What Are The Factors That Influence Louis Zamperini's Life

Mathew Robinson, his older brother showed him the ropes with athletics and motivated him his entire life.

He made a huge decision to reach for the Berlin Olympics. With the mile not yet being an Olympic race, this left Louie to take on a longer distance. Pete pressed for Louie to go out on a limb and try for the 5,000 meter race. With only two weeks of hard training Louie qualified for the final of Olympic trials. Louie was off to New York for finals. In 1936 it was said that one of the hottest summers were encountered. Hillenbrand stated, “On the night before the race, Louie lay sleepless in his sweltering hot room”. The day of the race arrived and Louie along with the other qualifiers lined up to start. Louie and a man named Nash were neck and neck. After the race Louie would state, “You couldn’t put a hair between us”. Judges ruled Lash finishing first and Louie finishing second. Louie didn’t care. All he knew was the he was on his way to compete in the 1936 Olympics. Louie was in the best shape of his life. On August 7th, Louie was set to run the biggest race of his life. He dragged behind during almost the entire race. At the end of the race Louie knew he had to give all he had and that is exactly what he did. Although Louie Zamperini did not place well during the Olympics, he finished with the fastest last lap ran in history. He had ran it in 56 seconds. At the end of the race Hitler congratulated Louie

Louie was always getting in trouble in and out of school. Louie wasn’t aware of what smoking and drinking was doing to him, but his brother Pete was. On page 15, when the author explains why Pete got Louie into running, Pete said that he did it so Louie would stay out of trouble. The fact that Pete was able to get Louie into running was pretty amazing, considering what Louie had already gone through. Louie found a love for running, and stuck with it after wanting to quit multiple times. What Pete did for his brother probably saved his life, and I’m sure Louie probably knows that as well. Once Louie really started to get into running, he never wanted to do anything but run, and his goal was to make it to the Olympics. On page 17, “ When Louie set out to see what training

When Louie was still going through his rebellious phase, his brother Pete, had noticed how well he had ran. Pete had encouraged Louie to join the track team at the school. Although Louie was the most frowned upon at school, his brother was the opposite. Pete had encouraged the principal of that school to let Louie run in track, and he did. Louie had set many world records and high school records for running in track. When he went to the olympics, he had run a very fast lap with the time of 56 seconds. Louie as a

Louie continued running, and even became good enough to run in the 1936 Olympics in Germany. He didn’t medal in the

According to the great retired olympian track athlete Gail Devers, “Sometimes we fall, sometimes we stumble, but we can’t stay down. We can’t allow life to beat us down. Everything happens for a reason, and it builds character in us, and it tells us what we are about and how strong we really are when we didn’t think we could be that strong.” In Unbroken, a biography written by Laura Hillenbrand, Louis Zamperini illustrates Devers’ words with his resilience, springing back after his World War II bomber crashed and enemy forces captured him. In the end Louis’ ability to make due with every hellish situation life threw at him that influenced Hillenbrand’s aspired survival story.

“Unbroken” is one of the most motivating stories about the resilience of a young adult bound for the Olympics when he was interrupted by World War 2. This book is a page turner and keeps the action flying at you on every page. Louie Zamperini the main character is continuously face to face with many problems meant to either take his life or destroy his resilient mindset. Although, some consider the book unbroken to be long and boring, I think it is a exciting page turner that shows the struggles faced by this talented Olympic athlete stuck in a time of war.

Louise Zamperini went through major transformations. Growing up Louise moved from Italy to America . Louise quoted, "I couldn't speak English. I'm in kindergarten and the only reason I got through 1st grade is because I cheated". He was a troubled child, he started drinking and stealing at a young age. Perseverance in track was what kept Louise grounded and out of trouble. Faith in God is why Louise survived brutal work conditions in Japan.

Bang! The gun had gone off. My feet pounded forward on the track taking care not to hit any of the thirty-two other feet that were all competing for the same spot—first. I pushed hard out of the starting line so that I didn't get boxed in and then fought my way through the first hundred meters to earn my place amongst the other runners.

The stage was set for the 100-meter final at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Lining up across the track, eight men prepare to race against one another for a chance to claim the title as the fastest man in the world. All of the competitors were extremely talented; however, reigning Olympic champion and previous world record holder, Carl Lewis and current world record holder Ben Johnson were favored to win. Nevertheless, this was the moment that all of the sprinters have worked their whole lives for. These next ten seconds could alter their entire future, the fame, money and to own the title as world’s fastest man would be given to the winner of this notorious race. All of the athletes in the field would do whatever it took to win, even in extreme cases. After gathering themselves one final time, the runners set up in their blocks.

August 7, The London 2012 Summer Olympics.“Go Derek! Go! You can do it!” I yelled from the sidelines of the track field. This was it, this was the reason he had been training nonstop for months. Behind that wide smile there was blood, sweat and tears. The way he ran was mesmerizing. With every stride he took, he leaped forward and in a wink of an eye he had already ran several meters ahead. He was the perfect athlete, incredible strength, passionate, optimistic, focused and determined. “You’re almost there Derek! Just one more lap!” I cheered him on. He was in the lead, with the finalist from Germany, meters behind him. I could see the other runners slowing down knowing the win was Derek’s. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, he

Born in Czechoslovakia to a humble family, Emil Zatopek went on to be named the “Greatest Runner of All Time” by Runners World Magazine. He was inducted into the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Hall of Fame, received the Pierre de Coubertin medal, and set numerous Olympic records. These achievements are grand, but to me, it is Emil Zatopek’s character that truly deserves a medal.

Winded, with my legs forfeiting into a stagger, a bilious feeling began to build in my gut as the stark reality of losing began to sink in. I had fallen behind. My window of opportunity was closing by the meter, and my dream to qualify and finish on the podium, becoming more distant, as I watched the other runners make strides towards the finish line. Losing focus had led me to this moment where I was running someone else’s race in which, I have found myself completely OUT of the race.

3, 2, 1 GO (BANG) the starter shot the blank from the gun and I leap forward adrenaline was pumping through my system, I run as fast as I could down the well-lit underground running track, I look behind to see where Mark and the other runners were, they were at least 20 meters behind me, but I look away and focus on the finish line its only meters away. Then out of the corner of my eye I see Mark catching up I start to pump my arms and legs harder, sweat was dripping down my face the finish line was only meters away but Mark leaps in front of me and crosses the line first.

I kneel down, on one knee. I push myself up half way. My knees are bent, and I am on edge as if I am an animal in the jungle, ready to pounce on its next meal. My head rises but only enough to see the track in front of me and the green, fresh cut grass on my left. The white lines with red-brown spaces between them. The anticipation of the race to begin is overwhelming. The sweet smell of fresh cut grass clams me. The starter gun goes off and my feet move faster and faster with each step. I can’t see anyone out of the corners of my eyes. I am in first. The finish line is only a few feet away now! I lower my right foot; just as it lands I feel an abysmal pain in my ankle. I fall. Screaming and yelling out in pain. I come crashing to the ground. My right ankle, it throbs. I have never felt anything so horrible in my life. The pain is beyond indescribable.