Rec’ing On…Beijing Olympics – Part 8

Michael Phelps did OK. Eight gold medals. Seven world records. Fourteen career Olympic gold medals. Without a doubt, the greatest Olympic swimmer of all time. I’ve been reserved in my comments to this point, but now that the deed is accomplished, credit must be given. Phelps accomplished something that only an athlete of special abilities and circumstance can do. Final results aside, simply being competitive in all the races he had to swim in such a short amount of time is amazing. Major kudos. The only question I’ve really had about Phelps all week has been the placement of his hand during the medal ceremony (and I’m not the only one I know who commented on it): it looks for all the world that he isn’t holding his hand over his heart, but feeling himself up.

Mention should also be made of Natalie Coughlin, who, with six medals achieved what no other U.S. female swimmer had ever accomplished. In another other Olympics this would have been a lead story, but when one of your teammates wins eight gold, your own remarkable accomplishments tend to be overshadowed.

Speaking of U.S. swimming medals, I have to give a shout out to America’s silver swimmer, Dara Torres.  While the color of the medals might not have been quite what she had hoped, it was clear that she has the maturity to know what it truly important in life: her daughter, Tessa. How remarkable is it to have NO turnaround time between one race and the next?

Oh yeah, there was that little matter of a world record in the 100m sprint in Athletics (Track & Field) by Usain Bolt. The 9.69 is amazing, but his letting up at the end of the race, for me, sort of taints the result. This is the Olympics.  If you have the capability and opportunity to shatter a record in a sportsman like way, then you do it.  Now we can only wonder how much lower that record might have been.

This was a very busy day on the Olympic schedule.  The USA women’s Field Hockey team got their first victory, 4-1 against New Zealand.  Unfortunately, based on the results of other games, it might be too little, too late.  There is still a chance for the Americans to move on to the knock-out round, but they have to win, and a long list of other things have to happen to let them squeak in.

I loved watching the Dressage competition.  It’s amazing what those horses and riders can do.  And those horses are gorgeous.

Badminton.  Wow.  That is in no way the sport I used to play as a kid in the backyard.

I’m still not able to embrace trampoline as an Olympic sport.  I think it’s because the performance doesn’t seem varied enough or lengthy enough. Seems like there should be more.

I liked how the Women’s Marathon was run by Constantina Tomescu Dita.  Not since Joan Benoit has someone been so dominating (though I don’t think anyone will ever be as impressive as Joan Benoit in 1984).

And that wrestler who threw away the bronze medal he didn’t want?  Well, the IOC ruled that he’s disqualified and forfeited the medal.  Good for them.