"Golden moment tonight for Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic," says the NBC broadcaster as I'm watching the 400 meters hurdles. "Sanchez wins the Olympic 400 meters hurdles!"
Felix Sanchez is a two-time Olympic gold medalist; he's the oldest man to win the Olympic 400m hurdles title, and the second consecutive 400m hurdles champion to win his second title eight years after the first. He's been nicknamed "Super Felix", the Invincible", Superman" and "the Dictator".
He'd vowed to win the gold medal in honor of his grandmother who died four years ago, but he failed. Now, eight years after winning Olympic gold in Athens and becoming the first gold medalist for the Dominican Republic, he's back. This time, not only is he a winner, but he's managed to run the race in the same time as he did eight years ago — 47.63 seconds.
46.43 seconds. Remarkable!
46.43 seconds. Remarkable!
But, let's look past the tough exterior of the man known as "the Dictator", and past someone who's talented enough to run incredibly fast, but at someone who has accomplished this feat twice in almost a decade. Just what kind of person is this Felix Sanchez?
What I know about Felix Sanchez is that after the race ended, he strutted around the track [now I know where he gets those nicknames from!]---and celebrated, he reached inside his racing bib, and pulled out a picture. Tucked inside his uniform, placed close to his heart was his abuela's picture. As the scene played out and the rain began to fall, I watched the strong, self-confident "Super Felix" transform.
The broadcaster continued: "as raindrops begin to kiss his face he's sure his grandmother is sending them, " he said.
"The Invincible" felt his grandmother looking down on him. "Superman" transformed as he moved along the outer edge of the track and took the picture from out of the inside of his racing bib. He gently placed the photo on the track and knelt beside it. Almost like watching a butterfly emerging from its long held cocoon a change took place. Sanchez could no longer hold the tears back. The jubilant fearless runner released the tears that uncontrollably fell down his face. Superman transformed into Clark Kent and "the Dictator" to a faithful grandson.
Felix Sanchez had worked so had to win that gold metal to honor his grandmother he needed no reminders to tell him that his mission was accomplished.
The gift of dyslexia is like this. The gift of dyslexia is the gift of mastery. It is the gift of learning through experience, of learning to the point where recall becomes effortless. The gift of dyslexia is so completely grasping something that no memorization, explanation or trick is needed for the feeling, emotion, memory.... to come flooding out right here and now. It becomes a part of you.
Happy Olympic memories!
What I know about Felix Sanchez is that after the race ended, he strutted around the track [now I know where he gets those nicknames from!]---and celebrated, he reached inside his racing bib, and pulled out a picture. Tucked inside his uniform, placed close to his heart was his abuela's picture. As the scene played out and the rain began to fall, I watched the strong, self-confident "Super Felix" transform.
The broadcaster continued: "as raindrops begin to kiss his face he's sure his grandmother is sending them, " he said.
"The Invincible" felt his grandmother looking down on him. "Superman" transformed as he moved along the outer edge of the track and took the picture from out of the inside of his racing bib. He gently placed the photo on the track and knelt beside it. Almost like watching a butterfly emerging from its long held cocoon a change took place. Sanchez could no longer hold the tears back. The jubilant fearless runner released the tears that uncontrollably fell down his face. Superman transformed into Clark Kent and "the Dictator" to a faithful grandson.
Felix Sanchez had worked so had to win that gold metal to honor his grandmother he needed no reminders to tell him that his mission was accomplished.
The gift of dyslexia is like this. The gift of dyslexia is the gift of mastery. It is the gift of learning through experience, of learning to the point where recall becomes effortless. The gift of dyslexia is so completely grasping something that no memorization, explanation or trick is needed for the feeling, emotion, memory.... to come flooding out right here and now. It becomes a part of you.
Happy Olympic memories!
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