A HAPPY ENDING — The Weekly Opine

After watching outstanding performances and sportsmanship, it’s nice the next Olympic Games takes place in just three years. (Photo credit Amazon)

There is joy in Mudville

The Olympics are winding down and, so far, coronavirus spread among athletes, officials, and staff seems reasonable. Since July 1, when the Olympic Games village “bubble” was set up, only 27 athletes have tested positive. In total, including athletes, officials, and staff, 322 people have tested positive. This is extraordinary, considering Tokyo continues to experience a coronavirus surge, with only about 20% of Japanese citizens vaccinated.

Of course, infectious disease experts warn that the days and weeks following the Olympic Games will be critical, regarding possible outbreaks among those who’ve spent several weeks in Tokyo.

The same waiting game commenced in Chicago, site of last weekend’s Lollapalooza music festival. Lolla ran for four days, attracting 100,000 fans each day. Regardless of a mandate requiring fans to show proof of vaccination, or test negative for coronavirus in the prior 72 hours, healthcare experts fear a super-spreader event may have just occurred in the Windy City.

In Japan, the huge story of the Olympics is the biggest star, Simone Biles, suffered a mental episode after being “triggered” following a shaky vault during team competition. Biles, now with seven Olympics medals – including four gold – is without doubt the greatest of all time among female gymnasts. The Weekly Opine acknowledged this fact in a Jan. 23, 2020, article titled “G.O.A.T. Pasture” celebrating Biles, Tom Brady, Lewis Hamilton, Serena Williams, and Tiger Woods as the G.O.A.T. in their respective professions.

Biles’ resume includes five all-around world championships and a staggering 19 World Championships gold medals. When Biles announced she would drop out of the team competition after feeling the “twisties,” a condition where a gymnasts’ mind disconnects from what the body is doing, it was shocking. The undisputed “face” of the Japan Olympic Games relegated herself to standing on the sidelines. Biles exited not because of physical ailment but because of mental stress that could inadvertently result in a catastrophic injury.

No gold medal this time, Simone Biles scored big-time admitting vulnerability and bouncing back. (Photo credit RespectAbility)

The usual social media misfits, many of whom are likely unvaccinated, cruelly went after Biles. However, the overwhelming sentiment was strong support for Biles’ demonstration of humility and class, in revealing her mental frailty. She deftly moved into the role of top USA cheerleader. During the team competition, the U.S. won a silver medal (Biles also received a silver medal). Incredibly, Biles’ replacement, Suni Lee, won the all-around gold medal.

Days after she stood down, Biles made a U-turn, announcing she would return for the final night of women’s gymnastics individual competition. More than a few eyes rolled at the sudden reversal. Many of us wondered how she could toss aside years of training and preparation by withdrawing in the first place.

Obviously, I have no expertise to comment on Biles’ mental health. However, it was a very unusual situation. What caused Biles’ mental outlook to improve? We may never know but she was cleared to compete after two sessions with a sports psychologist. Will she regret not fully competing as planned? Possibly.

Ultimately, Biles competed on the balance beam and captured a bronze medal. It was not the performance we’d hoped for, but Biles used a global platform to shed light on a health/wellness issue that others, including tennis star Naomi Osaka, have recently helped publicize.

Afterwards, Simone Biles’ broad smile and pure happiness let us know she is comfortable with her decisions, as she closes out a one-of-a-kind career. Other than those online misfits, most everyone was happy Biles’ adventure had a happy ending.

And Biles now says she is contemplating coming back for the next Olympics, only three years away because of the pandemic forcing officials to push the Japan Olympics from 2020 to 2021.

Athing Mu is one of the exceptional stars of global women’s track and field. (Photo credit CBS Sports)

Trackside…

Track is my favorite Olympics sport. This year, among others, two young women won gold medals for the U.S. and did so in memorable fashion.

The USA’s 19-year-old Athing Mu, in a dominant manner reminiscent of the great Usain Bolt, won the 800 meters. Mu won her prelim heats with ease and did the same in the final. Keep your eyes on Ms. Mu. She left Texas A&M after her freshman year and is now a professional, thanks in part to a hefty payment from Nike.

Clearly, Mu has the “it” factor you hear so much about. She is intelligent, well-spoken, and physically dominant. Athing Mu will be one of the all-time greats if she remains healthy.

Sydney McLaughlin broke her own world record, winning the 400-meter hurdles gold medal. (Photo credit NBC News)

In the grueling 400-meter hurdles final, Americans Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad staged a classic dual. Youth was served again as McLaughlin, a 21-year-old, smashed her own world record and edged out 31-year-old Muhammad for the gold medal.

McLaughlin burst onto the track scene during the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2016, where she claimed third place, qualifying for the Olympics as a 17-year-old high school phenom. McLaughlin was the youngest member of the U.S. team at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. She finished 16th after not qualifying for the final race.

McLaughlin served notice at the 2019 World Championships, bringing home a silver medal. Like Mu, she has the “it” factor and should be a major track star for the next decade. The title G.O.A.T. could be in McLaughlin’s future.

If she medals in the 400-meter final in Japan, Allyson Felix will cement her status as a G.O.A.T. (Photo credit Olympics)

Conversely, Allyson Felix is one of the all-time greats. If she medals in the 400-meter final, she will tie G.O.A.T. Carl Lewis for the most U.S. Olympics track medals of all time. And she will stand alone as the most decorated female Olympics track runner of all time.

Now competing in her fifth Olympics, the 35-year-old Felix is a testament to perseverance, longevity, and versatility. She began running the 200 meters before shifting to the 400. Felix has also run on the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.

Every bit as much as the aforementioned youngins, Allyson Felix, running in tomorrow’s 400-meter final, is must-see TV. It may be a last chance to see one of track’s G.O.A.T. do her thing.

On your marks…set…