This week's Sepia Saturday theme is about running and the Olympics. I'm going to tell you the sad Olympic tale about my ex-husband, Gonzalo Javier. It all happened before I knew him. He was a college student in Kansas and was an award winning runner, competing in both the mile and the the 1/2 mile.
After graduation from college, he gave up a job as a translator for the UN and broke off his engagement with his then girlfriend. He headed back to Guatemala where he was from so that he could qualify for the 1960 Rome Olympics.
Competing in the Olympics was the biggest dream of his life. He qualified for the 1500 meters and he and another athlete were both going to Rome. His dream had come true!
But wait. What happened to the dream? It turns out that in some of the smaller countries, the Olympics can become very political. Several people decided that they wanted to go along, like about 30 officials. They weren't athletes, they hadn't qualified for anything. But they wanted to go. So then the Guatemalan Olympic Committee said there were too many people to send. They couldn't afford to send 30 people. So they didn't send anyone - particularly the two athletes who had qualified.
Here's my ex looking very sad:
He went on to lead a very successful life being involved in education, having two children (with a second wife) and having lots of various interests. But I don't think he ever got over the disappointment of not going to the Rome Olympics.
Here's a clip of the man he would have run against. Could he have beaten him? We'll never know.
For maybe some happier running stories, click here: Sepia Saturday
So that's what happened! What a handsome guy. You must have been a knock-out pair on the tennis court. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThe Olympics is very political anyway but this is incredible - to send a bunch of freeloading politicians instead of hardworking athletes is madness. What a sad story.
ReplyDeleteYes it seems quite sad, but on the brighter side of things, sometimes it's all about the goal and the dream of it all....maybe as it was as they always say, everything happens for a reason....often you just never know. My dad was in a car accident during one of his Navy leaves, which landed him in the hospital, which made him miss going out as he was scheduled, but it also saved his life, apparently his ship went down....
ReplyDeleteThat Olympic Committee certainly didn't have the Olympic spirit. It's hard to believe that they would do something like that.
ReplyDeleteOh my, that is a sad story. Shame on those politicians for ruining it for everybody.
ReplyDeleteThe politics of sports has changed since the era of the Cold War. Now it seems more about money that ideology. As I write this I'm watching the women's 100m heats. But the athlete from Togo finished over a second behind with 12.35. For her that's all there is - 12 seconds and you are really finished. But the focus, like Gonzalo's, should be about the effort to be your best. That's the real Olympic spirit.
ReplyDeleteSports and politics, the twain should never meet... But they do :(
ReplyDeleteNow in the first week the officials in the 'olympic family' didn't take up their alloction of seats which remained empty while athletes' families could not get tickets.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised Gonzalo was disappointed.
I'm with Karen and believe everything happens for a reason. Although that reason is not always clear.
ReplyDeleteOh, that is a sad story, Nancy. I'm sorry.
ReplyDeleteKathy M.
That is a sad story! Keeps you thinking about broken dreams and achieved aims.
ReplyDeleteWhat a story. A sad story it may be but it makes a fantastic blog-post.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sad story - reminds me of when Jimmy Carter boycotted the 1980 Olympic games and the athletes here in the USA missed out on competing. In the early 1990s I worked with a guy who would have gone to the 1980 Summer games and competed in Track & Field. He said it was a huge disappointment to train, work so hard and then not be able to go and compete.
ReplyDeleteYes.Sad. Behind Every Gold Medal must be a 100 stories of politics & plain bad luck.I'm pleased he rose above the disappointment & went onto success in Life .
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