Detroit Free Press

ATLANTA -- The bright lights were waiting, a stadium full of flashbulbs, and Carl Lewis is not one to shy away from the heat. His routine

ATLANTA -- The barbell sat there like a mountain. "Go ahead," it seemed to say, "move me."Out came the last lifter. He already had won the gold medal; this was for history. The weight stood at 518 pounds. If he hoisted it to his shoulders, then pushed it over his head, he would better the world record by more than 16 pounds.In the audience, his fans waved the flag of Greece.In the hallway, the silver medalist, from Kazakhstan, watched with intense interest.In the waiting room, the bronze medalist, from Ukraine, bit his lip and stared at the TV screen.

ATLANTA -- Big men don't cry, but this big man did. He stepped onto the medal stand, and when the anthem played, he wept. These were not tears of joy, mind you. Not one of those Olympic moments where the hero breaks down in a flood of patriotism.No. The big man, a Greco-Roman wrestler, was on the podium for silver medalists, and it was a few inches too low to keep his heart from breaking."That was the saddest moment of my life," said Matt Ghaffari, "having to stand there and listen to the Russian anthem being played, watching the Russian flag being raised.

ATLANTA -- Every plane, every passenger, every suitcase, every seat . . .The silence was what you noticed first. ...

ATLANTA -- Carl Lewis was a pioneer in track and field. Unfortunately, he pioneered arrogance.He had an agent who ...

ATLANTA -- What does it mean to have a rival? That you hate him? That you envy her? That you study everything he does? That you look the other way and hope that she is studying you?The big pool at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center was all about rivalries Thursday night, two in particular, one between two men, the other between two women. Within their emotions was the whole spectrum of human competition, splashing quickly into the water.

ATLANTA -- Janet Evans is a better story than a swimmer these days. That's fine if you're retired. Hank Aaron is ...

ATLANTA -- "I can't feel my leg," she said."Shake it off!" her coach screamed. "You gotta go!"Kerri Strug pushed ...