I first heard about the Tiffin University Olympic Experience through a campus wide e-mail that was sent out, talking about the program and the trip. As a runner and a life long fan of sports I saw this as an excellent opportunity to travel to a country and city I really like to visit (London, United Kingdom) as well as witness an event that I view as the epitome of what sports should be and what international sporting should be like.
I was particularly interested in attending the 2012 Olympic Games because of the location. When I was younger, and dreamed of competing in the Olympics (a dream I still hold but have only pushed back a few years) the United Kingdom was one of the places I wanted to compete in. It is a country that is steeped in running tradition as it is the home to Roger Bannister, the first man to ever break 4:00 in the mile, and Sebastian Coe, the 1500 Gold Medalist from both the Moscow and the Los Angeles games. In addition, it is a country that has a rich cultural, social, and political history that I got into the last time I visited and wish to delve into even deeper this time around.
In terms of running and being a Track and Field athlete, the Olympics is literally the "Superbowl" of my sport and one of the few times that it gets massive amounts of National and International attention. Therefore, to be a part of that event while also being able to witness new and exciting events that I've never seen before is a rare opportunity that I was quick to jump on. And even though we are leaving before the Track competition really heats up, it will still be a fun and exciting time to be in London and experiencing the international phenomenon that is the Olympic Games!
I was particularly interested in attending the 2012 Olympic Games because of the location. When I was younger, and dreamed of competing in the Olympics (a dream I still hold but have only pushed back a few years) the United Kingdom was one of the places I wanted to compete in. It is a country that is steeped in running tradition as it is the home to Roger Bannister, the first man to ever break 4:00 in the mile, and Sebastian Coe, the 1500 Gold Medalist from both the Moscow and the Los Angeles games. In addition, it is a country that has a rich cultural, social, and political history that I got into the last time I visited and wish to delve into even deeper this time around.
In terms of running and being a Track and Field athlete, the Olympics is literally the "Superbowl" of my sport and one of the few times that it gets massive amounts of National and International attention. Therefore, to be a part of that event while also being able to witness new and exciting events that I've never seen before is a rare opportunity that I was quick to jump on. And even though we are leaving before the Track competition really heats up, it will still be a fun and exciting time to be in London and experiencing the international phenomenon that is the Olympic Games!