The Olympics: a beacon of hope in challenging times
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Just when global news hit a fever pitch and there was little to hang onto in the way of goodness and humanity, the 2024 Paris Olympics began, which has offered many of us a much-needed reprieve and countless reminders of hope and triumph.
Growing up, the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics were highlights in our household. Vivid images of my family hovered around our one TV and watching the likes of Mary Lou Retton, Greg Louganis, Shannon Miller, Nancy Kerrigan, Carl Lewis and many others are etched in the fabric of my memory.
As much as I’ve always loved the Olympics, the last two have been tainted for me personally. The 2016 Rio Olympics happened during the days when my mom was in the hospital then passed away. Olympic coverage was on in the background at the hospital and at my parents’ house in the aftermath. With that being said, a part of me is triggered when I hear the sounds of the Olympics, but I am determined to work through that, especially considering watching the Olympics was something I shared with my mom.
Then the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were on during our family’s RV trip where we traveled up and down the east coast visiting different amusement parks. That adventure did not lend itself well to sitting in front of a TV. Additionally, the Tokyo “COVID Olympics” were strange in general, especially for the athletes but also for viewers. I don’t know how the athletes performed their best amidst constant COVID testing, masking, separating from one another and competing in front of silent arenas, stadiums and aquatic centers.
There seems to be something different about the 2024 Paris Olympics, an electrifying feeling in the air that’s radiating from the heart of Paris outward to anyone who has taken even a moment to watch. Every day, I look forward to whatever NBC and Peacock has to offer. Water polo, badminton, rugby, equestrian, beach volleyball, surfing, skateboarding, soccer, triathlon and of course, my favorites — swimming, gymnastics and track and field.
On several mornings, a couple of us in the family woke up well before daylight so we could watch the live coverage of our favorite events instead of learning what happened on social media or waiting for the evening primetime coverage. One day we rushed home from a day trip so we could see a live event. It felt like the old days when we had to be in front of the TV at a certain time. In fact, we eventually broke down and purchased a one-month subscription to Peacock which has made things a little easier.
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It’s not simply the athletes competing that’s been enjoyable, it’s the emotion and the stories that are also powerful. Seeing the parents’ faces as their children compete, watching the athletes’ expressions as they cross the finish line, score a goal, hit that wall in the pool or stick a landing, observing the chemistry between athletes and coaches. At the heart of our species, we are all storytellers. It’s the thread that binds us to our ancestors and to those who will come after us.
The Olympics are no different. The stories behind the televised glitz and glamor hold the true magic.
In the women’s gymnastics all-around competition, the gymnasts who reached the podium all battled significant mental and physical health crises to come back stronger than ever. If you’ve watched TV or been online at all, you have seen Stephen Nedoroscik aka “Pommel Horse Guy” who not only helped his team earn a bronze medal and won an individual bronze medal, but also wooed the hearts of viewers near and far with his infectious personality, Clark Kent glasses and humble reaction to his newfound stardom. I read where his home gym has received numerous phone calls with parents signing up their young sons for gymnastics after watching Stephen and the men’s U.S. team this year.
There’s the story of Team USA swimmer Katharine Berkoff winning the same medal in the same event (bronze in 100m backstroke) as her dad, David Berkoff, won 32 years ago in Barcelona. Watching the Olympic games, I find myself pulling for all athletes, not just the Americans. Who didn’t love watching Leon Marchand from France in the pool win gold medal after gold medal and learn that he reached out to Michael Phelps’s coach several years ago asking if he would coach him? Clearly that ended up being a great partnership.
Then there’s gymnast Rebecca Andrade from Brazil, one of eight children raised by a single mom who walked two hours to her gym for training. There’s also Julien Alfred in the women’s 100m, winning the first ever Olympic medal for her small island nation of Saint Lucia. At over six months pregnant, archer Yaylagul Ramazanova from Azerbaijan, carried a good luck charm with her to the Paris: her unborn child. Ramazanova told official Chinese state news agency Xinhua News on Aug. 5, “I felt my baby kick me before I shot this last arrow, and then I shot a 10."
Everyone had a feeling the American sprinters would do well based on their performances at the U.S. Olympic Trials and their previous times, and they have not disappointed, but the stories surrounding the U.S. distance team have surprised fans in all the best ways. Leading the charge was Grant Fisher who surged to a bronze medal finish in the 10,000-meter race followed by the incredible homestretch foot race during the 1500-meter event, where Americans Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse shocked everyone by winning gold and bronze, respectively, and amicably upsetting what was supposed to be a showdown between Josh Kerr of Great Britain and Norwegian runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Prior to this, it had been 112 years since two Amercians simultaneously medaled in the 1500 meters. And it didn't stop there with the U.S. distance phenoms. Kenneth Rooks came from behind to earn a silver medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and became the 7th American in history to medal in this event. As the mom of a high school distance runner, I'm watching my own child be inspired by these Olympians, and that's been a wonderful bonus.
And there are the Ukranians who have battled more than anyone to even be at the games. They have been training in a worn torn country and want more than anything to prove to their country and themselves that there’s still something to believe in and hold onto. The male Ukrainian gymnasts had my heart from moment one as did the two Ukrainian women who competed in high jump and finished with gold (Yaroslava Mahuchikh) and bronze (Iryna Gerashchenko).
Of course we can't forget the peripheral people who make the Olympics shine, such as Rowdy Gaines, former Olympian and commentator for the swimming events. Who can’t get ignited listening to his voice crescendo each time a swimmer does a flip turn or touches the wall? I have to mention Snoop Dogg, some dubbing him the “Face of the Olympics” and others calling him the United States’ unofficial mascot. His elaborate attire, witty commentary and genuine awe and support of the athletes has made everyone smile.
I could write thousands of more words about the incredible stories that led athletes from around the globe to Paris this summer, stories of perseverance, resilience, grit, talent and raw passion for their sport. And the cool part is the stories that have impacted me so deeply may be very different from the ones that have impacted you.
I’ve loved how since July 26 there are more social media posts, memes and montages about Olympic moments than about politics. It’s been refreshing to get on Threads, X or Instagram and see beautiful moments from the Olympics as opposed to being bombarded with divisive, ignorant political banter. I know the Paris Games must come to an end and although I’m expecting a period of post-Olympics malaise, I also realize they wouldn’t be so captivating if they were happening all the time.
Thank you, Paris Olympics and all the athletes, for reigniting some brightness in our wounded psyches. I’m already looking forward to Los Angeles in 2028.
(Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and digital media specialist. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)
