Each Olympics the committee invites five athletes to participate as wildcard entries, not because they have outstanding abilities or because they "qualified" but because they are underrepresented and are typically from less affluent countries.
Hamadou Issaka is a 35 year old man from Niger who only learned to row 3 months ago...in an old fishing boat. Today he finished dead last in his race to the applause, encouragement and standing ovation of all watching. He crossed the finish line almost 2 minutes after the gold medalist, exhausted but smiling.
This, my friends, is what makes the Olympics great! It isn't about your position on the podium or how many gold medals are dripping from your neck. It is about cheering on the underdog, it is about hope and encouragement, it is about supporting those less fortunate than ourselves and creating opportunities for Olympians of all countries! Bravo Mr. Issaka!
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