The Olympics – Unity through Competition

The 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea finish up this Sunday. I can’t say that I’ve been following along every day, but I’ve enjoyed watching at the gym while I exercise. There’s nothing more inspirational while working out, than watching athletes do what they do best! (I can’t wait for the Tour de France for this reason!)

But you know what I found really inspirational was what happened after Lee Sang Hwa, speed skater for South Korea, lost out on the gold medal to Japan in the 500 meter race.

She broke down in tears immediately after finishing because of the immense weight that had been lifted. There’s so much pressure and a life of rigidity that when it’s finally done, it’s just a relief more than anything, never mind medaling.

That’s when the Japanese speed skater who won gold, Nao Kodaira, came over to put an arm over Lee’s shoulder to comfort her. It was one athlete acknowledging the other athlete’s struggle.

They’re competitors and friends with a deep respect for each other. The idea that you can leave the competition on the “field,” as it were, is fascinating. It’s true sportsmanship and is something I want to instill in my kid, not to mention work on myself!

It is all the more poignant in Kodaira and Lee’s situation because their home countries of Japan and South Korea have had a tenuous relationship, largely due to Japan’s colonization of South Korea from 1910-1945. So there’s a lot that could be taken personally and seemingly good reason to not leave it “on the field.”

But Lee said that she respects Kodaira as Kodaira respects her. She said that’s what sport does. It brings people together. And I guess that’s the point of the Olympics!

So I can’t help but get all the feels watching the Olympics and these amazing athletes while I huff away on the elliptical. I probably look crazy!

Have you been keeping up with the Olympics? Share in the comments!