The just-concluded Olympics were a huge triumph for the United States, whose athletes were almost universally likable and patriotic while keeping domestic politics at bay. And it was icing on the cake that Team USA beat team China both in gold medals and, overwhelmingly, in total medals.
For those who missed the events, consider this as one man’s opinion, with must-watch links supplied, on the four most memorably joyous U.S. celebrations and the three most memorable athletic triumphs of these games.
I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything as infectiously wonderful, in a lifetime of watching sports, as the Alaskan hometown celebration of bunny-hopping children being thrilled by swimmer Lydia Jacoby’s gold in the 100-meter breaststroke. The small-town community pride on display, the idea (in Jacoby’s words at the 2:12 mark here) that “we did this together” reminds us that in the Olympics, these hard-working athletes really do represent all of us, or at least us at our best.
Wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock’s celebration went viral when, with the most winsome smile imaginable, she told the world, “I love representing the U.S. I freakin’ love living there. I love it, and I’m so happy I get to represent U-S…A!” Surely no Chinese athlete under the current regime will ever effervesce that way, not believably.
Speaking of wrestling, if you claimed to have seen a 260-pound man do a perfect land-based backflip before this Olympics, you might be called a liar. Not any longer — not after Gable Steveson’s display after his final half-second, comeback gold-medal win.
In the last of my favorite celebrations, the chiseled, major-tattooed male swimming sprinters look like tough-guy Navy SEALs, but the tears of joy from five-gold-medal-winning Caeleb Dressel when he saw his family on screen, and then when the National Anthem played, were terrifically human and poignant.
Moving to the three athletic feats whose memory may most endure, consider the women’s 400-meter hurdles, where two Americans not only broke, but absolutely smashed, the recently set world record. Before the Olympic trials in June, no woman had ever run the event in less than 52 seconds. Yet patriotic, deeply faithful evangelical Sydney McLaughlin broke the world record by a huge quarter-second margin there and then bettered her own mark by another .44 seconds, a mind-boggling amount for such a race, in Tokyo, where both her 51.46 and U.S. teammate Dalilah Muhammad’s 51.58 were breathtaking achievements.
Also on the track, Allyson Felix, at the old age (for track stars) of 35, became the most decorated Olympic runner ever (11 career medals total) with gold in the 400-meter relay. Yet, what I’ll most remember is her record-tying battle for bronze in the individual 400-meters. Not expected to win a medal, in fifth place with 100 meters remaining, Felix kept her poise and gutted her way to the podium as two younger competitors gasped for air in the final strides. As an individual accomplishment after such a storied career and after becoming a mother, the bronze looked positively platinum.
Finally, in the pool, Bobby Finke’s astonishing come-from-behind gold in the 800-meters left the announcers stunned, and rightfully so. He swam his final 50 meters in 26.39 seconds, faster than the final 50 meters of the winner of the 400-meter race. That just doesn’t happen — but it did.
Throughout it all, Americans represented this nation with grace and great sportsmanship, giving credit to their competitors and showing pride in our flag. If Mensah-Stock is “so happy” to “represent USA,” we all should be grateful that she and her compatriots represent us, while we have the pleasure of watching.
