Olympic Diary - Day 15, Feb. 22, 2002
Baylor University graduate Erika Snoberger, who is covering all speed skating events for the U.S. Olympic Committee at the Winter Olympics, is filing a daily diary with Baylor Public Relations, as she experiences the "shining moments" that only the Games can provide.
Day 15, Feb. 22, 2002
After yesterday's complete normality of being a regular Olympic television spectator, today was a 180-degree turnaround! I just keep being shocked by the amazing things that keep happening since I've been here.
I left the speedskating Oval a bit early. The men's 10,000 was going on (it was almost over) but the American's had skated (no medal contenders) and I needed to get back to the office and write my story.
Well, no sooner had I arrived in the long line for security outside my office and who should get in line right behind me...BOB COSTAS!!! I was SO excited! The second I saw him, I just started trembling with nervousness! I introduced myself to him and asked him if I could take a picture with him. He was pretty friendly (but obviously busy) and we talked for a minute or two, took a picture and went out separate ways. But as we were just about to go in opposite directions, I turned to him and said "It was nice to meet you!" to which he replied, "It was nice to meet you too, Erika!" Wow, I was so impressed. Bob Costas called me by name! Like my dad said, that is a sign of a true professional and for something like that, it just made the experience that much more memorable. So now I've got not only a picture with the first ever Olympic women's bobsled gold-medalists, but one with Bob Costas, too!
Then later in the evening, a friend and I got last-minute tickets from our office to go watch the figure skating exhibition. We saw all the medal winners skate and a few others, as well. Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes, Tim Goebel, everybody! As we were walking back, we both concluded that we could never truly enjoy the Olympics as spectators, after all the wonderful and unique experiences we had had in our current situation!
Tomorrow is the last day of speedskating competition and the women's 5000m (long track) and three races in short track. Look for Apolo to clean up the medals!
I will be happy, sad, relieved and regretful to see the Olympics be over tomorrow. It's funny -- during the first week of competition, all you would hear on the media buses was excited chatter and people talking in all different languages about all kinds of things. Today on the way back to the office from the Oval, I looked around the bus and most people I could see were sleeping! I think everyone feels like I do. And I wish everyone could say they have been as blessed as I have to have experienced such an incredible and probably un-toppable opportunity.
There's one more day left!
Erika