For a couple of weeks every two years (either in the heat of late summer or in the middle of the cold winter), everyone tunes in to the T.V. to watch the world’s best compete in sporting events. Every nation is represented, even those who are currently refugees. With sports of every kind and incredible athletes competing in some sport or another 24/7 for two straight weeks, what’s not to love about the Olympics? Not much, that’s for sure.
So, with all that the Olympics has to offer the usual viewer, why do I watch them? There are, of course, all the typical reasons—seeing the best out there, doing their best in what they know best. While that’s all fine and dandy, though, the Olympics are far more than just stellar athletes who’ve come a long way. Naturally, their stories are woven into the broadcasts: details on how they got from their humble beginnings with little more than a great passion and drive to succeed to their name, and the way they have now made it all the way to the top. While this is certainly one of my favorite pieces of the Olympics as a whole, there’s a lot more to it.
After the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, the innocence of the Olympics was lost a little. While the heart of the games still remains, and always will be there, the sense of peace and security at the games was shattered by all that happened that year. Now, when our world seems at odds with itself, the Olympic games are a brief look at the unity that still exists in the world.
Don’t get me wrong here—the competition is still present, quite prominent in how hard the athletes have been training for the past several years in order to get to this point. But for the next two weeks, all the nations of the world have come together to compete on the highest of possible platforms.
Another major reason I watch the Olympics every year stems from the Opening Ceremony. Each year is different as the nation hosting puts their own spin on how to start things off. So, on August 5, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. Central Standard Time, the Opening Ceremony took place. One of the Creative Directors of the Opening Ceremony, Fernando Mereilles, explained some of the things that spectators saw in the Ceremony. Choosing not to spend too much money on technology for the ceremony, Rio decided to invest in a large scale projection screen that would allow them to do a lot without spending as much. They told the story of Rio de Janeiro’s creation and its history before they finished it all off with a message for all on global warming.
To wrap up the ceremony, the athletes walked out, and then there was the torch lighting. It was done by Vanderlei Cordeiro De Lima, a former Brazilian marathoner. Little-known to some, it was still incredible to see him light up the torch and, consequently, signal the true beginning of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
With all that has already been done, and all that remains to be seen at this year’s summer Olympics, its little wonder that I watch along with the rest of the world. But my real reason for watching?
It’s simple: just like the rest of the world’s population, it’s nice to be reminded that unity still exists in our crazy world. So, my best to the athletes as they compete—united by their goals for gold—through the coming weeks.
