On the evening of February 6, at the Yanqing National Bobsleigh Center, Saba Kumari Tashweli from Georgia finished 31st in the men's single bobsleigh competition at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Although he was not able to win a medal, the story of his body was touching.
People who know the history of the Winter Olympics may still have an impression of the surname "Kumari Tashweli". On the eve of the opening of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, bobsleigh athlete Nodar Kumari Tashweli, born in 1989, flew off the track at nearly 145 kilometers per hour at the 16th bend of Whistler Speedway during a formal training session, crashing into a pillar next to the track, and the life of the 21-year-old came to an abrupt end. At this time, the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics was less than 6 hours away.
At the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, the entire audience observed a moment of silence for the Georgian bobsleigh players who died unexpectedly on the same day, and the flags of the International Olympic Committee and the Flag of Canada were lowered to half-mast respectively.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Logue, then president of the International Olympic Committee, said: "May you carry his Olympic dream on your shoulders and compete with his spirit in your heart." ”
This terrible accident has allowed bobsleigh sports to be further improved in terms of track settings, safety protection and even project settings to prevent more casualties. The Vancouver Winter Olympic Organizing Committee immediately reduced the difficulty of the bobsleigh track that year, and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics also reduced the speed of the bobsleigh race.
The family of Nordar Kumari Tashvili is a well-known family of bobsleigh sports in Georgia, and the name "Kumari Tashvili" in Georgia can almost be equated with sledding. Although Nordal's death was a huge blow to the family, the blow did not cause the family to give up their Olympic dreams or their love of bobsleigh.
They are still involved in everything related to bobsleigh, including the design of new tracks and the training of athletes, and are committed to training more excellent bobsleigh athletes.
Twelve years later, Saba Kumaritashweli, the cousin of Nordar KumariTashvili, born in 2000, took his brother's unfinished Olympic dream and Olympic spirit and stood on the field of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics after countless efforts.
In a public interview, Saba said: "I am very pleased to represent my country and my family at the Olympic Games. I'll never forget what happened at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, but Nodal brought me not just sadness, but more strength, so I'm only qualified to stand in the Winter Olympics now. ”
Through 12 years, the younger brother took his brother's unfinished Olympic dream and competed in the Olympics again, how can such a story not be moving? According to the schedule of the official website of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, Saba has completed all the schedules of his Winter Olympic Games, although he has not won a medal, but after encountering such a major accident at home, he can also become a bobsleigh athlete and be able to stand on the field of the Winter Olympics again, which is already a miracle.
Hats off to the Olympic dream!
Hats off to the Olympic spirit!
Image source: Xinhua News Agency