Amayzine

The favorite moment of the Olympic Games

favorite moment of the Olympic Games

I was watching TV a bit absent-mindedly. High jumping, not necessarily my favorite event. I saw an Italian, Tamberi, and looked up because Italy, because handsome guy because they just won the 100 meter sprint so how nice would it be if... Just a bit. He jumped over 2.37. Hat. Mutaz Essa Barshim from Qatar did that afterwards.

So they were equal. The bar went a little higher. The camera panned to the plaster that was on the ground. It had ‘Tokyo 2020’ written on it with a cross through the year and underneath ‘2021’. It was a reminder of the break that Tamberi had a few years ago in his foot which kept him from sports for a while. He had draped it next to his starting point. Slightly dramatic, but yes. You can take the boy out of Italy, but you can't take Italy out of the boy... Anyway. There he ran and the bar fell. He climbed up and applauded the boy from Qatar. They were friends, it turned out. And if he wouldn't win that medal, he would give it to his friend.

There went Mutaz, sprinting, jumping and... the bar fell. They both walked to the jury. They proposed a jump-off where they would keep jumping until there was a winner. ‘Can't we both get gold?’ asked Mutaz (who, as far as I'm concerned, should also get a prize for pragmatist of the year). The jury man was silent for a moment.

That was possible too.

The cheering, Tamberi climbing like a little child into Barshim's body, letting go of each other and running to coaches and rolling on the ground with happiness. I have been buzzing about it all evening.

It has nothing to do with this, but oh well, Italy is the bridge so I serve one of my favorite pieces ever from: 9 things you can learn from an Italian woman.