This Olympics is the first I have ever watched. Never before had I ever watched any of the Olympic games, never got to see anyone win the gold, never had a real respect for what these athletes went through to get there and to see all of their hard work and effort pay off for them. I have to say that watching the Olympics will be something at the top of my to-do list from now on.
I've come away from watching the Olympics with a deep respect for the athletes. Especially now that I realize I can't even do a sit-up or a "proper" push-up (hubby taught me what a "proper" push up was). The feats that the human body is capable of is astounding. The pressure that the human spirit and the human will can endure is just as equally impressive, if not even more so. To some of them the talent is honed natural ability, for others it's purely learned ability. But yet there they are, the best of the best competing for the Gold, competing to be the best in the entire world.
So I've decided to highlight some of the most awesome gold-winning games that I got to watch and some other pretty awesome moments as well.
The first gold medal that I got to see won by the USA was Women's Rowing. I'm a big baby and anytime someone wins I cry. It never fails.
By far the one that I cried at the most was watching the US Women's Gymnastics team, or the Fab Five, win their gold medal. I actually had it spoiled for me by our local news station who posted that they won the gold before it ever aired on TV but actually watching it happen was still amazing.
I have never watched a basketball game in my life. I can tell you that the Houston's Basketball team is called The Rockets and there's a player named Yao Ming and that's it. When the USA vs France Women's basketball match came on I was going to change the channel. But I figured I'd give it a try. It turned out to be a phenomenal game. The actual win was a bit anticlimactic but good none-the-less.
Many of the games that I watched I had to learn the rules as I went. I also had to "Google" a bit of the terminology. Water Polo was one of the ones that I didn't get right off the bat. All I knew is that there was a lot of really beast-y people in the pool trying to get the ball into the net. I got to see the USA Women's Water Polo team win against Spain.
Of course, my fellow Americans aren't the only ones I watched win. The first non-American I watched win was Great Britain's stud-muffin Bradley Wiggins in Mens' Cycling Time Trial only days after winning the Tour De France.
Another Great Britain winner extraordinaire was Mr. Mo Farah. He trains in the US with fellow competitor Rupp and won both the Mens' 10k and the Mens' 5k. I wish I'd have been able to see his performance in the 10k but I still got to see him win the 5k race.
One of the hardest games to watch was French competitor Chad Le Clos out-touch Michael Phelps at the wall. It was so devastating. Everyone was cheering for Phelps until they realized Le Clos got there first.
The last game that we watched was the Russia Vs. Brazil Mens' Indoor Volleyball game yesterday. That was a very on-edge, nail-biting game. Russia was down 2 sets to none and came back winning a set... it was match-point for quite a while. Then it was two sets to two and Russia was finally able to put it away and go home with the gold.
This guy ^^, number 13, is 7'2". =O Being that all Russians are hitmen, I wonder how this guy stays conspicuous.
This was also a very eventful Olympics for some countries who won their first medals ever: Cyprus, Tobago, Trinidad, Guatemala, Grenada, Gabon, Botswana, and Bahrain which has technically won a medal before but their athlete was stripped of his medal for doping. Other countries that are no longer on the "only one medal" list include Tajikistan, Kuwait, and Afghanistan.
Oh, and how awesome was this last night!
And THIS! 
AND THIS! 
and her! 
Okay, now I'm done. =) I had to throw Kate in there somewhere. Enjoy!
Comments (7)
I never got to see the opening OR closing ceremonies. I enjoyed watching anything to do with swimming, especially the diving.
@xdeelynnx - The diving was pretty good. I didn't get to see too much of that but I really enjoyed the synchronized diving. I didn't get to watch the opening ceremonies either, but the closing ceremonies were pretty good! Hilarious and a bit vulgar towards the end but that's what happens when you bring on cast members of Monty Python. Lol!
I can't feel excited anymore. Some people flipped around. I'm just happy they escaped their conditions. Sure, I could have ran in circles to get out of my condition or disability. I usually came in first or the first female. Back in the day, those Kenyans would have had a run for their money against the little, fat white girl in the marathon. And they all probably think it's equally stupid, even though they say their cliches or slogans. Wow, I just ran in a giant circle, go me. The flipping people get a little more credit, but not much more. That does take some brain power.
Anyway, I don't really like the human spirit, and I'm about to get rid of it.
It's nice that you were able to enjoy and appreciate watching it. It was a great Olympics this year.
I didn't get to see much of the olympics, but I did enjoy what I was able to watch.
My wife was a gymnast. So we always watch the Olympics. I never really watched until we got married.
First time I ever watched the olympics, too and you had ALL my favorite parts or mentioned them...
Russia VS Brazil men's volleyball (I'm 1/2 Russian hehehe)Farrah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!Women's rowing...WOW !!!!I was BLOWN away, such an amazing year !!!