Lindsey Vonn thrusts her arm triumphantly into the air seconds after posting the fastest time in Vancouver yesterday in the Olympic alpine downhill race.
If you watched the women's alpine downhill racing last night on television, you had to be struck by two things.....first, the emotional reaction of Lindsey Vonn, who broke down and sobbed after winning the race.
But equally disturbing were the number of crashes on a hill that was in less than perfect condition.  And we didn't even see the worst one--the woman who had to be airlifted off the mountain to the hospital.  Thankfully, the newscaster announced last night that no one sustained a life-threatening injury. 
I was struck by one thing Vonn said as tears streamed down her face after winning a gold medal in the women's downhill.  "I've given up everything for this."
That is the exact point I made in my previous post.  Both in sport and in life, those who ultimately  stand on the highest pinnacle are those who are willing to give up "everything" in pursuit of one ideal, one goal, one dream, one love.
She not only gave up everything but also gave up her father; who put her on skis at Age Two and moved his family to Vail, Colorado, so that she could have the best possible chance to reach her highest potential.
Her father watched her Olympic performance from his law office in Minneapolis, now estranged from his daughter, allegedly over disapproval of her choice of a husband.  She is now married to former American downhiller, Thomas Vonn, one of her coaches and nine years her senior.
Those who are not willing "to give up everything and/or everyone" in pursuit of happiness cheat themselves because, ultimately, they settle for less than what they know they could have had. I do believe we get second chances, however if we are courageous enough to take advantage of them and to make the sacrifice. It took Lindsey Vonn three trips to the Olympics to finally win her medal.
Think about it.....
Now, to the second half of this post....the dangerous, icy slope.  The Olympic skiing federation announced after the race yesterday that the final hill where three of the crashes occurred will be shaved down for the slalom races and that the skiers will start farther down the hill to slow their speeds.
Sound familiar???
It seems to me that this Olympics has been poorly planned with the problems with the luge track, the downhill, and the inability to keep the ice properly conditioned at the speed skating venue.  That's not to mention the complaints about the Olympic flame. 
Some have even begun  to call it the "glitch" Olympics.
As my daughter said last night, "I don't think Vancouver is going to get a very good score on these Olympics."