Well, it's the Olympics-there are always surprises. Surprise defeats, surprise victories, and the emotions that accompany all the surprises. The chase for gold, silver, and bronze medals keeps the audience focused on success for all the athletes. Only a few reach the podium position to bask however briefly, in the limelight, enjoying the moment. It's always a grand moment.
In Korea this year, weather conditions were some of the best that have been shared by all participants. Granted, many events are conducted indoors. Quite a few are on the mountain and all the elements come into play. One event, the bobsled, has many different elements: a fixed course, icy surfaces, and the clock. This week, the men's two-man bobsled event featured some great teams. Two of the best, Canada and Germany, have been there before. One outlier was Latvia. Latvia? Bobsled? Come on? Are you kidding me? So, Latvia makes an unbelievable run, and assumes first place. The No. 1 Germany team can't best the time. Then the No. 2 Germany team speeds to first place, shutting out their countrymen. Canada is up next for the last run. They do not want to come in second, again. With a terrific push at the start, the Maple Leafs hurtled down the shoot, holding the line and picking up speed. It's going well and the elapsed time is ahead of Germany. Near the end of the course, it looks like Germany may hold on for the gold. And then-Surprise! The Canadian sled trips the timer at exactly the same time as their rival from Europe. It's a gold medal for both teams. Latvia takes the bronze. A classic finish made possible by exact timing devises.
Ahhh, the Olympics.
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