JENTEZEN SMITH Staff column Each athlete rests their hands on the rubber and as the starter says “get set” they rise, then the gun fire proceeds and their race against the clock, competitors and physical limitations begins. In a performance only seconds long, an athlete seeks to reap the results of their endless hard work and dedication.
That’s the reality track athletes operate in and that only amplifies in an Olympic year. World records, world championship medalists and sometimes collegiate performances receive praise, but nothing compares to the recognition the Olympics gets.
In the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics every participating athlete will be highly regarded, but the Olympic champions and medalists will be highly praised. Usain Bolt is the example of what happens when an athlete seizes the moment winning gold and breaking world records on track’s biggest stage.
His Olympic performance captured the world’s attention and showed just how much success at that level means to people. It’s the only time that millions of people will gather around the TV to watch track, making it the golden opportunity for the athletes to make fans for themselves and the sport. Nothing compares because it only comes once every four years and there’s no guaranteed return.
They prepare for four years in hopes for mere seconds or minutes of success to reach the pinnacle of track & field. Every athlete pushes their body to its peak performance through running, throwing, jumping and lifting weights nonstop.
Through endless days of physical and mental exhaustion they push until failure, fighting through lactic acid and soreness so they can perform in the moment it matters. These professional track athletes work harder than any sport and receive the least recognition.
They have to first earn the right to represent their country by being successful nationally and qualifying through the Olympic Trials. Then at the Olympics each athlete must advance through the heats and prelims to reach the event final.
A runner wants to do just enough to advance while saving as much energy and running as smoothly as possible, while a thrower and jumper want to achieve the mark necessary to make their finals. Each athlete has to be patient and wise through the rounds, aiming to peak and hit a personal best in the event final.
Countless athletes compete but only 10 or less make it to the finals, as several athletes fall short of their dream and have to wait four more years to try again. This gut wrenching reality is what makes reaching the final so commendable because truly the best in the world will all face each other in a final that’s been years in the making.
Surrounded by a stadium of thousands of fans and the TV presence of millions, they rise in the blocks, step into the throwing ring or stand on their mark. In such little time they push for their dreams, leaving it all on the track, ring or pit to seize the opportunity of a lifetime.
And just like that it’s over and the top three receive the honor they’ve waited their whole life for, an Olympic medal. They shined in the spotlight and now their names go down in history with some even becoming global icons.
That’s the beauty in it, that such a brief moment has such a lasting effect and it’s why their efforts deserve to be embraced. For the next four years the gold medalists are the defending Olympic champions in their event, along with the other two medalists as they’ll be remembered by their final performance until the next Olympic year comes.
Don’t take everything that goes into the upcoming performances on the track at Paris 2024 for granted, rather give praise and appreciation for the journey to that brief moment that holds so much weight.