The Olympic Games are something that are just part of who we are in America. Even from a young age, I always looked forward to both the Summer and Winter Olympic games. My favorite competitions as a child were the gymnastic events in the summer, and the ice skating events in the winter. Even as I grew into adulthood, these two events remain my favorites.
Although gymnastics and ice skating are my favorite events, going back in time, I remember watching Mark Spitz compete in the swimming events; as this is one of my first memories of the Olympics. I am sure that there were other Olympic memories that I hold dear preceding the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, but Mark Spitz really stands out in my mind. He was amazing! Spitz took home seven gold medals that year in the swimming competition. To this day and in any given year, he remains the only Olympic athlete to win a gold medal in each and every individual event he entered. Along with winning other medals, Mark Spitz won 9 Olympic gold medals between 1965 and 1972.
One of my fondest Olympic memories was of Dorothy Hamill, gold medal winner of the 1976 Winter Olympics, in Innsbruck, Austria. Up until that competition, I don't believe I had ever seen anyone skate so gracefully. If I had, I sure don't remember. Dorothy became an icon for many of us who had no chance of "living the Olympic dream". She was such a talented and strong skater. Developing a new ice-skating move called the camel spin, her infamous move became integrated into most of the Olympic ice skating programs. While performing this move, I even remember the way her bobbed hair performed right along with her. That bobbed haircut was later named "The Dorothy Hamill". I, along with many other young women, wanted so badly to look and be just like her.
Do you remember Mary Lou Retton of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles? Those games may have taken place over 20 years ago, but I can still remember them as though it were yesterday. Winning 5 medals, Mary Lou won the Olympic All Around Title in 1984 and to this day she remains the only American to ever win that title. In fact, she was the first American woman to ever win a gold medal in gymnastics. Mary Lou Retton was posted all over Wheaties cereal boxes and had many souvenirs and memorabilia created; including dolls, coins, cards, autographed pictures - you name it, it was created.
This year as we look forward to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, there is much anticipation and hope that the United States of America will again come out shining like a champion, winning gold medals in many, if not all of the events. With so many amazing American Olympic hopefuls attending this year's games, 2008 is looking to be "The Year of The Gold" - Let the Games Begin!
Are you looking for Olympic merchandise and memorabilia to purchase? [http://www.buyolympicmerchandise.com]BuyOlympicMerchandise.com has new 2008 Summer Olympic memorabilia and souvenirs to choose from, as well as reasonably priced merchandise from previous years.
Cindy was born and raised in Northern California, and now resides in Northern Delaware. She is owner and administrator of Womans Info, an [http://www.womansinfo.com]Online Women's Magazine dedicated to helping other women in as many ways as possible through knowledge and informative articles.
Article source: http://juicyarticles.net/articles/Fond-Olympic-Memories-Let-the-Games-Begin-545
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