| Show thick Chuck Full Ful 1 of Sports by Charles Chades Barnard Go- Go Sports Co-Sports CoEditor orts Editor Editors Editor's Note Chuck Full of Sports is a new weekly bi-weekly article in which I will share my view of sports on campus as well as abroad The Olympics is a magical two weeks that only occurs once every four years As everybody knows that magic has just concluded down downin in Atlanta These summer games have had their moments of tragedy but that tragedy could not take away from the magic that is the Olympics The opening ceremonies although long was a great event To watch our US U.S. Olympic team walkover walk walkover walkover over the ramp and into Olympic The Stadium gave me goose bumps most enjoyable part of the night was watching the 97 91 year old former gold medal winner as he walked hopped skipped and jumped to center center center cen cen- cen- cen ter stage Then there was the climax to the whole evening What a feeling it was to see the Greatest Mohammed Ali All light the Olympic flame It was magical The Olympics are full of great moments One of them occurred the night of the team Gymnastics With the US U.S. clinging to a lead we needed needed needed need need- ed one good vault to clinch the gold with two gymnasts to go First up was the 14 year old Dominique She is one of our best gymnasts no problem Well the stress finally reached the girl of only 14 and she fell on both of her vaults Now it was down to our last hope Kerri Kern She had two vaults and we only needed her to land one Her first attempt looked exactly like two previous attempts as she fell as well She only needs to hit one she can do that cant can't she That was when she got up from the mat and started to limp Kerri Kern had just sprained her ankle and our hopes for our first fast gold in team Gymnastics looked bleak Now no noone noone noone one would have blamed her if shedid she shedid shedid did not attempt her second vault but she continued on What is the saying saying saying say say- ing there is no I in team We all held our breath as she ran down the mat hit the vault twisted in the air and landed perfectly All our cheers then turned to sounds of concern as we watched her coaches help her off the mat Kerri Kern gave up everything everything everything every every- thing for her team mates In that one vault she won her team the gold and became one of those magical athletes that we will never forget There have been many great moments in these Olympic games From one of our 14 year old swimmers swimmers swimmers swim swim- mers winning a gold to Carl Lewis beating the odds to win his fourth straight Olympic gold medal in the thelong thelong thelong long jump Many magical memories that we will forever remember How can anybody forget Michael Johnson and his golden shoes race past everyone else then to see him cry as they play the National Nation l Dot Anthem or softball star Richardson hit a home run to win V W N t tc f UJ 7 W Wt t 74 k x x t Al X j y i. i h J r K 4 Y Yi v i h. h i t i Photo By Charles Barnard Stephan Marbury of d tiE the Mina ota T ves may someday be a Dream Te Teener r r and provide sore sate magical mr moments rot but for rookie at the Rockey I Revue anther another y ri rift rD w he s just an at the gold Some memories are good some are bad It hurt us to see Janet Evans loose her last swimming event or to see Dominique Dawes crying as she lost the gymnastic allaround allaround allaround all- all around but the magical moments will always outshine the bad The Olympics are a part of our past and a part of who we are The Olympic spirit that magical spirit is all that is good in sports Who can forget the magic of the US U.S. Hockey team in 1980 or the magic of finally finally finally final final- ly seeing Dan Jansen win a gold in speed skating What about in Barcelona when the man running track tripped fell and was hurt His father came down from the stands helped him to his feet and held his arm iq in support so he could finish the race These are the great moments that the Olympics are all about And and her now we can add Kerri Kern magical vault to that list |
