Higher, faster, stronger — together

M USINGS AND G

RUMBLINGS

ROSS PATTERMANN R

EPORTER

Have you ever noticed that when you come back from a vacation you’re more tired than when you left? Or maybe that’s just me. Regardless, I definitely needed a vacation after this unusual summer.

I had high school sports until the end of June, and then I hit the ground running in July for the summer festivals, holiday events and sports tournaments. It was much more fun this go-around compared to last year since we actually had good crowds and good food. I made a lot of great memories in July, and the summer of 2021 is one I won’t soon forget.

But as energetic as I am, even I need to rest up and recharge the batteries. So I went to my hometown of Hayward for some R and R. It almost worked, except for the matter of a yapping dog that belongs to my best friend’s girlfriend.

Needless to say, I did not get much sleep over the five day break. But I did get a chance to see some pretty cool stuff. Since I was getting woken up twice a night by a tiny furred terrorist, I turned on my buddy’s television and realized that the Olympics are taking place in Japan.

It’s a pretty substantial time difference, so while it was midnight in Wisconsin, it might only be around 11 a.m. in Tokyo. I watched several swim events, and then this week it’s been the track and field events.

I’ve always enjoyed the Olympics, but as social media invades every facet of our lives, one often knows the outcome of a race or event before NBC can broadcast the video of it later that day.

But when you wake up at 1 a.m., you can actually see the live event. This Olympics has certainly been special, with world records seemingly shattered every day.

I wonder if part of that is because these athletes have had a year off? Constant, year round training keeps an athlete in tip-top shape, but I have to imagine COVID-19 might have proved beneficial in some cases, as records that stood for years have fallen left and right.

I watched in awe as Karsten Warholm of Norway became the first man to run under 46 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles. The American Rai Benjamin was not far behind in 46.1 seconds. I saw more records fall as athletes stretched the limits of what is humanly possible.

It’s amazing to think of the amount of dedication one has to put in just to reach the Olympics, and the time and effort it takes to have your body reach peak physical activity for a moment that takes place once every four years.

But, in the end, the Olympics have always been more than just sports. It’s been about fostering community and a shared sense of humanity. It’s been shared glory in the struggle of achieving one’s best.

For me, my favorite moment in this year’s Olympics was the men’s high jump final between Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi. The two are good friends, and each pushed the other towards greatness. Both reached the same height, and the two friends refused a jump off to determine a single champion, so now both are gold medalists.

This is the sort of display that the world needs more of, and this is why sport is so important. It unites us and reminds us that barriers are meant to be shattered.