Remember that inspirational video clip I posted on July 29, about the British sprinter Derek Redmond who completed his 400m event, despite excruciating pain after he tore a hamstring, at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain?
Another athlete -- US sprinter Manteo Mitchell -- was also injured, at the 2012 London Olympics. And he too decided he had to finish his lap of the 4x400 relay race:
(Story and picture from ST, Aug 9)
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This ST "audit" of Singapore's Olympic medal tally has the added useful information that the International Olympic Council has been recognising "Singapore" as a participant in its own right since 1948:
But I think this other ST tabulation is food for thought:
I have no doubt that Singapore's Olympics competitors to date -- including the winning women's table tennis trio -- were motivated by the pursuit of sporting excellence, and winning honour for Singapore.
But, it is only when one sees the above comparative "perks" for winning a gold medal that one wonders if we have got it right in balancing the intrinsic/extrinsic motivations of our future sportsmen and sportswomen, whether they are locally-born or "foreign talent". Importantly, was due diligence done in sussing out what other countries were dishing out (or those in charge never bothered? -- until this ST tabulation)? The issue is certainly worth some debate, and already letters such as this one below have appeared:
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On a lighter note, I like this ST headline (Dipna Lim-Prasad is a Singaporean hurdler):
And Tom sent me this humorous "list of sport commentators' gaffes", below. I am sure I have previously posted a version of it but, hey, given the present Olympic fever, why not slip in this bit of rehashing/re-tweaking:
What the Olympic commentator said...
NBC's coverage of the Olympics has been criticised for serveral reasons. Here's another one: Sports commentators who with a foot in the mouth.
1. Weightlifting commentator: "This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her
snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing."
2. Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse and I speak from
personal experience since I once mounted her mother."
3. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and
father."
4. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in
boxing, but none of them really that serious."
5. Softball announcer: "If history repeats itself, I should think we can
expect the same thing again."
6. Basketball analyst: "He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn't like
it. In fact you can see it all over their faces."
7. At the rowing medal ceremony: "Ah, isn't that nice, the wife of the IOC
president is hugging the cox of the British crew."
8. Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got
eleven Dicks on the field."
9. Tennis commentator: "One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that,
before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them... Oh
my God, what have I just said?"
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Speaking of gaffes, Mitt Romney has just put his foot in his mouth, AGAIN! But, to be fair, Barack Obama suffered from this affliction too, in 2008, as this AFP story put up by xin.msn.com tells it...
Romney flubs lines presenting 'next president' Ryan
US presidential challenger Mitt Romney raised chuckles on Saturday when he flubbed his lines introducing his vice-presidential running mate and inadvertently named him top of the ticket.
Presenting Congressman Paul Ryan to a crowd of supporters in front of a mothballed warship in the port city of Norfolk, Virginia, Romney gave the rising star of the Republican Party an unexpected promotion.
"Join me in welcoming the next president of the United States, Paul Ryan," he said, before correcting himself as laughter erupted.
Romney made light of the slip, which might reinforce the view of some commentators that he risks being overshadowed by his younger deputy, joking about his reputation for misspeaking in public.
"Every now and then I'm known to make a mistake," he admitted. "I did not make a mistake with this guy. But I can tell you this, he's going to be the next vice president of the United States."
Doubtless the Republicans will play down the brief slip, but they can hardly complain if Democrats have some fun with it.
In 2008 when Barack Obama, now the sitting president and Romney's opponent in November's poll, was running for office, he too accidentally introduced his vice-presidential pick Joe Biden as the "next president".
A spokesman for Obama's then opponent, Republican Senator John McCain, dubbed the gaffe a "Freudian slip" suggesting that the young Obama needed a political veteran like Biden as a mentor.
Presenting Congressman Paul Ryan to a crowd of supporters in front of a mothballed warship in the port city of Norfolk, Virginia, Romney gave the rising star of the Republican Party an unexpected promotion.
"Join me in welcoming the next president of the United States, Paul Ryan," he said, before correcting himself as laughter erupted.
Romney made light of the slip, which might reinforce the view of some commentators that he risks being overshadowed by his younger deputy, joking about his reputation for misspeaking in public.
"Every now and then I'm known to make a mistake," he admitted. "I did not make a mistake with this guy. But I can tell you this, he's going to be the next vice president of the United States."
Doubtless the Republicans will play down the brief slip, but they can hardly complain if Democrats have some fun with it.
In 2008 when Barack Obama, now the sitting president and Romney's opponent in November's poll, was running for office, he too accidentally introduced his vice-presidential pick Joe Biden as the "next president".
A spokesman for Obama's then opponent, Republican Senator John McCain, dubbed the gaffe a "Freudian slip" suggesting that the young Obama needed a political veteran like Biden as a mentor.
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