The Good, Bad, and Ugly at the Olympic Games

Hi. Welcome to Bloom Anywhere. I'm Gwen Moran, a writer, editor, author, and problem-solver. My goal is to share information, ideas, and resources to help you overcome obstacles, reach your goals, and find more joy in life, even when things are messy. Thanks for joining me. (If you got this from a friend, subscribe here: Bloom Anywhere.) I'd love your feedback and suggestions for future topics. Please send me an email: connect@bloomanywhere.com.

I love the Olympics. The thrill of the competitions is part of the appeal for me. But, more than that, I love the stories. The athletes sacrifice so much to compete at this level and represent their country on the biggest stage in sports. Some have overcome tremendous odds or challenges. Some give us the opportunity to fall in love with a sport we know little about. Some simply charm us with their personalities and commitment.

The stories of these Olympic Games felt different, though. There was the political aspect, of course, but the games have often had an undercurrent of politics. Beyond that, athletes showed us some of the gritty realism—especially, but not exclusively, for women—that has often been glossed over or romanticized.

Competition, Warts and All

In skating, Alysa Liu’s joyous gold-medal-winning performance was a triumph. Yet the backstory of the child prodigy who earned a national championship at 13, became an Olympian at 16, and later grew to hate the control and criticism she faced is less so. Liu’s story of leaving her sport and coming back on her own terms, proving the naysayers wrong, is a true storybook ending.

Skater Amber Glenn faced her share of criticism for using her platform to speak out against LGBTQ+ injustice. She also spoke about skating while having her period—a topic that shouldn’t be considered bold, especially in women’s sports, but is seldom discussed.

We learned that, despite hard work, not all stories end on a happy note. Skier Lindsey Vonn’s horrific crash showed us the real danger that athletes can face. And, in her last Olympic games, speed skater Brittany Bowe missed the medal stand four times—once by just .61 seconds. Even in their crushing disappointment and pain, the athletes showed grace and strength.

Then, there were the moments that were just demoralizing and disappointing. Even though women took home more gold medals than their male counterparts, they are often funded less and have substandard equipment. And the disrespect is still rampant, as was on display in the men’s hockey team’s locker room after their gold-medal win.

The stories out of the Milan-Cortina games weren’t all neatly packaged and inspirational. Yet there’s a lesson in that reality, too. Even amid imperfection, disappointment, unfairness, and challenges, we can find moments of great joy. Things can be messy and still be worthy of celebration. Just like life.

Finding Joy in the Messy Parts

Did you have a time when you found something to celebrate in the face of adversity or disappointment? I love exploring resilience. I’d love to hear your story. If you’d like to share your story, I may use it in a future newsletter. Send me an email: connect@bloomanywhere.com.