The Olympics have come to end, but the world should not be quick to forget those two weeks of unity and camaraderie between foreign countries. We have witnessed new talents emerge to win gold metals and veteran Olympians break world records. The Rio Olympics were spectacular in every aspect, despite their many obstacles and limitations as a host country. However, the biggest thing to take away from the 2016 Olympics is the character and honor shown by these competitors.
Respect, honor and perseverance make up the true spirit of an Olympian. Abbey D’Agostino deserves to be recognized for her Olympic spirit after she helped a fallen runner, Nikki Hamblin, back up to her feet and encouraged her to keep running. After collapsing again on the track, D’Agostino fought through the pain of a torn ACL and crossed the finish line.
These stories remind us that the we need to be better. As human beings, we need to make it a priority to care for each other. So many times, we are too busy trying to get to the top of our company or academic class that we develop selfish tendencies along the way. As an international community, we need to remind ourselves that our true purpose in this world is to spread the love of humanity to all people.
However, the antithesis to this idea was also demonstrated at the Olympics by Ryan Lochte and his teammates. These American swimmers destroyed the property of a poor man, created false allegations and took advantage of a struggling country, all in one day. Their dishonorable behavior and mistreatment of the residents of Rio will not be forgotten. Just because you win medals at the Olympics, doesn’t mean you won’t be held accountable for your actions.
At the end of the day, Olympic medals don't matter. Because the stories that will be remembered have nothing to do with gold medals. D'Agostino did not win a gold medal in the 2016 Olympics; however, she impacted the lives of many people across the world. Ryan Lochte won medals; however, his disgusting behavior has superseded any positive recognition he would have received as an athlete.
Both D’Agostino and Lochte reminded me that I need to be better. I need to be a better sister, daughter, girlfriend and friend to the people in my life. Because at the end of the day, not even a gold medal in the Olympics matters more than that.
