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Posted by Jodi Gallegos Jul 14, 2008 |
The Beijing Olympics are coming and this summer nine new events will debut. I’m not excited about some of them (table tennis?!?), but others, like marathon swimming and BMX racing seem long overdue. OK, I know, this site is dedicated to BMX, Motocross and skateboarding but you have to admire the kind of conditioning it takes to swim 10 kilometers (6.21 miles)!
Having BMX in the Olympics is exciting for the sport. The world is finally recognizing that BMX riders aren't just a bunch of kids popping wheelies in the street. I think the future of BMX is huge once the world sees what it’s all about. Remember, snowboarders were just a bunch of pain-in-the-butt kids in weird clothes until snowboarding became an Olympic sport. Now it's considered “legitimate” and is a mainstream activity.
I think it's also a great year for BMX to debut. This year’s Olympics are bound to be remembered for the controversies and disasters that have shrouded them since the location was announced. Even though the number 8 (as in ’08) is supposed to be lucky China has had a most unlucky time of it. Protestors have demonstrated against the selection of China as the venue, even going so far as trying to douse the Olympic flame as it made it’s way across the world. Then there were the riots, train crash and the earthquake. Now a blue-green algae is creeping across the sailing venue. What's next for this "lucky" year?
I just have the feeling that this year’s Olympics are going to be a monumental event for BMX and will be remembered for years to come. BMX will finally have its place in history. One day, we’ll look back and say, “I remember when BMX debuted in the Olympics. Look how far it’s come since then.”