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Like many Australians, I've found myself transfixed watching the Paris Olympics. The dedication, the sportsmanship and the drive to compete on the world stage has brought a tear to my eye more than once.
Meanwhile, my Olympics side quest has been looking into all the other random anecdotes the four-yearly sporting event has offered throughout the generations.
This, of course, includes the addition of 'Freestyle Ballet Skiing' in 1984 (watch here), the recipe to this year's viral Olympic Village chocolate muffin, and one American skier by the name of Elizabeth Swaney.
For those who don't know much about Swaney, it's safe to say that she's an eccentric character. Born during the 1984 Olympics, she says she felt compelled as a seven-year-old to become an Olympian.
"I was watching the Olympics when I was really young, probably aged about seven. I think I've wanted to be an Olympian ever since that time. It's been a lifetime goal," she told The Guardian.
Swaney, an American citizen from Oakland, California, tried her hand at many sports. At one point she was a coxswain for the highly-ranked University of California men's rowing team. She tried skating and ice hockey. In a quick departure from sports, she even launched a bid to win the role of governor of California, a role that was eventually filled by Arnold Schwarzenegger. She also tried to be a professional cheerleader and ended up going to Harvard University to study real estate.
She was always a 'try girl'. But she never quite made it.
Image: Instagram