This month the world will watch as nearly 2,500 athletes from 85 countries compete in the XXth Olympic Winter Games held in Turino, Italy. Our eyes and ears will be fi lled with stories of success, and the agony of defeat. The wins and losses of athletes will become common speech in our everyday lives for those 16 days as they compete for Olympic glory in a country thousands of miles away from their homes.
Athletes compete in the Olympics for many reasons. Opinions vary a great deal as to what those reasons are. Money, say some. Fame, say others. Only the athlete that represents his or her country can answer the question of their motive. We decided to get an insider’s view by talking to a local college-aged athlete, Jeremy Holm, who trains and competes for the United States in the sport of bobsled.