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The 2020 Olympics ... in 2021

 

July 26, 2021

The 2020 Summer Olympics finally commenced on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan after being postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.  It is the first time the Olympic games were postponed and then rescheduled (they have been cancelled in past Olympic history).

Over 11,000 athletes from 206 countries are participating, considered a high turnout of athletes and countries, and an indication of the world coming together amidst a global crisis.

How is the United States expected to do ?  Statistically, the U.S. has surpassed every country in the world for Coronavirus cases, making the U.S representatively the “sickest group” of athletes.  The U.S. may only shine on the individual level where medal performances will be by individual exception, and team sports may indicate a general malady of its condition. For instance in Women’s Soccer, Sweden overtook the U.S. by 3 to 0 with the simple grace of their playing style.  Sweden didn’t exert any special efforts to do this, they simply followed standard protocol, which means they played like young women are supposed to play.  The U.S. women, on the other hand, seemed to be scraping the turf the whole time and never found any forward momentum, as if they were stuck in reverse gear.  The final scene of the telecast (since there were no spectators) shows a dismal U.S. soccer player coughing up her last spit and even drooling over the loss.

In men’s basketball, the U.S. lost to France, as if by some planned routine.  France kept shooting over the U.S. team with 3-point shots - so many that in itself became nauseating.

 

                              

The 2020 Summer Olympics open one year later to empty seats in Tokyo, Japan  {NY Times}

   

The United States “in stripes” during opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics  {Getty image}

From the general condition, it begins to make one wonder if the United States was always based on exceptional individuals. Since the purpose of the Olympics is to represent the healthier side of humanity, it may depend on only a few physically (and morally) well individuals to see the U.S. through the difficult times.