Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight
It's a competition, not an exhibition. What is to be admired is the ability of an individual to perform as well as they possibly can in a situation where one small mistake means they don't succeed.
And while such a small margin seems meaningless on the scale of an individual race, that gold medal race is not an isolated event. On top of all of the qualifying rounds are the years in between of world championships. And what you'll find is that the best in the world seem to more often than not end up on the plus side of those seemingly insignificant margins. So much so that it becomes clear that it's not a matter of luck, it's a matter of will. The best in the world will, when it matters most, find that extra step, have their timing down just that little bit better. And if they aren't able to do so in the most important race, they are not the best in the world.
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I basically agree. However, as a kid, I used to think that it must be cool to get any kind of Olympic medal. It's sad to think that the reality of expectations means that someone would be disappointed with a bronze.