Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site pyuxa.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!mhuxm!pyuxww!pyuxa!wetcw From: wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler) Newsgroups: net.sport Subject: Re: USSR - Alpine Skiing Message-ID: <574@pyuxa.UUCP> Date: Fri, 17-Feb-84 13:04:04 EST Article-I.D.: pyuxa.574 Posted: Fri Feb 17 13:04:04 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Feb-84 03:31:10 EST References: <675@ihuxq.UUCP> Organization: Central Services Org., Piscataway N.J. Lines: 32 I don't recall too well, but, I think I remember seeing USSR skiers listed in the complete rundown of the Giant Slalom. They were pretty far down the list. The saddest thing to see was a short bit about "the other skiers". The scene was at the bottom of the run, only about 20 or 30 people standing around. The winners had already departed along with the crowd. There was a woman and her daughter waiting for her son to come down the slope. He was a Costa Rican and his mother was his coach. He finally came into sight through the fog and the two began cheering. No one was there to slap him on the back or give him a thumbs up for competing in the Olympics. He had finished somewhere in the 35th to 40th range. I for one felt a lump in my throat. Here was a young 19 year old kid who had just competed in the greatest winter athletic event in the world, and no one cared enough to to stick around and tell him "nice going kid, you'll nail it next time." He finished his race ahead of some 30 other contestants. But, the only recognition he got was a well deserved hug from his mother and sister, and a one line mention in a list of also-rans. I know that ABC can't show us the whole thing. But, because I am a sentimental fool, I wish there were some way we could see the also-rans short of going to the Olympics. Just being in the Olympics has got to be a lifetime triumph. I don't care if the person is from Britian or Botswainia, it's the kind of experience that will last a lifetime. The Yugoslavian skier who won the Silver medal in the same event is now a national hero. I think that the kid from Costa Rica is too. Training for the GS can't be easy if you live in Costa Rica. T. C. Wheeler