I spent a long time today watching the Olympic coverage on TV. I watched China's defending gold medalist in air rifle perform miserably, and 2 other Chinese win gold in weightlifting and air pistol.
The Olympics are SUCH a big deal to the athletes and to the Chinese public.
I watched an interview of the defending gold medalist after she failed to win the air rifle event. There is just so much pressure and expectations on their shoulders. During the interview, she broke down in tears, so sad that she couldn't win a gold, saying all she wanted was to hear her national anthem played. All the athletes feel such a devotion and duty to their people to perform their best, and she looked devastated that she couldn't live up the expectations. The interviewer was so moved that she continued the interview, while choking on her own tears. By the end, both the athlete and interviewer and both in tears, as the interviewer tried to comfort the athlete, saying not to worry so much about the expectations and that nobody blames her for not winning gold.
Several of the news broadcasters also commentated on the immense pressure, and generally expressed sympathy for the athletes who unfairly feel the guilt of not winning.
Yao Ming was great in the Opening Ceremony. He walked with a young boy who survived the earthquake last month in China, and went back to pull out 2 of his classmates from the rubble. Yao was interviewed, and gave great praise to the young boy for his courage. Yao is such a kind person and cares so much about his country and all his adoring fans.
There have been several small protests around Beijing, usually involving a few people who unfurl a tibet flag, and then are quickly deported. I haven't seen any such protests first hand. I thought there might be some larger organized protest, but it doesn't seem like anything of that sort will occur. I'd like to see China allow protests as a natural way for people to vent frustration and for positive change to come about. But I also think these protestors are idiots for trying to disrupt such a special event meant for celebrating mankind and global understanding.
My first Olympics I watched were 1996 in Atlanta, and I've been a huge Olympics fan since then. This Olympics looks great so far. If i could be born again, I'd like to be an Olympian.
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I loved how when Yao was injured, a reporter asked him if he would be ready for the olympics, Yao said something to the effect that 'he better be', and went on to express the importance of him playing in international competition was.
this drew ire from some critics as it was in contrast to what a lot of American NBA players would do, or what a lot of MLB players did in the WBC a couple years ago, where for Americans the duty was to the team that was paying them, that they should be as healthy as possible for the professional team.
I don't want to say that either side is right, but I will say that maybe we wouldn't have gotten a bronze in Athens in basketball if some of our athletes took on the duty and obligation with the seriousness that Chinese athletes do. Looks like that might change this year though.
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