My Olympic Experience: Why the World Needs Sports
By: Denege Prudhomme
Last month, I had the privilege of attending the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and my Olympic experience was one I will never forget. To be in Rio during the Games, watching all the amazing athletes compete for their countries, and to feel the spirit of the Olympic celebrations in person, is pretty difficult to describe.
The pageantry of the Olympics is an experience in itself: the lights, people, cultures, diversity and everyone coming together for a common purpose, it is awe-inspiring. Sport is a language everyone understands, and with so many recent tragedies around the world, we needed a reason to come together. So for three weeks in Rio last month, the world did just that. For once, gender, color of skin, origin of country or religion did not matter. Millions were glued to their televisions watching history being made, watching stories of unknown athletes from all over the world unfold. For once, we felt at peace.
While in Rio, we attended some amazing events, including wrestling, track & field, and the gold medal match for beach volleyball. Sitting in the stands, watching these teams play for medals in a sport they live and breathe for, is an experience like no other. The best way for me to describe the atmosphere would be like a Saturday night Louisiana college championship football game – pretty remarkable!
I truly felt privileged to be surrounded by the very best athletes in the world, and have the opportunity to speak with them and learn about their cultures and stories. And, on August 18th, I was fortunate enough to spend my 32nd birthday in Brazil. What better way to ring in my new year than watching one of the best female athletes in the world, Adeline Gray, accomplish her dream of competing for her country on the world stage.
Adeline is a three-time world champion, and one of the best female wrestlers to ever play the sport. With a tough loss in the quarterfinals, Adeline’s Olympics ended in a way no one expected. But with her head held high, she thanked her family, fans and supporters and then reminded herself that she was in Brazil, with some of her favorite people in the world. Words can’t begin to describe how proud I am to work with such an amazing and inspiring athlete. Adeline truly embodies the spirit of the Olympics, and we are sure to see big things in the future from her!
But despite all of that, it was impossible for me to ignore what was happening back in my home state of Louisiana last month. My body may have been in Brazil, but my heart was with my loved ones back home. Even though the media seemed to neglect all that was unfolding in Louisiana, I could not ignore what my family and friends were going through, and it was difficult for me to fully enjoy my time in Rio when I learned so many of my friends and family had lost everything they worked so hard for.
The devastation of what unfolded affected so many communities. Forty thousand homes were damaged by some 6.9 trillion gallons of rainfall. Yes, just a rain storm, not a hurricane. But once again, the resilient people of Louisiana summoned an extraordinary “army” of locals, aka the “Cajun Navy.” These people gathered their boats and supplies, spent their own time and money, and risked everything they had to save others – people whom they had never met. Across the state, families opened their homes and offered resources to those who lost everything. The entire state banded together for a common goal, something Louisiana needed now more than ever.
Truckloads of supplies from the University of South Carolina came barreling in, and even our very own rivals, the University of Alabama, showed up to help out. Alabama’s football team collected donations of items that helped provide relief to victims of the floods. Clearly, when disasters occur, football and rivalries take a back seat to providing help to those in need. LSU football players went to shelters across the state to provide comfort and relief for those who lost everything. They put smiles on the faces of flood victims who needed it most, and for a brief moment in time, sports made everything a little easier.
And this month, for a few hours as college football season kicks off, the great people of Louisiana will forget about all they lost, and will instead unite around their TV, watching the LSU Tigers play the Wisconsin Badgers; and a glimpse of hope may be restored.
Sound familiar? The true impact of sport! Whether it be the Olympic Games every two years or a southern football dynasty, the power of sport can bring people together in the worst of times. Sport is about so may things: hard work, teamwork, competition, victory, defeat, growth, strength, passion and inspiration. And it stands for everything we strive for in our daily lives. Needless to say, the world needs sports. Without them, where could we find so much hope? I truly believe there comes a time when sports simply make sense…and this is one of those times!