I'm probably not the only one suffering a little from several nights in a row of Olympicitis and sleep deprivation. From Day 1 these Winter Games have drawn me in, even to the point where I had the blanket over my head as I couldn't bear to watch Laura Peel do her final aerial jump tonight. 'Just land on your feet, land it, land it' I repeated while listening to the commentary, hoping I'd hear a victorious cheer and not an 'Oh noooooo.' Unfortunately, all was not to be, as her fantastic twisting turning aerial landed in a thumping tumble instead of a slide down the slope.
Year in, year out, these men and women push their minds and bodies to the limit, and have to possess a self belief far beyond what we mere mortals need who are content to remain on the ground on two feet. Whether figure skating with elegance and style, flying through the air, skiing down slopes at breakneck speed, hurtling down the ice either head first or feet first, skating or snowboarding at full pelt while weaving in and out of the path of others determined to keep you from passing, or somersaulting on every imaginable piece of snow equipment you can find, I am entranced.
As a sprinter from a lifetime ago, the summer Olympics always have me glued to the screen, but there's something for me about the winter Olympics that has extra pulling power. The picturesque mountain settings are always a real drawcard, but maybe it has more to do with the fact I would never have been courageous enough to even attempt any of the winter sports. The likelihood of things going pear shaped is pretty high, even at elite level as these Games have portrayed, and the consequences can be much worse than simply bruised egos if you don't perform as well as you'd like.
The bruises and broken bones, knee reconstructions, broken backs and necks, the list is long enough to put off the most intrepid enthusiast, but for those who have ice and snow in their veins, the risks are somehow worth it.
If only those of us who live our lives at ground level could show the same courage, commitment, determination and persistence in the face of the inevitable setbacks that come our way, we'd go a long way to achieving our goals and realising our dreams.
Winter Olympics
courage, strength and flair
in rarefied air
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