A famous springboard driver was defeated by his competitor in the finals of a world championship, offering congratulations to the winner and waving a tearful goodbye to the audience.
It is common in the athletic world. Sportsmen spend the best part of their lives on hard training and competitions. When it becomes evident that they are on the decline they still make great efforts to give their best so as to bring a satisfactory end to their career.
Chances to compete for the championship are few and far between. Life is short. Still shorter is the time for an athlete trying to win games. An athletic contestant really feels that there are so few opportunities and time flies. He treasures every minute, makes full use of it and tries to grasp any chance coming his way. He gets as much as he gives, winning honors not only for himself but also for his country.
To participate and to win——that is the Olympic spirit. It finds expression in the weak daring to challenge the strong, and the strong searching forever better performance. Ever better—the ideal always makes a sportsman forward. He will do everything he can for it, never relax, never give up. It is said that none of the competitors can avoid being defeated—even the best is bound to be defeated by someone still stronger. This is the rule of sports—thousands of losers set off one winner who in turn will eventually be replaced by someone on the honor list. However, he is always trying to do the best he can. When the time comes and he knows he can't, he will step down happily to give place to the younger winner, aware contentedly of the fact that he has done his best for the "ever better" records of the Olympic Games. He will say proudly that he has not lived his youth in vain.
