Wihan Botha (South Africa) on the Olympic Games 2012 – Where Dreams Become Reality!

August 27, 2012

I dreamt of a place where all people are treated equal. Where there is no racism, sexism, or any other kind of prejudice. Where all of mankind is seen and treated as equal. Where even sexual orientation is less immanent against the background of who you really are and what you were destined to achieve. Where only the people who believe in themselves and accept the excellence of others are called to the start. Here success is not measured in what you have but in your ability to endure and persevere. Nations are united and hatred for enemies are diminished hopefully for a common goal—that of doing sport at the highest possible level.
I heard of a place where the rules are fair. Where the competition is the toughest and the game is played to the bitter end. Where sportsmanship is more important than politics and where no wars are fought except the honest battle of winning. Here warriors are rewarded for not only winning but also for their courage to engage in battle. Here there are no losers. To get to the start or to pitch for the game is winning in itself. Where teams are acting as one, getting the courage from deep within, the desire to be the best. Here your presupposition is shattered within hundredths of a second. Here each event is a journey, an adventure, and never fails to surprise and surpass your wildest expectations.

I know of a place where the prize is not money, but honor; where the amount of sweat works toward a place on the podium. Never forget the endless hours of encouragement from loved ones that result in the ultimate prize. Here, a gold medal is the token of devotion and love for which no sacrifice was too big. Where hearing your country’s anthem stirs a place deep within you that you never knew existed. The intensity of an event from start to finish is so intense that spectator and athlete alike will dwell in the memory for decades to come. The events sometimes result in a record that will stand for a day, a month, a year, just to be broken by the next best of someone else’s career. A brief moment of peace on earth unites spectator and participant.

What I dreamt of, hoped for, and now know can only be the Olympic Games of the World.
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