Every two years my life revolves around the television, even more than usual, because of the Olympics!
Now, I was never a sporty-type kid. I did take ice skating lessons for a few years and as a military child I did everything my mother signed my sister and I up for from cheerleading to bowling to basketball in order to keep busy (and out of trouble), but by the time I was in high school I was into the creative arts–music, band, theatre–which doesn’t really explain how much I love to watch those people who have dedicated their lives to one sport, to one dream, to be in the Olympics.
I have my favorite events—swimming, diving, gymnastics in the summer and ice skating and skiing in the winter, but I find myself fascinated with sports like curling (winter) and rowing and water polo (summer) as well. Maybe its watching years of training, hard work and dreaming come down to one event or even a matter of minutes, in which that person, no matter where in the world they come from, they are…at that moment…the best.
It’s been wonderful to watch Michael Phelps achieve what no one else in olympic history has and to see Gabby Douglas win the all-around title in Ladies gymnastics so I’ll keep watching (forbidding my husband from watching the news for fear of spoilers) and cheering for everyone on the USA team!
How about you? Are you watching the Olymipics? If so, what’s your favorite sport? Or are you just not interested? Share and I’ll choose one name to win a copy of my August release, PUPPY LOVE IN THUNDER CANYON and some other goodies!!
Yes, I’ve been lucky to catch it this year and I have been inspired by the Fabulous Five, Allison Schmidt, Phelps, Lochte and Team USA in general. As for favorite sport, I’ll have to go with swimming, which is really weird since I am deathly afraid of water (yes, I saw Jaws too young).
Angela, I too am amazed by the swimming because while I can swim I never mastered diving. Not that springboard or platform stuff, but just a simple dive off the side of the pool. Nope, I screw it up every time!
I have three daughters who do gymnastics, so we’re mesmerized by these tiny little ladies with muscles strong enough to lift cars. How they combine that strength with their grace stuns me every time. I love the track events, too, even though I haven’t sprinted (willingly, at least – there was the basset hound incident of 2008) since I grew hips.
Congrats on your release, Christyne! Can’t wait to read it!!
Wow, three girls in gymnastics? They must keep you busy!! I just sat here earlier and watched the look back at the ’96 squad who first won gold for the US and I was teary eyed by the time they showed Keri Strugg’s last vault.
Bassett hound incident? Hmmm, I want to know more! LOL!
I’m eating up every minute of the Olympics. I love swimming and gymnastics the most. Still, I’ll watch any event. It’s all so inspiring! Congratulations on your new release!
Thanks Nancy! I’m watching during the day too (since I’m writing full time) and my poor manuscript is having a tough time competing for my attention!
Yep, been watching. I like watching the sports that don’t get the prime time coverage. I would really like to see Tae Kwon Do, but I catch men’s team archery and really liked the ‘steady under pressure’ aspect of it.
I also wished I could have seen the female US athlete win gold in Judo. Apparently there is more to her story and for her to be where she is, it took a lot of courage.
And don’t forget the Big Badminton Scandal of 2012!! I saw the highlights and it was sooooo obvious how they were trying to play terrible and lose.
Kayla Harrison is the US athlete who took gold in Judo, first ever for an American, and she trained here in Massachusetts. This after suffering sexual abuse by her former coach for years.
Ah, badminton…geez, who thought we would see a scandal in that sport?
For me it’s gymnastics all the way. As a former competitive gymnast myself, its impossible for me to NOT watch those girls. It brings back so many wonderful memories. I cried when the women won Team Gold, just like I did when the Magnificent 7 won back in ’96. I’ve even been checking the scores during the day because I can’t wait until the evening broadcasts!
I also love to watch swimming and diving, indoor and beach volleyball, and sometimes soccer. And I used to watch softball, unfortunately its no longer an olympic sport.
Congrats on your new release, Christyne. Can’t wait to read it!
