Augusta University
I’ve always loved the Olympics. I vaguely remember going to the 1996 Atlanta Games as a child. I remember the excitement I felt when I had the opportunity to swim in the pool used in the 2000 Sydney games. The year Michael Phelps made his...
The 2016 Rio Games just ended, but Brazil is already feeling “saudade.” Celebrated during the closing ceremony, “saudade” is a special word in Portuguese. To me, it’s the most beautiful word in our language. There is no...
Today Pardon Ndhlovu represented Zimbabwe at the 2016 Rio Games. A culmination of years of work, Pardon stood toe to toe with the best marathon runners in the world. As one of the best marathoners in the world. Today, Pardon’s dream came true...
Growing up, I would always watch the Olympic marathon to see the top runners fight for gold at the final stretch.I had no idea how dramatic and emotional the finish line could be. Until this morning. Today, I didn’t care about gold, silver or...
It was a green and yellow afternoon in Rio de Janeiro. Everywhere I looked, I could spot Brazil soccer jerseys and people carrying the Brazilian flag. I fit in. Saturday was game day. Brazil vs. Germany. At Maracanã Stadium. A fight for the gold...
When Arthur and I were making plans for the 2016 Rio Games, we knew that we would only have a few days to attend Olympic events. Saturday was one of those days. When we were buying tickets the choice came down to badminton and the pentathlon. Once...
Live samba, happy crowd and smiles. That’s usually a good description of Copacabana beach any day of the year. During the 2016 Olympics, it seems like one of Rio’s most famous beaches is on steroids. “It’s crazy,” a Rio de Janeiro resident told me...
It’s no secret that sport has the power to unite people and cultures. The Olympics, one of the biggest sporting events in the world, is the perfect example of this. However, it is one thing to know the power of sport but another to experience it...
Judging by media coverage, we could say the world is concerned about violence in Rio de Janeiro. Violence has always been a problem here, as two cab drivers from Rio’s metropolitan area pointed out to me on Monday. To be fair, they said, there is...
Early this morning, I walked into the Manaus airport feeling groggy but excited. We went through customs and immigration and I got a cool Rio 2016 stamp in my passport. We hadn’t quite made it to Rio de Janeiro, but I was officially in Brazil. As...
We have finally landed in Brazil. And, as I always do at the first entry point in my native country, I went straight for the food. My first meal in Brazil always includes pão de queijo, or cheesebread, and a Brazilian soda called Guaraná. My wife...
Last night, after watching Michael Phelps swim his last individual Olympic race, I lay down in bed. My body was exhausted, but my mind was racing. “In less than 48 hours, I will be in Rio de Janeiro. At the 2016 Olympics. Oh my goodness, I have so...
I remember watching the opening ceremony of previous Summer Olympic Games with my dad and always hear him say he had waited four years for that. I remember watching the Brazilian men’s national soccer team and cheering for our first Olympic gold...
I’ve always loved a good story. When I was a college student I had the opportunity to tell some incredible stories. I wrote about a mother who escaped an abusive relationship and an attempted murder that left her disfigured. She went on to gain her...
Yes, I look Asian. Yes, I have a Japanese last name. And yes, I’m Brazilian. Much like the U.S., Brazil is a diverse nation. As the Olympic Opening Ceremony showcased, multiple ethnicities make up the Brazilian identity. Japanese culture is one of...
