The 2020 Summer Olympics has been postponed to next year amid COVID-19 precautions, and will be held, July 23, 2021 to August 8, 2021. The increasing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has been significant enough to consider the postponing of this major event for the safety of all athletes, attendees, and event organizers.
I was looking forward to the Summer Olympics, but the postponement is bittersweet in that I will have to wait for some of my favorite sporting events but I am relieved to see the proper precautions taking place. My favorite events are swimming, archery, and badminton, because of the high level of skill and competition involved in each of the sports.
Swimming is a very familiar sport to me because I have been swimming since second grade. I have personally experienced the hardships of the sport, such as the highly competitive nature of a swim team, and the benefits of the sport, such as forming strong friendships with dedicated athletes. Swimming is a fast paced sport and it is very interesting and fun to watch the athletes move their whole body and use every muscle to swim. Next year, I am most excited to watch the American swimmer, Michael Andrew, who has broken numerous national records and even became a professional athlete at a young age of fourteen.
In contrast to the fast and dynamic sport of swimming, archery is a sport of focus and calmness. The swift flight of the arrow into the bullseye of the target takes accurate calculation of wind speed and direction, distance of target, and a confidently steady hand. In the most recent Olympics, the Korean team won the Archery event, and as a fellow Korean, I was proud of their talent and success. I look forward to another win by the Korean team, and although their team has not been selected, I know that the best players will be sent next year to represent the reigning archery champions.
Last, but not least, badminton is a surprisingly enjoyable Olympic sport. Badminton is somewhat similar to tennis, but does not have the fan base or popularity of tennis. The fast exchange of the shuttlecocks through the air and the balletic rallies keeps me glued to the TV. I hope all the teams and players will do their best.
I believe that all sports are brilliant in their own ways, but the best events of the Summer Olympics, in my opinion, are swimming, archery, and badminton. The Summer Olympics are a great event to watch with family and friends. Although it is postponed to next year, I know it will not disappoint our growing anticipation.