http://renewamerica.us/columns/benamon/060227

With all of the strange events surrounding the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, the scandals and the many falls of Olympic metal hopefuls, there has been little attention put on athletes who went to the games and overcame obstacles and achieved a metal. Still there are some who went to the games not necessarily coming out with a metal, but they learned something about themselves, and they enjoyed mingling with the great athletes around the world. It wasn't about winning metals to them.

For example, Jeret "Speedy" Peterson came in seventh place, but nevertheless completed his signature jump in freestyle aerials (skiing) called the "Tornado", which left me sitting in front of my TV ...jaw dropped wide open, wondering if he's lost his sanity.

I can't leave out the amazing aerial stunts of Shaun White aka "The Flying Tomato". Shaun won a gold metal in men's half-pipe (snowboarding). He is the type of athlete who you can tell loves the sport of snowboarding, and I'm sure he wouldn't have minded if he didn't get a medal. He just loves to fly.

The U.S. can still be proud that it has sent to Torino, one of the most energetic go-getters in the U.S.'s history of the Winter Olympic Games.

The wonderful showmanship of Belbin and Agosto in Ice Dancing was worthy of a silver metal. The U.S. has not won a metal in Ice Dancing since 1976. For the first time, the US won a metal in curling. The U.S. men's curling team snagged a bronze metal beating Great Britain in the event.

These are notable firsts, so we should be proud of Team USA for really "bringing it" and representing the USA well.

One amazing story got my full attention. And that was that of men's speed skater Shani Davis. Davis became the first black athlete to win a metal in an individual event in the Winter Games. He earned a gold metal in the 1000m men's individual speed skating event, and a silver in 1500m. He came to the Olympics with a specific goal in mind, to stay focused and to go after what he wanted. Even as sparks flew between him and fellow speed skater Chad Hedrick, Davis knew what he had to do. And he accomplished it. He showed great strength under pressure.

I was pleased at Davis' poise and professionalism, as he wanted to be a good example to those watching back in his hometown of Chicago. He has reiterated how important it is to remain professional when you are representing your country. Davis was the epitome of class, and a good role model to all.

Shani Davis is also the perfect example of what one can do if he/she does not allow the color of their skin to keep them from success. One should never be deterred from diving into a certain sport or business venture in life because they feel it is unrealistic or unreachable because of their skin color. Be bold like Shani and be that pioneer! Shani's accomplishments serve to remind us that anything is possible, and that all people can go for their dreams and succeed... if they believe they can succeed.

When looking back on the Olympics, I think we all have to remember that the athletes we send to the Games are just ordinary people like you and I...people who had the guts to pursue their dreams. They are not superhuman, they have flaws. We cannot and shouldn't put pressure on them and expect that they will sweep gold every time. But we can support their endeavor to win.

The spirit of the Games is not about winning gold and fame. To me, it's about being proud to represent your country on the world stage. It's about facing adversity during competition, but choosing to forge ahead anyway. Such was the case as I watched the wonderful and inspiring performance of Zhang Dan, a Chinese pairs skater who fell hard during her routine during the pairs free skate. Zhang Dan fell into a split, hurting her knee. After the devastating fall, Zhang Dan took a few moments trying to compose herself, and decided with partner Zhang Hao to continue skating. Her fierce determination had the crowd roaring with admiration. And as they finished the routine (with Zhang Dan landing a jump on her hurt knee) the audience gave the Chinese pair a standing ovation. The end result...they won a silver in pairs skating! Such an inspiring story, grit and determination! I haven't seen such strength and determination like that in years!

And so what if they weren't Americans. When an athlete displays such courage and strength, we should all be happy for them and applaud.

True Olympians display humility, courage, and discipline, and are a light to those who wish to follow them. To those who displayed these characteristics, I salute you. And we need more role models like you in this day and age. So as I read that the Olympics were somehow a let-down this year, I'm reminded of the amazing accomplishments and barriers some athletes have broken to achieve what they have. There were some great moments in Torino, that is what I want to take away from these Games.

To view Felicia Benamon's article: The 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino... and previous articles she's written, see RenewAmerica.us:

http://renewamerica.us/columns/benamon/060227

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