As most people know, the Olympics have officially started and are coming to a close. This was my very first time watching, mainly because I was like eight last time and who really remembers anything from five years ago? Right?
From the time we woke up, mom and I were glued to the TV watching as many events as possible. Thanks to the breaks in between, we were able to eat, get work done and run errands but we made sure we were back by 5p for Track & Field. Then we’d be up until 1-2a watching the diving events.
I found the Olympics to be really interesting and entertaining. I would say swimming, gymnastics and diving were my faves in the beginning, but track & field is my absolute fave. My mom (and Aunt) used to run track so she made sure I knew what was going on at all times.
Before the Olympics, basketball was the only sport I was really familiar with but now, I think I’ve seen just about every sport there is known to mankind! The Olympics had a lot of sports I’ve never really heard of or ones I didn’t know would be in the Olympics like water polo, rugby, sailing, shooting, judo, skateboarding, and handball (what even is this?).
I personally prefer the sports that kept me on the edge of my seat, except I couldn’t get into cycling. I just found it to be really boring and it never really had any suspence.
Alhough there were some sports that I didn’t enjoy as much, I’ve been really enjoying the experience of the Olympics overall. I had a few favorites coming into the Olympics but I’ve found a few more favorites in almost each sport and I look forward to following their careers and see if they come back to the next one in Paris 2024.
I learned that each athlete has to make huge sacrifices to train for the Olympics and to represent their country but sometimes being the best of the best doesn’t really guarantee your spot if you make a small mistake during the qualifying event. I also learned that mental health means more than any medal…
Have you ever trained super hard at something and then didn’t make the final cuts? How did you handle that disappointment?