Looking Back on the XXXIII Olympiad Games

August 15, 2024

By Jim Towey

The 2024 Olympics in Paris delivered seventeen days of compelling, heart-pounding, breathtaking competition. 

What did we see? Excellence. From all around the globe, serious, determined, focused, tough, resilient, graceful, honorable men and women delivered a mesmerizing array of athletic performances. These athletes earned the right to compete for the gold, silver and bronze the old-fashioned way, through talent, hard work, willpower, and in most cases, the steadfast support of a loving family, dedicated coaches, and fellow competitors.

In Paris, we saw men and women of all races and creeds, the world’s finest athletes, pushing the limits on activities we all are capable of doing – running, swimming, biking, jumping, throwing, jousting – ok, none of us can joust. But we appreciate the difficulty of what they do because their performance stands in stark contrast to what we perceive within our mortal reach. It was a celebration of youth and vigor, just as every Olympics has been.

It was acceptable to love America again. Our gold medal winners draped themselves triumphantly in Old Glory. Chants of “U-S-A” by fans and athletes adorned in red, white and blue unleashed national pride. The fact that the United States won the total medals count, and tied for the most gold medals, added to our sense of triumph. When the national anthem was played, our athletes often held back tears. It was great to be an American.

Masculine, feminine, truth, justice

And the culture war over gender was exposed for the hoax that it is.  No explanation or apology was needed for the separation of the male and female competitors.  The luminous attributes of God-given masculinity and femininity were on display in all their glory, no longer disfigured by political ideology.  The biological fact that men and women are uniquely different, and thus their athletic abilities are unequal, detracted nothing from their respective accomplishments.

The Olympics, too, gave us a break from the relentless gaslighting that pervades the public consciousness. For a fortnight, the masters of propaganda, the spin doctors, no longer had the camera and microphone, telling us to believe them and not our lying eyes. We were able to see for ourselves who won and who lost without someone declaring as the winner the contestant who clearly finished fifth.

The results spoke for themselves. Objective truth and real-world achievement reigned.  And so did justice. The judging and officiating were remarkably impartial and competent, about as close to perfection as human systems of justice can get. The men and women who judged and officiated came from hundreds of countries, yet all were united by a common desire to be fair. They had bedrock integrity and were not to be influenced by anything or anyone.

Merit wins

It was all so refreshing. The world seemed friendly again. When was the last time events of national and international importance weren’t dominated by racial or nationalistic considerations?  The Olympics were about sports and sportsmanship. One’s country of origin and the politics back home were secondary considerations. It all came down to merit. The athletes knew they had so much in common with their opponents, their shared humanity, their desire to win uniting them.

The Olympics gave the world a much-needed reminder that difference doesn’t have to be divisive, and that national rivalries -even animosity between countries – can be managed peaceably. The podium ceremonies, national anthems, and flag waving were displays of national pride, not provocation.

Great moments

The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad left us wanting more. There was so much drama. Underdogs pulled off upsets; heavy favorites took the large share of the gold medals, too. Losers accepted defeat. They accepted that their best wasn’t good enough and that if they gave their all, well, then that was good enough. I will remember Stephen Curry in the men’s basketball final hitting four consecutive, high-pressure threes to secure the gold, and Gabby Thomas gliding around the track, seemingly with angel wings, to claim her three gold medals. You surely have your favorite memories, too. Some memories had to do with the “thrill of victory” and others had to do with the “agony of defeat” (phrases wired in me from watching ABC’s Wide World of Sports during my childhood).

Paris may have begun the Games with a crass, crude opening ceremony, but it finished with a flourish. Young people around the world saw what happens when you discover your God-given talents, develop them, and succeed without cheating. Those timeless lessons trace back to ancient Greece and the competition in Olympia 3,000 years ago. They apply to life, not just to sports.

They remain as golden and true as ever.

(The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Aging with Dignity and/or its Board of Directors.)