maybe some things happened yesterday, but all I remember is that Dawn Harper won GOLD!!!!! I will replay the event for you for those who did not see. Now if you noticed from yesterday or from previous posts from when I was in LA, Dawn is the wife of my boy Craig. She runs the 100 hurdles (you can check out pictures from their wedding on my facebook page) We hung pretty tough in LA, watching her practice, driving her around to physical therapy. etc etc... anyway, well let's recap what occurred yesterday. Dawn Harper was racing the race of her life in the Olympics final, and it looked like she had second place locked up when the leader and big favorite Lolo Jones hits the hurdle with her lead leg and is barely able to stay up. Dawn then takes the lead and crosses the finish line in first place, in a personal best time of 12.54... NOT BAD for someone who had knee surgery in March and was in a leg sleeve for a significant amount of time!
Now how do you react when you are there when the homie wins an olympic gold! I was sitting with friends Curt and Jakki, Jakki's father and sister and my friend Erica's mom. For a split second you are in shock. Personally, all I could say was a barely audible voice "omg omg dawn won!" Then the screen flashed 4th place finisher Damu Cherry and I thought that possibly I had them confused, then the results flashed Dawn Harper first place. I reacted by jumping onto my friend Curt's back and screaming something, that probably was no language known to man. I then sit down and think to myself for about 30 seconds in disbelief. Then the idea hits me, forget it... I'm going down there! I tell no particular person "brb"
I then do a very quick assessment of where would be the best place to go. I do a mad dash down to the bottom of the stadium weaving around people and find the spot where I wanted to go. I run down through security which is tryin to stop me. I just continously yell "sister" "sister" sister" (no we are not actually siblings) After running past at least 5 security people. I end up at the bottom of the stadium stairs and yell at Dawn as she is doing her victory lap. I yell her name at the top of my lungs, she looks over at me comes over and gives me one of the biggest hugs anyone has ever given me... while embracing all I can say is "omg, omg, i can't believe it" her response is "omg omg" this is so crazy, this is like so crazy, where's craig (her husband) and I have no idea at this point. (Special note- these might not have been her exact words or mine, for some reason exact words kind of escape me) I didn't want to but I eventually let her go and return to my seat. When I return everyone around me is like "wow, how did you get down there so fast and thank goodness you were wearing that shirt because we could see you so clearly!" They took pictures of me and when they get them to me I'll post them here and it will no doubt be my facebook profile picture!
Did you know... That 2004 Olympic champion in the 100m hurdles JoAnna Hayes and Dawn Harper have the same coach... Bob Kersee
August 19, 2008
How many people in the world can say that...
How many people can say that they witnessed a world record at the Olympics, from RIGHT NEXT to where the coaches sit...
If you noticed I did not update from the 17th. That's probably because I don't remember what I did on the 17th I'm pretty sure I did not do anything and I just napped, but I could be wrong. Anyway... I'll just jump straight to the 18th which ended up being phenomenal... The last of my Yale crew arrived today... Jihad arrived today and that pretty much set the rest of the day off...
I went to a handball game with Press and Lach. That was pretty cool even though I was tired and I hadn't really eaten anything. We then went back to the Press apartment where we regrouped and headed out to the Bird's nest. We did not eat before we got there and that was probably a mistake. In the Olympic area there is only one place to eat and it is McDonalds. We went there and it was a PANDEMONIUM. They held us outside the door, then when they let us in it was straight madness. Imagine the New York Stock exchange, people yelling, screaming and pushing. No order, serious fire hazard, I was pushed by an old lady, a little kid, not to mention countless people who were closer to my age. I had to revert back to my running back days and find a whole and hit it hard. I eventually made it to the front where I ordered for my homies and we ate the much smaller portioned Mickey D's
We eventually made it into the stadium where we watched the meet which was pretty cool... but did not get phenomenal until the women's pole vault. When Isabadova was going to go for the world record in the pole vault there was no way that Ann and I were not going down in the stands RIGHT next to the pit. When we got there we clearly stood up and clapped. Even after Chinese guy and told us to sit down and some European woman told us to "why don't you just sit down" whatever, if you won't stand up and clap for a world record attempt in the Olympics you don't deserve to see it. Anyway, when she finally cleared it on her third attempt the stadium erupted, and no one left. Also we were standing right by her coach and people went crazy trying to get autographs and pictures with him. Again the scene was UNREAL, I was able to sneak in some pictures of him... I do have to say that this moment was completely 100% unbelievable and I'm still kind of in disbelief of how close I was to witness this feat. This alone made the trip worth it... Also the countdown can begin 7 more days left in China, exactly one more week.... we went out afterwards and it was chill and I had a pretty good time with the "dream team" (jihad, press, lachman etc) and Ann. Anyway for now... that's all I'll post pictures later, but gotta run to the next EVENT!!!!!! DAWN HARPER IN THE 100 HURDLES!!!!!!!
If you noticed I did not update from the 17th. That's probably because I don't remember what I did on the 17th I'm pretty sure I did not do anything and I just napped, but I could be wrong. Anyway... I'll just jump straight to the 18th which ended up being phenomenal... The last of my Yale crew arrived today... Jihad arrived today and that pretty much set the rest of the day off...
I went to a handball game with Press and Lach. That was pretty cool even though I was tired and I hadn't really eaten anything. We then went back to the Press apartment where we regrouped and headed out to the Bird's nest. We did not eat before we got there and that was probably a mistake. In the Olympic area there is only one place to eat and it is McDonalds. We went there and it was a PANDEMONIUM. They held us outside the door, then when they let us in it was straight madness. Imagine the New York Stock exchange, people yelling, screaming and pushing. No order, serious fire hazard, I was pushed by an old lady, a little kid, not to mention countless people who were closer to my age. I had to revert back to my running back days and find a whole and hit it hard. I eventually made it to the front where I ordered for my homies and we ate the much smaller portioned Mickey D's
We eventually made it into the stadium where we watched the meet which was pretty cool... but did not get phenomenal until the women's pole vault. When Isabadova was going to go for the world record in the pole vault there was no way that Ann and I were not going down in the stands RIGHT next to the pit. When we got there we clearly stood up and clapped. Even after Chinese guy and told us to sit down and some European woman told us to "why don't you just sit down" whatever, if you won't stand up and clap for a world record attempt in the Olympics you don't deserve to see it. Anyway, when she finally cleared it on her third attempt the stadium erupted, and no one left. Also we were standing right by her coach and people went crazy trying to get autographs and pictures with him. Again the scene was UNREAL, I was able to sneak in some pictures of him... I do have to say that this moment was completely 100% unbelievable and I'm still kind of in disbelief of how close I was to witness this feat. This alone made the trip worth it... Also the countdown can begin 7 more days left in China, exactly one more week.... we went out afterwards and it was chill and I had a pretty good time with the "dream team" (jihad, press, lachman etc) and Ann. Anyway for now... that's all I'll post pictures later, but gotta run to the next EVENT!!!!!! DAWN HARPER IN THE 100 HURDLES!!!!!!!
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