Unsung Heroes
By Missy Park • Aug 27th, 2008 • Category: Missy's MusingsUnsung heroes. Yes, there are the obvious heroes: the Dream Team—male and female, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt. But there are also the stories of a quieter, more genuine kind of inspiration. Some of my favorite moments didn’t necessarily involve marquee-athletes winning gold medals, but rather the great, unsung heroes who showed both strength and grace during adversity.
Lolo Jones showing that it’s possible to be a champion even when you lose.
The business like poise of the Chinese gymnasts and divers…I don’t care how old they are.
The U.S. women’s soccer team’s Wambach-less gold medal…there is no “I” in “team.”
The bouncy, girl-next-door energy and optimism of Shawn Johnson.
Hope Solo the ostracized American soccer goalie who delivered for her team and recovered from her own year of discontent.
The Japanese softball gold medal achieved in the face of the US juggernaut.
Dara Torres—Yahhhhooo for 40 somethings!!!!
Who were the unsung heroes in your Olympic summer?
Missy Park, Founder
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Wren says:
August 28th, 2008 - 6:31amI loved the story of the woman that did the open swimming with one leg.
Wow! What an inspiration. I can’t remember her name or even what country she is from.
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Debbie says:
August 28th, 2008 - 6:47amMy unsung hero was the 41 year old female swimmer who proved age does not dictate fitness. She worked and met her goals and acheived greatness before all of us.
For all of the over 50 women who are working toward our fitness goals, she inspired me.
Debbie
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Mrs. Lamb says:
August 28th, 2008 - 7:44amThe US Women’s 8+ winning rowing gold! Talk about unsung — we heard almost nothing about them, but come on… they were amazing!
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Sue says:
August 28th, 2008 - 7:56amJeannie Longo, who at 49 years old, just competed in the Beijing Olympics for France in cycling. She finished fourth in the time trial, just out of the medals. These were her seventh games. Along with Dara Torres and 33 year old German gymast Oksana Chusovitina, she proved that age can be a read advantage on the competition! Rock on ladies!
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Ann Brennan says:
August 28th, 2008 - 8:47amI didn’t see it but my husband told me how before one of the races one of the other female swimmers had a wardrobe malfunction and how Dara spoke with a judge and the other swimmers and helped to delay the race in order to give the other swimmer time to get ready. I loved that. Of course I the one that stops to check on the runner who walks in a marathon or looks like they aren’t doing well. My husband is always telling me that my time would be better if I stopped doing this but a couple of times I have come across someone who might not have finished if I hadn’t stopped to check on them and encourage them. I love to see someone at such a competitive level playing the mom as well. I am right with you! Yahoo 40 somethings!
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That’s what I love about the women’s races. Most of us watch out for everyone else. I never worried about my daughter doing women’s races and triathlons when she was young because I knew if something happened, someone would help her. Generally, the front runners don’t help, but that’s what was amazing about Dara. She is a front runner, yet she’s still looking out for and taking care of her competition.
Ann - thanks for being a great sportswoman. Encouraging and checking on your fellow racers is certainly worth the few minutes added to your time.
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Rita Willmott says:
August 28th, 2008 - 9:24amMissy,
I liked the USA women’s rowing team. They did not receive a lot of media attention, but their accomplishment was stunning. It takes a lot of talent to do something where you are not able to see the finish line because it is behind you. I hope they can inspire more people to get into rowing.
Rita Willmott
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Katie Thompson says:
August 28th, 2008 - 10:16amMy favorite moment of the Olympics was the woman’s 10k. NBC only showed 9min of the 30min race, but it was amazing. The race one of the two fastest female 10ks ever run, and Shalane Flanagan was only the 2nd U.S. female to ever place in the event. She also ran a pr and got another American Record.
