********** The book of the Bahá’í presence at the Beijing Olympics consisted of three chapters. The first was the song “Beijing Olympics Hao Yuing (Good Luck),” written by Bahá’ís Phil Morrison and Keith Williams, of Brunswick, Georgia, USA (not the other Georgia that was making news at the same time). The song was one of 30 selected by Olympic organizers from 3,000 submissions to communicate to visitors the spirit of the 2008 Games, and the only one to have been penned by American-born musicians. Its lyrics include such Bahá’í ideas as, “Just one human family,” “The earth will celebrate -- For World Unity,” “Promoting peace and friendship for all -- The world will come together -- we'll open up the gate.” It can be heard at http://www.philmorrisontrio.com/.Chapter Two, just days before the Games began, was provided by a British teacher resident in China, Wilma O’Sullivan, 52, who was chosen to carry the torch as a nationally acclaimed contributor to education in China. Perhaps a little-known fact is that torch bearers get to keep their torch after they pass the flame along to the next leg of the journey, so whereas it’s not an Olympic medal, it’s an impressive souvenir. Bahá’ís routinely leave their homelands to provide sacrificial service to humanity in other countries.
But the third chapter was a great climax and a shining moment, as Portugal’s Nelson Evora leapt for gold in the Triple Jump event. While not a marquee event, the Triple Jump is nevertheless a hotly-contested major track and field competition. Evora finished 40th in the same event in 2004 in Athens, but brought his A game this time around, clearing 17.67 metres to capture the gold. In true Bahá’í World Citizen fashion, Evora was born in Cotê d’Ivoire of Cape Verdean parents, and for whom he competed until 2002, when he acquired Portuguese citizenship.
