OLYMPICS / Your Story

The X-factor
By Bai Yansong
chinadaily.com.cn
Updated: 2008-08-22 14:59

 

Faster, higher, stronger is the Olympic motto. But to realize it depends on something extraordinary.

Bai Yansong, CCTV anchor

Before the 200m final, the world record holder, Michael Johnson, predicted that Usain Bolt would not break his record because to succeed at 200m not only requires speed but also endurance and the skill to pass the curves.

A short time later, Johnson had to eat his own words. Bolt had beaten his record.

Actually, Johnson should not be blamed. His prediction was reasonable for a regular athlete.but he forgot he wasn't commentating on a normal man, but a genius, almost someone from outer space.

When Bolt broke the 100m world record, he had attended fewer than 10 100m finals. He's a fresh man on the track and broke the record even though he put the brakes on in the last 20 meters. It was really like an ET was shocking the earthlings of mankind.

 
Usain Bolt (L) of Jamaica celebrates winning the men's 100m final of the athletics competition in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 16, 2008. [Agencies]

When the men and women's 100m gold medals both went to the Jamaicans, I couldn't help saying in the live broadcast, "In this world, how fast mankind can run is decided by the Jamaicans, both men and women!"

I think I'm right. Jamaica has a population of less than three million but God has handed them great tasks: promoting Reggae music and deciding mankind's ground speed in sport. They have donethis for a long time. The British 100m gold winner at the 1992 Olympic Games, Linford Christie, and the 100m US champ Donovan Bailey were both Jamaican born.

This is the mission of very few people. I began to understand that the progress of many sports events, or the "faster, higher and stronger" goal is a process maintained by regular people every day who wait for a genius to make a breakthrough.

I'm not denying the power of "us". But before the miracles, "our" task is to discover the genius and promote the potential of the genius to its peak.

Michael Phelps is also a man from "outer space". But his miracle is based on many people. Two of his gold medals were earned partly through the contribution of his teammates.

Therefore, we understand that only if the foundation of the pyramid is strong enough can the genius stand on it. If we only watch sports at home but not play outside, the genius will also become incompetent.

Fortunately, Phelps and Bolt keep on their genius performances. They showcased the faster, higher and stronger motto and reminded us that the slogan alone cannot make a difference. Let the good mechanism work and the right person do the right thing.

A question was posed to Phelps: "If you weren't swimming, what would you be doing now?"

Answer: "Maybe trying to find a job."

Fortunately, he chose swimming!

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