Soon, very soon, the whole world will celebrate a tradition that has been going on for over 2,000 years, but only became official for the whole world in the late 1800s. The Summer Olympics are a celebration of talent, skill and perseverance. Many countries from around the world come together to play sports and do activities that they all love and appreciate. They may not all speak the same language or have the same cultural aspects, but they have one thing in common. Sports. I have always marveled at the fact that even though they come from many backgrounds and countries they have sportsmanship and appreciate one another's abilities.
Each event has a gold, silver and bronze place winner. There are 33 different sports, 206 countries will be represented, and over 13,000 athletes participate (the U.S. has the highest number of participants at a little over 500 and Brazil [the host country] has the second most number of participants at 460). That is a TON of people!
Since there are 33 sports that will be played at the Olympics, it is impossible to show them all when they are scheduled to play. There are several sports that are very interesting to watch and are fan favorites as well.
1. Swimming and diving.
You should definitely tune in to some of these events! The U.S. swimmers are always up there with some kind of hardware at the end, and diving is just interesting to watch.
2. Gymnastics.
These events are totally air-defyingly awesome! The strength and discipline that these people have is just amazing. The creativity on the floor routines and the landings that stick with us forever are breathtaking.
3. Field hockey.
OK, well, unfortunately field hockey is not one of the most-watched events, but it is the sport that I will be checking up on. Who doesn't love watching a sport that involves sticks?
4. Running.
Everyone likes watching running; it's a race to the finish. A short distance, a little time and a ton of fame.
5. Volleyball.
This sport is really interesting. When it is played on sand it is cool to see the teammates work together to win! The U.S. team has done fairly well in the past, so let's see how they do this year.
As you can see, these are just a few sports that you can enjoy and cheer for while you sip your iced tea and grill burgers. Why not look up some of the teams and see who is competing; some countries only have one single competitor! Look up info about the Olympics or find out more about one of the events, such as the modern pentathlon...what sports are involved with that? You will have to go see!
But as the world gears up for this, don't get too consumed by it. People get fame and then a few months later it dies off. Keep your head on, cheer and enjoy, don't drown in commercials, TV talks, merchandise and such. It is a celebration of talent and the achievement of getting to the Olympics. It also shows how countries from all over with government differences share one stage and work together to make sure it is an event no one will forget.
The 2016 Summer Olympic slogan: Live Your Passion.
