Joy Drop: 100-year-old diver's performance shows the power of sport
Shireen Ahmed | for CBC Sports | Posted: February 16, 2024 2:18 PM | Last Updated: February 16
CBC Sports' senior contributor Shireen Ahmed on the week's happier moments
It's been a week of love and I am happy to be able to share the things I love with you. There are moments this week in which respect, love and community brought me joy. Also, candy!
I am not a chocolate lover, or any sweets for that matter. I recently shared a potato birthday cake (because it's a dream for me) but I do enjoy sour candies because the tart and tangy flavours appeal to me.
I found a fantastic recipe from Crowded Kitchen with real citrus peel that is fresh ingredients and none of the chemicals and bad-for-you ingredients in most candies.
In another deliciousness, my friend Aman is a brilliant chef. In addition to being the first South Asian woman to play for a team with England's national program, she's a talented chef and started a series of pop-up dinners in B.C.'s Okanagan Valley. She was featured in Food & Wine magazine and also has an amazing array of spices that she has carefully crafted. But most recently, it is her video making traditional dahi (yogurt) that caught my attention.
I was very fortunate to be on a panel with Aman last month in England and know how her passion for food and community is so authentic.
I was wowed and delighted by Taghi Asgari, an Iranian diver, who completed a one-metre dive at the World Aquatic Championships in Doha. I was wowed because Asgari is 100 years old. Yes. One hundred. Asgari has said that his love for the sport has not changed since 1951.
His focus, balance and performance were beautifully executed. He bowed to the audience and got a standing ovation from the crowd of athletes and spectators. To be 100 years old and so gracefully diving in front of the world is a testament to the power of sport and the love one has for it.
Community is also about love and this conversation between former pro hockey player Saroya Tinker and Toronto PWHL's Sarah Nurse reflecting on Blackness, hockey and their experiences. The conversation begins with them speaking about their hair and how they were different in the change rooms. The conversation is powerful because they get to speak frankly to each other and we are lucky to witness it.
Gabrielle Drolet is a cartoonist with the Globe & Mail and the New Yorker. She is a beautiful artist and this month will draw a rat every day of the month. I have put in some requests but her work is adorable and she puts out a call for ideas every day on X (formerly known as Twitter).
She shared her creations so generously and they're positively charming.
Lastly, One Love, Bob Marley's biopic was released this week and although the reviews are mixed, I look forward to watching it. Bob Marley's message of love, unity and justice has been embedded into the world of music. It impacts us and the phrase "One Love" is synonymous with Marley.
And love is something we most certainly need more of these days, in every realm. Personally, I can't wait to attend the Battle on Bay St. between Toronto and Montreal's PWHL teams Friday night at Scotiabank Arena. It's something I love doing and being a part of.
I hope you are enveloped in love and community.
Here's my favourite jam from the legend himself: Could You Be Loved