I can’t wait for the Olympics. I’ve been glued to the Olympic trials and I am already getting far too involved. I have so many favorites: track and field, swimming, gymnastics. But I also love the really obscure sports, like kayaking and race-walking. Who doesn’t love a good walking race?
What are you favorite Olympic sports?
What is your favorite Olympic moment? Mine is Keri Scruggs doing that vault thing with a broken leg. Well, maybe it wasn’t broken, but it was injured. Talk about gutting it out.
What is your worse Olympic moment? The first thing that comes to my mind is the Munich Olympics. I don’t mean to be Debbie Downer, but I was a kid then, and I will never forget how horrified I was at what was happening. It was one of those sentient moments in my life when I understood that things happened in the world I had never imagined.
Tell us your impressions of the Olympics – sports, memories, hopes.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Ah, love the Olympics, both summer and winter. Diving and swimming and gymnastics in the summers, and skiing and skating in the winter. When the hubster and I were first married, we were in Colorado skiing during the winter olympics. It was a lot of fun hitting the slopes during the day, and then watching the athletes compete at night.
How cool!!
I tell you what will really get the waterworks going – the paraolympics. If those people can do what they do missing an arm or leg or all of their limbs, then I can do what I do without complaint.
I mean, that’s the theory. It doesn’t actually work like that
Funny this was brought up. Today the Torch ended in Nottingham City. Tomorrow I will be within a quarter of a mile of it whilst I am working.
The last time I saw the Olympic Torch was in 2002 (I believe). My daughter was young, about 3-4 years old and she was getting very tired. We were waiting at the point where the torch bearers would exchange the torch. There were at least a 1,000 people standing around. Coca Cola was hosting trivia games and I won a tshirt. Tori started crying because she wanted to go, she was sick of just standing there, and this guy came over and said he would hold her. So I handed my daughter over the line and allowed Jeff Gordon to cuddle and coo at her to quiet her down. Yes. I did say Jeff Gordon. We are from Daytona Beach after all. I have met many celebrities including Nascar drivers. Anyway, it was Jeff Gordon waiting for the torch to come along so he could carry it down beach side. He said ‘It’s ok darling it won’t be much longer.’ He cuddled and kissed her and then someone with a walkie talkie came and said something to him and he handed her back and gave her a quick kiss before going.
Apart from that I am really not a sports kinda girl.
How cool, Ti!!
Ti, that’s a great story, and I’m glad to hear that Gordon is such a nice guy. I would love to be in London next month!
that’s very cool! And would certainly make me his fan for life!
Not a big summer olympics fan. Which is odd I guess since my dad ran track. But do love the winter olympics. Have been watching skating since I was small, and now love skiing, boarding and speed skating too. For summer I do remember Mark Spitz winning all those medals. And of course I remember Munich. Love the diving too.
Watched some diving the other day, high platform. Fascinating! I can’t imagine being brave enough to do that.
oh gosh, me either. which is why I like it I think.
Husband has been glued to the swimming and running so far, his favorites. I love the gymnastics. I am so amazed at the grace and strength, for the women and men. How can they do some of that? In winter, I also like the figure skating. But once it starts, I do get caught up in all the events. First, I say, “Aw, come on, do we have to watch (fill in the event that is not gymnastics or figure skating)?” and then I get so caught up in it.
It’s hard not to get caught up in it. I wish the world would resolve all our disputes like this – fair competition.
I also get so stinking patriotic during the Olympics. I’m a big cry baby
Actually–I’m the same way Sherri
We’re #1!!! USA, USA !!! (just needed to get that out there.)…
Thanks for getting it out there! I wanted to do it but felt kind of conspicous, LOL
Torvil and Dean! Ohmigosh, how could I forget that? Beautiful. And then there was the Russian pair skaters who were just flawless and so in love and skated perfectly (to what, I dont’ remember). They won the gold, and then he died of a heart attack a couple of years later.
I remember when ice dancing first came along. It was so much fun. As to the Russians, weren’t they married and had a small child? Very sad!
Torvil and Dean are from Nottinghamshire not far from where I live!
Yes! Gordeeva and Grinkov. They were so beautiful together. He was only like 28 when he died. So tragic.
That’s it, Jacquie. I have never seen another pairs like those two.
Great topic, Julia! I, too, am looking forward to the Olympics. I love watching them and it’s always such a bummer when they’re over. I have a lot of favorite Olympic moments because I’ve actually been to the games! We moved to ATL in 1994 and the games were here in ’96. We were in the stands at the track and field events when Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson won their gold medals. SO thrilling! We also saw men’s gymnastics which was a real opener. You don’t really see this on tv but those guys change their clothes right out in the open. Yowza! Everyone’s a winner! We also saw canoeing which was interesting because who knew they stood up to row??
My top 3 fave televised events are when Doroty Hamill won her gold medal in skating, when Torvill and Dean skated to Ravel’s Bolero, and my number one fave moment was Franz Klammer’s gold medal downhill run at the 1976 Innsbruck games. Gravity defying and totally awesome!