I will admit that during the woman’s team competition I paused before each of the beam and floor exercises, waited a few minutes and then fast forwarded (just in case there was a fall!) and then went back and watched them in real time…isn’t that terrible? LOL!
I, too, was never into sports and did the music thing mostly – but love love love the Olympics. Some of my best memories as a kid were watching the Olympics with my parents. The first athlete I remember seeing was Olga Korbut in 1972 and in 1976 I watched Nadia score her perfect 10 in a hotel in Washington DC with my parents. I sat on the couch with my first boyfriend watching the 1980 Hockey Team beat the Russians and then go on to win gold. Now I get to share the Olympics with my daughter. Last night, we grabbed each others arms watching Gabby win gold!
Wow, lots of great memories, Jennifer! I too remember watching the ’80 hockey team’s victory over the USSR!! At times like these I wish my daughter still lived at home so we could watch them together too!
On Monday, we had two of the kids here (hubby and I have seven total!) with their significant others, and the woman’s water polo team kept interrupting our conversations…LOL!
It’s all about the swimming for me, but I’m too impatient to wait until night for the results, and I’m falling asleep by the time they show the swimmers! But I’m thrilled with our team!:)
Oh, its been a fight to stay awake at times for me, Leanne! And the morning comes too early as I try to stay up and finally watch the news at midnight!
i wouldnt mind watching the gymnastics, thats the one i really like but i keep forgetting to check as to when there on. but i was talking to my 10 year old nephew yesterday and he was all….the gymnastics is cool they;re flipping and tumbling and doing everything lol
Sounds like your nephew might need to get into a class, Amy!
Normally I tend toward the more creative sports like ice skating and gymnastics and anything with horses, but this year my mom and I happened to be waiting for tires to be put on her car during the US/China women’s volleyball and the mechanics were darn lucky that the game finished when they did or we wouldn’t have left. I was also heartbroken by what happened to the Korean women’s fencer. She was completely cheated of the gold!
Oh, those volleyball players are amazing, aren’t they? Both those who play on hardwood and those who play on the sand.
I’m a winter Olympics watcher. I understand the sports better. But I have been following the women’s soccer. And have my fingers crossed for Monday.
Oh, I love the winter games too, Linda! Been watching the ice skating since the Dorothy Hammill days!
I like watching everything! I’m a huge tennis fan year round, so it makes it even more exciting to watch it at the olympics. I just feel bad that they have to put in so much work, playing every day in matches that last hours, and then only 3 get medals at the end of the week. Doesn’t seem fair when the other people compete for a few minutes and have multiple events for chances to win… I think everyone is just happy to be there though, I guess it is still worthwhile.
I was watching the tennis this morning, Laura and you are right, those are long games they play!
Love the Olympics. Haven’t had time to watch much this year, though….Always a fascination for the gymnastics.
There’s still time, Christine as the individual gymnastics events are still to come!
I love watching the majority of the sports played, there are a few that I really don’t understand. But for the most part I like learning about the sports that I don’t know or have never even heard of. I like cheering on our Olympians but I also like cheering the underdogs from other countries as well. I cannot believe how many times I have cried watching the Olympics this year. I was so glad that Gabby won the Gold all around for gymnastics, she seems so happy and great at her sport.
I agree Rhiannon, I too love to cheer for the underdogs!
Have been watching as much as I can. Love the swimming and diving. Watched all of the gymnastics (men’s & women’s). Just had a chance to watch equestrian today (Sunday). Wish they would show more equestrian event’s on NBC and not their sports channel that I don’t get.
I was watching the equestrian today too, Ruth…so beautiful!
Equestrian for me, too, Ruth, as this is my daughter’s sport. Australia did terribly in the Eventing competition, and not so great in the Show-jumping so far, but our Edwina Tops-Alexander may win something.
We have great coverage on our cable, here, with every minute broadcast live.
Many, many thanks. Looking forward to reading it. Love the series.
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