Monday, February 13, 2006

COOL RUNNINGS 2?

The winter Olympics are underway in Turin. Indians don't have anything to look for. The Indian athlete Shiva Kesavan created a stir on the eve of the opening ceremony and finished 25th in his event. That is not the reason behind this post.

Remember 'Cool Runnings'? It was a movie that featured the attempt at glory by the bobsled team from Jamaica in the 1988 winter Olympics at Calgary, Canada. Yes, it is about a team from the sunbaked island of Jamaica where there is no possibility of any snow. Actually, three sprinters from the Caribbean island failed to make to the summer Olympics for the sprint events. The three then got hold of a fellow countryman to go to Canada. In the end, there was no medal for the Jamaicans but their attempt was highly commendable.

I was watching the sports bulletin on the BBC before the start of the compeition at Turin. It featured an athlete by the name Robel( forgive me for not giving his full name) form of all places, Ethiopia. You heard it right; he is from an African country. Followers of athletics know that Ethiopia is more famous for producing great middle and long distance runners. Now it came as a shock rather than a surprise to me hear about an athlete in the winter Olympics from an African country.

It does not matter if Robel wins any medal or not.

Any filmmaker from Hollywood interested in making 'Cool Runnings2'?

No comments: