Beyond mere competition the Olympic games meant more to the people of Canada
By Jon D. Gaede, BVN Staff –
A little more than eighty years ago, a young, fleet footed Canadian Pacific Railway porter would routinely jump off his train car and roll onto the prairie below. He had a purpose in mind, to run sprints through those golden prairies along the tracks and stay fit for national competition.
This young man was Canada’s ‘Rapid Ray Lewis’. Before Ray stopped running, he captured seventeen national championships and ultimately a bronze medal running the 4 x 400 at the 1932 Olympic games in Los Angeles.
Ray Lewis became Canada’s first born Black athlete to win an Olympic medal. Seventy-eight years on, ‘Rapid Ray’s’ golden prairies are frozen over now and Ray passed in 2003. Ray will always be Canada’s first.
A new crop of Canada’s finest came to Vancouver in search of competition and hardware. Shelly Ann Brown became the first Black woman to win a winter games medal, as she took a silver in the 2-woman bobsled.
Lacelles Brown took home the bronze in the 4-man bobsled.
Chicago’s Shani Davis, the world’s premier speed skater, added gold and silver to his Olympic cache. Davis became the first Black athlete to win a winter medal in 2002, at Salt Lake. Twenty athletes of color competed in Vancouver, winning nine combined medals.
Somewhat lost in the headlines, this collective accomplishment was historic and extremely impressive.
The Canadian Olympic Organizing Committee made a concerted effort to wrap the games around the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. Billed as the ‘Cultural Olympiad’ a myriad of events were planned to promote sustainability, sport, friendship and culture. The Four First Nations of Canada, Lil’Wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh.
represented the Aboriginal territory where the games were held.
Each agreed to work closely with the Canadian government to showcase the Olympic games. Through art and performance, the First Nations hoped to disband stereotypes, and open hearts and minds to their special contributions.
Opening ceremonies featured several indigenous themes to include the Singers and Drummers of Aboriginal Canada. In concert with indigenous music were popular Canadian artists from Nelly Furtado to Neil Young.
The street corners of Vancouver were adorned with hundreds of ten-foot tall eagles, each painted with a mosaic of colors. They will remain after the games. Sustainability was a continuous theme as corporate Canada is very socially conscious.
Coca Cola, Samsung, McDonalds, General Mills, GE, P&G and Acer corporations embraced both corporate and individual responsibility at the games. Coca Cola’s ‘Live Positively’ campaign connects energy conservation, climate change and well being, with an eye toward future generations.
Coca Cola was a constant theme at all venues.
A special acknowledgement to Proctor & Gamble who have not only embraced sustainability issues in their packaging, but also for establishing the ’P&G family home’ for participant families and for financially supporting over 200 moms to attend the Olympic and Paralympic games to support their children.
The magnitude of staging opening and closing ceremonies to include poets, artists, writers and Aboriginal leaders was achieved. From the ‘spirit bear’ to the orca the mosaic of themes culminated in the lighting of the welcome poles by Canada’s Wayne Gretsky. For athletes, observers around the world and especially Canadians, the flame will endure.
In the tally of medals, the United States set a record for most total medals with 37. Germany was second with 30, but the Canadians set their own record by collecting the most gold medals with 14. From curling to hockey, Canada was impressive.
None of these medals meant more to Canada than the gold medal they won by beating the United States at their beloved game of hockey, 3-2 in overtime.
As Canada’s Sydney Crosby slapped a quick shot past U.S. goalie Ryan Miller, the venue at BC Place and all of Canada roared! No one likes to lose, but winning that way in the sport defines the soul of a Canadian was purely the host nations shinning hour.
The Olympic games were Vancouver’s shinning hour, Canada’s legacy is secure. On to London 2012 (summer games) and to Sochi 2016 (winter games) on Russia’s Black Sea. Once again, the athletes will gather in the spirit of pure athletic competition which always seems to bring out the best of humanity.
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