We have seen it several times before…famous athletes turning emotional and frequently breaking down with tears of joy and frustration in equal measure, unable to hold themselves back.
Freeze frames from the past instantly bring back to mind the great Michael Jordan who let it all hang out upon winning his first championship in 1991. Tiger Woods sobbing openly after clinching the British Open in 2006, as it had additional meaning for the peerless golfer — his first title after the death of his father, Earl.
Gaining control, Tiger explained: “After my last putt, I realised my dad’s never going to see this again. I wish he could have seen this one last time.”
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Tears have also often flowed down the cheeks of tennis maestro Roger Federer, starting with his loss to Rafael Nadal at the 2009 Australian Open, both at times of victory and defeat.
Displaying not just the vulnerability in him, but also the soft side of the man and his sense of sportsmanship; all this from the Swiss who has the heart to praise his rivals not only while being on the winning side but at times while handling devastating defeats too.
The other big names who immediately come to mind are American tennis superstar Andre Agassi and the World Cup-winning Spanish captain Iker Casillas, who found no remorse in crying in public — Agassi after his loss in the 2006 U.S. Open final and Casillas after claiming the honours in South Africa.
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‘Crying Games’
In the given context, the London Olympics seems to be no different. In fact, it could easily be dubbed the ‘Crying Games,’ the latest example being that of 400m hurdler Felix Sanchez, who lost all control at the medal ceremony on Monday night after collaring gold for the second time since Athens 2004.
‘Super’ Felix wore his heart on his sleeve, remembering his late grandmother. Even the elements seemed to sympathise with him, as the heavens opened up when Sanchez stood sobbing at the top of the podium.
Through the last 10 days, one has seen Aussie swimmer Emily Seebohm failing to hide her disappointment after finishing second in the 100m backstroke, Britain’s golden girl Jessica Ennis breaking down after bagging the heptathlon crown, providing the human touch to the biggest sporting spectacle in the world.
These are the moments of overflowing joy and uncontrollable disappointment that make the Olympics so captivating. Whether they are the most famous athletes in the world or the lesser-known competitors, they encapsulate the raw emotion one would appreciate.
Little wonder then, that the packed Olympic Stadium of 80,000 found empathy with an emotional hurdles champion.