Okay those who really know me, know that I am not an athlete that actually competed at the 2012 London Games. However, lets think about this carefully, is 2016 out of the question? Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro! How cool would that be!
I just watched Clara Hughes compete in road cycling at age 39! There is a member of the Canadian women’s rowing team who is 53!!! Okay she doesn’t actually row but sits in the bow and barks out the tempo and hey I’m between 39 and 53 soooo maybe?
My point is age has only a part to do with your chances of being on an Olympic team. Your will power, skill and bodies ability to endure plays a role. Of course there are some sports that younger athletes do better in, so I just have to choose my sport wisely!
Archery for example in London 2012, Karen Hultzer (RSA) was the oldest woman on the archery field at 46. Remarkably, she had never picked up a bow before five years ago. I tried it once in high school and liked it, although the bow string hit my forearm and left a welt as big as a softball and I couldn’t hit the target.
What about fencing? I think it looks cool, the shiny armour dress and headgear and those gloves, oooh I’m all over that! I’ve never actually poked a sabre at anyone, but practiced with broom sticks jousting with my daughter Sarah. One of us usually got smacked on the hand and then ended up tickling the other into submission. I guess tickling your fencing opponent might be frowned on? Just a guess but not sure the Queen would approve, all that giggling would send her into a tizzy.
There is shooting then. I shot a gun once in Piney Manitoba at the gravel pit. My dad and uncle would line up old cans and bottles and we tried to shoot them off a fence post. I can’t remember actually hitting a target and I think I hurt my shoulder once. Hmmmm this is getting harder.
What about horse jumping? Ian Miller on team Canada is 65 years old and competed in London 2012. I like horses and I rode a few times, never fell off either. Not sure I want my horse to jump while I’m on its back. Yeah I think I just dropped horse jumping from my list and I’m way too young!
Is knitting, crocheting, basket weaving or bracelet making (I only use those small plastic beads that my nieces share with me) Olympic events yet!
Alright maybe Olympic blogging, tweeting or messaging athletes IS the way to go.
Wow, all those sports I played in high school. Basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer, even women’s ice hockey when women’s ice hockey wasn’t cool yet! I was super athletic growing up. Tennis, badminton, golf, curling (a lot of curling- on ice and off, poker straight hair) just to name a few. Played field hockey in university for one term, but that ball was sooo hard and those sticks whacking against my legs—oooh that hurt!
And come on I lift weights, do TRX, crossfit, road ride, trail ride, toss a basketball now and again, swat at a birdie when I can find someone to play with, fling a frissbe err I mean disk, and throw a football. All athletic feats in my mind!
So I guess that’s it, I missed my opportunity to participate in the Olympics. So at 49 calendar years (even though my mind is telling me I’m only 29 yrs), I’ll stick to my own Olympic prowess and my own gold medal standings! My own competitions and pushing myself to my limits. That is my personal growth for awakening my body, my mind and my soul! I am an Olympian!
And you, be the best athlete you can be! Get back on track no matter what sport you play, no matter what your athleticism level, you know- “Play Safe and Have Fun”, it is the participation that matters. “Just Do It” stop talking about starting an exercise program, And .....“Go”!
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