As we know the Beijing Olympics started at 08.08.08 pm on 08.08.08, in a year of 8 supposed to be very lucky for the Chinese. Now after 10 days the years of hard work is showing. They are everywhere....increasingly in events not heard of before...As I switched off my TV to leave for work today, their tally ready 35 a whopping 16 ahead of USA. And a major contributor to the gold haul for US is from Michael Phelps....
Don't worry wont add another adjective to his achievements...let media do that for him. An amazing 8 golds with if not mistaken 7 world records!!!!! The other one was an Olympic record. In 2 Olympics (technically 3, he debuted as a 15 year old in Sydney in 2000) he has become a legend, winning 14 golds, creating new world records and probably sweetest of all winning 8 golds in a single Olympics. That's some record to achieve forget surpassing!!!
If Abhinav Bindra was talk of the Indian media with his gold (this first individual gold ever) Phelps is the talk of world media. And not surprisingly he was front page news on almost all the papers I came across today. Even regional news channels were talking about the achievement. There were comments about how he has become the most gold medal winning sports person in Olympic history. Digest this...he has more gold medals in 2 Olympics than India in its 108 year history at the Olympics. Expectedly publications and channels were eagerly pulling out lesser known facts about Phelps like his diet, his training regiment etc etc and sharing with its reader and listeners.
The winning attitude
Michael Phelps ( and a lot of others from different countries in different sports) have simply shown the world what it takes to win and win big...Years of hard work, pain, sacrifice and coupled with it the never say die attitude. And people have shown if you have this you are part of the best in the world if not the best. Coming from sports family I have seen it in my dad. For over 35 years he has shown remarkable commitment to sports from athletics to football, from basketball to handball. Watching any of these sports still brings a twinkle in his eyes! Another example of this combination is the Chinese. Over the last 10-12 years they have entered, mastered and conquered the world in a series of sports & games...badminton, diving, table tennis, weight lifting, athletics, gymnastics, shooting.....the list is growing all the time.
Watching various sports and games at the Olympics I have noticed that over the years participants and off late winners have emerged from countries almost unheard of before. Eritrea, Tunisia, British Virgin Islands. Jamaica over the years has kind of banished US & other countries in the men & women sprint events!!! While all this is happening we Indians remain also rans...in at least most of the events. I wonder why....Probably the system lacks discipline...otherwise why should we be sending Sania Mirza who after all the hype retired hurt in her first match!!!! In the same squad was Anjali Bhagwat who gave up shooting but got back to qualify for the Olympics...only to be eliminated in the first round!!! What was encouraging is the performance of Saina Nehwal and the boxers. Incidentally boxers are still in the race... A nation of one billion, out of whom over 50% are below 25 years of age doesn't have the attitude to collectively put together a team which can challenge the results for eight medals!!!! What a pity...
In between all this lets not forget Michael Phelps and all the super achievers! Congratulations....
1 comment:
This discussion has happened for every single living olympics that i have witnessed on TV ! I am tired of this !
Apathy has set in. It sure doesnt help. I wonder what we can do.
It sure is upsetting.
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