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I have always loved the Olympic Games. I know there’s usually some controversy or other swirling around the event but I admire tremendously the dedication and perseverance of the athletes. For many of them, Olympic competition is the brief culmination of many years of sweat and pain and struggle carried out in lonely anonymity. I’ve written six books for young people about the Olympics and recently profiled U.S. swimmer Dara Torres for Reader’s Digest magazine. So I’ve seen just a bit of the huge effort these people put into being the best. That's partly why I’m excited that Fort Lauderdale has its own Olympic preview this weekend. If you’re a fan of the Olympics as I am, or if you love to watch graceful divers performing their routines, head over to the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex at the Swimming Hall of Fame.
Called the USA Diving Grand Prix, this competition has attracted the top divers in the world, with Olympic gold medalists and world champions among them. Nations represented at the Grand Prix include China, Japan, Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Great Britain. And the United States of course, as well as 18 other countries. The USA Diving Grand Prix is considered an important tune-up for the Olympics, which begin in only three months.
I expect to head over there to catch some of the action. Olympic divers always have amazed me anyway. The training required to perform these precise, sometimes dangerous dives under intense pressure is impressive. Remember the brilliant athleticism of Greg Louganis, for example? Diving like that takes strength but it also takes flexibility and tremendous body control. I’ve never watched this caliber of diving in person so this is definitely my chance – without traveling all the way to Beijing to do it. The tournament started Thursday and runs through Sunday, with tickets going for $10 for adults and $5 for students, military and seniors. I think that sounds like a pretty good deal. And it’s a taste of real Olympic-caliber competition with great athletes in peak condition just before the games begin. How cool is that?
Called the USA Diving Grand Prix, this competition has attracted the top divers in the world, with Olympic gold medalists and world champions among them. Nations represented at the Grand Prix include China, Japan, Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Great Britain. And the United States of course, as well as 18 other countries. The USA Diving Grand Prix is considered an important tune-up for the Olympics, which begin in only three months.
I expect to head over there to catch some of the action. Olympic divers always have amazed me anyway. The training required to perform these precise, sometimes dangerous dives under intense pressure is impressive. Remember the brilliant athleticism of Greg Louganis, for example? Diving like that takes strength but it also takes flexibility and tremendous body control. I’ve never watched this caliber of diving in person so this is definitely my chance – without traveling all the way to Beijing to do it. The tournament started Thursday and runs through Sunday, with tickets going for $10 for adults and $5 for students, military and seniors. I think that sounds like a pretty good deal. And it’s a taste of real Olympic-caliber competition with great athletes in peak condition just before the games begin. How cool is that?
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 1:09 PM
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