Sportsmanship

It’s all in the handshakes
Phelps and China starred at the Olympics, but it was touches of sportsmanship that delighted us all
Tuesday • August 26, 2008, TODAY
Leonard Thomas
sports editor in beijing
leonard@mediacorp.com.sg

IT WAS eight days into sports’ greatest festival, and the night air hung hot and sticky at the National Stadium. The 90,000-crowd was still buzzing from Michael Phelps’ eye-defying win in the men’s 100m butterfly earlier that morning. It was the 23-year-old’s seventh gold at the 2008 Olympic Games to match Mark Spitz’ record. It was the second day of track and field, and the main stage in Beijing was moving from the unique bubbly Water Cube to the imposing Bird’s Nest. Like most in the stands I was there for the men’s 100m final.
Before the Bolt and Powell match-up, the heptathlon women had gone through their paces that Aug 16 night. They had just completed the javelin event, their feet hurt, their muscles ached, lungs were frighteningly overworked, dizzy spells hit the 34-strong women in spasms. They still had the final discipline of the two-day programme to run — the 800m. A fast first lap and a sprint in the final 400m, most of the athletes collapsed to the ground, just wanting to lie still, forever.
China’s Liu Haili ran in Heat 3 and typically, doubled over in agony after crossing the finish line fifth out of six runners. Moments later, in a remarkable show of sportsmanship, she hauled herself up to shake the hand of every competitor who was taking part in the event. The 25-year-old even waited for the athletes to finish in the other two heats, and shook each one’s hand, comforting each one in pain.
She was not among the 51 gold-medal winners or the 21 silver medallists or 28 bronzed athletes of the host nation, but I will remember this Olympian at these Games not for her ordinary finish of 20th, but her extraordinary show of respect and humility.

BIg star, big heart
I will remember Kobe Bryant for his star turn. Revered in China for his flash with a basketball, but even more striking in Beijing as Team Redeem’s ambassador. The American basketball superstar longs to be remembered alongside Magic and Bird, and Jordan most of all. With MVP honours and three NBA rings he was desperate for gold here to complete the set, just as his heroes did in 1992.
But more than any other NBA superstar on the US men’s basketball team, Bryant was the one most familiar with the Olympic mission off court. He seemed to get it, that as much as the team were determined to restore their reputation as No 1 on court, they needed to return to the days when the Dream Team dazzled their audience, playing and behaving as if James Brown’s word was gospel — a “Feel Good” unit led by Magic, Bird and Jordan that wowed Barcelona and captivated the world 16 years earlier.
Bryant was excited about the opening ceremony, he spoke humbly of the team’s tough task, he was overwhelmed by the Olympic experience, he was full of praise for the hosts and the organisation. With stars like LeBron James in the team, Bryant knew he didn’t have to carry the burden of scoring like he’s used to with the Los Angeles Lakers. But he was undoubtedly the team leader, he worked hard on defence and most of the time chose to guard the opponents’ best player. Of course when called upon, the world’s best cager did sink two daggers into Spain in the final to end all doubt that the Americans would win gold. A couple of minutes later the man with a contract worth more than US$100 million ($141.7 million) was giddy like a schoolboy, hugging his team-mates and coaches.
Bryant was the only member of the American team that shook hands and hugged each Spanish opponent. And long after the rest of the players had returned to the dressing room to prepare for the medal presentation, he was still out there on court, making it a point to shake hands with the entire Spanish coaching staff. Only then did he scoot off, wide-eyed and with a wide smile, to join his team, back on top of the world.

A personal momentat a public event
Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean would have been on top of the world along with the rest of the country, right after the Singapore women’s table tennis team had beaten South Korea in their semi-final to ensure at least a silver medal. Paddlers Li Jiawei, Wang Yuegu andFeng Tianwei had just matched weightlifter Tan Howe Liang’s feat in Rome 1960, and President S R Nathan was about to meet each star.
As the Singapore group of players, officials and press made their way to one of the rooms at the Peking University Gymnasium, we passed the wounded Koreans, teary-eyed, crushed, on the floor in a huddle. Teo, who is also president of the Singapore National Olympic Council, broke away, walked up to them, shook each player’s hand and offered a few comforting words.
Rarely do you see politicians having such a personal moment at a public event, I was glad to have captured it.
It was sportsmanship at its finest.
At the Beijing Games, everyone failed to keep up with the Lightning Bolt, Isinbaeva made us all swoon, weightlifter Steiner and shooter Emmons made us both sad and happy. Tao Li made waves to rock Singapore, our table tennis women wrote history. Phelps finished with eight gold medals to become the biggest star of them all, and the greatest Olympian of them all. In 2008, China smiled warmly and put on an unforgettable Olympics.
But for me, the little cameos of sportsmanship made it all the more memorable.