Dara Torres … Exposed!
Did you see her? She is amazing! Dara Torres had me (and I’m guessing every other mom in America) jumping up and down as I watched her swimming … against girls half her age.
It was awesome to see how fit she was standing there in her swimsuit and how fast she was when gliding over the water—it was like she had fins! How inspiring that a 41-year-old woman could be a meaningful and necessary component of the US Women’s Olympic Swim Team. If not for all the press, we would have assumed she was just one of the girls.
I had to smile knowingly when she exposed herself, though!
Did you catch it? Just before the start of the semifinal heat of her 50-meter swim, while all those swimmers were self-focused and preparing for the race, Dara showed herself to the entire world.
The girl next to her had a tear in her suit and Dara encouraged her (yes, encouraged her opponent) to run and put on a new suit. As the desperate girl ran to do so, Dara ran over to an official asking if they could hold things up just a bit and then anxiously waited, and no doubt fretted, until she saw the re-clad swimmer make it back to the starting block. Then, and only then, did Dara turn her thoughts back to herself and the race of a lifetime that stood before her.
The television commentators were shocked at her actions and could not believe that she would be bothering herself with the troubles of another swimmer. They said it showed amazing sportsmanship. I say it exposed who she became two years ago … Dara Torres is a mom!
I, for one, would like to give her a big shout out for being an amazing athlete and more importantly for being selfless and acting on her mom instincts when she reached out to that dear sweet “girl” in the lane next to her.
I know Dara is now wrestling with some decisions on her future in swimming. If you ask me (I know she didn’t, but that’s another mom thing … we like to offer unsolicited advice) she needs to go home and be a mom to that beautiful two-year-old little girl God has blessed her with.
While they are an amazing accomplishment, medals sit lifeless on a shelf, but children change tomorrow. And the rewards of motherhood are worth far more than gold!
Yes, Dara was my hero at that moment! And yes, what a mom-thing to do! Hooray to Dara Torres for setting a great example for all those younger athletes. Her daughter will someday look back on that and learn from it. I hope this great athlete does get to settle down and enjoy motherhood now.
I am not a swimming fan but have found myself caught up in the Michael Phelps/US Swimming hoopla at the Olympics. The Torres act of kindness and sportsmanship was awesome and personified what the Olympics is all about.
This is the direct opposite of what happened in the mens tennis when Amereican BLAKE and Chilean GONZALEZ played in the semi-finals. A ball struck by BLAKE clearly glanced off of GONZALEZ' racket and landed out of bounds. When the official called it out, BLAKE asked GONZALEZ for confirmation that the ball had indeed touched his racket. GONZALEZ would not admit that it did nor would he concede the point. Ultimately GONZALEZ won the match on his way to the silver medal.
When confronted by BLAKE, maybe Mr. GONZALEZ should have called his mom and asked her what to do? He certainly has missed the point of the Olympics…maybe momma could have helped.