London won the bid for the 2012 Olympic games on Wednesday, after one of the most exciting contests in the Game's 108-year history defeating four other cities from across the world, including New York City.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg expressed his and the New York delegation's disappointment after the announcement was made, but the International Olympic Committee chose the right city.
Paris, considered by some to be the favorite heading into the final 24 hours of the race, rounded out the competition for the Games along with Madrid and Moscow. After Moscow was eliminated, New York City and Madrid fell out of the race, and the Olympic committee faced the choice between London and Paris, which had been considered co-favorites for much of the contest. With Paris thought to have a slight edge in the final hours leading up to the announcement, London pulled off a 54-50 upset in the final ballot.
London proved to be the most deserving to host the 2012 Olympics because of the excitement and Olympic spirit displayed by its citizens throughout the contest. While Americans take for granted how our athletes will do against world competition, most other countries -- including England -- don't have that luxury. Since other countries don't know how their athletes will fare, citizens display more pride when their country wins medals. English delegates and citizens displayed that type of Olympic spirit during the contest, helping London win the Games.
New York City also had to fight the fact that the United States has hosted two Olympic games in the past eight years. The 1996 Summer Games were held in Atlanta, and the 2002 Winter Games were held in Salt Lake City. Meanwhile, London and Paris hadn't hosted the games since 1948 and 1924, respectively. Moscow was the site of the 1980 Summer Olympics, and Madrid has never hosted.
While it's disappointing that the United States won't be hosting the 2012 Games, New Yorkers can hold their heads up high knowing they lost to a worthy city.
Although Mayor Bloomberg and delegates said a New York City Olympics would be a climactic step in the city's recovery from the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, New Yorkers have already shown resiliency in the aftermath of the attacks on the Twin Towers, and they would have nothing more to prove by hosting the Games.
It's been a long time coming for London, but the pride and excitement the British have displayed during the two-year process will carry into the Olympics, making the wait well worth it. As is true for the Games all around, the best competitor, the one that puts up the best fight for the gold, is the one that deserves to win.
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