Dara Torres - a real Olympian (spoiler, I think)

[question everything]

I just happened to watch the women 50m swim. As the ladies were getting ready to get to the pool, one of the participants - from Sweden, I think - had a tear in her suit.

They don't have to wait for all the racers to be in place, but Dara went to the official and asked for them to wait - was barely a minute - before the other woman showed up.

When asked after that, Torres said: in the pool we compete, outside we are friends.

And, yes, she came first.

[abbeyco]

1. Another US class act

Bringing the heat and competitiveness that's great for all of us!

Go Dara

Go Michael Phelps

Love me some USA Olympians!!!

[Booster]

2. Dara knows how hard all of the atheletes have worked to get to

the Olympics and good for her for asking the officials not to take away this girl's chance. I've been impressed with Dara from a long time ago, but not I am so proud of her for this little act of kindness. Way to go, Dara.:yourock:

[MiniMe]

3. I thought that was great

She calmed everybody down if they got uptight about the other swimmer being late

[bicentennial_baby]

4. That was really wonderful

She's a great role model for other athletes. And, her physical abilities blow my mind.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Interesting - she was heavily criticised by the British commentator for an incident after that

I didn't see this live, but heard the commentator say this at the end of the race: when the race was just about to start, she held it up by going to the starter to ask them to get silence. He thought a last minute delay like that could have disturbed the concentration of the other competitors - and in a 50m race, the start does need concentration (and no, there wasn't a British woman in that heat, so that wasn't sour grapes).

[uppityperson]

6. Class act there. eom