Oh Canada! The Olympics Through My Eyes

The Olympics are now over and I’m feeling the post Olympic hang over. Coming home from work each day isn’t quite as sweet, watching the NHL will temporarily feel anti-climactic and I no longer have a reason to update my Facebook status letting everyone know the news they already knew in who’s won medals and in what sport.

Needless to say, I enjoyed these games like none other.

Firstly, I have to say that before the Olympics started this year I had already been one of the Winter Olympics’ biggest fans. I love the spirit of competition and determination. I admire the preparation and tenacity of the athletes. I bathe in a country coming together with unabashed national pride. And with these games being in our own backyard (Vancouver) the anticipation before the games could be greater.

The games certainly started off on a bad note. The death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili definitely casted a dark cloud over Vancouver very quickly as he had died shortly after exiting the track on the last corner and striking a girder that supported the track’s overhang, in a training run. My sympathies go out toward the family of Nodar as this is obviously a tragedy that all will regret. My sympathies also follow the Georgian athletes who bravely showed their respects and determination by marching into the stadium at the opening ceremonies with their heads high as all that attended stood with an ovation of respect.

This brings me to what I thought of the Opening Ceremonies. As I watched with friends we noticed and joked about the Native Canadian theme that awaited all the athletes as they entered the stadium. Yes, I agree that those watching internationally will now think that we all wear head dresses and dance around for hours BUT I think it certainly casted a jovial nuance throughout the stadium in preparation for the excitement of the games. I tell you; those dancing were athletes in their own as they uninterruptedly danced for what felt like two hours! The performances showcased Canadian musical talent properly and were all properly themed to say the least. Not to mention that the return of Ashley McIssac interesting and entertaining at the same time! It was a great start to the games.

Time passed as Canada waited for that illusive first medal and it came with a story that personifies what the Olympics can be about. Alexander Bilodeau won Canada’s first goal medal in Men’s Freestyle Skiing with a flawless run and I went insane! Before the event CTV profiled Alex’s brother Frederic who lives life day-to-day with cerebral palsy. Frederic is Alex’s role model and biggest fan. The size of the smile and excitement that Frederic displayed as the judges delivered their scores was bigger than life. What a beautiful moment that was.

The events showcased the personalities of many Canadian athletes. One of which that stood out in the minds of many people was skeleton slider, Jon Montgomery. Born in Manitoba where he works as a used car sales man and an auctioneer, his famous moment was winning the gold in his event with an enthusiasm seldom seen. The picture I won’t forget is of him walking through Whistler that night chugging a pitcher of beer as the police escort him around. You have to love that!

Another athlete that stood out in my mind as being one of the bravest I’ve ever seen was Joanne Rochette. Her ability to perform her short program figure skating routine one day after she was told that her mother had died just after arriving to Vancouver to proudly watch her daughter compete. I remember fighting back my own tears when she began to weep at the completion of her program. What an incredibly joyful and sombre moment that was. I don’t think there was one person in that rink who didn’t want to share the pain Joanne was feeling.  To eventually win a bronze medal, considering all things, is an unimaginable accomplishment to be proud of.

The games went with out their follies though. The malfunctioning cauldron arm that prevented Catriona Lemay Doan from parting in the torch lighting was embarrassing. The lack of snow at Cypress that caused the postponement of some skiing events was unfortunate. People became increasingly upset by the lack of intimacy with the outdoor cauldron caused VANOC to act quickly seemed amateur. And insertion of poor, unimaginative, humour ended a wonderful week in an anti-climatic fashion.

One topic that really had me thinking revolved around what role protesters have at the Olympic Games; summer and winter alike. On a superficial level, in my opinion, they are unnecessary. To me, they interrupt the message of accomplishment, fair competition, athletic dreams and goals, joy, and national pride the Olympics provide.  I get why they protest. For one, VANOC really did try to limit the free speech of Olympic proponents which I am not in agreement with. Secondly, the money spent on the Olympics in general can sometimes mirror the annual GDP of developing countries. This being said; I am not for the abolition of the Olympics in anyways. There are negative externalities that come about as the Olympics progress however, who is anyone to tell me I can’t enjoy them? On an unselfish note, who is anyone to tell anyone not to enjoy them? Athletes train all their lives at the chance in an attempt to realize one hell of a goal. People with a passion for sport either work or volunteer tirelessly towards a cause that they believe in; people around the world watch in amazement and awe as they see their country’s men and woman compete and why should any individual or group have the opportunity to take that away. The violent protests were not at all necessary. I’ll never support that medium of activity.

*Note; I do also realize that this topic is much more complicated that what I’ve mentioned. But that’s another story all together.

Back to what I personally believe was one of the greatest moments of these Olympics: the goad medal hockey game. This was the greatest hockey event that I have ever been fortunate to be a part of. There isn’t an author alive that could have written a script as gripping as that. I watched the game, like many households in Canada, with many of the people who share the same passion for sports as I do and as Sidney Crosby took a feed from Jerome Iginla from the corner and slid the puck through USA goaltender, Ryan Miller, everything went crazy. I immediately had a friend jump on me and give me a hug as if this was the greatest thing he’d ever seen. Friends who don’t entirely enjoy the game of hockey were on their feet throwing fists that could have punched through windows. It was amazing. It was the greatest sporting moment I had ever experienced.

Now the games are over and I sit here on CTVolympics.ca watching videos from the last two weeks, even though I’ve seen them all a million times. I could watch montage videos until the next winter Olympics begin. I have reunited with sports in an intimate way. The events in Vancouver brought many of us joy, laugher, excitement, disappointment, anger, sadness, tears and grief. One thing I know is that one day I’ll give back to the Winter Olympics. Someway, somehow.

Thank you Vancouver. Thank you athletes. Thank you Olympics. I’ll tell the story of the Vancouver Olympics for many years to come.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/video/index.html