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Remembering
Alice
Long before her death brought her headlines in the peculiar way that Olympics can create instant worldwide familiarity, Alice Hawthorne had known love, touched lives, accomplished things. She was a retired Air Force lieutenant, an owner of an ice-cream shop, an adviser to a Georgia state representative. She had come to the Olympics from the south-Georgia city of Albany with her 14-year-old daughter, Fallon Stubbs, to join in the party. Now Hawthorne is known far more widely, as the one person killed by the primitive pipe bomb that exploded in Centennial Olympic Park on July 27, sending a barrage of nails and screws into her vital organs. Her funeral was held on Saturday at the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, in the southwestern section of Atlanta. Amid the wailing and the hallelujahs and the convulsing bodies and the matrons in white dresses fanning those in need of air, there was music—big voices from a big choir. "C'mon, this is a celebration," said the pastor, James H. Sims Jr. "You can put your hands together!" And so people did. And Alice Hawthorne's closing ceremonies were filled with grief and love and the hope for salvation. Most Golden Moment: South Africa's Josia Thugwane crossing the line in yesterday's marathon to become his country's first black gold medalist. Most Improved: Italy won 35 medals (13 gold), up from 17 (six gold) in Barcelona in 1992. Most Disappointing: Japan, which won 14 medals, eight fewer than it did four years ago. Most Most: Yes, the U.S. won more gold medals (44) and more total medals (101) than any other country, but besides having the home field advantage, the U.S. also brought by far the largest number of athletes, 697. Germany (571 athletes), Australia (429) and Russia (391) had the next-largest contingents. And were the Soviet Union intact, it would have run away with 127 medals. Best Line: Will you marry me? There were at least 20 wedding proposals in Centennial Olympic Park. In addition, British kayaker Shaun Pearce proposed to Julie Stark, the team's physiotherapist, on the field during the opening ceremonies; Dutch swimmer Wilma van Hofwegen was proposed to by her visiting boyfriend in the Olympic Village; and one U.S. fan proposed to another during an Australia-China softball game by unfurling a banner that popped The Question. To complete these Games of Love, assistant U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling coach Bob Anderson married Judy Munday outside the Georgia World Congress Center after one round of morning matches. Worst Line: The one heading into Centennial Olympic Park. Best Names: Cuban pitcher Jorge Fumero (Spanish for smoke), Australian runner Lisa Lightfoot and the hospitable Jamaican table tennis team of Stephen Hylton and Michael Hyatt. Least Hope-ful Team: The Nigerian track squad, which did, however, have Faith (Idehen) and Charity (Opara). Worst Tiebreaker: With Italy and Germany deadlocked at 42 after nine bouts in the men's team épée semifinals, a coin was flipped to decide which team would advance. Germany lost and took home the bronze. Italy went on to win the gold. Most Inappropriate Display: Four U.S fighter jets buzzing the opening ceremonies of an event meant to promote world peace and brotherhood. Most Overlooked: Hungary's Krisztina Egerszegi, who with her victory in the 200-meter backstroke became only the second swimmer to win the same event at three straight Olympics. Most Encouraging: A total of 78 countries—14 more than at any previous Games—won medals. Most Intriguing Question: What's up with those potted plants that are placed in front of the water jump in the steeplechase? Most Intriguing Question II: Will Ghanian boxer Alhassan Leiodi fight in Sydney? He disappeared the night before the opening ceremonies to visit friends in New York and never competed. Four years ago he failed to show up in Barcelona, saying he had malaria. Best Controversy Involving a Fruit: The silver medal Malaysian badminton doubles team of Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock was accused of carrying a bunch of green bananas onto the court to ward off evil spirits.
Most Irritating Olympian Presences: 1) Boogalooing photo-opportunist wrestler Matt Ghaffari, who identifies himself on the phone as "Matt Ghaffari, silver medalist"; Most Irritating Olympian Absences: The MARTA train and the ACOG bus you were waiting for. Best Comment by Matt Ghaffari's Wife, Amy: After meeting Aleksandr Karelin, the Russian wrestler who made sure there was a "Matt Ghaffari, silver medalist" and not a "Matt Ghaffari, gold medalist," Amy said of Karelin, "He seemed a little inhuman-looking." Worst Demonstration of Restraint by a Coach: Steve Nunno, who coaches gymnast Shannon Miller, said he was "running around looking for someone to punch" after being upset by the scores awarded her in team competition. He couldn't find Karolyi? Most Intriguing Cultural Exchange: The interview of an Iranian wrestling fan by a U.S. reporter that ended with the Iranian's excusing himself by saying, "I can't let my homeboys see me talking to you." Most Expedient Solution Suggested by a Politician: Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell, in regard to ACOG's critics, "They should take them out to the shooting venue and get rid of them." Least Apropos Comment: Explaining why she didn't offer her bout with diarrhea as an excuse for a poor performance in the 5,000 meters, Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan said: "I'm a person who likes to keep everything inside me."
Sydney, Ausralia In 1788, Great Britain sent a dozen ships into Sydney Harbor bearing 700 of Her Majesty's prisoners. The Brits said they were establishing a penal colony; the Aboriginals said they were being invaded. They ain't seen nothin' yet. Four more years, Sydney, only four more years. The buzz at these Games is that the temperate, beharbored, sophisticated jewel will be a paradise compared with sticky, clogged-up, pickup-truck-filled Atlanta, and maybe that will be the case. The proof, though, can only be in the execution. Magic moments await us, of that we're certain. We'll look for a little Hogan, a middling amount of Mel and a lot of Elle. Only one question: Does "How y'all doin'?" translate to "G'day, mate!"?
Some 50,152 volunteers gave up nearly three weeks of their summer to do largely thankless tasks for which they cannot be thanked enough.
The athletes who competed in the exhibition wheelchair races shone as brightly as any. And a lot of them will remain in Atlanta for the Paralympic Games, which begin on Aug. 15 and run through Aug. 25. "The crowd was incredible, screaming my name," says the U.S.'s Scott Hollonbeck, recalling his silver medal effort in the 1,500. "I look forward to a similar experience in the Para Games." Many of Atlanta's Olympic structures are already being taken down—including much of Centennial Olympic Park and even the temporary wheelchair-access ramps on the curbs of International Boulevard—but the promise of 3,500 athletes from more than 120 nations competing in 17 Paralympic sports is worth sticking around for.
SI Olympic Dailies
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