Citius, Altius, Fortius . . . Veritas?
There was a little incident involving Apollo Anton Ohno that NBC wouldn't touch. And I wish they would.
As you all sadly know, Ohno fell in the semifinal of the men's 1500m, and did not race in the final. What you don't know is that he was involved in a final, specifically Final B. This was the race for all the guys that finished 4-5-6 in the semis, and was held just in case a bunch of guys in the real final were disqualified and they needed someone (the Final B winner) to give the bronze to. It has happened before, just not at the Olympics.
So the racers come out, warm up a little - but there are only five of them. They line up in a corner and skate to the starting line as their name is called. The first guy glides up waving to spattered applause, but the crowd's mind is somewhere else. As is Ohno. He's nowhere to be seen.
As the second skater is announced, a swarm of cameras shuffles out of the locker room tunnel with an Apollo nucleus. He nudges past all of them when they finally reach the rink and tries to go through the gate. But the message from the Tornio man is simple: the gate will remain closed until the end of the race.
Ohno puts his hands on the thick padded wall and jumps up on his belly to slide over. Three Torino men are right there, and they proceed to grab his legs and skates and pull him back. The third skater is announced. By this time the Americans can see what's happening, and from the opposite side of the stadium, it looks like he can't make it over, that he just can't get up. But we can see him being grabbed and pulled as he digs one elbow in and points vigorously at the starting line as he looks back. They are still tearing him off the padding as the crowd begins to get upset.
He finally gives in. It's just like when he races and the Koreans gang up on him. This time, off the ice, it was too much. The fourth skater is announced. He sulks past the three mighty Italians and begins the long walk towards the judge, which will take longer than he has.
But then - OHNO he didn't! Apollo takes two steps before leaping and sliding over the wall in one quick movement, just out of sight and grip of his oppressors. He lands on the ice and spins in a wide circle with his toes pointed out, taking a deep breath.
(those three in the jackets on the right - they're the ones)
He hurries to the starting line just as his name is called, from the opposite direction of the sixth skater, the Italian, standing off in the corner with his hands on his hips. It is announced that skater 254 (yeah, that's Apollo) will be charged one false start for delaying the start of the race. This means if he false starts "again" he will be disqualified.
He ends up spending most of the race in last place, hardly trying, before mildly making a move into 3rd. Hoorah. His Korean rivals in Final A finish gold-silver about 20 minutes later.
So yes, I took Apollo's side on this one, because he's the athlete I really came to see. It's possible he's incredibly stuck-up and conceited, and that the Italian men were simply asking for a moment's wait. Evidence for this theory comes from the minutes following Ohno's loss in the semis when somebody threw the helmet out on the ice. I couldn't catch a number, but it certainly may have been his. Of course, NBC didn't tell you that one either.
(whodunnit?)
Don't give up on speed skating just yet. Ohno and company did win bronze in the men's relay. We saw some women's heats including their relay, and it was quite amazing to watch. They were like a flock of birds. Only this flock has four of them racing and every once in a while they shove their bird teammates.
(majestic, fast, poetic, etc.)
The crowd was a hoot, too. The Italians joined their cheer with a Korean drum for a while. I told some Canadians we'd see them in Vancouver. I shook an old Korean man's hand after all was said and done. Their a hoot in the stands but cheaters on the ice (remember 2002?)
(spot the drum!)
Oh, and the bathroom was the most international I'd ever been in. Some poor woman got lost, and was told in every language imaginable where to go (no pictures of that).
More stories will come.
As you all sadly know, Ohno fell in the semifinal of the men's 1500m, and did not race in the final. What you don't know is that he was involved in a final, specifically Final B. This was the race for all the guys that finished 4-5-6 in the semis, and was held just in case a bunch of guys in the real final were disqualified and they needed someone (the Final B winner) to give the bronze to. It has happened before, just not at the Olympics.
So the racers come out, warm up a little - but there are only five of them. They line up in a corner and skate to the starting line as their name is called. The first guy glides up waving to spattered applause, but the crowd's mind is somewhere else. As is Ohno. He's nowhere to be seen.
As the second skater is announced, a swarm of cameras shuffles out of the locker room tunnel with an Apollo nucleus. He nudges past all of them when they finally reach the rink and tries to go through the gate. But the message from the Tornio man is simple: the gate will remain closed until the end of the race.
Ohno puts his hands on the thick padded wall and jumps up on his belly to slide over. Three Torino men are right there, and they proceed to grab his legs and skates and pull him back. The third skater is announced. By this time the Americans can see what's happening, and from the opposite side of the stadium, it looks like he can't make it over, that he just can't get up. But we can see him being grabbed and pulled as he digs one elbow in and points vigorously at the starting line as he looks back. They are still tearing him off the padding as the crowd begins to get upset.
He finally gives in. It's just like when he races and the Koreans gang up on him. This time, off the ice, it was too much. The fourth skater is announced. He sulks past the three mighty Italians and begins the long walk towards the judge, which will take longer than he has.
But then - OHNO he didn't! Apollo takes two steps before leaping and sliding over the wall in one quick movement, just out of sight and grip of his oppressors. He lands on the ice and spins in a wide circle with his toes pointed out, taking a deep breath.
(those three in the jackets on the right - they're the ones)
He hurries to the starting line just as his name is called, from the opposite direction of the sixth skater, the Italian, standing off in the corner with his hands on his hips. It is announced that skater 254 (yeah, that's Apollo) will be charged one false start for delaying the start of the race. This means if he false starts "again" he will be disqualified.
He ends up spending most of the race in last place, hardly trying, before mildly making a move into 3rd. Hoorah. His Korean rivals in Final A finish gold-silver about 20 minutes later.
So yes, I took Apollo's side on this one, because he's the athlete I really came to see. It's possible he's incredibly stuck-up and conceited, and that the Italian men were simply asking for a moment's wait. Evidence for this theory comes from the minutes following Ohno's loss in the semis when somebody threw the helmet out on the ice. I couldn't catch a number, but it certainly may have been his. Of course, NBC didn't tell you that one either.
(whodunnit?)
Don't give up on speed skating just yet. Ohno and company did win bronze in the men's relay. We saw some women's heats including their relay, and it was quite amazing to watch. They were like a flock of birds. Only this flock has four of them racing and every once in a while they shove their bird teammates.
(majestic, fast, poetic, etc.)
The crowd was a hoot, too. The Italians joined their cheer with a Korean drum for a while. I told some Canadians we'd see them in Vancouver. I shook an old Korean man's hand after all was said and done. Their a hoot in the stands but cheaters on the ice (remember 2002?)
(spot the drum!)
Oh, and the bathroom was the most international I'd ever been in. Some poor woman got lost, and was told in every language imaginable where to go (no pictures of that).
More stories will come.
posted by Jon at 10:46 PM
1 Comments:
only you could make the olympic experience seem so real...keep an eye out in the mail...its a good one
luv always - rachel
p.s. you know youve miss my comments
p.p.s. ray saids hi
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