The Olympics is over a month ago, but I still want to write on a few things
1) If there's anyone doubting the caliber of athletes coming from Hawaii --- look at the following
Brian Clay of Kaneohe won the decathalon, which involves running, hurdles, shot put, javelin, and other things. It takes speed, strength, endurance, and versatility to excell in the decathalon, and Brian Clay has it all!
Natasha Kai, the former UH soccer player from Laie, a major contributor USA women's soccer gold medal!
Clay Stanley, a member of the men's volleyball team, who won gold. They were a surprise winner, made even more legendary by their coach's perseverance after his wife's father was murdered in the 1st day of the Olympics.
USA women's volleyball (silver medal winners) have 5 Hawaii affiliated members, Robyn Ah-Mow Santos, a McKinley grad (GO TIGERS), former UH volleyball player, and member of USA's silver medal in women's volleyball. Lindsey Berg, a Punahou grad who played at a mainland college. The team also had some mainland-raised players who played for University of Hawaii in college volleyball - Heather Bown and Kim Willoughby. Also, Logan Tom, though mainland-raised and a Stanford grad, is part-Hawaiian.
There were other Hawaii-affiliated Olympians as well.
One other I wanted to comment on - Clarrissa Chun. She attended the same middle school as I did (Kawananakoa) , and the same grade level. However, we never met since we never had the same classes. I only knew of her from the yearbook. However, I was recently talking to another person from the same middle school, and his reaction was "who would've thought"!
2) USA basketball is tops again. While the women's basketball has been winning 5 straight gold medals, the men's basketball team regained dominance!
And it pretty much repaired Kobe Bryant's image.
Previously, Bryant was seen as "selfish, me-first, accussed rapist, etc." Now, he's seen as a team player and the ultimate patriot!
3) I wish I saw more of Micheal Phelp's events.
I only caught one of his team relays.
4) I remember one of Phelps' teammate on the relays was Cullen Jones.
Here's an article on Cullen Jones disproving racial stereotypes on African-Americans & swimming.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/2008olympics/2008/08/11/2008-08-11_riding_olympic_wave_swimmer_cullen_jones.html
I always thought that was one of the strangest stereotypes ever. When I worked at Palama Settlement, which has a very popular swimming pool, I saw some African-American kids who can swim very well! So I have no idea where the silly idea of "black people can't swim" comes from.
But I guess some stereotypes die hard, like "white men can't jump", nevermind that white Europeans have excelled in the high jump events!
Or that those of "European & Asian ancestry can't run", nevermind that in 2004, a Chinese male (Xiang Liu) and a European-American male (Jeremy Warriner) won gold in track events, and I remember seeing a Russian women coming in 2nd behind a Jamaican women in a 2008 track event.
Some might say Micheal Phelps and Usain Bolt is proof that "whites are superior in swimming, blacks are superior in running". But Phelps and Bolt are mega-athletes, in which no one of any color can beat them in their primes!
Race isn't everything! though Phelps is the ultimate swimmer, it doesn't mean Caucasians are automatically good swimmers. In fact, Cullen Jones could beat 95% of Caucasian swimmers. Also, though Usain Bolt is the ultimate runner, it doesn't mean those of African ancestry are automatically fast runners. After all, Jeremy Warriner could beat 95% of African-descended people in running!
Athletic triumphs takes talent, as well as perserverance, technique and practice. So ignore the racial stereotypers!
5) My favorite Olympic moment in which didn't involve a USA athlete --- watching the marathon! While watching people run long distance can seem boring, the Olympics make it different.
Watching all those guys running past the sights & sounds in the Beijing streets, the ability to take cups of liquid from volunteers without slowing down to take the cups, watching the lead runners running in groups until the near end. I wish I had such endurance.
Unfortunately, a few of the runners needed medical assistance and couldn't finish the marathon.
The greatest moment in all this is seeing the Kenyan runner, Samuel Wanjiru, taking the lead, leaving others far behind -- and watching him approach the Bird's Nest stadium, running through the entrance, and then running on the tracks and crossing the finish line. I wish I had that guy's endurance
Reading my description doesn't come close to watching it happen on the TV screen. (Though that probably doesn't come close to watching it live at Beijing)
6) I can't wait for the 2012 Olympics in London. More great moments are on the way!
