It has been an exhilarating few days watching the, much touted to fail, summer olympics at Rio De Janeiro. From the death threats to members of the olympic committee, the fear about less than suitable infrastructure to host games this size, to worries about the Zika virus — there has been a constant shadow of doubt that has followed these games. As skeptical as we all were, watching some extraordinary athletes achieve extraordinary things in these olympics has been nothing short of magical.

Yes, everyone that has pulse knows about the god-like achievements of Michael Phelps. But lets not forget Ryan Lochte who, in his own words, “could have been the Michael Phelps of swimming if he wasn’t there.” Oh the curse of living in the times of Phelps! What stuns me is the sheer depth of talent and determination in the U.S squad.

The young Simone Biles has re-defined perfection in gymnastics and deserves nothing but mad respect. But it’s the imperfect struggle of Aly Raisman, the 22-year-old gymnast at her last olympics, performing her heart out & delivering her best floor routine, that has tears rolling from my eyes. Not for a moment did I sense any bitterness from her towards Simone Biles & her unbeatable talent. For her, it was just about doing the best she could do and not settling for a tad less. No better example to teach us & our children what single-minded dedication and hard work can achieve. And how the most fierce competition for all of us needs to be with our own selves.

Kristin Armstrong, just days before turning 43, competed and won in one of the most physically demanding cycling events. She fought off rain, a tough Russian challenger and a nose bleed to capture the olympic gold medal for a third time. This time, her 5-year-old son cheered from the sidelines. She proved that neither age nor motherhood are handicaps in the quest for an Olympic gold or any other goal you set for yourself for that matter.

Simone Manuel, re-wrote history as she became the first African-American to win a swimming gold at the Olympics. She brought so much pride to her hometown of Sugarland, TX and her nation.

There are many such stories of human perseverance and courage in every nation’s squad participating in these games. Whether they medal or not, they are all there making their countries proud and pushing their own limits. Many proms, children’s birthdays, nights out with friends, family dinners have been sacrificed so that these men and women and show mankind that impossible is only a word in the dictionary. These athletes continue to blaze the trail and discover new frontiers in human endurance and strength.

Kudos to everyone participating. Thank for bringing passion into our jaded lives. Thank you letting your strength win over our skepticism. Hopefully a standing ovation from my living room will count :)