What is the point of the Olympics anyway? I've been wondering if there is anyone other than Michael Phelps on the US Team (though he is doing extremely well and I'm not knocking his ridiculous ability to become a fish in chlorinated water). With China's questionable practices of selecting "performers" over true singers and athletes, and Russia's leader watching a volley ball match while his troops are going to war, I've just struggled to get in this world stage of athletic competition. Today, I found an appreciation for this summer's games in Beijing. If you know me you know my love of whitewater. I've been pulling for this everyday guy Scott Parsons competing in the rarely televised event of whitewater kayaking. His everydayness is "something to smile about". Scott was out after his second run yesterday pushing him from 3rd to 20th...Here's where the olympic spirit come in...that third place position was taken by a man and a country that has never won an Olympic medal before.See it here - http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/share.html?videoid=0812_SD_MUL_AU_CE492 .
Benjamin Boukpeti took the bronze for the country of Togo (a country I admittedly had never even heard of before). Not only was this a first for Togo, it was a first for the sport...Boukpeti was the first black man to medal in kayaking. The true Olympic spirit shining through when someone from somewhere or nowhere can bring their abilities and break on to the world stage (even if it was at 2 in the afternoon when I had to be at work :) May it shine through a few more times over the next few days.
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