Beijing Profile- Ben Barger, Windsurfing RS-X

by Ben Barger on 8 Aug 2008 For as long as I can remember there has been the fire deep inside of me to compete at the Olympic Games. I have had a long arduous journey there, one that is better to share and better to learn from. There will be no what if’s or maybe’s in a few days, finally I get to taste the competition at the worlds biggest sporting event.

Memories flood my mind of all those days training like a fool, just going for it mostly alone, with little knowledge of exactly where it would bring me. So here I am at the Olympic Village, writing this on my Olympic Village bed, contemplating the exact feeling that I’ll be zoning in on for the first race on august 11th. I could be the samurai, about to use my sword in the fight of my life. I could be the bull fighter in the dust of the arena staring down the bull that is charging with his horns down. I can literally taste the intensity of the competition, and I will savor these moments for a lifetime.

I have one focus and that is to win, I know that will be difficult, I must be quick, decisive and calculated. What is about to take place I know will be life changing, something I’ve waited the majority of my life to complete. Something I could have never done alone, and I’ll be thinking of everyone of you who stepped up the past 15 years to support this bigger than life goal and wholeheartedly thank you.

I hope to continue your legacy through my racing and into the next chapter; an Olympic Champion. I promise you I won’t give up the following few weeks, I’ll keep my head down and do the performance of my lifetime. It might be about the journey at the end, but right now its about winning and doing whatever it takes to win the gold, and this makes me smile larger than life.

I know I have prepared for this day, not any other for more than half my life and I can assure you, I trained to medal, not finish mid fleet or be an Olympic tourist. This is competitive bliss for me, focused so intently, I feel like I finally “fit in” for the first time of my life.Thank God.

Thank my wife, Anja for always believing and loving me no matter how hard it’s been. Thank my family, and thank you because we’ve made it together. So now lets enjoy this ride and let the games begin. Look for me in the opening ceremonies tomorrow, I’ll be waving big!

Stay tuned to bentobeijing.com for my updates and nbcolympics.com for more general ones.