By Ethan Shea

It feels like we just finished watching the Summer Olympics … because we basically did. As we all know, the 2020 Summer Olympics were severely delayed by the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, so these 2020 Summer and 2022 Winter Olympics are occurring remarkably close to each other. During normal years, there would be a two-year gap between the events, as they both take place every four years, with two-year offsets between them.

In general, the Summer Olympics seem to be more popular. There are 339 different events a the Summer Olympics and only 109 at the Winter Games, so there are more awards and excitement to go around in the summer. Not to mention that many winter events require a specific climate and hefty funding to garner the equipment needed to take part. It follows that the Summer Olympics generally get better television ratings than its colder counterpart, as more people are apt to become emotionally attached to athletes competing in events they are familiar with.

This does not mean we should not look forward to the Winter Olympics! There are countless entertaining events, such as ice hockey, snowboarding, and curling, among 106 others, but the disparity in ratings does present an opportunity for change.

Former Villanovan Patrick Tiernan Competing in the 2020 Olympics

In the 2020 Games, Villanova continued its streak of Olympic representation as four former and current Villanovans (Siofra Cleirigh Buttner, Summer Rappaport, Patrick Tiernan, and Jay Wright) competed on sport’s biggest stage. Aside from Jay Wright, who was the assistant coach of Team USA’s men’s basketball team, three of these athletes competed in events involving long-distance running. Villanova continues to produce world-class track and cross country athletes, so would it not be wonderful to watch these runners compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics? I, for one, believe this should be the case, and the best way to make this dream a reality is to add cross country running (XC) to the Winter Olympics! I am not alone in this belief, as several professional runners have voiced support for XC’s Olympic inclusion. There are many reasons why this would be beneficial not only for athletes but for fans, television producers, and Wildcats alike.

The most obvious reason why XC should be in the Winter Olympics is because it is traditionally a winter sport. Most international XC events occur between December and March, and since the Winter Olympics take place in February, this addition would fit perfectly into athletes’ race schedules. Track athletes would have enough time after the games to train for the outdoor season and marathoners would still be able to prepare for the big fall marathons. Training would be cutting it close for the Boston Marathon, which takes place in April, but I am sure athletes could make exceptions for the Olympics.

We can also deduce from the popularity of running events in the Summer Olympics that adding XC to the Winter Games would draw more viewers than ever to the global spectacle. Not only would runners around the world become invested in the games, but countless nations that are underrepresented in the Winter Olympics due to their warm climates would be drawn to the event for the first time in history.

From a competitive perspective, adding XC to the Olympics would create an opportunity for athletes of diverse running disciplines to race against each other for the first time. During the Summer games, marathoners do not compete against milers or steeplechase competitors, but if XC becomes and Olympic sport, fans would be able to see all different sorts of runners compete on a unique and rugged course over an 8-10 kilometer distance.

Unfortunately the International Olympic Committee (IOC) currently defines winter sports as “only those sports which are practiced on snow or ice,” but the recent addition of sports such as surfing and skateboarding to the Summer Olympics and women’s monobob (single person bobsled) to the Winter Olympics shows that the IOC is open to making changes. If any representatives of the IOC happen to be reading this blog, I hope they will consider the benefits of adding XC to the Winter Games.

On a more personal note, I would love to watch this event, and I hope I am able to do so at some point in my lifetime. For now, I’m looking forward to watching a lot of hockey, figure skating, and ski jumping next month!

If you would like to learn more about the Olympics and Villanova’s history with the world’s greatest sporting event, check out these blogs curated here at Falvey Memorial Library!

• Villanova Olympians: 1908-2021
• Four Villanovans Chase Their Olympic Dreams
• The Origins of the Olympic Games
• Villanovan Patrick Tiernan Offers Lesson in Resilience at the Olympics

Ethan Shea is a first-year English Graduate Student and Graduate Assistant at Falvey Memorial Library.

By Shawn Proctor

Every Olympics is filled with storied rises to victory, when an athlete snatches the gold despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Yet for every medal there’s another tale. Last second losses. Injuries. And, for Villanovan Patrick Tiernan, it came in the form of two falls on the final lap of the 10,000-meter finals.

He had been preparing for five years for this moment, and his race strategy had gone to plan with 600 meters remaining. Then, with a mere 180 meters between him and the finish, Tiernan stumbled to the track.

