Sochi with Fresh Eyes

Post # 160

Chula Vista, California - Watching the Olympics has always been something I'm interested in, and I'm in good company at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. I'm here for a short training trip and luckily, the Sochi coverage is constantly playing in the dining hall and athlete dorms. 

This is the first Olympics I've watched since competing at the Games myself and I’m finding that I see it with a different set of eyes now. NBC shows the actual athlete performances on TV, but there’s so much more to the story than that. It's fascinating to compare the "real" athlete experience to how it’s portrayed on TV. Take, for example, the agonizing, nerve-wracking minutes, hours, and days leading up to their race that we don’t see, or the fact that the pressure of performing has turned the athletes into hyper-aware human beings. We don’t see it, but they’re constantly assessing how they're feeling (sick, anxious, relaxed, excited, etc), how much sleep they’ve gotten and whether it’s enough, how distracted they are by friends and family who are watching and emailing/tweeting, what expectations they’re trying to live up to, how their teammates are faring in competition, and how to deal with irritating media questions. (One question to a figure skater yesterday was, "you're doing two events, aren't you worried about fatigue?" Talk about imbuing confidence in the athlete!) For many of these athletes, they train and race in relative anonymity and suddenly they’re on the world stage. And, of course, we don't see the tough selection process in the months leading up to the Games, nor do we see the thousands of hours they've put into perfecting their routine in the years beforehand. No doubt about it: it’s a stressful environment to be in.

The Games are a major turning point in every Olympian's life – one that changes every single athlete’s life forever. So here's to recognizing and celebrating the athletes and their entire Sochi experience, not just what we see on TV. They’ve put in a lot of work to get there and regardless of outcome, it’s inspiring to watch them do what they love most. 

Follow ITA athlete Brian Gregg here
Follow ITA athlete Torin Koos here
Gorgeous images of the Opening ceremonies