Top 10 Moments of Rio 2016

                Two weeks is a long time these days. It already feels like the Olympics at Rio happened long long back. So, why a ‘top 10 moments’ blog so late? It is because, in this age when we receive too much information, process too little and forget too quick, I wanted to write about moments that remain in memory, those that created an actual impact on me and those that we talk about years down the line. Or is it my justification for just being a lazy bum?

               Before we get into my list of the top 10 moments (Not the ‘Best’ moments, but the Top 10 moments), here is my disclaimer. Olympics has 28 disciplines, many of which I am utterly ignorant of. Like, Sailing, Beach Volleyball, Judo, Equestrian, Synchronized Swimming etc. I am sure those events also were splendid and would have had wonderful moments, but they are not part of my blog. Apologies for my ignorance.

  So, here we go, in no particular order.

“Against you, for you, because you. I do not exist without you and neither do you without me.”

                This sums up the story of the greatest rivalry in Badminton: Lin Dan vs Lee Chong Wei. Super Dan has won everything possible, twice, while LCW has won everything except those that matter – World Championship and the Olympics. And that is primarily because, when the stakes are higher, Super Dan was always able to up it a notch. So, in Rio, when pitted against each other again, in the semis for a change, LCW started an equal favorite, except for the burden of history. In what was perhaps the best match of their career, LCW finally broke the barrier. He won at the biggest stage of all. But what was the finest moment of the match and the entire badminton event was the exchange of shirts by two of the greatest players badminton has produced. That, in essence, is what sport is made of.  

Sportsmanship

                One of those heartwarming moments of Rio was the picture of Nikki Hamblin and Abbey   d’ Augustino helping each other after a fall in Women’s 5000m Heats, Nikki waiting for wheelchair to arrive for Abbey and then finishing the race. She was given an honorary place in the finals and finished last, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was the sportsmanship, that really was the winner.

The Hard Truth

                Every Olympics has its share of poignant moments, moments which make us feel proud of humanity. But there are also moments which show us the opposite. Berlin 1936 and Munich 1972 readily spring into mind. Rio also had its share. It was to do with the Arab Israeli equation. Lebanese athletes refused to share Olympic bus with Israelis and an Egyptian Judoka refused to shake hands with an Israeli after losing the bout. Though the acts cannot be condoned, for the whole world to treat Israel with soft hands and the rest of Middle East with prejudice is not going to solve the issue. 

Excellence

                Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Mo Farah, Simone Biles all came with huge pressure on them to deliver. And all of them did that spectacularly with 14 golds among them. While Phelps and Bolt will leave a huge vacuum in their respective sports, it is stars like Simone Biles who give us hope that the next superstar is always round the corner.

Women Power

                India sent its biggest contingent to the Olympics with expectation of double digits medal count. But what followed was an excruciating first week which had so many near misses and no medals. Just when hopelessness had set in, few awesome girls came to the rescue. Dipa Karmakar made history in gymnastics, though it was another near miss, and was followed by Sakshi Malik’ Bronze and PV Sindhu’s Silver.

The Privilege

                Google searches for Venderlei de Lima shot up at the end of the Opening Ceremony of the Games. He got the huge privilege of lighting the Olympic Flame. Why was an athlete with the best achievement of being a Silver Medallist being given this honour in such a big sporting nation? The answer was simple. Brazil wanted to right a wrong incurred on its athlete when he was pushed and interrupted when leading the Marathon at Athens 2004. That he never complained about it elevated his status even higher.

The Defeat

                Grown up athletes, men and women, crying is not new to sport. Crying after a win makes us feel so attached to the sportstar. It shows they are human. But when you see them crying after a bad defeat, particularly those with Calendar Grand Slam to their name, in the only remaining peak to be achieved, then it hurts. Even for those who are not their fans. The picture of Novak Djokovic crying on his way out of the Tennis arena was a reminder that sport is cruel. Even to the greatest champions.

The Gesture

                Zehra Nemati was a Taekwondo champion before an accident disabled her. But she was not to be bogged down. She discovered Archery, won a Paralympic Gold Medal and qualified for the Olympics this time at Rio. And as a fitting gesture, Iran, a country with apparently less respect and rights for women, made her the flag bearer. Inspiration.

A Shameful Past

                United States, with all its pluralism and openness has a very shameful pat with respect to racism. As recent as the 70s and 80s, whites refused to allow blacks to swim in the public pools at the same time. So, when Simone Manuel won the Gold in the 100m freestyle, it was more than Gold. It was a reminder of the shameful past, a lesson for the future and dedication to all those who were discriminated against. 

The Story Itself

                But the biggest thing about the Olympics is the Story itself. The fact that Rio de Janeiro, a mega polis with millions living in slums, in a developing country, managed to bid, win and conduct the event blemish less itself is a great achievement. If Beijing 2008 was Grand and London 2012 was Perfect, I would say, Rio was Human.

Other Great Moments

                The Japanese Wrestler Slamming her coach after her Gold, the multiple proposals and romance, Yusra Mardini surviving the Mediterranean while fleeing Syria and being part of the Refugee team, Joseph Schooling beating Phelps were all moments to cherish.