Barnes Twins - Banned Olympics Guinnes Commercial - Wow!

So, you've been training all your life to be an Olympic athlete along with your twin sister, and this is your last chance. When you go to the trial, your sister is too ill to compete. Could you give up your spot to your sister after earning your last chance?

The ad above will not be airing because of Olympic rules, but is that not a powerful piece of work? It made tears come to my eyes.

Two sisters, Lanny and Tracy Barnes, are twin Olympic biathletes (the sport that combines cross-country skiing and shooting) who have trained for years together side-by-side. But this year the girls pulled an old twin trick that no one would ever expect at the Olympics: they switched places for the Winter Games.

Imagine earning your spot to have that last chance for a medal, something you've worked for all your life, and being big enough, loving enough, to give it up to your sister who could not compete for her own chance for the same. Now, she's going to have that chance, and you'll be cheering her on knowing she's doing it all for you.

Wow, excuse me. It's dusty in here today.

reply to post by ketsuko


I think that is the sweetest thing I have ever heard coming out of the world of sport. Wonderful. As for whether I would give up an opportunity to my sibling... I do not know, it has never come up, because my sister and I share some tastes in activities, but by no means all. But I certainly hope I would be as generous if the opportunity arose!

reply to post by ketsuko


Wow that's a nice commercial...not sure what it has to do with Guiness or beer?

chrismarco
reply to post by ketsuko

 

Wow that's a nice commercial...not sure what it has to do with Guiness or beer?

Not much, but one way to do advertising tends to pull heart strings then attach that emotion with a corporate logo. Its quite effective.

If she didn't earn the right to be in the Olympics then she shouldn't be in it. If the sister that earned the right to be in it and didn't want to compete then the next person in line should have been given the chance to compete. She shouldn't be allowed to pick who she wants to compete in her place.

What a beautiful thing to do.

Kudos to Guinness for NOT taking the easy way, as most commercial do. They choose to get a story out. (Personally, can't stand it, so it won't make me want to run out and buy it)

Has the media been reporting on the story of these ladies?

reply to post by ketsuko




Not sure of the story, never heard of these sisters but I don't see how see just gave away her place? Wouldn't they give it to the next fastest qualifier?


That said, it was a poignant, humbling and beautiful thing to do and a great advert/commercial that should be aired for all to see.

reply to post by buster2010


Agreed.

But was she the next? Or not? Still sweet though.

Anyways...those girls like look they could beat the hell crap out of just anyone. LoL! The video I've seen of them doing their Olympic event...dang!!!

TrueBrit
reply to post by ketsuko

 

I think that is the sweetest thing I have ever heard coming out of the world of sport. Wonderful. As for whether I would give up an opportunity to my sibling... I do not know, it has never come up, because my sister and I share some tastes in activities, but by no means all. But I certainly hope I would be as generous if the opportunity arose!

C'mon, sure you would .

Sorry to be a negative nancy but I dont see the heartwarming aspect here.

The sister that qualified is either better and she should have gone or shes worse and it seems unfair that due to an "act of god" her sis didnt qualify but is still going.

Its touching that one sis gave up her spot but at the same time repugnant that the other one took it.
You either qualify or you dont, I say disqualify them both as cheats

For those saying that this is cheating and wrong, I don't know the whole back story, but I might do some speculating. There likely isn't a huge biathlon community in the US, and these two look older. They are probably well known and respected in the US biathlon community. It's possible that what was done was done with the complicity of the US biathlon contingent who likely knows both of them and their strengths very well because they have competed with them for a lot of years.

reply to post by ketsuko

I can assure you negative nellies that if it wasn't legal, it'd never pass the IOC nazis. So why don't you guys cool the flaming of these girls with the DQing them talk till you know the whole story.

Also, if you'd like to see a fantastic documentary on a girl trying to get the IOC to recognize women ski jumping, check out "Ready To Fly" on Netflix.