Quote:
Originally Posted by onesnowyowl
My Oma was an Olympic class swimmer in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, the 1940 Games were canceled because of the outbreak of WWII, and by the time 1948 rolled around, she was married and had a son. I don't know if she ever regretted not having the chance to compete in the Games, as she had Alzheimers and died when I was 13. She never gave up on swimming, though; she passed on her knowledge and expertise to many a child by becoming a swimming instructor, and did that until her illness prevented her from continuing to do so. That is her legacy; she may not have won any medals, and her name may not be widely known, but somewhere out there there are hundreds of people who were taught to swim by my Oma.
Personally, I just don't have the kind of dedication it takes to be an Olympic athlete. I like sports, but I couldn't focus on just one.
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sounds a little like me snowy. i teach swimming in my spare time, and it's an aim of mine that i teach as many kids as possible, knowing i helped kids and their families and hopefully those kids will teach whatever skills i have taught onto others. maybe im living my life through them now..
one of the things though is that my uncle (mums brother) is an olympian.. so it really irks me that i cant emulate him. he's also a swimmer and also the lebanon swimming head coach.
jorge - we have 25 medals in total.... 7 of them gold. but doesnt make up for me not being an olympian. this would have been my farewell olympics before i retired.. the old geezer that i am.
halx - you're absolutely right brutha! i really do need to do something to make it. ill be 34 by the next olympics... 34 aint bad.. im thinking maybe frisbee or something. as a sport.. but i'd probably be teaching pole vaulting.
abaya - wow. thats a lot of dedication! i was in a similar situation where i just wanted to 'live' i guess. swimming can get boring because theres no social interaction with others. its part of why i loved running so much.
who knows where itwould have taken me. im uncertain, but like i said id probably not be in the same position im in now... i dont have regrets..just unfulfileld dreams