Patrick Tiernan running in the NCAA cross country finals in 2016. (Courtesy of Villanova Athletics.)

What happened next captured the attention and hearts of viewers around the world. Tiernan rose and continued. He fell again, but, in a demonstration of boundless resilience, willed himself across the finish line.

The normally soft-spoken Australian was matter-of-fact about the moment. “It doesn’t feel anything heroic to me,” said the two-time Olympian, according to The Guardian. “I just fell a little short of where I wanted to be and haven’t had a chance to process any of that. I’ll decompress over the next couple of days, but I’m glad it’s struck a chord with a few people.” He continued to chase his Olympic dream a few days later, competing in the 5,000-meter race.

As Theodore Roosevelt once famously said, it is not the critic who matters. It is Tiernan himself who counts: the athlete training every day, striving for the finish, and reaching for gold. He has been a NCAA champion. He has represented his country. Each result marked a step along his journey, an opportunity to grow and improve.

While 19th place is not a finish that athletes envision, there are many resources for people who find themselves facing disappointment, struggle, and the difficult path forward.

Here are several perspectives, drawn from Falvey’s Collection:

• Academic Video Online, et al. Back on Board: Greg Louganis. Passion River Films, 2015.
• Hemmings, Brian, and Tim Holder. Applied Sport Psychology: A Case-based Approach. Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
• Henriksen, Kristoffer, et al. Mindfulness and Acceptance in Sport: How to Help Athletes Perform and Thrive Under Pressure. Routledge, 2020.
• Kethledge, Raymond Michael, and Michael S. Erwin. Lead Yourself First: Inspiring Leadership Through Solitude. Bloomsbury USA, 2017.

Shawn Proctor, MFA, is Communication and Marketing Program Manager at Falvey Memorial Library.

George Guida, 1948.

Vicki Huber, 1989.

Eamonn Coghlan.

Jen Rhines, 1996.

Lisa Flood, 1994.

Kate Fonshell, 1991.

Charles Jenkins.

Kallie Stahl ’17 MA is Communication and Marketing Specialist at Falvey Memorial Library.

Photo courtesy of University Archives. Originally appeared in Villanova Magazine: Vol. 4, no. 3, Summer, 1988.

As the track-and-field events at the 2020 Summer Olympics get underway, we celebrate 8-time NCAA Champion and two-time Olympian Vicki Huber. She competed in the 3,000 and 1,500 meters events at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and 1996 Atlanta Olympics, respectively.

Photo courtesy of University Archives.

Ron Delany, part of Villanova’s famed Irish Pipeline, sprints to gold in the 1500 meters event at the 1956 Summer Olympics setting a new Olympic record. He went on to compete in the 1960 Olympics, finishing sixth.

By Shawn Proctor

All eyes are on Tokyo as the 2020 Summer Games opening ceremonies commence tonight. Four Villanovans will be among the athletes competing for gold, adding to 108 years of Villanova glory at the Olympics.

Marcus O’Sullivan, part of the legendary Irish Pipeline, races in 1982, two years before competing in the Summer Olympics, his first of four appearances. O’Sullivan is now Head Coach of Villanova Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field.

• …about the Irish Pipeline at Villanova: https://blog.library.villanova.edu/2021/03/05/dig-deeper-learn-more-about-the-pipeline-of-irish-athletics-to-villanova/
• …about the history of Villanova Track and Field: https://villanova.com/news/2016/6/4/Track_Record_of_Excellence

Photo courtesy of University Archives.

“Track and field was the premiere sport at Villanova in 1950. That era alone boasted many Olympians, starting the tradition of Villanova greatness at the epitome of competition.”

“Phil Reavis was particularly special. Reavis, born and raised in Somerville, Mass., found himself competing in the great sport. He did some miles and competed on relays, but eventually, found his niche in the high jump.”

“Back then, high jumpers didn’t clear the bar as they do now either—they did the western roll and not the Fosbury flop, as most high jumpers do today.” – Excerpt from “Honoring An Alumnus Trailblazer: Phil Reavis,” written by Samuel Ellison, published in The Villanovan, February 21, 2013.

Special note: Samuel Ellison, author of the article, was a Men’s Track & Field All-American and Fulbright winner.