The Olympics were always a bonding time in my family. We would run in our pjs on the living room couch, my sister, and we would sneak in between our parents and watch athletes accomplish amazing feats that we could only dream of accomplishing. There have been many exciting, and sometimes heart-breaking moments that we have witnessed during the Olympics over the years, but the one that really sticks in my mind happened during the 1996 Summer Games.
The women’s gymnastics was called the Magnificent Seven at the 1996 Olympic Games, which were held in Atlanta, GA. They were magnificent, managing to maintain the ever-dominant lead of the Russians in the team competition until the final event. The last fall of the Americans was the shield.
Tragedy was in the air for the Americans in the vault that day. After some botched in the ports and falls from teammates, real tragedy struck. When Kerri Strug’s Kerri Strug turns to take that vault under the wheel, so as to damage it. ankle
“This is the end of the Olympics,” said the father, ever the pessimist.
“Maybe she’ll be OK,” I chirped with my typical Pollyanna optimism.
It was apparent that he was not well as he pushed the floor. mother frowned. My sister sighed. He was convinced of all these things.
I remember the palpable energy in the air when he asked “do we need this?” and receiving an affirmative answer, Kerri Strug limped back to the floor to perform another arch. A little more cheerful, the rest of my family still looked on in doubt.
If Strug landed his tortoise on two feet, he would feed gold to his flocks. But no one in the room seemed to think of this except me.
We all watched eagerly, unable to tear our eyes away from the television, as Strug prepared to make another crypt. I was in awe of the strength of this young woman, Kerri Strug, who was willing to subject herself to excruciating pain and risk further injury in order to secure an Olympic victory.
All breaths were thin as Kerri approached the vault. Which, having miraculously landed on two feet and greeted the judges with a round of applause, ascended both the Olympic stadium and the
