The Spirit of the Games

Friday, July 23rd

By James O’Brien

The Games of the XXXII Olympiad, taking place in Tokyo, are underway, one year late and buffeted by controversy, but unquestionably underway. The last time that the Olympic Games were held in Japan was in 1964. There were many highlights from those Games, Bob Hayes, Vera Caslavska, Dawn Fraser and Abebe Bikila among them. (Seek them out on YouTube. It will be worth your while). The unquestioned highlight, however, was the discus gold medal of the NYAC’s Al Oerter, his third consecutive. Oerter had been struggling with a neck injury in the weeks prior to the Games and was forced to wear a neck brace. One week prior to the competition, he tore cartilage in his rib cage. In Tokyo, he took only five of his six allotted throws as the pain was too great for him to continue. Five was all he needed, an Olympic record bringing him a stunning victory. Oerter was subsequently asked how he had managed the impossible. “These are the Olympic Games,” he replied. “You die for them.”

Oerter claimed one further gold medal, in Mexico, four years later, and has been eulogized as the personification of the Olympic spirit. As the second Tokyo Games get underway, we may rest assured that the 57 Olympians and two Paralympians presently in Tokyo are infused with that same spirit. They have endured all manner of challenge and overcome unimaginable obstacles to be where they are, all with the sole purpose of fulfilling the potential that they have and measuring it against the most intimidating adversaries on the planet. The NYAC may feel pride in having assisted these remarkable men and women along the way; the search for the pinnacle in any endeavor is commendable in the highest degree. The commitment to excellence is deep in the DNA of the NYAC, as it is in that of our athletes, and for the next two-plus weeks NYAC members, athletes and fans will ride that roller coaster together, with all of its thrills, spills and upsets. That is the beauty of any competition. But these are the Olympic Games. You die for them.

We should not be surprised that it was Al Oerter who also said, “Great things are expected of you when you wear the winged foot.”

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