TEAM USA RISES AGAIN
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine NolanCountdown to the 2012 Summer London Olympics! With only 72 days left until the opening ceremony, Team USA is already filled with excitement, geared up and ready to go. Two of the winning athletes are back in the spotlight once again.
Swimming legend, Michael Phelps, walked away from the 2008 Bejing Olympics with a record eight gold medals adding to his six gold and two bronze medals at Athens in 2004. He has set records, made history and earned World Swimmer of the Year Award six times and American Swimmer of the Year Award eight times. He is also founder of the Phelps Foundation whose purpose to familiarize children with the water and teach them how to swim.
Coming back from Bejing, he was on top of the world but his commitment to the sport of swimming lost some of that determination and drive. He was like a fish out of water. All that celebrity status seemed to go to his head and he just wanted to have fun and party. Perhaps that desire is what got him into trouble. In January 2009, a photo surfaced with Phelps smoking a marijuana pipe and that started a bit of a downward spiral. He was suspended from competition for three months. There was plenty of time to think and retrospect on his past accomplishments. Where was he headed?
It was in that time period that he came to the revelation that he wanted to do it again in London. That meant hard work and a rigorous routine just like before and although it was a rough road with many missed practices in the beginning, Michael is at the top of his game once again. He is focused on weight training and has become stronger than ever. You can always find him in the pool perfecting his laps. His mother is his largest supporter. With just three medals short of breaking the record for most career Olympic medals, Phelps is resolved to make his country proud. His life will be complete having over seven sponsors and making close to $40 million and now a third chance to become champion.
Golden girl, gymnast Shawn Johnson, is eager to represent her country this summer. She has been like a bright torch as her skills are almost near perfect. She loves what she does and there is nobody that can do it better or with more ease. A winner in every sense of the word, she walked away from the 2008 Bejing Olympics with a gold medal and three silver medals. She is older now and much wiser beyond her years but definitely not ready to call it quits just yet. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t practice in the gym. It is a second home to her.
She moves like a natural on the bar and her experience at the last Olympics has fueled her passion to continue and give it her gusto. In Bejing, she didn’t let the pressure get to her. She knew what she had to do and she was comfortable out there doing what she absolutely loved. As an added bonus, her parents stood by her every step of the way and were there at the event watching her and giving her all the moral support that she needed. She took the whole experience in and came away with one very important lesson, “My worth isn’t determined by a color of a medal”. Those are Shawn’s exact words. She proved that she can do it and have fun doing it as well.
Just like Phelps, Johnson took two years off and decided to do something different. She competed in “Dancing With the Stars” and took top honors. In her home state of Iowa, there was a butter sculpture in her image in the 2008 State Fair . While that may not sound like a big deal to you, it certainly was. However, once a gymnast, it will always be in your blood. She couldn’t be held back and she is ready to go do it again. Her efforts are truly admired and she will be recognized and rewarded, no doubt.
Once the 2012 London Olympics come to a close, what is next for these unparalleled athletes? Michael Phelps is looking forward to retiring and traveling the world and really seeing all these wondrous cities that he has competed in but has not had the time to visit and sightsee. His life has only just begun. Shawn Johnson is not quite sure at this point. She wants to finish college, start a family and live a somewhat normal life.
In our eyes, Team USA is already out there on top. We will be with them every step of the way this coming July as they bring home the gold.
PHOTO CREDITS: Getty Images, Google Images, www.zimbio.com
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