inspiring athletes of our generation. Let us also remember his appearance alongside Lil' Wayne on "SNL" in 2008.
It was a bittersweet farewell as Michael took the podium one last time and got to hear the National Anthem of the country for which he swam for for so long. He represents all that the Olympics stand for: his drive, his fight, his ability to move forward. He's such an inspiration and he will forever be remembered.
7. It's been one whirlwind of emotion.
Whether it has been Ryan Held's raw emotion showed at his first ever Olympic medal ceremony, or the disappointment on the face of Gabby Douglas as she realized her teammate Aly Raisman would claim the second and final spot in the women's all around, there has never been one dull moment in these games. That has made it all the more exciting and emotional, not just for us as viewers, but for the athletes, as well.
So let's cheer for the young, let's cheer for the old. For the men and women, our country and others. Let's cheer for our athletes as they push themselves harder than even they thought physically possible, because these Olympic games don't happen every day. So let's celebrate them while they're here and let's not let them pass by without notice.
