London 2012

The Olympic Games are something that I have been passionate about ever since I can remember.  To this day I still have Olympic scrapbooks I made out of newspaper articles as a little girl.  So with the close of the London Olympics, I have mixed emotions.  First I am sad, simply because they are over.  The athletes are a true inspiration to me and I feel a boost in my own resolve to accomplish personal goals watching them achieve theirs.  The Olympics also reminds me of my swimming career and the ups and downs that I experienced and it makes me relate in a small way to what the Olympic athletes must feel.

My second feeling about the games ending is relief.  While I love the thrill of the the tight races and close competitions, they also stress me out!  I tend to take on all of the emotions that come with watching competitions- even the nerves.

This Olympics, like every Olympics, had some great and memorable moments.  These were the highlights for me:

• Michael Phelps establishing himself as the greatest Olympian of all time.  His career has spanned 4 Olympics (he made his first team at age 15) and he is the most decorated Olympian of all time (22 medals, 18 of which are gold).  While he was criticized after his first swim in the 400 IM, Michael proved he is still the best in the world in a variety of strokes and distances.
• McKayla Maroney's vault in the women's gymnastics team finals.  While the entire fab five was amazing, McKayla's vault was something for the record books.  The judges found deductions somehow, but to me it looked spot on.
• Misty May and Kerry Walsh three-peating their gold medal streak in women's beach volleyball.  I wish they would keep playing for Rio just so I could watch them again.
• The USA Women's water polo team winning gold for the first time ever.
• Usain Bolt proving he is the fastest man alive.  His back to back gold in the 100 and 200 meters looked like a walk in the park.  He also is the the first to achieve a "double double" by winning the 100 m and 200 m titles at consecutive Olympics.
• The USA Womens 4 x 100 Meter relay that smashed the world record.  Congrats to Carmelita Jeter, Allyson Felix, Tianna Madison and Bianca Knight. 
• Missy Franklin exceeding the hype that surrounded her by winning 5 Olympic medals (4 of them gold) with her first individual gold in the 100 M backstroke coming less than 15 minutes after a semi-final swim in the 200 M freestyle.
• David Boudia ousting the dominate Chinese for the gold medal in the 10 M platform.
• The USA Women's soccer team avenging their world cup loss to the Japanese by winning Olympic gold.
• The USA Men's Basketball team repeating as gold medalists
• The Closing Ceremonies- who doesn't love a Spice Girls reunion?
• The Medal Count- Go TEAM USA!