Since this blog’s inception a scant 10 months ago, we’ve tried to make it a place where ALL voices and viewpoints can be heard, because when you look at things through another’s eyes—we all grow.
I’ve got a colleague whose very passionate.
Sergio Quintana is passionate about many things, including his love for this country and the rich opportunities it presents.
He’s also passionate about the Olympics.
So, as we come to the end of the summer games, we present some of Sergio’s passions—through his eyes..
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We are nearly all the way through the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and I can’t help but feel proud of all the men and women who traveled halfway around the world to represent the United States.
Every morning when I wake up, I am excited to see the daily medal count as I check headlines and my e-mail. Throughout the games, the U.S. and host country China have been neck and neck.
Chinese athletes have won more gold, but U.S. athletes have consistently won more overall medals.
But what I think warms me up the most about our Olympians is the diversity and skill they bring to each of their competitions.
Of course our biggest star is swimmer Michael Phelps.
No one can deny his talent and determination to win eight gold medals in these 2008 Olympic Games. Congratulations.
But let’s not forget his swim teammate Cullen Jones who won gold along with Phelps in the 400-meter freestyle relay.
It’s arguably THE event that electrified these Olympic Games. Jones is a North Carolina State graduate, and only the second black swimmer to bring home a gold medal. Congratulations.
And of course there is Dara Torres.
Her performance is historic because of a determination and skill that defied perceptions about age.
At 41 years old, she guided her team through a couple of medal winning showdowns. And she won one of her own bringing her career medal wins to 12. Congratulations.
Their triumphs make us proud.
But their diversity allows each one of us as Americans to share in their battles to be the best.
The athlete whose battle I can most identify with is 121 pound freestyle wrestler Henry Cejudo.
The son of undocumented immigrants from Mexico, Cejudo is a living example of the modern American Dream come true.
I am not the son of immigrant parents. But I share integral pieces of his story, as do millions of others.
Cejudo comes from humble beginnings. He was raised by a single mother, and shared a small apartment with his family until he left home to train in Colorado at 17 years old.
He paid for wrestling lessons by earning his own money (he sold tamales in the street).
During his Tuesday match, Cejudo wrestled victory away from Japanese opponent Tomuhiro Matsunaga and won the gold.
Cejudo burst into tears and took a victory lap around the arena. He then wrapped himself in the American Flag out on the mat and declared, “The United States is the greatest country in the world!”
Amen to that and Congratulations.
More than any other country at these world competitions, our Olympians are diverse in age, race and ethnicity. When you look at our athletes you see they are white, black, Hispanic, and Asian.
They reflect who we are as Americans, and we are from EVERYWHERE.
—Sergio Quintana
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What do you see through your eyes?
Share it with us.
—Steve
Link to the video and the story Steve covered today on NBC-17
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—Wernher Von Braun, father of the American Space program, as related to Dr. Carol Rosen when he was dying of cancer in the early 70’s.
