It's the performance that counts in sports, not wealth or physical circumstance. South Korean gymnast Yang Hak-seon, who had been living in a makeshift home covered with wooden boards and plastic sheeting, won that nation's first ever gold medal in gymnastics at the 2012 London Games. Runner Oscar Pistorius' participation in the 2012 Olympics is inspiring other race organizers to consider opening the field to double-amputees. While the global economy doesn't reach that ideal, it does aim to break down the barriers of prejudice, fear, and ignorance, which are the usual culprits that impede competition.
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