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Rhea Kaci says:
August 28th, 2008 - 1:51pmMy favorite moments were the minutes after He Kexin of the Chinese women’s gymnastics team lost her grip on the uneven bars during the prelims and fell. I saw such sisterly sympathy and understanding from all her teamates. NBC commentator Tim Daggett exclaimed, “Yikes that was far!!” with such sincerety nanoseconds before she slipped, and then he sympathized with a comment on how they had seen her do that move a million times before without falling. I admire the sportsmanship of our former olympic team commentator, regardless of which team he’s watching. I’m really happy to see Missy Park’s comment on the Chinese gymnasts and divers.
Runner-up moment: the giddiness of the US women’s beach volleyball ladies when they won! Such giggling and jumping was the opposite of their intense ferocity on court.
I love how the Olympics makes everyone sit an inch taller, no matter who’s face is on screen. Sports are sports, whoever the players.
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Leigh Ann says:
August 28th, 2008 - 5:59pmDara Torres was my own personal inspiration….as an old time swimmer myself, (and only slightly older than Dara) she provided great inspiration. But as others have said, she has priorities soooooo right. The glory isn’t in the gold, the glory is in the effort and the personal committment to get there. Her committment was not just to herself and her goals, but to sport as it should be played!
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Maggs says:
August 29th, 2008 - 3:04amRohullah Nikpai, 21 yr old from Afghanistan-bronze medal taekwondo
Natalie du Toi, lost her leg and still swam 10K
Maarten van der Weijden, overcame leukemia to win gold in the 10K swim
Oksana Chusovitina, 33 yr old german gymnast. Won silver on the vault. Moved to Germany for her son to get medical treatment.
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Marliss says:
August 29th, 2008 - 6:59amMy favorite moment was when the 38-year old mother of a 17 year old son won the Women’s Marathon.
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Pam says:
August 29th, 2008 - 12:35pmThey are all heroes in my opinion. Anyone that works that hard to even get to the Olympics, never mind winning a medal is a true champion. Cheers to Dara Torres - she is a true sportswoman! Michael Phelps - amazing! But, I have to agree with Marliss above regarding the favorite Olympic moment. I really enjoyed watching the Women’s Marathon and was blown away by the speed and determination of the Romanian who won. As a 49 year old runner (soon to be 50) she really gave me a reason to work on my speed!
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Stacy Koepplin says:
August 30th, 2008 - 9:26amI would have to say the women’s 8+ (rowing) and Michelle Guerette (the woman’s single scull) who won silver. I love the 8+ who were finally able to beat the Romanians and the Dutch and avenge their loss in Athens. I also loved that most of them sung (and sung loudly) the national anthem. When I was training with the team to sing or not to sing was a big debate. I think that after you have won a gold medal for the United States you can’t help to be moved to sing at least the “Land of the free, and the home of the Brave!”. As Michelle Guerette missed gold by .43 seconds in an event that is historically weak for U.S. rowing. You go girl!
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Lee says:
September 15th, 2008 - 9:43pmAfter all the hype around training of US elite women for the marathon I thought it was stunning that even the faves can get hurt or sick and a Constantina Tomescu can come from nowhere to leave everyone far behind. And it’s a comfort to me as an aging athlete that even if I might get hurt before a race and not be able to run, it happens to everybody - even the best in the world!
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Mary says:
September 20th, 2008 - 3:35pmFor grace under pressure, I continue to think of Sylvie Frechette, of Canada’s synchronized swim team in the early 90’s. She went to the Olympics just days after her fiance had committed suicide, and competed to what should have been a gold medal, but was cheated of it when one of the judges pressed a wrong number on the computer scoring system. Astonishingly, even though the judge recognized her mistake, Sylvie was not recognized as the gold medalist until much much later. No complaints, head high and gracious.
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Karen says:
September 26th, 2008 - 1:09pmCongrats to all the athletes what a truely amazing accomplishment and experience. I loved how everyone I talked to seemded to be into watching them just as much as me. Even those who typically don’t watch sports. When the relay swim team beat France to me was truely a magical moment that I feel lucky to have witnessed and made me feel proud to be an American.
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