All the athletes in the Olympics feel some pressure, but during the woman's figuring skating that pressure seemed greater than usual for some of the skaters. The gold medal winner Kim Yu-Na from South Korea and silver medalist Mao Asada from Japan both felt extreme pressure from their countries. As long time competitors, both only 19 years old, they were fighting for gold, and only gold because anything less would be a disappointment for their country. This is what the announcers kept saying during their routines. And bronze medalist Joannie Rochette of Canada, competed only four days after her mother's death. Although, the anxiety she must have felt was different from Yu-Na and Asada, her routine brought tears to even the announcers as she was able to complete her routine even after the tragedy.
Although Rochette's mother's death was nothing she could have expected, the night of the competition she still had to fight to complete each jump and element in her routine. It seemed everyone was rooting for her because this meant much more than just the medals. The pressure Yu-Na and Asada's had to win gold seems unfair to lay on a 19 year old. If they did not win, not only were they letting down themselves, but their country. But they both did extremely well, "Queen
Yu-Na" as she's referred to blew past all the woman's old records and Asada doing a solid performance as well. I wonder if they needed this pressure to do well, but it is still shocking that at their age they didn't choke when it counted most. It seems unfair to lay such a heavy burden on a teenager, but I guess it just goes to show what world class competitors these skaters are.
I think that the pressure that these girls are under is almost too great for someone of their age. But, competing under pressure is what sets the elite, medaling athletes apart from average athletes all around the world. Being a clutch performer is something that comes with practice. I'm surprised that at the age of 19, these two girls had enough experience to be able to compete as well as they did.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually not surprised that the 19 year olds were able to perform so well. They seem like they're in their prime condition -- they're young, ambitious, and they have their sights on world records.
ReplyDeleteThe sudden tragic death of Rochette's mother made me give her the first prize for courage and resilience. I just don't believe how she was able to skate as well as she did despite the setback.