Javelin Throwers Unite
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2204746495
The following post was published on this group on Facebook. I had yet to be on a group that is so incredibly international. This, because as I am learning, the javelin is a sport that is appreciated and practiced by every country in the world. The almost 17,000 members in this group show the interest there is, and the presently 111 likes on this post of mine shows that people are passionate about this ancient sport. All in all, it is very exciting to follow what is going on in this group. Here is my latest post:
It’s an honor to be in this extraordinary international group not because I am an athlete, but because my father was. Just a few years ago, thanks to meeting Kevin McGill on the internet, not only did I learn about my father’s sports career through Kevin’s interest and research but thanks to him, for the first time I actually saw the original video of my father throwing the javelin in the 1948 London Olympics! That kind of a thrill doesn’t happen every day in a person’s life, and actually, it could also have never happened at all.
One could say “If it hadn’t been for the internet” this lucky encounter with Kevin, would never have happened. But actually the key word is “passion”, both of Kevin for the javelin and the passion my father had to write the following words that intrigued Kevin to want to learn more about him:
“One mustn’t think of the javelin as a minor sport like curling or anything. The javelin represents the glory of Greece and it symbolizes man’s search for his primitive ancestral identity. I can blink my eyes and look out at a javelin thrower and see tens of thousands of warriors marching across the field and I can hear the voices of antiquity. No, the javelin isn’t some minor sport. It is classic. It is beauty. It is excellence. It is immortality.” Dr. Steve Seymour
Looking over the posts in this group I get a feel of what it was like for my father as a young athlete. Seeing what you athletes are doing, how hard you are training and competing gives me an idea of what life was like for my dad. It’s bringing him back to life for me, following your posts, and it is exciting, I relive his life through your actions and achievements.
If you’d like to know more about my father, Kevin McGill (coach, writer, Javelin enthusiast) wrote the most complete essay about him in Track and Field:
Steve Seymour won the silver medal for javelin in London, 1948. He also was considered the first Javelin Technician and had quite the life. He loved travel and might not have been surprised to see that I, his daughter ended up in Italy.
Javelin was his passion, I’m happy to share his story and grateful for Kevin McGill, after so many years to have brought his memory back to life.
Stephanie Seymour
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