- faster, higher, stronger - the qualities of a winner.
In this Olympics season, I thought I should write something about it too. I am not a person of sports. I can barely play cricket and badminton, that's the end to it so technically I don't have much to write about the games. I watch them on TV, root for India, USA and Canada (there's a story behind me supporting all three countries) and for those who look like they'd do good with an extra supporter, for example, those who are among the very few representatives from their countries or are too young, etc. Yesterday I found a University of Alabama player in Kirani James, so I had to cheer for him. As well as, of course, for the "Blade runner"!! (It actually took Arnab a second glance to see that Pistorius had no legs!) That's my Olympic story...
Apparently, yes...but there is another deeper story. That is about setting targets, aiming higher, winning and of losing. A good player, a real sports person does not only know how to win, he/she knows how to lose gracefully too. Did you see the cyclist girl who won a silver say that the gold-medallist was faster than her all throughout the race? The young Canadian gymnast girl bow out midway through her event as she knew her hurt leg wouldn't support the two-and-half twists? That is because they know how to lose. No excuses for not making it, no complaints for their dreams getting crushed, just a positive outlook and remembering the main idea behind the Olympic games - it is about taking part and not just winning.
If you think about it, out of so many talented and hard working competitors, the top few picks are almost at the same level. But even then, halfway through the event, you'll see some of them, probably just a couple or so would be ahead of the others. This is even more apparent in track events, swimming or cycling where it's easier to follow. Like Michael Phelps, or Usain Bolt - they are the bar-raisers, they are the winners. They are the ones who are faster, higher and stronger than the rest!
Some are even a notch higher. A 5'3" man would always have a drawback against a 6'5" one when it comes to running or swimming. In every stride, the taller man gains. A really short swimmer is actually the last one to enter the water...but even then, they win! Just imagine how fast they have to be to beat the height gain of his competitors. There's this Japanese wrestler who's almost my namesake. Her name is Saori and she is almost of my structure as well. But, she's a wrestler! Once she gets in the ring, nobody would let he win by saying "oh she is such a petite lady", she has to fight against stouter girls for sure (in her category). Take for example our own Mery Kom. Coming from a village in the north-eastern borders, with two little sons to look after, how much dedication does it take to become a world-class woman boxer cruising to the semi-finals? Last but not the least, Oscar Pistorius - running without legs? Can there be anything miraculous than that? I don't have anything more to comment on this, just that I asked myself yesterday while seeing his event - could I do this even if I had a 1000 legs? (Me as a millipede would be quite a spectacle too!)
There's a take-away for me from the Olympic games - no more complaints about "I can't do this" or "that is too difficult". Over challenging oneself might be stressful, but under challenging is no good either. Aiming higher, learning faster and being a stronger person are the keys of being a winner. After all, like Pistorius says - You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have.
Keep the torch burning and the flags flying high!
In this Olympics season, I thought I should write something about it too. I am not a person of sports. I can barely play cricket and badminton, that's the end to it so technically I don't have much to write about the games. I watch them on TV, root for India, USA and Canada (there's a story behind me supporting all three countries) and for those who look like they'd do good with an extra supporter, for example, those who are among the very few representatives from their countries or are too young, etc. Yesterday I found a University of Alabama player in Kirani James, so I had to cheer for him. As well as, of course, for the "Blade runner"!! (It actually took Arnab a second glance to see that Pistorius had no legs!) That's my Olympic story...
Apparently, yes...but there is another deeper story. That is about setting targets, aiming higher, winning and of losing. A good player, a real sports person does not only know how to win, he/she knows how to lose gracefully too. Did you see the cyclist girl who won a silver say that the gold-medallist was faster than her all throughout the race? The young Canadian gymnast girl bow out midway through her event as she knew her hurt leg wouldn't support the two-and-half twists? That is because they know how to lose. No excuses for not making it, no complaints for their dreams getting crushed, just a positive outlook and remembering the main idea behind the Olympic games - it is about taking part and not just winning.
If you think about it, out of so many talented and hard working competitors, the top few picks are almost at the same level. But even then, halfway through the event, you'll see some of them, probably just a couple or so would be ahead of the others. This is even more apparent in track events, swimming or cycling where it's easier to follow. Like Michael Phelps, or Usain Bolt - they are the bar-raisers, they are the winners. They are the ones who are faster, higher and stronger than the rest!
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| Torch |
There's a take-away for me from the Olympic games - no more complaints about "I can't do this" or "that is too difficult". Over challenging oneself might be stressful, but under challenging is no good either. Aiming higher, learning faster and being a stronger person are the keys of being a winner. After all, like Pistorius says - You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have.
Keep the torch burning and the flags flying high!
2 comments:
mary ke nijer society te je koto lorai korte hoyechhe ke khobor rakhe? ajker kagoje ei niye likhechhe aar onyo cricketer der sange tulona korechhe
Cricketer der jodi ektu sporting spirit thakto tahole ora onek help korto baki sportsperson der...kintu ora "businessman" hoyei mushkil ta shuru koreche. Na holey eka 100 koti loker desh theke koyekta matro haate gona world class sports people beroy? Segulo-o giye boro jor ekta bronze paye.
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