Cynthia Kuhn

Olympics Week is Here!

With the Olympic Games starting soon, the excitement is palpable.

Athletes coming together from around the globe is an amazing thing–conceptually, emotionally, and logistically.

And even though the main goal is competition, so many other aspects can be marvelous to witness.

The races, matches, and events themselves can be thrilling to watch, of course.

The demonstration of talent and determination can be impressive and inspirational.

The rivalries and friendships that blossom between competitors can be fascinating.

The unfolding backstories about training, sacrificing, and beating the odds can be poignant and unforgettable.

The unpredictability of every competition can offer supreme narrative tension and intrigue.

The sight of the winners on the podium, listening to their national anthem being played, can be extremely moving.

And of course the joy that comes from cheering on your team can be fulfilling.

But when everything is said and done, hopefully we will have been able to reconnect with each other on multiple levels: people, countries, and world. Such unity of purpose feels particularly precious these days!

So: will you be watching? What Olympic event (or element) are you the most excited about? Or what will you be watching instead? 

22 thoughts on “Olympics Week is Here!”

  1. I’ll be following the men’s and women’s cycling events, but that’s about it. Wishing all athletes good luck and keeping my fingers crossed there are no doping scandals.

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  3. I’ll watch whatever sport is on, pretty much–usually I catch random late-night replays. Gymnastics is always fun, but I’ll tune in to jbeach volleyball or just about any race as well. One of my faves is diving, though. Anyone can win at any time, because you’re only as good as your last dive. (Well, not really, but score-wise anyway.)

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  4. So true, Cyn! My favorite part of the Olympics is the coming together of so many people from different countries to compete–but also hang out, dine together, and share their cultures with each other and the world.

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    1. Same, Leslie! That and the unexpected twists, like when everyone thinks X is going to win it all, but wait! Someone new appears on the horizon and shakes things up.

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  5. Oh good, something new to watch while I exercise! I’ve pretty much burned through the PBS lineup.

    I’m not a big sports person of any kind. It hurts too much to watch people lose! But I do enjoy the dance-y activities, like gymnastics or in the winter, skating. And I do get moved when one of our athletes wins gold and they play our anthem.

    My favorite part of the Olympics is the interstitials where you learn the backstory of some of the athletes. I did mention I’m not a sports person, right?

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    2. Same for me, Ellen! I turn into EveryMom and get so weepy when I see these kids hit their stride and fulfill a dream, sometimes with every darn obstacle in their way. I love those backstories! I don’t care what their sport is … they’re at the Olympics! That said, probably won’t watch much of it. lol

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  6. I am an Olympics addict. My favorite is diving, followed by gymnastics.

    Of course, I seem to have a lot planned over the next couple of weeks, so I might not be able to just sit and binge watch the Olympics like I normally do. We’ll see.

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      1. I subscribed to Peacock during their excellent deal in June, so I will be taking full advantage of that to catch what I miss live. And I’ll be recording stuff on my DVR as well.

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  8. I love the Olympics and will watch as many events as I can. My favorites are gymnastics and swimming. My daughter was a competitive gymnast, and a friend’s daughter was an Olympic swimmer. Can’t wait until the Olympics comes to L.A. in 2028! –Barbara

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