When I was a wee-bitty one, I remember watching Mary Lou Retton (Los Angeles, 1984) compete in gymnastics. I even had my own Mary Lou leotard!
Like any good Chicago gal, I was stoked to watch the men's basketball "Dream Team" (Barcelona, 1992) compete and win the gold. I mean, the team was only lead by hometown heroes Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. No big deal.
Photo By: Theo Westenberger/SYGMA
And who could forget the Nancy Kerrigan / Tonya Harding ice skating scandal??? (Lillehammer, 1994) I will never forget the video of her, clutching her knee and crying. (If this is before your time, Tonya (another skater) and her ex-husband hired someone to club Nancy in the knee before the U.S. Championships).
Photo By: Anton Want/ALLSPORT
I was also a huge fan of Shannon Miller (Atlanta, 1996), despite the fact that Kim Zmeskal was the American favorite.
Photo By: Mike Powell/Allsport
And while I don't follow many Olympians, I WILL be looking forward to watching THIS girl dominate the marathon!
By the way, this amazing woman is Kara Goucher - only my running hero. If you want to know more about her, check out this recent interview.
By the way, this amazing woman is Kara Goucher - only my running hero. If you want to know more about her, check out this recent interview.
Are you a fan of the Olympics? Will you be watching this summer?
I should be excited really shouldn't I, especially as it's over here this year... but I'm not really. I love watching gymnastics, but not much else.
ReplyDeleteAh, I loved the Olympics growing up - I always watched the gymnastics portions and pretended like I was one of them. ;)
ReplyDeleteKeep Shining,
Meghan
I just love watching the gymnastics part!
ReplyDeleteI love the Olympics, especially the gymnastics! I like to pretend that in another life I was one of them :) Haha.
ReplyDeleteUm, I'm obsessed with the Olympics! Living in Vamcouver was ah-mazing during the 2010 Olympics! Dreams coming true for this girl! I will surely be watching London.
ReplyDeleteKara Goucher is awesome!
ReplyDeleteGymnastics and diving are my favorites. Can't wait to watch!
Yay! Thanks for making me realize the Olympics are coming this summer! I didn't even know! I love the summer olympics... especially gymnastics. I am so excited now! Defnitely loved Shannon Miller and Shawn Johnson from the last games!
ReplyDeleteWoot for the Dream Team! I will always be an Illinois girl at heart and my family LIVED for the Bulls so of course I know that was AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteWho didn't adore Mary Lou?
ReplyDeleteAnd I pink sparkle heart Kara Goucher!!! I don't have tv so I'm going to miss a lot of the coverage. Sad panda. Maybe they'll make an app!
I have so many fond memories of Olympics, but my favorite is probably when my early teenage crush, Christian Laettner, was placed on the first ever Dream Team. Love watching gymnastics and swimming... and track and field... looking forward to watching Bolt run again (assuming he is... like you, I'm off the wagon).
ReplyDeleteI follow some of the sports in the olympics, mostly the ones the Danes compete in. I haven't really been watching the winter olympics much, since Denmark doesn't have many competitors. Though I do remember in 1998 in Nagano and the Danish women won gold in curling. No one in Denmark had heard about curling before the olympics and suddenly we were getting up in the middle of the night to watch them take the gold:)
ReplyDeleteSo pumped for the Olympics! I'm especially pumped to watch some of the running events :) I've kind of always really enjoyed watching them go super speedy fast!
ReplyDeleteI used to really love the Olympics when I was younger. They were in Atlanta in . . . 1996? and I got to go to a few events with my family, which was really neat! Unfortunately, they kinda got ruined for me in 2008 . . . I was totally in love with a guy I was dating at the time (well, between 2004 and 2006), and he moved to Beijing about a year and a half into our relationship. He was only supposed to be gone for 6 months (traveling around the world), but he got a job in Beijing and stayed, and then we had a devastating breakup . . . so I basically boycotted the Olympics that year. I might try again this year, though, now that the wound has healed. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love the Olylmpics! Love them!
ReplyDeleteI totally thought I was a gymnast back in 1996. Not so much :) Love watching them, love the patriotism around it all.
ReplyDeleteSuper totes excited!
ReplyDeleteThose are some of my favorite Olympics moments!
ReplyDeleteI LOOOOOOOOOOOVE the Olympics. Always have. My family watched it every single night during the times it was aired and those are some of my favorite memories. I love both winter and summer! My favorite are gymnastics and ice skating, hands down. Such a girl :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely watching the Olympics! We always do!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to watch the marathon, running events, swimming, cycling, the triathlon, etc. (I think you get the point, haha). We are probably going to have to DVR a few things but that's alright!
oh i totally get olympic fever but not until it actually gets here. they don't even cross my mind leading up to the event but once those opening ceremonies come on, i bust out the kleenex, get patriotic and weep at everyone from all over the world coming together. can't wait to see london host this year!
ReplyDeleteI'll try and watch this summer.....I'll be Europe so it should be easier for me. I've always watched the Olympics. Always wanted to see how everyone's doing and what scandal might go down. LOL
ReplyDeleteI had the fever last summer olympics with Phelps! Chad and I went to London last August (as you know) so it'll be fun to watch this year and think about how we were there!
ReplyDeleteWow - those photos take me back! I don't remember the 1984 Olympics very well but 1988 stands out with Brian Boitano and Katarina Witt. And of course 1994 skating and 1996 gymnastics. Will definitely be watching some of the London games. :)
ReplyDeleteI TOTALLY agree! I can't wait to watch the Olympics. I've watched the games since I was a kid and can't wait to see what this summer brings! I used to love Shannon Miller! That was the same year they took gold and Kerri Shrug hurt her ankle!
ReplyDeleteGosh...I remember all those moments so well!
ReplyDeleteI always love watching the gymnastics ones.
ReplyDeleteI've never really watched any of the Olympic games but I think I need to start!
ReplyDeleteI was watching the gymnastic trials (I think anyway- does that make sense?) while I was at the gym yesterday. I kept gasping and squealing while these tiny girls would fly through the air or have terrible falls. It was crazy! I still cannot believe people can train their bodies to do those sorts of things!! So amazing!
ReplyDeleteMy giveaway was a really quick one. Sorry you missed it! Love the Olympics. Go USA!
ReplyDeleteI LOOOOVE the Olympics!! Like you I grew up watching it with my family. Since I live in the same city as my parents, we still celebrate that tradition :) I remember all of those moments you talked about! Oh how I loved Shannon Miller too!! Gymnastics is by far my most favourite part of the Olympics. And London is my heaven on earth! So you know I absolutely can't wait for the summer Olympics!
ReplyDeleteI might catch part of them, but summer Olympics I was never really into.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up though I was big into figure skating so I did (and still do occasionally) watch the figure skating competition in the winter Olympics. The Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding scandal was of HUGE interest to me! And then Michelle Wong entering the picture too...
And the Dream Team!!! Totally remember that - during the GOOD days of the NBA (I haven't really paid attention since the mid-late 90s when Jordan was on our team!)