I love the Olympic Games. I love how the world comes together to showcase incredible athletes and to remind us while very few of us are athletically talented, all of us understand the human need to realize our destiny.
I especially loved the overriding message of this year’s opening ceremonies — basically that there is no “I” in “us.”
Every time the Olympic Games comes around, I learn something new about sports and about the world.
And every time the winter Olympic Games come around, I relearn that there are hundreds of people who are not only cold tolerant but cold talented.
I’ve endured a lifetime of weather, but I could never hope to be competitive, let alone my personal best, at anything under winter conditions.
For me, shuffling to the mailbox in January brings a high enough degree of difficulty. Any spins, flips, rotations or leaps that I might incorporate into my jaunt to the curb are purely accidental and likely to cause permanent damage.
Unlike Olympians, I don’t bounce.
Needless to say, I have great respect for winter athletes. Their tolerance for cold, their balance, their ability to slip and fall and get back up again is not just impressive, it’s kind of freaky. I mean, who tumbles down a ski jump and decides to give it another try?
In addition to introducing us to super humans, the winter games are also weirdly entertaining.
From my vantage point in the recliner, fleece blanket on my lap, steaming mug of coffee at hand, I can’t help but gasp at:
Ballet skiing.
Dual moguls.
Cross track racing.
Ski mountaineering.
And Nazgul, the Czechoslovakian wolfdog who joined the women’s cross-country sprint and accompanied the athletes across the finish line.
So many times I’d turn on the TV and shout, “What in the world?”
How does one pursue a sport that calls for pirouetting on skies? I mean, is there a park district class for that?
The Milan Games, as in past Games, had its share of scandals. There were the snowboarders who were disqualified for applying ski wax that contained forever chemicals. There were the ski jumpers who were accused of “crotch padding” to improve aerodynamics.
And then there was the bronze medalist who used his newfound fame to apologize for cheating on his girlfriend.
I guess wherever there are humans, there will be bizarre behavior.
My favorite moments, as always, were the ones that highlighted struggle, drama and integrity, many of which happened on the ice.
American figure skater Alysa Liu reminded us all about the importance of safeguarding one’s mental health. After the Beijing Games in 2016, Liu walked away from the expectations and pressure that comes with high achievement. She did what she wanted for two years and then returned to the ice on her own terms, just in time to take the gold in Milan.
Who wasn’t pulling for Malcolm Naumov, the American skater whose parents were killed in the Jan. 29, 2025, plane crash in Washington, DC?
Who wasn’t crushed when U.S. skater Ilia Malinin, favored to win gold, stumbled under apparently incredible pressure?
And whose heart didn’t swell with pride when the disheartened Malinin immediately pulled himself together to congratulate Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, who skated away with the top honors?
For what is sport without sportsmanship?
It was fun to cheer for Nigeria’s lone competitor and Brazil’s first winter Olympics gold medal in the men’s giant slalom. Fans love the unexpected almost as much as they love an underdog. The Jamaican bobsled team taught the world that dreams don’t always abide by geography.
Perhaps the most exciting athletes to watch were the ones who hailed from our hometowns. How is it that some people from seemingly ordinary places like Evergreen Park, Willowbrook, Fox River Grove, Oak Park and Glen Ellyn could rise to such extraordinary achievements?
It just proves that creativity, hope and determination exist inside all humans.
What, if any, are the takeaways for regular people, those of us who simply wait out winter?
Well, for one — and it’s a biggie, for me — there’s the “coat parade” at the opening ceremonies.
As a longtime Chicagoan who has navigated more than my share of wind chills, ice storms and slushy snowbanks, I do believe I appreciate a truly warm and stylish winter coat as much as these athletes appreciate their medals.
Teams Italy, USA, Germany and Brazil displayed outstanding style and runway presence.
But if I had to march in a nighttime parade in the middle of winter in the mountains of Italy, I’m going with the long blue coats and tall fluffy hats worn by Team Mongolia.
Cashmere for the win.
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years. She can be reached at donnavickroy4@gmail.com.
