I enjoy sports, athleticism and the consistency it takes to be an athlete, but I am impressed with the level of commitment it takes to become an Olympian. I look forward to and enjoy the Olympics. I learn and notice something new and/or different with each Olympic game. This year was the first year I watched the @Paralympic games with anticipation, intention and purpose. Normally, I would only watch them as time permitted based on my schedule or when I thought about it. I never played sports, although I always wanted to play flag football, track & field and gymnastics.
I enjoyed this year's @ParisOlympics game even more because there were so many different #competitions to anticipate. I enjoyed having the option of watching the Olympic game on @NBC and then watch it again on @Peacock. Although, I was saddened to see the reaction some of the athletes had as well as their family and friends showing disappointment when they did not win the GOLD. I understand that the goal may be to achieve that top prize, but there is nothing to be disappointed about if they received a medal during the games. To #medal at the Olympic games means you competed against hundreds of thousands of the best athletes each country had to offer and finished as the TOP three athletes in all the nations, nothing to feel bad about at all.
When you really breakdown the number of skilled athletes each person had to compete against in each discipline, in order to earn that coveted spot of being called an Olympian, and medal, is no small feat!! These athletes compete at the local, state, regional, and national levels; and track and field competitions continue to determine the final athletes up until the day before the finals.
Once the finals are selected, it is the BEST competing against the BEST. For example, how St. Lucia's @JulienAlfred surprised most watchers after she won the gold over US top 100m sprinter @Sha'CarriRichardson, it was shocking but that is what happens when the elite compete. So, when I see these Olympians competing and being devastated by where they medaled, from the top three, even to the person that came in last place should still be celebrated. They won that top spot that beat out all other performers and will forever be called an Olympian.
The athlete's that have a disappointed reaction to a silver or bronze medal caused me to think about the unrealistic pressure that parents, coaches and/or mentors can put on children to perform at top levels. It takes years to achieve an elite level of performance, skill and abilities. It's also important to be realistic with children so they can appreciate and improve on their own skills and abilities but understand that failure is part of the journey. Although, I don't like the term, "failure", I prefer stumbling blocks are part of the journey. The reality that there is a whole world of other athletes training just as hard or harder, who may be stronger, faster, or more precise at the same skillset.
Olympic track star @JakobIngebrigtsen and his two Olympic brothers, fired their long-time coach and father due to reports of "physical violence and threats" as part of their upbringing and their father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, was subsequently arrested and charged with #physicalabuse of a younger Ingebrigtsen brother. The Ingenbrigtsen brothers confirm and recalled "growing up with a father who has been very aggressive and controlling."
Sometimes as people and athletes we put too much pressure on ourselves. Greek Tennis great, Stefanos Tsitsipas, was recently quoted saying, "I am nothing compared to the player I was before." In 2020, he came close to hitting his father with his tennis racquet, after slamming it multiple time on the seat his father was sitting in, because he was disappointed in his performance. He recently fired his father as his coach due to not feeling supported.
I was moved by the #ABILITIES the @Paralympians have from the Paralympic Gold Medalist, in archery, @MattStutzman; to the Paralympic Gold Medalist in the 100m Backstroke, Brazilian 'Rocketman' @GabrielGeraldoDosSantosAraujo, to the goalball teams designed specifically for athletes with a visual impairment. The appreciation and gratefulness each athlete had no matter where they placed. It made me wonder, do these para-athletes appear to be more grateful and not so hard on themselves because they truly appreciate having a place for them to compete, show off their abilities and to be represented?
#Paralympics showcase athletes with physical, visual, and intellectual. There is a disability sports classification system that allows for fair competition between people with different types and level of a disabilities. The paralympic has para-archery, para-athletics, para-track cycling, para-swimming, para-table tennis, para-taekwondo, shooting para-sports and even more. Paralympics welcomes athletes from six main #disability categories: amputees, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, visually impaired and spinal injuries.
I hope anyone that has been watching, continues to watch, support and be inspired by all abilities these Paralympians have shown over the last few days. For anyone who has not been watching, I hope this sparks something in you to begin watching, even if you just watch long enough to see how visibly impaired athletes compete in swimming, goalball, blind sprinters, soccer and more!!! Allow it to change your perspective on the paralympic games the athletes and the expectations that you put on yourself as you test the limits on your abilities or limitations.
Just remember we are all battling through something, whether it is physical, mental, or emotional...hardships will come in life. Sometimes, you can talk it over with yourself, to process the next plan of action, take a walk to think things through or discuss it with a friend or family member. Other times life gets hard to process because the weight is just so heavy. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for emotional or mental or just to unload that heaviness. #988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline available #24/7/365. 988 is a Lifeline for anyone needing help, but also includes #veterans and their family members (so important to #support the family), LGBTQI youth & young adults, those who are deaf, ASL and those who speak Spanish.
Σχόλια