Ecstasy and idiocy

But it was a gold one and worth a bucketful of cheer. Showjumper Cian O’Connor’s gold was a suburb achievement for a young man who has star quality written all over his smiling face. If he was American, O’Connor he would be on a Wheaties box. Being Irish, he might have to contend with a more workaday future.
Still, O’Connor’s gold was a belated and fitting tribute to a country where all things equestrian abound. Ireland is indeed “the land of the horse,” as one British television commentator put it when O’Connor stepped onto the podium to accept his medal and victor’s laurel.
Unfortunately, it was also the land of the ass for an appalling few moments on the final day of the games.
If ecstasy was the only word to describe Irish feelings over O’Connor’s triumph last Friday, the word idiocy was on the tip of everyone’s tongue after the assault on the leading runner in Sunday’s marathon.
That the perpetrator was an Irishman was embarrassing enough. That he was an articulate, if not entirely with it, former priest made it worse. Clearly, Cornelius “Neil” Horan is a man in need of pastures new.
He is quite within his right to use major sporting events to propagate his religious views, as many have done with biblical chapter numbers printed on posters. But causing potential physical injury to others is beyond the pale, even for someone who feels so strongly that his message has to be delivered to the world. Horan clearly is in need of help because his subsequent public pledge of future restraint is difficult to accept.
Horan, oddly enough, was closer to a running gold medal position than most of the rest of the Irish team. The Irish sporting public was told that its team for Athens was the best prepared in Irish sporting history. Well, Cian O’Connor apart, a funny thing happened on the way to the Acropolis. Still, not all golden moments have to do with golden medals.
Sonia O’Sullivan bowed out of Olympic competition with grace during her lonely final lap in the 5,000 meters. Her wave and blown kiss to Irish supporters in the crowd was a special moment for her many fans to wrap into a memory.
The U.S. team sported a brace of stars, swimmer Michael Phelps being at the top of the list with eight medals, six of them gold. Interestingly, the U.S. did relatively poorly in men’s team sports during the games. It was the women, in sports such as soccer, basketball and volleyball, who brought home the gold.
As for the games in general? Many doubts were voiced about the ability of the Greeks to pull it all together for the opening, and pull it all off during the two weeks of competition.
Boy, were we all wrong about that. The organization and facilities were top class, the opening and closing ceremonies eye-popping. And, of course, the sun shone every day on the land where democracy was born.
Sure, there was a lapse of security during the marathon, but at least this one was just a race. The winner was not required to tell of a bloody battle 22 miles back down the road. Just a wee scrap that, sadly, will be sealed in Olympic lore.
Well done, Greece. Yasu!