Athletes

The dictionary defines 'athlete' as

ath·lete

n.

A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

A while ago, I was the unfortunate victim and the very picture of a captive audience to someone who enjoys NASCAR. As they were involved in watching cars drive around in a circle really fast, I was left to find what entertainment I could in the mundane, droning commentary. I was completely astounded to hear announcer refer to the drivers of the vehicles as "athletes". Are you kidding me? These are men (and one woman) who routinely sit for hours steering a vehicle in a circle!


After watching the Olympics, I have wondered at the inclusion of some of the events (e.g. table tennis, also know as ping pong and badminton) but these do require some sort of athletic ability and stamina, no matter how minor. Calling the driver of a car an athlete is just an insult to the hard work and abilities of true athletes like gymnasts, swimmers, and marathon runners.