With the 2012 Summer Olympics having just ended Sunday, there is still plenty to talk about. There were so many incredible moments at these games that it is hard to narrow it down to just ten, but here’s a list of ten moments anyway!
10. The Women Sprinters- Women did so well at this Olympic games and it makes me so proud! A bunch of the sprinters did incredible in their meets. The relay team did so well in the 4x100 meter relay, they even broke the world record! Now, that’s what I call leaving a mark!
9. 15 year old dominates- Katie Ledecky headed to London after placing third in the qualifiers! She headed to London and ended up getting the gold in the 800 meter freestyle race with the second fastest swim ever. This may not have gotten as much publicity as, say, Michael Phelps’ swim, but at 15 years old, this girl deserves a number on the list. At 15, I was sitting in class doodling hearts on my notes while daydreaming about the hottest star of the time, this girl won a gold medal! I’d call that pretty epic!
8. US. Women’s Volleyball Team- Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh already own two gold medals as a part of the team, but this time they wanted to finish their final round together on a high note because Misty is moving on. In the final game, they went on to win two straight sets and win the overall gold medal! It was an inspiring performance and heart warming as this is the last time this team will all be one.
7. Women’s Soccer Team- This one is pretty obvious! The women’s soccer team completely dominated in the Olympics this year and came out on top to win gold! The team was ecstatic and watching it would make even the scroogiest of scrooges crack a smile! There is nothing like seeing the dedication and passion of a team pay off!
6. Closing Ceremony- We can not talk about the ceremony that started it all, without talking about the one that closed the show. With popular British boy band turned worldwide sensation, One Direction performing, this one was sure to be a show stopper. Mostly, I was excited to see the Spice Girls sing a little bit, girl power and all that. And don’t tell me you didn’t cry when that fire was put out!
5. Oscar Pistorius proves nothing is impossible-This one wasn’t as publicized as perhaps it should have been, but it is a pretty incredible and inspiring story that should be told. South African, Oscar Pistorius became the first double leg amputee to compete at the Olympics in track and field. He is 25 and did very well in his first heat. However, in the semifinals, 19 year old Kirani James of Granada won and eventually won gold. However, another inspiring moment of this one, was when the two athletes exchanged their running bibs, which apparently is a sign of respect in the track and field sport. James went on to say, “He’s been a huge inspiration for everybody, whether you’re a track athlete or a normal person.”
4. Breaking a World Record-Kenyas David Rudisha completely crushed his own world record when he finished in 1 minute and 40.921 seconds in the 800 meter race. He successfully shaved .10 seconds off of his 2010 time! Incredible...I’m lucky if I can run a mile in 20 minutes!
3. Opening Ceremony- This year, London really proved they know how to put on a show. From Mr. Bean’s hilarious piano bit, to Paul McCartney bringing down the house with an amazing performance of “Hey Jude.” Also, I mean this opening ceremony had a giant Lord Voldemort and an army of Mary Poppins...does it get any better than that? I think not! Also, the Queen of England teamed up with James Bond and sky dived into the arena...well, it wasn’t her, but still when she showed up, everyone was on their feet!
2. The U.S. women gymnastics team- Two moments that stand out the most are when Gabby Douglas won the all around event and was the first African American woman to do so. The other moment, was when McKayla Maroney landed an almost perfect vault not even faltering on her landing. I’m not going to lie, the girl inside of me who wishes she could have starred in Stick It was dying at how awesome that was!
1. The Saga of Phelps and Lochte- This one should be pretty self explanatory, but Michael Phelps finished his swimming career with a complete total of 22 medals. I once got a participation trophy for little league, but something tells me it’s not the same. The 2012 Olympics made Phelps the most decorated olympian of all time and if that’s not something you can put on your resume, I don’t know what is. Ryan Lochte became quite the star of these Olympic games winning five medals.