I am a child of the 70’s. I remember watching Seattle Slew and Secretariat. The Apolo Launches. The Bi-centennial, Nixon, Ford, Carter and the mess our economy was in. The Cold War. Duck and cover air-raid drills. The OPEC oil crisis. I also remember the Olympics. Our best against the world’s best athletes. There was talk about boycotting the whole thing and crush the dreams of so many.

Then there was Nadia Comaneci. The first ever Olympic gymnast to receive perfect score at the Montreal Olympics. I watched those performances on a 13-inch black and white television. I remember that there were comments about the Russian judges pressuring the other judges to deliver those scores. I remember being excited by the way she seemed to bubble and glow, the joy on her face as she went through her routines. She was amazing. The music for her floor performance, Nadia’s theme.

Maybe it’s a hangover from the 1976 Olympics. I still love watching the gymnasts do the impossible. Simone flying through the air, defying gravity. Mary Lou bouncing along with a smile that barely fit her face. It’s the gymnastics that catch the eye.

Daily writing prompt

What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?

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