People around the world follow sports. Besides the Olympic games, which are the most known in the world, there are other sports games that brings different nations together. The IBU 2016 World Cup hosted in Presque Isle at the Nordic Heritage Center provided a platform for people who are fans of the sport to come together.
It’s common to pay attention to the athletes when we talk about sports. But spectators also play a vital role for organizing a successful game. Their participation not only encourages athletes to perform more competitively, but also helps to create a chance for people from different cultures to communicate.
Although the weather was pretty cold, the sports center was crowded with people. You could hear the sounds of cheering all the time. Fans of different countries held posters and flags to show their best wishes to those athletes. In the spectators’ area, you could feel as if you were in the United Nations. People from different corners of the world were there speaking different languages. They came together just because they love sports.
Two women from Russia were very excited when they got to know the game from television. Both of them work in Boston. To support their nations, they rented a house in Presque Isle. They felt as though the game made them closer to their country and family. One of the women,Tatiniana Kotova, said, “This game reminds me to think of my motherland because the snow makes me feel like I’m in my home.”
Some people from New Zealand had a fresh experience when they arrived in the United States to watch this game. Jean Koons is the mother of two of the athletes. She came here to accompany her son and daughter to participate in the game. She’s really a big fan of theirs. “ They’ve been skiing for 15 years. I’m very excited to see such great athletes. The game is competing and you should know all the training they went into,” Koons said.
Some people from Germany wanted to share some feelings but they couldn’t due to the language differences. From their facial expressions, we could feel their intense emotion. People from Maine usually were very proud of this game. “ I really enjoy watch them on TV. It is more exciting in person. I will come back watch it if it if they host in the future,” Mr. Pope said.
The 2016 World Cup enabled Presque Isle, Maine, to be a national and international focus. Sports always bring people together. Let’s hope for future World Cups.
