REFLECTIONS
Forest Lake native Jess Graba, right, and his wife Alison Linn, left, stand with five-time Olympic champion Suni Lee, at the U.S. women’s gymnastics Olympic trials held at the Target Center late last month. Graba, who has coached Lee since she was six years old, was at the Paris Olympics, which ended last week, to coach Lee as she competed for Team USA. Photo by John Cheng, USA Gymnastics
Put five circles around me and call me the token Olympian.
After logging many hours in front of the smart TV while watching the Summer Olympics in Paris, France, I feel I deserve some type of a medal.
Maybe that medal could be a Coca Cola pop cap, or maybe even a Spring Grove pop cap. I, at least, deserve something for wearing out the couch springs.
Since I was a youngster, I have enjoyed watching the Summer Olympics. That was no different this year in 2024.
I still can see Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn Jenner) winning the Decathlon. I also remember watching Roosevelt Grier win the Decathlon and years later, help capture Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin, Sirhan Sirhan.
I also remember watching Michael Phelps winning an unprecedented number of gold medals in swimming, something like 202 medals (just kidding).
In four years, 2028, the Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles, Calif., the first time there since 1984.
According to Wikipedia, the 1984 Summer Olympics was an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12. It was the second time Los Angeles hosted the Games, the first being in 1932. It was the nineteenth time that Team USA participated, having boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics. In all, 522 competitors, 339 men and 183 women, took part in 217 events in 25 sports.
Carl Lewis of the United States, making his first of four appearances at the Olympics, equaled the 1936 performance of Jesse Owens by winning four gold medals, in the 100 m, 200 m, 4 × 100 m relay and long jump. Edwin Moses of the United States won the gold medal in the 400 m hurdles eight years after winning in 1976.
I really enjoyed the 2024 Summer Olympics, mainly because of the radiant women gymnasts. Gymnasts Simone Biles, making a comeback after sitting out in 2020, and Suni Lee stole our hearts. Lee won 3 medals, Biles won 2 and the team won the all-around competition.
My son Troy, now a resident of Surprise, Ariz., is a good friend of Suni’s coach, Jess Graba. His twin brother, Jeff, coaches Suni when she competes for Auburn University. My granddaughter Kaley went to gymnastics lessons under the tutelage of Jess and Jeff Graba in their St. Paul gym.
I was also blown away by the swimming exploits of swimmer Katie Ladecky.
I could not believe the success of the United States’ track and field participants. These athletes won 14 gold medals.
The United States won the medal count, just nipping China.