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Olympic also-rans: Gold medal isn't all that glitters

Despite all its trouble behind the scenes, Hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro, which wrapped up a week ago today. I kept up with more during these games than I had in previous ones, noting the irony of yelling at the TV during swimming or gymnastics rather than the customary football or basketball game.

We celebrated with the American gold medalists -- swimmer Michael Phelps, who can start his own Fort Knox with his Olympic awards (even considering that actual gold is only a small fraction of the medal makeup); mind-blowing gymnast Simone Biles; middleweight boxer Claressa Shields; and Arkansas' own long jumper Jeff Henderson, who had one job ... and nailed it. We also celebrated with athletes who weren't "ours," especially runner Usain Bolt of Jamaica.

But it was American bantamweight boxer Shakur Stevenson who got me thinking about Olympic athletes -- and others -- whose glitter does not include gold. Stevenson was left with a silver medal after he lost the gold medal fight to Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba in a split decision.

He cried worse than a lot of us did after getting those old-school whippings from our parents when we misbehaved. A would-be TV interviewer left Stevenson alone, he was crying so hard. (I read later that Shields consoled him.) Stevenson at least went home with something. A whole lot of athletes left Rio empty handed.

Or did they?

I believe more than ever that it's our losses, even more than our wins or our other adversities, that help us grow and build character. As someone who has dealt with her own share of devastating losses and almost-got-its, I've observed these upsides to losing:

1.Losing motivates you to do better.

You may not get what you hoped for, but pushing yourself to be and do your very best certainly won't hurt you. There were a number of stories about winners who bombed out in previous Olympics as well as other competitions; their resolve to do better was strengthened.

2.Your loss just might motivate/create winners. If you tried despite being a long shot to win, you'll motivate other long shots to get out there and try. And some will succeed.

3.If you not only lost, but came in last, you'll be remembered anyway. Look at runners Abbey D'Agostino of the States and Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand. The former stopped and helped the latter after they collided during the 5,000-meter event, a collision that left D'Agostino hurt. They came in last but made the finals anyway. Neither medaled. But they're remembered. Then there was skier Vinko Bogataj. This was the guy whose frightening-looking crash was immortalized in the "agony of defeat" mention in that old ABC's Wide World of Sports show-opener narration ... right behind the "thrill of victory" mention. Loser? According to an Aug. 15 story on the ABC News website, the network "tracked him down in Slovenia and asked him to attend a ceremony in New York to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Wide World of Sports in 1981. At the gala, Bogataj received the loudest ovation among a group that included some of the best-known athletes in the world. The moment became truly surreal for Bogataj when Muhammad Ali asked for his autograph." The guy became an award-winning artist.

4.Losing shows that you tried ... period. As the saying goes, nothing beats failure but a try. Robel Habte, 24, the Ethiopian swimmer who took searing social media ridicule for his considerable post-auto wreck weight gain and came in way last in the 100-meter freestyle, was remembered in the wrong way. "I wanted to be famous for being a swimmer. But now I am a different famous and it is difficult," he was quoted in an online Daily Mail story. But as he and one tweeting observer pointed out, at least he can say he was an Olympic swimmer. And, observed a commenter at the end of the Daily Mail story: "Dads with beer guts around the world celebrated your finish!! Great job!! You give us middle-aged men hope." Which takes us back to No. 2.

The Olympic Games were a reminder that in the real game of life, no, not everybody gets a trophy (or a medal). But they were also a good reminder that even in losing, winners can be realized.

Send that winning email:

hwilliams@arkansasonline.com

Style on 08/28/2016

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