TrulyGrace

The Simones Last Night; the Fiji Rugby team

Here's a shout-out to some athletes making gold yesterday at the Rio Olympics:

Two American women named Simone (Biles- women's all-around gymnastics, Manuel- women's 100m freestyle swimming) and the Fiji rugby team hit gold!

Simone Biles, according to NBC sports last night, had such a gap in the all-around that the sum total of the gap from 1980 to 2012 did not bridge her gap.  Her teammate, Aly Raisman, the only other American woman advancing to the all-around as well, pounced on the silver medal, nailing her last floor exercise elegantly.  The Fiji men's rugby team handily beat the Great British men.

Simone Manuel thanked God and stated that she was "so blessed" in her interview right out of the pool with NBC television.  The Fiji men's rugby team were seen in a newsclip on NBC's Today newsmagazine this morning to be joined in a circle in uniform, singing and praying together. See
http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/todays-take-fiji-rugby-team-has-reason-dance

How refreshing to see such faith expressed in the athletes.  Reminds me of Rebecca Dussault, whom I heard speak at a women's faith-based conference this spring.  She spoke of how being an Olympic skier was difficult on practicing her faith during her presentation there.  Somehow she found a way to practice both---her sport and her faith.

Simone Manuel does not want to be remembered as the first African-American woman to win gold (and break an Olympic record, at that) in an individual Olympic swimming event.  See this news flash from BBC news:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37057236

posted by Grace @ 8/12/2016 09:40:00 AM