Olympic Trekker

Quest for Medals

We had little opportunity in Europe to see the Olympics on TV. To our disappointment the one night we were able to watch the games all we could find was Italian soccer. Come on, Italy! A few times we were able to see EuroSport--a network that had very comprehensive coverage of all sports and all athletes—very different from the heavily biased NBC. While NBC’s coverage is technically excellent with superb camera work, it has an obsession with just a few sports and just a few athletes. Their repetitive obsession with the Bode Miller saga (Bode brings a new meaning to the term "downhill"), teenager Sasha Cohen’s falls, or the Chad Hedrick-Shani Davis soap opera all become rather sickening and resulted in leaving many other interesting stories untold.

One untold story we encountered was less about the competitors and more about the fans. Upon arrival in Torino we met the mother of doubles luge competitor Brian Martin. Some might have seen Brian and his partner Mark Grimmette on the NBC Today Show when they tried to teach Al Roker and Matt Lauer the basics of doubles luge. Not an easy task! And Al Roker in a skin-tight luge speed suit is not a pretty sight…despite his claim “Passion Lives Here!”

The new Cesana Pariol luge course surrounded by the beautiful Italian Alps was not an easy one. The previous competition saw six crashes. Later that day a medical helicopter would evacuate a badly injured sledder. It was interesting to walk along the course to see how steep and how difficult it was. Its difficulty never dimmed Martin/Grimmette’s determination.

They hoped to be the first American men to earn Olympic medals in 3 consecutive Olympics. Two women have done it—Wisconsin speed skater Bonnie Blair and figure skater Beatrix Loughran. Brian and Mark were likely candidates. They are the most successful luge athletes in US history with two Olympic medals (bronze in 1998, silver in 2002) and have won the overall World Cup trophy three times.

When we arrived at the luge course we not only saw Brian’s mom, but also along side her were the “Sled Heads.” (Sled heads showed their enthusiastic support for Martin/Grimmette by wearing makeshift luge sleds on their heads.) Twenty plus friends from Martin’s childhood, high school, and college years were so determined to be in Torino to support their friend and his teammate that some even delayed having children to be there. Their spirited enthusiasm was just fun to watch and definitely contagious.

Watching luge is a skill in itself. A person watches the big screen until the sledders reach your section. Sledders soar by in just seconds and then back to the big screen.

After years of training and sacrifice, Martin/Grimmette were in the start house for their first run poised to make American Olympic history. We enthusiastically joined the “Sled Heads” as they roared their support. As the sled screamed by turns 7 and 8, the roar of cheers, horns, and bells radiated throughout the mountain venue. Then only seconds later, tragedy struck. Going too high into turn 12, Martin/Grimmete’s sled flipped and crashed. There was instant silence as the “Sled Heads” watched the horror unfold on the big screen before us. Not a word was said as the group stared in disbelief. They stood in shock for what seemed forever. There are no second chances in luge. The four-year dream was crushed in a split second. The mountain turned bitter cold.

The crowd dwindled during the second runs as the biting wind became stronger. Near the end of the final runs, though, the enthusiasm shown earlier by the Sled Heads was replaced by the ecstatic cheers of Italian children as two Italian teams had the two fastest times with only three teams remaining. We joined their joyous chants of I--tal--ia! I—-tal--ia! I—-tal--ia! Their youthful celebration was a welcome consolation.

There is often a fine line between the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, but we must always keep in perspective that even at the Olympics it is just sport. We ran into Brian’s Mom a fourth and final time on our last night at the Torino Olympics. The disappointment was still visible on her face and apparent in her voice. I gave her a hug and said, “Your son must be an extraordinary person to have such loyal and supportive friends.” She agreed.

With bruised bodies and probably broken hearts, Martin and Grimmette left Torino. They left without the "precious" medals they sacrificed so much for, but they left with something in the long run even more valuable—-the undying support and love of friends.




Ciltius.

Altius.

Fortius.

posted by OlympicTrekker @ 12:13 PM