Changing mindsets, rebuilding lives: Celebrating 25 years of First World Cup ...
Top 5 Olympic Fitness Moments
1. Our favorite part of the Olympics?
Watching determined folks
overcome unbelievable setbacks
to achieve athletic greatness.
Next time you feel “too tired to go
to the gym,” think of these five
phenoms…
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2. The four-man team not only hailed from
a tropical country, but also had very little
practice with bobsleds. But they arrived
at the 1988 Games, borrowed
equipment in hand, and eager to
compete.
And they did. Despite leaving medal-
less, they surprised crowds and judges
by showing significant improvement
during the games.
But their biggest impact was touching
people’s hearts. Other athletes
volunteered advice and guidance. And
when the beloved “underdog” team
emerged from their crashed sled and
walked to the finish line, the entire
audience erupted in applause
Photo: AFP/ Getty Images
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3. American diver Louganis was attempting
a 2 ½ pike during the preliminaries when
he struck his head on the diving board,
suffering cuts and a concussion.
A concussion carries serious risks for
anyone, but for a swimmer it also means
the possibility of losing consciousness
under water.
But Louganis got himself stitched up and
went on to complete the highest-scored
dive of the qualifying round. He repeated
this during the finals, winning the gold by
a massive margin.
Photo: Getty Images
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4. Halfway through the 400-meter
semifinals, Redmond, a British sprinter,
tore his hamstring…which hurts. A LOT.
A favorite to win, he got up and
attempted to keep running despite being
in intense pain.
Seeing his struggle and will to finish the
race, Redmond’s father Jim jumped over
the barriers and broke through security
to join his son on the track and support
him through the end of the race. As they
approached the finish line to the sound
of crowd’s cheers, Jim let go of Derek,
allowing him to finish the race by
himself.
Photo: Getty Images
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5. When gymnast Strug, a member of the
beloved “Magnificent Seven,” fell on her
first vault and injured her ankle, all of
America held its breath. The all-star
team had given the U.S its first ever
hope of winning this event, but now
things were looking bleak.
What did Strug do? She endured the
pain, landed her second vault to secure
the gold and immediately collapsed in
pain. She had to be carried up to the
podium to accept the landmark medal.
Photo: Getty Images
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6. The day of his 500 and 1000 meter
races at the 1988 Olympics, speed
skater Jansen, who was a favorite for
the gold, learned that his sister Jane had
died of leukemia. The news affected his
performance, leading him to fall twice
and lose both events.
Guess whether or not that deterred him.
He came back to the 1994 Games and
surprised everyone by not only winning
his first (and only) gold, but also by
setting a world speed record.
He dedicated the win to his sister,
skating a victory lap holding his baby
daughter…Jane.
Photo: Chris Cole/Getty Images
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