Tokyo Olympics 2021
The days are over at last. I'll be missing the thrill of putting on my glasses and running to the TV between chores to catch their phenomenal moments of triumph.
The remarkable men and women sporting their respective country's jerseys proudly, participated in sprinting, diving, throwing, biking, swimming, jumping, riding, and many more with an aspiration to be crowned as 'triumvirate of excellence'. Unfortunately a staggering 68,000 seats went empty to combat the unprecedented pandemic, yet billions of spectators kept their eyes peeled to not miss the fraction of second that decided where they'd stand on the victory podium.
While the athletes strived to deliver their best, the rest of the world stood still - awestruck at their sensational physics-defying feats. Some achieved a PB, an OR, a WR and yet a few others couldn't reach the zenith they had claimed outside the stadium.
Years of sweeping restrictions and hard work culminated in a few seconds of their action on the tracks. Little wonder then that once each event ended, the participants were overcome with joy, pride, and ineffable emotions; they leaped, laughed, hugged each other, and cried to release the built-up stress. Some had a fit of effusive manifestation, while others were magnanimous or composed. The eye-popping moments entwined with some humbling, heart-warming fellow feelings that placed humanity over sports.
Each of the participants played a blinder like they were the strongest, most agile, and most confident people on earth, and yet when the heart-stopping moments were over, their eyes swam and sparkled in tears of pride as they stepped on to the victory podium, masked.
Though partially marred by the COVID-19 pandemic, the glamour, grandeur, and gamut of events weren't compromised and these two weeks were not any less celebrated around the world. Olympics 2021 went a long way to underscore that sports transcend geographical borders, unify the human race, and most importantly stand the ravages of pandemic.
Dona, Sydney, Aug'21
An interesting read on the white elephants, post Olympics:
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