Thoughts on the Olympics | Kaeko Yamashita (Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care)
2008.07.24
The Beijing Olympics, scheduled to be held from August 8, 2008, are fast approaching.
The Olympics are said to be both a "comprehensive art form" and a "synthesis of science," and they seem to reflect the national character of the host country. While watching the various competitions is certainly a highlight, another great pleasure is the anticipation of the productions for the opening and closing ceremonies. However, I have never before watched the Olympic Games intently on television, let alone the opening and closing ceremonies. Nor have I ever experienced the excitement and tension firsthand by watching in real time at an Olympic venue.
However, I do remember being deeply moved by the fairytale-like opening ceremony of the Lillehammer Winter Olympics (February 12–27, 1994) held in Norway, which completely changed my image of the Olympics. Since then, my interest in the Olympics has grown even stronger as I watch athletes and officials on this grand stage—a place where dreams, hopes, and reality coexist—challenge the limits of human ability, hone their exceptional expressive power, and strive for the glory of the finish line.
My greatest interest in the upcoming Beijing Olympics lies in the horizontal bar performance of gymnast Hiroyuki Tomita. Watching his performance—so beautiful, supple, and yet powerful, with each movement seemingly surpassing the limits of human ability—I cannot help but wonder, "What is he thinking as he flies through the air? How does he make split-second judgments about his routine? How are these thoughts outputted and transmitted to become muscle movements that captivate the audience?" This makes me want to re-examine the structure and function of the pyramidal and extrapyramidal tracts that produce such smooth gymnastic feats. In a related vein, the late Mr. Shinzo Koizumi left us with the simple and clear aphorism, "Practice makes the impossible possible."
The results of a competition are governed not only by the accumulation of training leading up to it but also by various factors that can only be described as "luck," such as one's physical condition, the environment, and social circumstances at the time. The scoring methods for performances that are difficult to judge have also been changing year by year. Hiroyuki Tomita's creed is said to be, "If it's not beautiful, it's not gymnastics." While cheering on Tomita, who can so confidently express the "beauty" that is the culmination of his training, I hope this year to watch his magnificent performance on television, share in his effort, and witness the moment the goddess of victory smiles upon him.
(Date of publication: 2008/07/24)