The Olympics are here, and even though it sucks having to watch German athletes featured on TV I am glued to the coverage in Beijing (Peiking). Michael Phelps has already stunned me, and I can't wait for gymnastics qualifying to start later today.
I am a loyal Olympics watcher, and do not discriminate between winter and summer games. For me, the most formative Olympics were Atlanta, summer 1996. I was 11 years old. It was during these games, when my parents allowed me to bring the kitchen TV into my bedroom, that I watched the Magnificent 7 take the USA's first gold in team gymnastics. Those little munchkins were such freaks of nature, but man, with their hair glitter, ankle injuries, and "Devil Went Down to Georgia" floor routines, I became obsessed.
Dominique Dawes, Moceanu, Amy Chow, Keri Strug, Shannon Miller (the best!), Jacey Phelps, and Amanda Borden.
And of course you had Bela Karolyi coaching and Svetlana Khorkina competing for the Russians. She was that tall, old blond girl who always looked like she was going to cry.
2 comments:
I also loved Svetlana, for me the absolute best part about that "tall" Russian was that she was/is 5'5".
The '98 Olympics were life changing for me as well. I recall our family calling Svetlana the Gazelle. "HERE SHE COMES, MOM! SHE'S ON! THE GAZELLE!" Mention that to one of the Henly's they will know exactly who you're talking about.
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