Amazing Stories Of The Winter Olympic Games

Check out some real stories to inspire and motivate

The South Korean Winter Olympics happened this year. In countries of Latin America, this type of event does not generate many conversations, due to the climate in which we live.

In this context, I decided to recall some surprising facts.

Cool Running

In 1988, at the Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada, four Jamaican runners were part of a bobsled team. The unusual idea came from the Americans George Finch and William Maloney. With support in the military, they managed to convince the athletes and classify them for the event. History paved the way for other countries with a tropical climate to venture into these competitions.

Michael White, Devon Harris, Dudley Stokes and Chris Stokes (Photo: Disclosure)

In 1993, the film Cool Running, by Jon Turteltaub was inspired by these real stories. Adapted full of poetic licenses, it's one of those silly afternoon session comedies. Despite this, it brings good reflections on teamwork, persistence and overcoming adversities.

Eddie the Eagle

This story also happens in the same Olympics where the Jamaicans were. This time, the British Michael Edwards, 24, steals the scenes. With no financial backing and coach, Edwards was completely demoralized by his rivals. Coupled with myopia, suffered from knee problems in much of childhood and have never skied in life.

Faced with so many adversities, he did not give up his Olympic dream. Twenty-eight years later, his tale that shocked the public at that time, inspired the film Eddie the Eagle (2016) by Dexter Fletcher.

Crowd accompanies Eddie flight (Photo: Battmann/Corbis)

Mexican in South Korea

Recently, Germán Madrazo, 43, crossed the finish line at this year's Olympic Games. He had never skied until he was 42 years old. In January 2017, he joined the Mexican delegation.

"Never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never stop fighting" (Photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

As a child, he dreamed of being a swimmer. In 2014, in the last Games, realized the absence of Mexicans in the ski. At that time, put as a goal to qualify for the competitions now. For that, he sold his bicycles and made loans.